The colour of 'presenter beige'

[Stillhomewardbound]

Could someone please illumine me as to the appeal of Suzy Klein.

To paraphrase Linda Smith, she's like the human equivalent of beige!

[Curalach]

she's like the human equivalent of beige!

What an unpleasant post.
Thoughtful criticism of Ms Klein's performance is perfectly valid.
Gratuitously offensive remarks about presenters, posted anonymously, are an unattractive import from the old boards.

[Norfolk Born]

At the risk of sounding chauvinist: she's got an alluring voice and a body to match. Sorry, but you did ask. Oh yes, and she has a very good microphone techqnique.

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

...and there was i just thinking how preferable Sunday mornings are to the weekday breakfast slots ... and i agree with the sentiment of the second post ... but calling some one beige is well er a bit beige innit?

[french frank]

Is 'beige' unpleasant?

I have to say one of the publicity pix doesn't do her any favours and doesn't go with the cheerful, flat-soled sensibleness which is the impression I gained.

I think the programme is terrible, though. When do we get the quiz?

[And, in fairness to SHB, he's never made any secret of his identity, which is rather more identifiable than that of a lot of us.]

[Curalach]

I think the programme is terrible, though.

It is certainly not to my taste and entirely worthy of criticism on its own merits, or lack thereof.
Taking cheap shots at presenters, or performers, makes any implied criticism worthless.

Posting anything under a pseudonym, including this, implies some degree of anonymity.

[gradus]

Well I like Ms Klein and I enjoy the range of music that is programmed, particularly the historic recordings of performers, for example Clara Haskill's recording of the Abegg Variations this morning.

[french frank]

Posting anything under a pseudonym, including this, implies some degree of anonymity.

If you have declared your identity openly, you possibly don't think of yourself as being anonymous even if the great wide world beyond has no idea who you are. On that basis I see no reason to be coy, since SHB hasn't: he is Stephen McKenna, son of the late, great actor TP McKenna, who is developing a wonderful online archive of his father.

On presenters, it's horribly difficult: how to separate the presenter from the programme, especially when you hate the programme? Suzy Klein took a first class degree in music from Oxford. Is it overly personal to say that I would have hoped for something better from her? If getting a job with the BBC means falling in with their policies, then, surely, you have to take the flak for those policies?

I would dearly love to foment an en masse rebellion among the R3 presenters. As far as individuals are concerned, I know, and they presumably know, that if one goes, someone else (almost certainly worse) will take their place .

[Curalach]

Suzy Klein took a first class degree in music from Oxford. Is it overly personal to say that I would have hoped for something better from her?

No it certainly isn't ff, and were you to do so, I believe that you would state your case in an informed, well argued, and respectful manner.
Making a cheap jibe about her, whether you are the son of someone famous or not, is none of these things.

I also enjoyed listening to the Clara Haskill recording this morning.

[kernelbogey]

Someone with a first in music from Oxford has, I would suggest, a presenter's palette of all the colours of the rainbow from which to choose. Appearing beige to a listener might therefore be considered a failing. I've stopped listening to her programmes, for similar reasons. I imagine that she's more than capable of being more colourful in tone and varied in content, and is following (as ff implies) some form of management prescription. That's modern corporate culture for you, I fear.

[Panjandrum]

I agree with the OP: she is dreadful as is the programme. I lost all respect for her when she trumpeted her dislike for Brahms. Moreover, without a trace of irony, she slagged off the Labeques for a crossover album, and then proceeds to fill the two hours with all kinds of shocking lightweight pap.

So, SHB, someone had to say it.

[Frances_iom]

beige is a common choice for new houses - acceptable to all in that provokes no strong antipathies - I suspect just what the Beeb are after as it seems no programme between 7am and 12 noon can in any way be taxing on a listener - beige to me sums up more and more of R3 daytime + much of sunday programming. I gave up on sunday morning slots some time ago - but even on retrying now and again to see if improved I quickly get back to CDs

[Stillhomewardbound]

Er, ooops! Just what did I start?!

I've been rehearsing all day with the Pink Singers hence my not being around to explain myself.

Truth is, from my view in the cheap seats, I tend not to indulge in the business of slagging presenters off in a needlessly malign manner, and personally, I don't believe that I have broken that informal rule I have on this occasion.

Basically, I have implied that I find this presenter to be bland. I don't doubt that she is personable, but some would say the same of Sean Rafferty ie. warm, freindly, but not necessarily engaging.

Now, the manner in which I expressed that view, was hardly caustic. Certainly, it was a tad flippant, but I suspect Ms Klein is not losing much sleep tonight.

One of the finest critics of the modern age was Clive James when he was writing his TV reviews for the Observer. Indeed, they were published frequently as books. Well, he was positively corruscating at times, but I rarely knew him to be off the mark.


SHB formerly known as HB and always happy to raise my hand and say 'I am Spart ...', er no, that's not it ... McKenna, Stephen Thomas!! That's the one.

[Nick Armstrong]

beige is a common choice for new houses - acceptable to all in that provokes no strong antipathies - I suspect just what the Beeb are after as it seems no programme between 7am and 12 noon can in any way be taxing on a listener - beige to me sums up more and more of R3 daytime + much of sunday programming. I gave up on sunday morning slots some time ago - but even on retrying now and again to see if improved I quickly get back to CDs

I'm not sure it's Ms Klein who is beige - I like her style free of the Sunday morning shackles, and suspect she can be pretty technicolour in the right company... But she is saddled, as F-i suggests, with a beige programme concept. I also tune in occasionally in the hope of improvement, and tune out again swiftly. Yesterday morning, with all the "Mrs Scoggins of Southport writes to say..." nonsense, was horrible. Usually on Sunday a.m. I'm listening to the bits of CD Review I didn't get to hear on Saturday (or want to listen to again) - it always gets decanted onto the SD card in the bedside DAB radio With the click of a button on the remote, far preferable fare is at hand.

[Eudaimonia]

Here's a thought: why don't all you sparkling charmers download some internet radio production software and put together a demo show for us. Just one show. So everybody can understand what you mean by a programme that's not "beige" when you can't be chuffed to explain yourselves. Oh, and don't forget your publicity photos! Because we all know how relevant a presenter's appearance is to evaluating his or her abilities, don't we.

Anybody feel like facing the critics?

HELIX PRODUCER BASIC

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Helix Producer Basic from RealNetworks is a digital media production tool for broadcast streaming and download. It provides encoding tools to convert audio and video into RealMedia format. Using RealMedia Events, Helix Producer can also be used to create synchronized multimedia presentations for playback within the RealOne Player. Helix Producer is one of the key elements of the RealNetworks system based on the Helix platform, an integrated media-delivery system designed for rich media delivery over the Internet and corporate intranets.

BBC ACADEMY: ONLINE RADIO TRAINING COURSES

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