Me On The BBC
Yesterday was pretty cool. Not only did I experience an earthquake for the first time, but I also had the opportunity to do some filming for the BBC.
Two weeks ago, I emailed the BBC in response to a new entertainment news programme they launched on BBC News 24. A few days after, I got a reply asking whether I would like to air my opinions on NewsWatch, a weekly programme that allows viewers/listeners/users of BBC News content to have their questions about BBC News answered. So, if they didn’t like a particular report, or they felt to much attention was given to one area of a particular story than another, they can write or phone in and a select few out of that bunch get to go on the show and have their views put to the relevant BBC News staff member.
There are various ways the public can take part. Sometimes, viewers are invited to the studio so that they can speak directly to a News editor. Others get to present their own little report from their home town. This was what I did. Wearing a radio mic, I had to speak directly to camera in various places around my town whilst the public walked past and idiots in cars beeped their horns in an effort to amuse. It was surreal, but great fun. Kevin on camera and Ian the programme producer were brilliant and remained patient and friendly throughout. They even took me to the pub afterwards by means of a thank you.
The main difficulty I had was remembering my lines. There were about 8 paragraphs I had to say, but I reckon there must have been about 30 to 40 takes just to get them right. On one of them, I inexplicably starting replacing the word ‘entertainment’ for ‘itv.’ It was stupid!
Once edited together (and I feel genuinely sorry for the video editor who gets to wade through all my outtakes), the piece is pencilled-in for next week’s showing on BBC News 24 and BBC One. If you’re one of my international readers, don’t panic. I’ll make sure a select few of you get to see it after broadcast.
