LN Leeds was a bit of a cockup tonight wasn't it? Surprising which bits of it they do pre-record - not sure why they can't read emails out live rather than risk the embarrassment of the servers going pear shaped and it falling off the air
Well that BBC Yorks and Lincolnshire Sport Awards (sponsored by Nestle) was an odd half an hour.
Viewers in Look Hull region were given their annual airing of Christa and Harry, the first glimpse of cosmetically enhanced Christa. Don't know what Christa was wearing it looked like a Lilly Savage cast off. Mind you, it was nothing on Anne Davies in East Mids who was dressed like a charleston dancer from the 40's, complete with black furry gloves up to the elbows. Anyway, I digress.
The production values were distinctly low, all set on raised area in a conference room of a local hotel with the presenters stood at two lecterns proudly displaying the "Nestle" brand. There didn't seem to be much effort go in at all. However, the biggest disappointment for me was the lack of an appearance of Sir Dicky Turd, it didn't seem right, sport, Christa, awards, but no Dicky, a missed opportunity.
The Yorkshire Awards on YTV a few weeks back, was a much slicker, professional operation. But I guess you knew I was going to say that. All a bit poor.
LN Leeds was a bit of a cockup tonight wasn't it? Surprising which bits of it they do pre-record - not sure why they can't read emails out live rather than risk the embarrassment of the servers going pear shaped and it falling off the air
Indeed, everything that could go wrong did. To talk people through what happened:
Firstly a studio based bit went black with the sound continuing. It turns out it was pre-recorded so we went back in to live Harry and Christa and they apologised.
They then filled a bit by reading stories from paper before linking to a report. This report then froze with a horrible noise. After a few seconds we went back with Harry and Christa who filled with paper stories again, all this with a fixed front camera angle.
They then moved on with some sport and Harry did a two way interview via the screen. When Harry asked a question they showed a wide shot of the studio, with Harry asking his question and Christa waving her hands about and mouthing to someone off screen. They then cut to the correct camera which was a wide shot of the screen and Harry only. The next time Harry asked a question they did the same process again with Christa asking for more paper stories as she'd probably ran out.
After this they went back to the fixed front camera and filled again with small talk and chat before being able to link into the earlier report which went wrong. This of course froze again for a second time!
Christa was getting annoyed at this point and said she was really sorry. A bit later on they linked into a report which took about 5 secs to appear but at least it did appear. It's about time the new kit was thrown out and the old Woodhouse Lane stuff was brought back in, it seems to go wrong constantly.
Also on Monday the OB to the Sports Awards failed the first time they went to it due to poor sound!
What you two are forgetting is that Calendar didn't start out hitch-free, as Richard Whiteley's 'Himoff' memoirs show. I remember reading about very odd pictures coming out of there while everything was getting bedded down and accustomed to.
However, the biggest disappointment for me was the lack of an appearance of Sir Dicky Turd, it didn't seem right, sport, Christa, awards, but no Dicky, a missed opportunity.
Oh for God's sake - one month you're saying he's on too often and the next month you're complaining that he ISN'T on! Make your mind up! And PLEASE stop calling him that ridiculous name; for someone of his calibre and standings, you're being disrespectful.
Viewers in Look Hull region
I wouldn't call it that from the content of tonight's show - there were reports about the Helpringham (that's in Lincolnshire by the way) train crash, Lincolnshire County Council, Lincolnshire Fire Brigade, illegal hare coursing in SOUTH Lincolnshire - in fact the first report about Hull wasn't until just over ten minutes into the show! The regional spread of stories was in fact very good!
What you two are forgetting is that Calendar didn't start out hitch-free
But, for heaven's sake, we're in 2004 - Look North isn't just starting out and it shouldn't be happening on a supposedly professional programme seen by plenty of viewers every evening who've collectively shelled out a fortune for a brand new building with brand new equipment that seemingly works far less well than the old stuff.
The odd mistake - fine - a whole programme of embarassments is, as Andrew's quite rightly said, frustrating for the whole team who try to put together a watchable programme and for various reasons can't manage to do it.
However, the biggest disappointment for me was the lack of an appearance of Sir Dicky Turd, it didn't seem right, sport, Christa, awards, but no Dicky, a missed opportunity.
Oh for God's sake - one month you're saying he's on too often and the next month you're complaining that he ISN'T on! Make your mind up! And PLEASE stop calling him that ridiculous name; for someone of his calibre and standings, you're being disrespectful.
Oh, here we go again, the gospel according to St. Katherine.
I don't recall you sharing the same courtesy to Messrs Rosenthal, Eccleston, Shafernaker and Appleton, in your unjustified verbal lashings in recent times. I'd never stoop so low to refer to anyone as a "parasite", you have a very ascerbic tongue there Katherine.
However, as we are embarking upon the festive season, I'm prepared to let this blatant display of hyprocisy lie.
I don't recall you sharing the same courtesy to Messrs Rosenthal, Eccleston, Shafernaker and Appleton, in your unjustified verbal lashings in recent times. I'd never stoop so low to refer to anyone as a "parasite", you have a very ascerbic tongue there Katherine.
Yes, but when I make those comments, I know that my intent is semi-humorous (despite grievances) - I can't tell if you're being serious, literal, humorous or whatever. I wish people would say what they mean and mean what they say...
What you two are forgetting is that Calendar didn't start out hitch-free
But, for heaven's sake, we're in 2004 - Look North isn't just starting out and it shouldn't be happening on a supposedly professional programme seen by plenty of viewers every evening who've collectively shelled out a fortune for a brand new building with brand new equipment that seemingly works far less well than the old stuff.
The odd mistake - fine - a whole programme of embarassments is, as Andrew's quite rightly said, frustrating for the whole team who try to put together a watchable programme and for various reasons can't manage to do it.
I was comparing the two at the 'pastures new' stage. Look North have had problems with the new equipment at the 'bedding in' stage after their move to St Peter's Square, just as Calendar had problems at their 'bedding in' stage at their base after going on air for the first time.
There is a significant 'bedding in' stage with all new operations. It takes a year or so to get to grips with all the quirks of a new system and tweak the settigns so that it's correct.
In that time there will be the odd programme that's completely disasterous.... but that's life and the lessons learnt from all the problems tonight will go towards fixing things for next time