You won't hear this on the radio
20/03/07 13:38 Journalism in practice
Permalink
People who read this blog will be aware that I've
been wanting to do more radio work for a while. You
won't be at all surprised, then, to hear I was
delighted when the chappies at Digital Planet on the
BBC World Service asked me to stand in for their
regular tech expert, who was unavailable for the
recording yesterday (I was on the BBC London
breakfast show yesterday, too - I wasn't going to
mention that but you forced it out of me).
The World Service show after a bit of an edit is online here - but that's not the full story of how it went. I sound much better than I was at the time.
Basically I arrived at the recording on time and, as is their right, the producers had changed a couple of stories around - it happens occasionally and it's a matter of getting the best show possible to the listener. So I had a call from them in the morning letting me know there was a story about getting information into Zimbabwe coming up.
I freely admit that as a regular tech and small business writer I spent most of the day fretting about what I could actually say when that item came up.
Nevertheless the presenter was extremely pleasant and said not to worry, he wouldn't ask me anything during the interview with the woman from the South African radio station, he'd just ask for a quick round-up afterwards. Which was fine - but she was a little dry when it came to it so - rightly I'd say - he asked me what I thought. On the air. Recorded as live.
Listening to the show you'll realise I came back immediately with something - if not exactly fluent then at least coherent. You might be surprised I didn't freeze completely.
Except, of course, you're hearing the edited version. For the record and for the sake of honesty, when I was asked what I thought of the prospect of using texting to undermine a major abhorrent international political figure - asked as my first words on a massive worldwide broadcasting network, mind - my actual response immediately was more a matter of:
"Er...oh. Yes. Well, I think...er...gah...actually...my opinion is...er...I think...what I think is, I'm stammering quite a lot today."
I am deeply grateful to producer Colin Grant for making me sound so erudite instead!
The World Service show after a bit of an edit is online here - but that's not the full story of how it went. I sound much better than I was at the time.
Basically I arrived at the recording on time and, as is their right, the producers had changed a couple of stories around - it happens occasionally and it's a matter of getting the best show possible to the listener. So I had a call from them in the morning letting me know there was a story about getting information into Zimbabwe coming up.
I freely admit that as a regular tech and small business writer I spent most of the day fretting about what I could actually say when that item came up.
Nevertheless the presenter was extremely pleasant and said not to worry, he wouldn't ask me anything during the interview with the woman from the South African radio station, he'd just ask for a quick round-up afterwards. Which was fine - but she was a little dry when it came to it so - rightly I'd say - he asked me what I thought. On the air. Recorded as live.
Listening to the show you'll realise I came back immediately with something - if not exactly fluent then at least coherent. You might be surprised I didn't freeze completely.
Except, of course, you're hearing the edited version. For the record and for the sake of honesty, when I was asked what I thought of the prospect of using texting to undermine a major abhorrent international political figure - asked as my first words on a massive worldwide broadcasting network, mind - my actual response immediately was more a matter of:
"Er...oh. Yes. Well, I think...er...gah...actually...my opinion is...er...I think...what I think is, I'm stammering quite a lot today."
I am deeply grateful to producer Colin Grant for making me sound so erudite instead!
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Review kit rant
09/03/07 11:20 Journalism in practice
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So I'm reviewing some IT kit for the Guardian - never
mind what it is, I wouldn't tell you before
publication anyway but it doesn't affect the story.
And I need to get this equipment to my home.
So I fax - or rather scan in and e-mail - the loan form to the hire company to which several manufacturers outsource the management of their product loans. All is going well so far. The form asks for a registered address and a company registration number.
Thing is, I'm freelance. And by that I don't mean I've set up a company to take advantage of tax, I mean I'm freelance - legally a sole trader. So I don't have a registered address.
We can't send it without a registered address, they said. Well, I don't have one, I said. Can you put the address where you receive your business mail, they said. Not really, I said, because if I put that then it's technically fraud and for the money I get for these reviews I'm not prepared to risk prosecution, even on a technicality - and anyway, why should I pretend to be a registered company when I'm a perfectly respectable freelance?
in the end the PR company signed on my behalf. I couldn't help reflect that they must get this all the time. I do hope they feed this back to their clients; I wonder how much coverage actually gets lost because freelances can't be bothered to jump through all the hoops and source competitors' equipment from elsewhere?
So I fax - or rather scan in and e-mail - the loan form to the hire company to which several manufacturers outsource the management of their product loans. All is going well so far. The form asks for a registered address and a company registration number.
Thing is, I'm freelance. And by that I don't mean I've set up a company to take advantage of tax, I mean I'm freelance - legally a sole trader. So I don't have a registered address.
We can't send it without a registered address, they said. Well, I don't have one, I said. Can you put the address where you receive your business mail, they said. Not really, I said, because if I put that then it's technically fraud and for the money I get for these reviews I'm not prepared to risk prosecution, even on a technicality - and anyway, why should I pretend to be a registered company when I'm a perfectly respectable freelance?
in the end the PR company signed on my behalf. I couldn't help reflect that they must get this all the time. I do hope they feed this back to their clients; I wonder how much coverage actually gets lost because freelances can't be bothered to jump through all the hoops and source competitors' equipment from elsewhere?
Radio Radio
05/03/07 17:46 Journalism in practice
Permalink
Back from holiday and I find I'm suddenly moving in a
direction I want. Longer-term readers will remember I
went onto BBC London's breakfast show on Boxing
Day; I was there again today, happily,
commentating on technology once more. I'm hoping
to do some more of this.
And then it was on to Olympia to record some interviews that will, hopefully, be integrated into the BBC World Service's "Digital Planet" programme.
Clearly I have no idea where all this is heading, but it's a load of fun and hopefully will produce some programmes of interest in the meantime.
And then it was on to Olympia to record some interviews that will, hopefully, be integrated into the BBC World Service's "Digital Planet" programme.
Clearly I have no idea where all this is heading, but it's a load of fun and hopefully will produce some programmes of interest in the meantime.