The Eternal Breakfast Debate in a New Place

[Flay]

.and why the obsession with news from 6.30 - 9.00 then no interest 'til 1.00pm then 5.00pm?

An excellent point, cloughie. Let's hope they put it right with headlines throughout the day.

[cloughie]

An excellent point, cloughie. Let's hope they put it right with headlines throughout the day.

I prefer the basis of 'No news is good news'.

[Sir Velo]

Just had a look and I see Tom McKinney is back to present Breakfast this weekend.

Thanks for the tip off. CDs this weekend it is.

[vinteuil]

Just had a look and I see Tom McKinney is back to present Breakfast this weekend.

... thanks for the tip off. I'll be out of the country this weekend.

[Sir Velo]

... thanks for the tip off. I'll be out of the country this weekend.

I don't think it's necessary to go quite that far - but, then again...

[Black Swan]

I don't think it's necessary to go quite that far - but, then again...

Excellent response Sir Velo. I will be listening to CD's this weekend as well.

[muzzer]

The "line from Salford" appears to have gone down. What a merciful release. If only temporary.

[kernelbogey]

Just had to switch off today as soon as I heard it was That Man at the microphone. And something about Eurovision Song Contest - WHAT?

[Sir Velo]

Just had to switch off today as soon as I heard it was That Man at the microphone. And something about Eurovision Song Context - WHAT?

You were given fair warning...

[muzzer]

Any particular 'That Man"? The Beeb is entirely to blame. Out There In The World there are plenty of Northerners who don't sound as if they're presenting Seaside Special wearing a comedy nose. But no, why not just help perpetuate stereotypes, Auntie.

[kernelbogey]

Any particular 'That Man"? The Beeb is entirely to blame. Out There In The World there are plenty of Northerners who don't sound as if they're presenting Seaside Special wearing a comedy nose. But no, why not just help perpetuate stereotypes, Auntie.

We are urged by Our Leader not to complain about individual presenters. (Although I felt mildly guilty about my language.) But I agree with your post. What a contrast with Martin Handley, who happens to know something about music.

[french frank]

I don't think this sounds like a question of regional accents (I'm listening now) - Northern or otherwise. The problem is the BBC/Radio3's inability to man the microphones for Breakfast In Salford with classically knowledgeable presenters, especially at the weekends. The Man is, I think, a young, classically trained guitarist - but musicians are not necessarily generally knowledgeable about the musical repertoire any more than academics are well-informed outside their narrow specialisms - especially if they're young(ish).

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Any particular 'That Man"? The Beeb is entirely to blame. Out There In The World there are plenty of Northerners who don't sound as if they're presenting Seaside Special wearing a comedy nose. But no, why not just help perpetuate stereotypes, Auntie.

This is the Corporation that insults northerners on a daily basis by having the grammatical nightmare, Steph McGovern, on Breakfast TV.

[kernelbogey]

I don't think this sounds like a question of regional accents (I'm listening now) - Northern or otherwise.

I'm convinced that there is a directive to presenters to be colloquial and chatty.

I had to turn off the other day as soon as I heard the unmistakable tones of a lady presenter famed for her pronunciation of foreign words and names, albeit in impeccable RP: the voice is modulated so seductively. It's so pervasive now on Radio Three - with the usual notable exceptions. Why do RW & Co think that Drivetime Requires Mateyness?

[french frank]

I'm convinced that there is a directive to presenters to be colloquial and chatty.

Yes, the new presenters for Breakfast tend to be based in the north (so handy for Salford), but insofar as they have presenting experience of other BBC radio stations (we've had Radio Merseyside, Radio York, Radio 5 Live) - they have the mix of relaxed chattiness or 'drivetime mateyness' and (often fluent) script-reading which gives the impression of the much-prized 'authoritativeness' but which somehow is hard to believe in.