The Eternal Breakfast Debate in a New Place

[Stanfordian]

No? Obviously?

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

You’re clearly very worked up about the short exchange.

It was merely a sample of what goes on all the time. It's like a teacher doing a badly prepared lesson. (I know - been there; done that. )

From what I remember of Richard Baker, I’d be surprised if he went off-script once in his professional life.

That's one reason why he was so much better than the current crop.

[underthecountertenor]

That's one reason why he was so much better than the current crop.

Hang on. I thought you said that he could ad lib perfectly. Now you seem to be agreeing that he probably never went off script. So where's the evidence of his perfect ad libbing?

Anyway, I always preferred Peter Woods's impeccable delivery. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1SLocpFVqD8

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Hang on. I thought you said that he could ad lib perfectly. Now you seem to be agreeing that he probably never went off script. So where's the evidence of his perfect ad libbing?

I interviewed RB once before writing a newspaper review of a concert he MC-ed in Scarborough. Even when he was unprepared, his sentence construction and flow of speech were impeccable. In other words, he sounded as though he cared.

[underthecountertenor]

I interviewed RB once before writing a newspaper review of a concert he MC-ed in Scarborough. Even when he was unprepared, his sentence construction and flow of speech were impeccable. In other words, he sounded as though he cared.

Fair enough, although I would take issue with the implied suggestion that PT/IS sound as if they don't care.

[french frank]

Fair enough, although I would take issue with the implied suggestion that PT/IS sound as if they don't care.

It's part of the current way of thinking (it seems to me) that presenters must sound casual, conversational. Ums and ers are part of normal speech. I would tend to agree with Alpie's view that some people - especially ex-actors like RB? - are particularly fluent. That seems to be written off as 'too formal', 'sounds as if they're reading a script' &c. Some people also have very well modulated voices, which used to be thought 'good broadcasting voices'. Now it's more important to have diversity - regional accents and distinctive voices taks precedence.

It seems to me

[vinteuil]

From what I remember of Richard Baker, I’d be surprised if he went off-script once in his professional life.

..my pa always said he was brylcreem and smarminess personified.

.

[vinteuil]

Some people also have very well modulated voices...

... what does that mean?

.

[LMcD]

... what does that mean?

.

It probably means that they all talk like Margo Leadbetter. Those whom PT so obviously upsets always have the nuclear option...

[underthecountertenor]

It probably means that they all talk like Margo Leadbetter. Those whom PT so obviously upsets always have the nuclear option...

Door please, Jerry.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Those whom PT so obviously upsets always have the nuclear option...

Frequently used, though it's the whole concept, rather than one individual DJ.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

One who can do the spontaneous chit-chat, without sounding as though he's trying to read someone else's handwritten script, is Sean Rafferty. The content is still annoying, but at least he has an air of competence in his delivery.

[french frank]

... what does that mean?

.

Well, to me it doesn't mean they sound like Margot Leadbetter at all. I would say that it was the gentle variation in pitch, akin to musicality or tunefulness. It's not an unusual use of the phrase, is it?

[vinteuil]

.

... oooh, "musicality", "tunefulness" - them's weasel words.

No, I really don't know what 'very well modulated voices' means here.

.

[LMcD]

Whenever I watched Richard Baker, I felt as though I'd gatecrashed somebody's dinner party.
There are IMVHO two essential differences between Petroc Trelawny and Tom Service.
Firstly, PT definitely has a welcome air of self-deprecation about him - something that could never be said about TS.
Secondly, I can always understand what PT says - again, something that, at least in my case, certainly could not be said of TS.
I particularly liked the way PT responded to the listener who pointed out that clouds don't burn back, but evaporate.
I never listen to 'In Tune' (it's 'Pointless' followed by the 6.00 news on Radio 4 chez nous), but I do rate Sean Rafferty highly.