BBC Newsreaders

• Terry Nunn

  • Location: London Road, Dover
  • Registered: 12 Mar 2008
  • Posts: 4,321
  2 April 2010     07:5145588
  #1      
  A little while ago the BBC was admonished for not employing older women as newsreaders (or men with beards for that matter).
  
  Lo and behold what do I see? This very morning the 62 year old Julia Somerville is back on the box presenting Breakfast. Is this a token gesture do you think or the start of a trend?
  
  Pity Mac Hobley's dead, I liked him.
  
  Terry
  Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?
• Guest 640

  • Registered: 21 Apr 2007
  • Posts: 7,819
  2 April 2010     08:1845594
  #2      
  lol re Mac Hobley !!
  
  I saw Julia Somerfield recently too on BBC News 24...its was about 10 days ago and I was shocked to see her. I was a fan of hers in the old days, a very well connected judges daughter if memory serves me well, but it was quite a shock to see someone so old doing it. Doing the news that is.
  
  Her co-ordination looked awkward and she looked awkward. Whether that was because she has been out of practice or what, I dont know, but for me it didnt work and Im almost her age myself. Why have an old bag of bones doing it..even guys like Michael Buerk who was very good, had to go because they just get too old looking. If you see him now you can see how even he wouldnt work now delivering news either.
  
  I remember years ago when they invented the football pundit. There was a brace of these ex-managers who used to come on and talk about the match. it was a new invention. There was one guy who was very good. Joe Mercer manager of Man City. The original group eventually wore out but some years later they brought back the best of them Joe Mercer. And although I was a fan I was embarassed for him because he was a bit like I am now memorywise, he couldnt remember anything, and his co-ordination was gone..they didnt bring him back after that. The oul clock catches up with us all.
  email: dover7@msn.com
• Guest 674

  • Registered: 25 Jun 2008
  • Posts: 3,391
  2 April 2010     08:2345596
  #3      
  PAULB
  I do understand where your coming from, but Joe MERCER was a great manager in his time.
  
  Sadly today we are into this IMAGE and ticking boxes
  
  just look aT WHen it doesn't work;
  
  
  Willy Hague with his baseball cap
  politcians being false on bibo
  BBC readers not wearing ties.
  
  I used to like the BBC but now there not much diffrent to GMTV
  
  Why can't we just be ourselves?
• Guest 645

  • Registered: 12 Mar 2008
  • Posts: 4,463
  2 April 2010     09:0545608
  #4      
  John Stapleton is an excellent journalist with a long and distinguished career (even if he does support Man City) most of the newsreaders are just that news readers taking their lines off an autocue with no imput of their own.
  Marek
  I think therefore I am (not a Tory supporter)
• Sid Perkins

  • Location: Dover
  2 April 2010     09:3645612
  #5      
  I hope we're not advocating ageism chaps! No need for politics to enter this thread either please.
  
  If I recall correctly, Julia Somerville had a brain tumour some years ago, and that may be affecting her co-ordination a bit.
  
  Personally, I think if they are good enough to do the job, it doesn't matter what age they are.
• Guest 641

  • Registered: 12 Mar 2008
  • Posts: 2,335
  2 April 2010     12:2045630
  #6      
  Talking about football pundits, its amazing that there are now quite a few attractive younger sports journalists of the female persuasion (pc newspeak), covering pre and post match discussions.
  
  Also have you noticed that weather girls and also female newsreaders/anchors are getting dangerously thin, it's all about image
• Guest 640

  • Registered: 21 Apr 2007
  • Posts: 7,819
  2 April 2010     12:5745634
  #7      
  I know its not politically correct to say it Sid but I cant see ageism going away despite these one or two attempts to placate the PC anti ageism lobby. Im afraid that in marketing terms the two things you cant be are....
  1.Old
  2 Fat
  
  I know...terrible to say it... so BarryWS thats why the girls are thin. Glance at Sky News for example and you can see where we are coming from here. The news is marketed in a glamourous and slick way and no mistake. Sky are selling their news, so they will be a fully researched barometer of what people want, otherwise they would go out of business. BBC and ITN have to tag along that line or viewing figures will plummet. Im afraid its probably unwritten but its part of the remit. No point having a news if no one will watch it.
  
  What must be remembered here is that when you get to a certain age..ie say mid sixties, you dont notice the problem as everyone looks the same to you being the same age...but the vast majority of viewers ( 24 - 44) will certainly notice it looking up as it were. "Oh my Gawd" they'll shriek.."grandma is reading the news again".
  
  Im an old geezer meself so wont be expecting to make a comeback anytime soon...but I accept my fate!
  email: dover7@msn.com
• Guest 656

  • Registered: 13 Mar 2008
  • Posts: 2,262
  2 April 2010     14:0945644
  #8      
  I see that GMTV's popular newsreader, the lovely Penny Smith is leaving the show after 17 years which they say is due to cutbacks but I wonder .............
• Brian Dixon

  • Location: Dover
  • Registered: 23 Sep 2008
  • Posts: 23,940
  2 April 2010     16:5645677
  #9      
  paulb,theres nothing wrong being old and fat,a sign of goodliving.
• Sid Perkins

  • Location: Dover
  2 April 2010     16:5845679
  #10      
  In some countries it is considered worthy of a mark of respect to be fat and old. It indicates wealth and wisdom.
• Guest 645

  • Registered: 12 Mar 2008
  • Posts: 4,463
  2 April 2010     17:0345683
  #11      
  Well you're Ok then....
  Marek
  I think therefore I am (not a Tory supporter)