Are we recording all this, Nick? I hope we are. Right here we go...
January 6, 2008 3:13 PM Subscribe
Are we recording all this, Nick? I hope we are. Right here we go... In 2005, the BBC's royal correspondent Nicholas Witchell was preparing a "two-way" regarding that year's VJ Day 60th anniversary commemorations. He and the interviewer Richard Evans just couldn't see eye to eye as to how the story should be covered. Luckily for us, their tetchy conversation and the fall out with the producers was recorded (transcript/mp3). Despite the vintage, it's a rather revealing behind the scenes record demonstrating the process that's often gone through to decide how news is best communicated to we listeners.
Nicholas Witchell... can't stand the bloke. And neither can Prince Chuck, apparently.
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 3:54 PM on January 6, 2008
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 3:54 PM on January 6, 2008
it's a rather revealing behind the scenes record demonstrating the process that's often gone through to decide how news is best communicated
This isn't typical at all. Any discussions on how a story is covered are usually had between the producers before an interview with a correspondent is requested. If Nick Witchell didn't think there was enough to say it would be more normal for him to turn down that request. When this was doing the rounds of the BBC it was mostly as an example of how difficult Witchell can be.
posted by little apollo at 3:59 PM on January 6, 2008
This isn't typical at all. Any discussions on how a story is covered are usually had between the producers before an interview with a correspondent is requested. If Nick Witchell didn't think there was enough to say it would be more normal for him to turn down that request. When this was doing the rounds of the BBC it was mostly as an example of how difficult Witchell can be.
posted by little apollo at 3:59 PM on January 6, 2008
Shorter version:
RE: Just tell me what to say.
NW: I can't believe I have to work with such IDIOTS.
posted by grouse at 4:11 PM on January 6, 2008
RE: Just tell me what to say.
NW: I can't believe I have to work with such IDIOTS.
posted by grouse at 4:11 PM on January 6, 2008
"Royal Correspondent," what a bloody job title. Sticking your nose up monarchist arses is not a way to earn a living.
Witchell is easily the most unlikable man on the BBC. Smarmy, condescending, ginger. The royals hate him, the viewers hate him, and oh look, even his colleagues hate him.
posted by afx237vi at 4:14 PM on January 6, 2008
Witchell is easily the most unlikable man on the BBC. Smarmy, condescending, ginger. The royals hate him, the viewers hate him, and oh look, even his colleagues hate him.
posted by afx237vi at 4:14 PM on January 6, 2008
afx237vi writes "The royals hate him, the viewers hate him, and oh look, even his colleagues hate him."
Have we found UK's own expression of Bill O'Reilly ?
Then eject him into the Thames please, nobody should dare turn BBC into Fox, Sky News is already there fucking up people with tabloid crap.
posted by elpapacito at 4:18 PM on January 6, 2008
Have we found UK's own expression of Bill O'Reilly ?
Then eject him into the Thames please, nobody should dare turn BBC into Fox, Sky News is already there fucking up people with tabloid crap.
posted by elpapacito at 4:18 PM on January 6, 2008
Wikipedia says: "A BBC Radio Five Live phone poll on the day did, however, indicate greater support for the Prince than for Witchell, with approximately 1000 out of 1700 votes going to 'Charles' over 'Nick.'"
That's amazing, when you consider how widely disliked Prince Charles is.
posted by grouse at 4:19 PM on January 6, 2008
That's amazing, when you consider how widely disliked Prince Charles is.
posted by grouse at 4:19 PM on January 6, 2008
This reminds me of almost every day of work I had at the BBC. Calling up correspondents, asking what went on, and then this constant negotiation about what to ask and what's not to be done. When half the stories were about sport festivals in Chennai and the like.
posted by parmanparman at 4:53 PM on January 6, 2008
posted by parmanparman at 4:53 PM on January 6, 2008
Top story of the day: ZachsMind learned he had no idea who these two people are, or any of the people they're talking about. To be honest, Zach just got done watching three episodes of Penn & Teller's Bullshit back to back and so this argument about producers producing and talent talenting regarding vain attempts to make something completely uninteresting newsworthy is not very interesting. If those making up the news are boring their own asses off, what can they expect from their audience?
This just in: Prince Charles discovered another age spot on the brim of his nose, and Prince Harry just shagged another administrative assistant. He may have herpes again. Later in the hour we'll talk to some medical experts about that possibility.
And now, sport!
posted by ZachsMind at 5:06 PM on January 6, 2008 [1 favorite]
This just in: Prince Charles discovered another age spot on the brim of his nose, and Prince Harry just shagged another administrative assistant. He may have herpes again. Later in the hour we'll talk to some medical experts about that possibility.
And now, sport!
posted by ZachsMind at 5:06 PM on January 6, 2008 [1 favorite]
Witchell is an absolute cunt.
posted by fire&wings at 5:16 PM on January 6, 2008
posted by fire&wings at 5:16 PM on January 6, 2008
I used to work in news tv briefly as an audio guy and this sort of shit goes on all the time, everywhere.
posted by Henry C. Mabuse at 5:40 PM on January 6, 2008
posted by Henry C. Mabuse at 5:40 PM on January 6, 2008
this sort of shit goes on all the time, everywhere
Indeed. Reminds me of the time I nearly got knocked over by a reporter angrily storming out of the building because the anchor said something halfway snarky about a technical issue.
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 5:48 PM on January 6, 2008
Indeed. Reminds me of the time I nearly got knocked over by a reporter angrily storming out of the building because the anchor said something halfway snarky about a technical issue.
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 5:48 PM on January 6, 2008
Yeah, that sort of stuff.
One time I got into a shouting match (with a talking head who shall remain nameless) before air time over some technical issue that wasn't even my deal, so in frustration I arranged to have feedback patched into his in-ear while on air. He looked like he was having a fit. Oh, how we laughed. Later a producer came up to me and congratulated me. Those asshole anchors are so often primadonnas that when you get a professional one you are surprised. Ego, ego, ego, ego. Please, I just want to do the job, mr Hair-Helmet.
posted by Henry C. Mabuse at 6:03 PM on January 6, 2008 [3 favorites]
One time I got into a shouting match (with a talking head who shall remain nameless) before air time over some technical issue that wasn't even my deal, so in frustration I arranged to have feedback patched into his in-ear while on air. He looked like he was having a fit. Oh, how we laughed. Later a producer came up to me and congratulated me. Those asshole anchors are so often primadonnas that when you get a professional one you are surprised. Ego, ego, ego, ego. Please, I just want to do the job, mr Hair-Helmet.
posted by Henry C. Mabuse at 6:03 PM on January 6, 2008 [3 favorites]
Reminds me of the argument two prominent Los Angeles news anchors had when they didn't know the audio was being captured.
posted by HotPatatta at 6:26 PM on January 6, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by HotPatatta at 6:26 PM on January 6, 2008 [1 favorite]
And for those who missed it the first time around, here's the MeFi thread regarding CNN weatherman Chad Meyers' 2005 blowout with anchor Carol Costello.
posted by Smart Dalek at 6:37 PM on January 6, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by Smart Dalek at 6:37 PM on January 6, 2008 [1 favorite]
I can understand why The Witchell was pissed off about it all, but he's still a world-class cock.
posted by opsin at 7:30 PM on January 6, 2008
posted by opsin at 7:30 PM on January 6, 2008
Ginger? That's no reason to dislike someone. Metafilter, can we have that deleted from the post?
posted by MrMerlot at 11:05 PM on January 6, 2008
posted by MrMerlot at 11:05 PM on January 6, 2008
Another one. A certain Oz ABC cocknugget anchor comes over to me while I'm at the desk, I'm doing a sound check from an OB feed, right, it needs to be done, we have about 10 minutes to air. It's not even my desk, I'm just setting it up. So I have my headphones on, I'm listening to this fucking thing and twiddling dials. And this twat starts yammering at me about how he wants his segment done on this particular piece he's doing. I can't hear him, because they're cans, and I have signal coming in my ear'oles. And I obviously have my headphones on and am concentrating, as anyone with eyes and a brain can deduce.
So I look at him, I'm pulling in this signal which is a test that has to be done, and it's from some fucking football park or something out miles away, so it's not like it can wait or can be started again at his pleasure, and I sort of finish it while he's yapping, then I pull my headphones off and say "what?"
So this dick goes "oh you soundmen are all the same! You're all bloody deaf!"
Red rag to a bull, much? Say this to a soundman, like me, who is actually good at his job with golden ears. And I'm proud of that, because I actually still do have my hearing, top end and everything.
So I turn to the cock and say at the top of my lungs "I HAD MY FUCKIN' HEADPHONES ON, YOU ARSEHOLE" the whole studio heard it. He pulled his head in. A bit. There wasn't a round of applause, but the atmosphere was one of general approval.
I didn't lose my job over that. That came later, with the relentless alcoholism. But I never ever was a carpet for those cocksuckers, the only thing kept me employed was being consistently good at what I do under immense pressure.
TV news anchors are possibly only just a bit above car salesmen on the scale of vertebrate life. Oh, there was actually a nice one over here at Channel 7, but she threw herself off a cliff. True. That's all you need to know about the camaraderie and fellowship of the job.
posted by Henry C. Mabuse at 11:57 PM on January 6, 2008 [2 favorites]
So I look at him, I'm pulling in this signal which is a test that has to be done, and it's from some fucking football park or something out miles away, so it's not like it can wait or can be started again at his pleasure, and I sort of finish it while he's yapping, then I pull my headphones off and say "what?"
So this dick goes "oh you soundmen are all the same! You're all bloody deaf!"
Red rag to a bull, much? Say this to a soundman, like me, who is actually good at his job with golden ears. And I'm proud of that, because I actually still do have my hearing, top end and everything.
So I turn to the cock and say at the top of my lungs "I HAD MY FUCKIN' HEADPHONES ON, YOU ARSEHOLE" the whole studio heard it. He pulled his head in. A bit. There wasn't a round of applause, but the atmosphere was one of general approval.
I didn't lose my job over that. That came later, with the relentless alcoholism. But I never ever was a carpet for those cocksuckers, the only thing kept me employed was being consistently good at what I do under immense pressure.
TV news anchors are possibly only just a bit above car salesmen on the scale of vertebrate life. Oh, there was actually a nice one over here at Channel 7, but she threw herself off a cliff. True. That's all you need to know about the camaraderie and fellowship of the job.
posted by Henry C. Mabuse at 11:57 PM on January 6, 2008 [2 favorites]
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