Front Row

[DracoM]

What is going on?
Who is bullying whom?
Is Mark Lawson leaving because he was drummed out, bullied out, or is HE the bully?

[Barbirollians]

So not the " health reasons" that are on the BBC website. He is a loss - John Wilson is insufferable .

[DracoM]

Totally agree: John Wilson asks the question at self-congratulatory length and THEN answers it HIMSELF at length. 'Look at me, look at how eloquent and really well-researched'.

What's the job JW? Just remind us?

Quite often in any interview, he talks almost as much as the interviewee.

[Honoured Guest]

From The Guardian:

"The claims of bullying are understood to have been made in a collective formal complaint by the National Union of Journalists.

Lawson, who also writes for the Guardian, is understood to have denied any suggestion of bullying, but acknowledges there were editorial arguments."

http://www.theguardian.com/media/2014/mar/05/mark-lawson-bbc-radio-4-front-row

[cloughie]

Totally agree: John Wilson asks the question at self-congratulatory length and THEN answers it HIMSELF at length. 'Look at me, look at how eloquent and really well-researched'.

What's the job JW? Just remind us?

Quite often in any interview, he talks almost as much as the interviewee.

Doesn't sound as if he's as safe a pair of hands as his father!

[Barbirollians]

Doesn't sound as if he's as safe a pair of hands as his father!

No but that didm't stop him bringing him in for a programme once . He is so self-satisfied he really ought to be on Roger Wright's Radio 3 .

[cloughie]

No but that didm't stop him bringing him in for a programme once . He is so self-satisfied he really ought to be on Roger Wright's Radio 3 .

It's a shame he hasn't the musical insights of his namesake!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006qsq5/profiles/john-wilson

[french frank]

It's a shame he hasn't the musical insights of his namesake!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006...es/john-wilson

Is that doing him full justice? I read on his Wiki article:

"He specialises in music-related interviews for the programme and has interviewed artists such as Morrissey, David Bowie, Elton John, Paul McCartney, Quincy Jones, Noel Gallagher, Bernie Taupin, Kate Bush, Ray Davies, Peter Gabriel and Noddy Holder." With that range of expertise, I would have thought he might have gained some insights ...

PS I think I was confusing Noddy Holder with Nobby Stiles - shows how much I know

[DracoM]

So does that mean that Front Row is now going to go down the 'magazine for pretentious, wannabe taken seriously Radio 2 fans' route led by the egregious John Wilson?
In which case, a rock solid start to my listening evening is about to be erased from the habit.

Whatever is said about Mark Lawson, his track record for taking on serious, and I do mean serious, heavyweights and getting five or slightly longer minute interview gems out of them is, I would have thought, unrivalled. And in interview he is signally self-effacing, in considerable contrast to John Wilson who is anything but.

[Barbirollians]

So does that mean that Front Row is now going to go down the 'magazine for pretentious, wannabe taken seriously Radio 2 fans' route led by the egregious John Wilson?
In which case, a rock solid start to my listening evening is about to be erased from the habit.

Whatever is said about Mark Lawson, his track record for taking on serious, and I do mean serious, heavyweights and getting five or slightly longer minute interview gems out of them is, I would have thought, unrivalled. And in interview he is signally self-effacing, in considerable contrast to John Wilson who is anything but.

One hopes they will look for a more serious journalist to replace him to balance the egregious Wilson and Kirsty Lang . The way Wilson is always wearing his knowledge on his sleeve and trying to be down with the kids is repellent.

[Nick Armstrong]

PS I think I was confusing Noddy Holder with Nobby Stiles - shows how much I know

Don't give up the day job, frenchie!!

Never heard this "Wilson" bloke - quite tempted to sample the awfulness, given what's said about him above!

[Honoured Guest]

I've always liked John Wilson but I'm often (respectfully) irritated by Mark Lawson's over-journalistic approach. I guess my regard for JW will be the last straw for many on this Board!

[cloughie]

Is that doing him full justice? I read on his Wiki article:

"He specialises in music-related interviews for the programme and has interviewed artists such as Morrissey, David Bowie, Elton John, Paul McCartney, Quincy Jones, Noel Gallagher, Bernie Taupin, Kate Bush, Ray Davies, Peter Gabriel and Noddy Holder." With that range of expertise, I would have thought he might have gained some insights ...

In some genres. Maybe his specialist subject is singers/songwriters! Classical musicians/composers? Mind you I think he would be ideal fronting Radio 2 Arts programme.

[Dave2002]

I shall probably continue to listen, if only to pick up "useful" phrases. I particularly liked being told a film was one of a "post apocalyptic zombie movie" genre. I haven't noticed anything specially different yet with JW - maybe I need to pay more attention.