jeremy-paxman « WordPress.com Tag Feed

listen, listen, listen!

benjaminchew110478 — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 06:16:59 +0000

I just participated in a survey conducted by a Web company on behalf of the Speak Good English Movem

Truly madly Depply

flamingo — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 14:29:26 +0000

Johnny Depp was yesterday voted “sexiest man alive” by Cosmopolitan – certainly no surprises there.

Johnny is Cosmo's sexiest man alive

I’d like to see some alternatives to these rather uninteresting lists, like for example we could have a”rudest and most aggressive journalist” list topped by Paxo, seen below on University Challenge where he regularly savages students for confusing Keats with Wordsworth and other outrageous offences.

top of the "rude and agressive but strangely sexy" poll comes Jez

Jostling for the top spot on the “great looking but entirely devoid of talent (and in fact a brain)” list are Paris Hilton and Peter Andre:

pete and paris are neck and neck for the goodlooking but dim top spot

Top of the “always being slated when alive but strangely sainted after death” list – yes you’ve guessed it – Jade Goody, who went from being an intolerable racist when on Big Brother to being “Princess” when she developed cervical cancer.

Jade went from sinner to saint in a typical British public U turn

The final list is reserved for “European presidents who are much too short for their wives” – having thought hard about this I concluded that the incorrigible Nicolas Sarkozy should top this shortlist:

Here seen in a thinly veiled attempt to appear as tall as Carla...

Any suggestions for additions to the alternative lists would be greatly appreciated.

Trafigura 'Call Off Your Dogs' Flashmob Nov 26 1pm

middleclassmayhem — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 11:16:07 +0000

Fancy a bit of agitating?

Involve yourself in a flashmob on Thursday Novemeber 26 2009 outside the offices of Trafigura, 2 Portman St W1 6DU at 1pm

Trafigura are still suing Newsnight over the toxic waste scandal and the plan is to get the ban lifted.

Publishing Hansard is one of the people’s basic rights and so the following text is not to be gagged.

“The recent example of the release of toxic waste in the Ivory Coast leading to the deaths of a number of people and the hospitalisation of thousands underlines the risks involved in the movement and management of waste.”

Bring your camera phones and film yourself saying these words and post them around the web.

Sly and Reggie will be there. Dubs blazing.

Listen to Sly and Reggie Dub track Trafigura Trafigura

singlish again

benjaminchew110478 — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 05:59:20 +0000

With all that talk about Singlish being a substandard form of English and the many Singaporeans who

love the english language

benjaminchew110478 — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 02:23:15 +0000

Learning to speak and write a new language is not difficult. With effort and diligence, one can easi

World Journalism in Crisis Conference on ITunes

marcjohnson123 — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 16:47:40 +0000

ON THE 28th of October Coventry University hosted the World Journalism in Crisis? Conference which f

50 Cent on the Today Programme

nookandcrannynews — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 18:15:10 +0000

My ears pricked up this week when I heard 50 Cent on the Today programme.

In between items about climate change and the justice system, the rapper was interviewed about a new business and self-help book he has published.

The unexpected inclusion of a popular rapper on Radio 4’s high-brow breakfast show reminded me of a similar instance when Dizzee Rascal appeared as a guest on Newsnight.

On that occasion, Jeremy Paxman was accused of being ‘patronising’ and ‘crass’ for asking, ‘Mr. Rascal, do feel yourself to be British?’ And Dizzee Rascal was criticised for fuelling negative stereotypes of black people through his poor grammar and unserious attitude.

Youth Culture

On the Today programme, however, the presenter Evan Davis proved to be far more in touch with youth culture than might be expected of a man who shares a studio with John Humphreys on a daily basis. He appeared as comfortable questioning the platinum-selling rapper as he would a Member of Parliament, and was able to refer to other rappers and 50 Cent’s career without appearing unnatural.

50 Cent was softly spoken and thoughtful. His ideas are probably not the most original –the principal being that you have to conquer your fears in order to succeed in business and life in general. Though the parallels he drew between business life and life on the street were interesting, if at times slightly uncomfortable.

At the beginning of the interview 50 Cent compared criminal bosses who murder to people in the corporate world who speak metaphorically about killing the competition.

If such comparisons made for slightly uncomfortable listening, references to 50 Cent’s own experience of violent crime were more problematic.

Face Slashed

At one point Davis referred to an incident from 50 Cent’s past, in which he slashed the face of rival’s assistant. In response, the rapper told Davis that if he had had the choice he would rather not have gone through such experiences, but did not express remorse for what he had done.

In September, the BBC was criticised for a programme in which the disgraced former Conservative MP Jonathan Aitken revisited the house in which he grew up. Criticism of the programme centred on the fact that it provided Aitken, who spent seven months in prison for perjury, a platform for restoring his public image.

If the BBC can be criticised for helping to rehabilitate a man who has committed perjury, surely it deserves greater criticism for helping to promote the work of a man who has committed serious violent crime –and who stops short of apologising for it. In the case of 50 Cent, he is already incredibly successful and does not need help to rebuild a career, though the respectability which the BBC provides could still be beneficial.

Puzzled

Aside from the ethics of broadcasting such an interview, I found myself puzzled by its inclusion on a programme like Today.

In spite of all that I have said, I found the item interesting and a welcomed break from the other hard news stories which made up the show. But I am sure that I belong to a small minority of Today listeners who knew anything about 50 Cent and his music.

If Today was trying to represent a more multicultural worldview and broaden the horizons of its middle-aged, middle class listenership, these are highly commendable objectives. But I fear that by choosing an interviewee such as 50 Cent, they maybe have been compounding, rather than combating, negative views which some of their listeners may have about minority groups.

World Journalism in Crisis: Buzz Special

marcjohnson123 — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 11:24:11 +0000

THE GLOBAL journalism debate, regarding the issue of crisis in the industry, took place yesterday at

One More Day to Go!

marcjohnson123 — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 13:31:59 +0000

TOMORROW AFTERNOON some of the most influential names in journalism will gather in Coventry from aro

Wednesday 21st October 2009

djwanker — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 23:03:11 +0000

WEDNESDAY 21st OCTOBER

Oh shit. Troubled celebrity coke-sniffing oxygen-thief Kerry Katona is planning a comeback – as a singer. She told the Daily Star: “I do not do drugs any longer. Ideally I would like to have a single and an album out at some stage next year.”

No. No. No thanks. Go away. Forever.

*****

Talking of oxygen thieves… Jordan (or Katie Price, take your pick) has been shortlisted for the 2009 Mum of the Year award.

Role model, my arse!

*****

Spending a lot of time on Facebook (as one tends to do to try and keep up with the 4000+ friends who make my life marginally bearable) certainly provides me with plenty of material for the blog.

Status Update Of The Week (1): “I think its really grown up 4 my mother 2 slag her daughter off on Facebook if u really hate me that much get over it and move on i dont need u and i aint the slag look closer 2 home ur daughter who meets any tom dick or harry yes thats nice oh and as 4 my clothes wot u done stuck them all together 2 make them fit her cos she def aint an 8!”

Ooh saucer of milk. That’s going to be one delightful Christmas Day meal for the family.

Status Update Of The Week (2): “congradulation 2 my lovely niece an her partner john on da birth ov yr son alfie. Treasure him alwayz.”

Let’s hope the person who wrote that isn’t called upon for help with Alfie’s English schoolwork in a few years.

Status Update Of The Week (3): “I’m Finkin The Fukin Rat That Lives 3 Doorz Up Frm Me Nds T Get A Fukin Grip Ya Sily Lil Bitch Sayn Ul Kum Nok My Dor Wen I Least Expect It Haha Please U Flapd It Wen I Dun Ya Window N Wudnt Kum Owt U Ad T Get Sum1 Els T Kum Eya Ya Lil Fukin Flaper Wel Just remember ur face aint fukin pregnant fool”

Yet another Telford-based contender for the Jeremy Kyle Show.

*****

I got ‘poked’ on Facebook last week by a woman I didn’t know. She sent me a message and said she was a ‘bored housewife looking for some action’. Eager to please the young lady, I sent her my ironing.

*****

Facebook Group Of The Week (1): “My boyfriend will marry me if we get 100,000 people in this group”

I nearly spat out my coffee when I saw what Trevor Wilson from Canada had written on the wall: “Listen love, he doesn’t want to marry you. Why buy the cow when you can get the milk for free?”

Facebook Group Of The Week (2): “Petition for a Nando’s in Telford”

That’s just what the fat, pint-slurping, tattooed, council estate single mums need.

*****

One of my DJ mates has written this on his page: “The DJ is not a human jukebox. The DJ is not there to serve your individual needs but instead, to create an atmosphere that serves the entire crowd at large.”

Listen and learn.

*****

Even the referee at the Sunderland – Liverpool game at the weekend makes better decisions that this Labour government.

*****

Regular blog reader, man about town and former Narborough & Littlethorpe Under-18 cricket colleague Jonny Bradley has thrown this question at me. “Why, when we played cricket and were in our whites, did you wear black trainers?”

There are three possible answers.

1) I’ve always liked being an individual, trying to do stuff to stand out.
2) It was all my parents could afford.
3) I’ve always been a complete fuckwit when it comes to fashion.

It could, of course, be a combination of all three.

*****

Top Tip from Viz magazine: Bookshop owners… annoy Christians by putting the Bible in the ‘Fiction’ section of your shop where, joking aside, it actually belongs.

*****

Hot on TV:

Benidorm – bang-on-the-money funny and beautifully observed every week, even now they’ve stretched it to an hour per episode.

The return of Have I Got News For You – what a brilliant guest host Martin Clunes turned out to be.

Jonathan Ross interviewing Chris Evans and Piers Morgan grilling Boris Becker. As a journalist, I like to see presenters asking the right questions… unlike the rude, obnoxious and smug Jeremy Paxman.

*****

I was watching Never Mind The Buzzcocks last week when up popped Vickie Perks, lead singer of late 80s pop-punk girl band Fuzzbox, on the mystery guest round. This brought back many happy memories.

When I was starting out as a journalist 20 years ago, I interviewed the band in Leicester. They were in their early to mid-20s, were dressed in shimmering gold crop tops and mini-skirts and were draped seductively over the bed in a hotel as I asked them questions.

I was a 16-year-old boy with raging hormones. It was one of the best days of my life. How I managed to speak without stammering, I really don’t know. I seemed to do a decent interview (it was for a BBC local radio programme) and they asked me to do more of them. Thank you, Fuzzbox.

So has Vickie (now known as Vix and currently rocking out with punk-burlesque babes Vix And The Kix) weathered well? Oh yes. Still bang tidy.

*****

If you want to see what Fuzzbox looked like in 1989 and why they collectively stole my teenage heart, then check out these videos. Yes, they’re very much of their time but look beyond that and enjoy the sheer pop excitement.

International Rescue

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=afyyOsbFnCU

Pink Sunshine

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xp4tSsPU_8

*****

Music from the 1980s wasn’t all great. Here’s some utter rubbish I used to play when I started DJ-ing 20 years ago… The Reynolds Girls!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Hg7M8qI5m8

However, I’d still rather listen to that than Sean Paul.

*****

We’ve got a big Hallowe’en weekend extravaganza at Pussycats at the end of the month. Funnily enough, we’re having it on Hallowe’en weekend. Some customers, of course, bring their scary masks and costumes every weekend…

Check out my latest photos from Cats in the gallery at www.djwanker.com – come up for a picture next time you’re in and get a sticker. I’ve had some more done and this time they’re pink.

*****

“Fluid on the lungs.”

After hearing the cause of Stephen Gately’s death, I wonder if women will now think twice before swallowing.

*****

And finally… how do we know that Stephen Hawking is as clever as everyone says he is? When you ask him a question and he types in the answer on his little screen, he could just be looking up the answer on the internet.

Cheers for now,
Geoff / DJ Wanker

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The Times Cheltenham Literature Festival contd

antonyjwaller — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 08:30:10 +0000

‘HELLO CHELTENHAM’. Well, here I am, coming to you live from the festival! I have been event hopping and what wonderful rich and diverse fare.

Jeremy Paxman was on top form giving a talk on Victorian art, or to be more precise, on life and social values described and depicted in their paintings. It was not just a critique fest for a Brian Sewell master class on art, but the 19th century truly brought to life in his unique informative and anecdotal presenting style, and with hardly a politician in sight.

Next Robert Vaughn. Yes, he of The Magnificent Seven, Bullitt, The Man from Uncle and recently BBC 1’s Hustle fame. Now I always find it interesting listening to these Hollywood legends recounting stories, their lives and telling of the ‘greats’ and times past. I was not disappointed. His involvement in and view of American politics was also pertinent. Did you know that for a number of years the FBI had a file on him?

Listening to an author talking about how he or she came to write a novel, their inspiration and the ‘behind the scenes’ work in actually writing and completing a book makes fascinating listening too. Why does a writer write and what induced them to start writing? How long does research and writing a novel actually take? Kate Mosse, bestselling author of Labyrinth and Sepulchre talking with Sandi Toksvig revealed many answers. And afterwards I was fortunate enough to meet her and have my copy of her latest book ‘The Winter Ghosts’ autographed!

Finally a literary joke. An Irishman goes for a job on a building site and is told by the foreman he can only be taken on if he can answer a question correctly. What’s the difference between a girder and a joist, asks the foreman. A silence follows before the Irishman replies; well Goethe wrote Faust and Joyce Ulysses.

Enjoy the Festival. Must dash to another event!

Jeremy Paxman challenged over difficulty of quiz show questions - Cheltenham Literature Festival

encourager — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 22:40:56 +0000

October 12, 2009

Jack Malvern

John Humphrys has challenged Jeremy Paxman to a televised “general knowledge shoot-out” after the host of University Challenge accused his show, Mastermind, of dumbing down.

The dispute between the BBC presenters began at The Times Cheltenham Festival of Literature on Saturday, when a member of the public asked Paxman whether he believed that questions on University Challenge, which he has hosted since 1994, had become easier.

He said that questions had been “dumbed up”. Producers had compared the current crop of questions with those from the 1960s, when it was hosted by Bamber Gascoigne.

“I can show you questions from the early years of University Challenge and ones now and you can see for yourself,” he said.

Related Links

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Is there life after quiz shows?

University Challenge superwoman stuns Paxman

“On the whole, questions are more difficult now than they used to be, much more difficult. This is a disgraceful canard put about by some old codgers. It is, however, true that they’ve got a lot easier on Mastermind.”

A question from University Challenge this year was: A baker makes between 30 and 50 scones. If he packs them in fives, he has one left over. If he packs them in threes, he has two left over. How many scones did he make? The answer is 41.

One team in 1962 was asked: By what names are Beethoven’s third, sixth and ninth symphonies known? The answer: Eroica, Pastoral, Choral.

Paxman’s comments were supported by Peter Gwyn, executive producer of University Challenge, who studied the content of the early shows for University Challenge: the First 40 Years.

“Looking at the questions from the 1960s, they were different in style. They were loftier, but they weren’t harder,” he said. “There weren’t many questions on the sciences.

“In 1962, for example, a team struggled to answer the question: ‘Who came up with E=MC squared?’.”

If today’s students were asked questions from the 1960s they would achieve higher scores than they would with contemporary questions, he added, and supplied a list of questions so readers of The Times could decide for themselves.

Humphrys, who also spoke at the festival on Saturday, said Mastermind questions were also more difficult than in the past. When told that Paxman disagreed, he said: “Well, deliver this message to him. He’s welcome to test this proposition by appearing as a guest on Celebrity Mastermind.

“We’ll deliberately make the questions a bit easier for him, if he likes. Alternatively, we could have a shoot-out. I could put to him a set of questions chosen at random from the last ten programmes and he could do the same. Come on, Paxman, if you think you’re hard enough.”

Paxman later described any report of his comments as a “confection of nothing”. It seems, on this basis, that he is unlikely to take up Humphrys’s challenge.

Questions then and now

University Challenge, 1962:

Q: Thursday is named after the god Thor. After whom is Wednesday named?

A: Woden.

Q: Who was the last tsar of Russia?

A: Nicholas II

Q: Solomon Grundy was born on Monday. When did he die?

A: Saturday

University Challenge, 2009:

Q: Lisa, that is, the laser interferometer space antenna, is planned to be the first space-based observatory dedicated to the detection of what disturbance of space-time?

A: Gravity waves

Q: What word did Edmund Spenser use in the The Faerie Queene as an epithet for the thousand-tongued monster born of Cerberus and Chimera, by which he symbolised false accusation? It is now used to mean conspicuous or obvious.

A: Blatant

Q: Which Greek letter links: the temperature point below which liquid helium in equilibrium with its vapour exhibits superfluidity; a moth so named because of the pattern on its wings; and a shield marking of the Ancient Spartan army?

A: Lambda

via entertainment.timesonline.co.uk

Books by Jeremy Paxman onAmazon

What you didn't see at Labour conference 2009

Mark Kelly — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 17:21:47 +0000

For the third year running I am The Sun’s ‘man on the ground’ for the political pa

Cheltenham Lterature Festival: Jeremy Paxman

encourager — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 00:13:06 +0000

Saturday 10 October 2009 at 11:30 am (60mins)

Event 30 at The Centaur book online
£9 (reserved seats)

Jeremy Paxman

In his fascinating BBC series and new book The Victorians, Newsnight and University Challenge presenter Jeremy Paxman uses paintings of this era to explore Victorian life and culture. In this beautifully illustrated talk, he discusses these immensely popular visual narratives and considers how they reflect the extraordinary changes which resulted in the birth of modern Britain.

We’ve tagged this event with art and architecture.

via cheltenhamfestivals.com

Cheltenham Literature Festival 2009 preview - Sarah Smyth

encourager — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 18:42:12 +0000

Cheltenham Literature Festival starts today!

encourager — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 18:12:35 +0000

Friday 9th October 2009

Today is the start of the Cheltenham Literature Festival and more than 100,000 people are expected to enjoy two weeks of events in the town.

The 60th annual festival, which runs until October 18 at venues across town, includes more than 440 talks, readings and activities.

Authors, gardeners, comedians, chefs, politicians and explorers and Man Booker Prize winners are all heading to Cheltenham to discuss their work.

With so many stellar names – today alone Sebastian Faulks, Ben Fogle and James Cracknell,Jo Band Simon Armitage host events – it’s difficult to pick out highlights for the week ahead.

Tomorrow is an interesting day if you are captivated by politics.

Liberal Democrat treasury spokesman Vince Cable discusses the global financial crisis and Cherie Blair recalls life in Downing Street.

Former MP Martin Bell is speaking about the expenses row, Jeremy Paxman is explaining how the Victorians shaped modern society. John Humphrys is also in town although the Today programme’s inquisitor talks about restoring a cottage in Greece.

It is not all heavy going tomorrow.

Michael Palin is discussing his diaries, Judi Dench is talking about her long career and Andy Williams is discussing seven decades in show business.

There are sure to be some big laughs on Sunday when Harry Hill arrives in town to discuss the TV Burp book, and Richard Hammond reflects on his hair-raising stunts on Top Gear, while comedy duo David Mitchell and Robert Webb provide their own brand of wit.

If you’re looking for culinary inspiration, visit on Monday.

Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall will be giving tips on thrifty cooking while Rose Gray and Ruth Rogers will be serving up some of the River Cafe cuisine.

The stars of The Big Impression, Alistair McGowan and Ronni Ancona, are in town on Tuesday along with leading novelists Katie Fforde and Robert Harris.

History enthusiasts can hear Paddy Ashdown’s account of the Bosnian conflict on Wednesday.

And Andrew Marr will talk about the history of modern Britain.

On Thursday, adventurers Ranulph Fiennes and Charley Boorman are in town.

And Hilary Mantel, who picked up the Man Booker Prize For Fiction on Tuesday for her book Wolf Hall, joins Tracy Chevalier on Thursday. James Naughtie, declared Wolf Hall’s prose “thrilling”.

“Wolf Hall has a vast narrative sweep that gleams on every page with luminous and mesmerising detail,” Naughtie said.

There’s also a chance to hear Audrey Niffenegger, author of The Time Traveller’s Wife, talk about her new work.

Tickets are selling fast but Cheltenham Festivals staff have come up with a new way for visitors to keep an eye out for seats.

The festival’s Amy Hulyer said they would be tweeting on Twitter throughout the festival.

“We started it at the Science Festival this year just to see if it would be useful,” she explained.

“It got a good response so we’re hoping to make use of it for the Literature Festival now.

“We’ll be giving ticket updates and news throughout the festival, as well as little snippets about who we’ve seen doing what.”

If you use Twitter, the name to follow is Chelt Festivals.

Daniel Pountney

via crackerjack.co.uk

Boris v Paxman

Dan Taylor — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 21:42:50 +0000

This is Boris at his best and typically, the BBC at its worse- it failed to show the part of the interview where Boris gave Paxman a good grilling on his salary, funded by us licence payers…

*Privatise the BBC*

Paxman to 'Come' to Coventry for Major Journalism Conference

marcjohnson123 — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 14:27:09 +0000

THE BEST known British television journalist-Jeremy Paxman of ‘Newsnight’ has agreed to

Class, and how to have it

Sarah Arrow — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 09:58:09 +0000

You know what, sometimes I feel like I am on a different planet. Am I the only person not bothered about ‘class‘?

Harriet Harman, is banging on about it all the bloody time (yes she of the car accident / you know where to find me fame) yet it appears she like most government ministers these days is another effing hypocrite. One of her late aunts was a countess, a member of that class she despises. When she is voted out by her constituents, she will no doubt graciously accept a seat in the Lords as Lady Harperson as her reward, and in the mean time we have to read about her outdated views on class.

What we should be is proud that people who have a good education want to lead our country, not bleating on about whether they went to state or private for their education. It does not matter one jot to ordinary people.

On Newsnight we have the Boris Johnson / Jeremy Paxman thing, billed as a titanic clash. Paxman went to Cambridge, earns twice as much as Boris yet seems to think that he can sneer at him for his class… in any other format, it would be discrimination, only Paxman drifts in the same circles as Johnson and is probably the same class as him despite what he may think (or say for that matter).

# A note to the BBC, get Jodie Marsh to interview BJ and sneer about class and Eton it will be far more effective than Paxman.

This may ring true for a few older voters who are still smarting 40 years later that they didnt get into Grammar school (John Prescott anyone?) but in todays world there is far more social / lifestyle mobility than there ever was before. None of that is due to any Governments policy, but down to the internet and the information being made available and accessable.

What I would like to see is the law being applied to everyone, Baroness Scotland, who employed an illegal immigrant, gave her no contract and didn’t pay her tax or NI contributions for some time. I’d like her to be at the recieving end of a HMRC inspection, one were they tell you they have more teeth these days to deal with the little things. Remember ignorance is no defence in the eyes of the law. MPs being treated like normal people that truly would be equality!

So, class and how to have it.

Have good manners, say please and thank you and teach your children to do the same.

Be open and transparent, remember at all times you are human and that sometimes failure is an option and deal with it accordingly.

Think for yourself. Teach your children to think and to question and to form their own opinions. (Thanks mum, dad and Albert)
Don’t assume.
Don’t think for one minute the school you went to makes you better or worse than anyone else, it doesn’t.
Take responsibility for your own life. Don’t blame parents, the Government, who ever – you are in control, you make the decisions, even if they are tough.
Follow tough decisions through.
Make your own luck – don’t be dependent on anyone else if you can help it (not benefits, not parents, not state)
Give your details at the scene of an accident (see the good manners tip)
But most of all remember, the world isn’t a fair place and it does not owe you a living.

There you have it, all that and you will have class even if you have a Thames Estuary accent.

A very ranting Essex girl.

Johnson vs. Paxman...

eljmayes — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 12:52:01 +0000

A modern classic from Newsnight:).

Writers and thinkers flock to festival (From Malvern Gazette)

encourager — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 19:43:46 +0000

Writers and thinkers flock to festival

9:50am Monday 5th October 2009

Comments (0) Have your say »

THE annual Cheltenham Literature Festival starts on Friday (October 9) for a ten-day 60th anniversary celebration.

With its usual blend of award-winning writers, world-renowned thinkers and international names the festival regularly attracts 100,000 visitors.

This year’s programme is packed with talks by famous faces from television like Jeremy Paxman and comedians Mitchell and Webb, top children’s authors like Michael Morpurgo and Anthony Horowitz and award-winning writers like Chimamanda Hgozi Adichie and Jonathan Coe.

There are also talks from the biggest names in current affairs including journalist Evan Davies and Rageh Omaar and topical discussions with Alastair Campell and Bertie Ahern.

You can join PR guru Max Clifford for a discussion of celebrity, listen to a talk about life at Number 10 by Cherie Blair, or learn more about ecomomics, the banking crisis and the credit crunch with Vince Cable.

Audrey Niffenegger, author of the best-seller The Time Travellers Wife will be discussing her writing as will best selling authors Kate Mosse, Sarah Water, Sebastian Faulks and crime writers Ruth Rendell and PD James.

Heart-throb Robert Vaughn, star of The Man from UNCLE, actress Judi Dench and film director Richard Eyre all put in an appearance and there will be plenty of laughter with appearances from comedians Jo Brand, Jack Dee, Alan Davies and Alistair McGowan.

There are talks, discussions and workshops on a wide range of literary topics, designed to appeal to a wide range of literary tastes and special events for children and families, including Julia Donaldson reading from her much-loved books about The Gruffalo and events featuring three previous Children’s Laureates Michael Morpurgo, Anne Fine and Michael Rosen.

For the full line-up request a brochure by calling 0844 5767979 or visit www.cheltenhamfestivals.com.

via malverngazette.co.uk

PAXO GIVES TAMESIDE COUNCIL A STUFFING!

tamesidetories — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 18:01:26 +0000

NEWSNIGHT ANCHORMAN QUESTIONS THE VALUE OF TAMESIDE’S PARTY CONFERENCE STAND Jeremy Paxman has

The Leaders' Debate Format...

eljmayes — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 20:39:58 +0000

With Sky News still pursuing a leadership debate between the major parties it is time to give my opinion at what type of format they would take, who would be involved and what channels they would be broadcast on. I would suggest that there are three main debates on three different channels, all on terrestrial television. All three major parties would take part, so this means Gordon Brown from Labour, David Cameron from the Conservatives and Nick Clegg from the Liberal Democrats. The reason for including Clegg is simple, like it or not his party hold nearly ten percent of parliamentary seats, run numerous councils throughout Britain and his party could influence (directly or indirectly) who wins the election. The scheduling of such debates would be quite easy, say three consecutive Wednesday evenings at 8pm.

I would propose that the first debate takes place on the BBC, is near live (to have a safety mechanism for libelous comments) and is ninety minutes in length. A town hall format would be applied, with each leader getting two minutes to answer a question from the audience, plus a chance for a short rebuttal once all three leaders have spoken. Each question would have a designated period of ten minutes as not to dwell on one question too long. This format is basically a modified version of what the BBC broadcasts every week for Question Time but I would favour Jeremy Paxman over David Dimbleby to host as Paxman would be better at getting the leaders to give answers to the questions asked.

For the second debate I would propose a simple three leader debate on Channel Four, which is live and lasts for two hours inclusive of commercials. This would be a closed debate not in front of an audience where the questions would be asked by the host. The two minute plus rebuttals format of the first debate would remain, however the debate would allow the ability for topics to be covered in greater detail (for example the economy), with multiple questions being asked on the same subject punctuated by the commercial breaks. That would mean a total of five or six topics would be covered in total, which would be enough for all three leaders to set out their policies on the most important election issues. Jon Snow would host the debate as he is the recognized face of news on the channel.

The final debate would be a live head to head debate hosted by Sky News but simulcast as well on Five. Again it would last two hours inclusive of commercials, and would be an closed debate in front of an audience where the questions would be asked by the host. The running theme of two minute plus rebuttals would carry on as to provide continuity between the debates. The leaders would pair off against each other in half hour sections, with Cameron taking on Clegg first, then Brown taking on Clegg, and finally Brown taking on Cameron. Three questions would be asked in each section, with the public seeing how the leaders directly contrasted on their policy and their communication skills. Adam Boulton could host the debate, but in light of Brown’s distain at his questioning the day after his conference speech I would draft in Sir David Frost if he was available to appease Labour. Another possible host would be Alistair Stewart if ITV/ITN were prepared for to release him for the one off event.

A debate between the smaller parties should happen as well, if only on the internet or a free to air satellite channel such as Current TV. I would limit the amount of parties to five as any more would interrupt the flow of the debate. Regional debates should be held in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and screened as Question Time specials by the BBC to allow for maximum exposure.

Labour have suggested that the leaders of various departments should have their own debates, but clearly this would just be a ploy to get Alistair Darling to face off against George Osborne. I don’t feel a public desire to see this and it would create five or six extra debates, many of which few would actually take the time to watch.

It’s my personal opinion that if Brown decides that he wants to answer Sky News’ invitation to take part in a debate he will do it soon, especially if Labour are heavily behind in the polls. If he doesn’t reply before the election is called (likely sometime in March) then there will be no debates on the terrestrial channels. Sky News may go ahead but a debate without Brown could be in breach of electoral broadcasting law.

BBC bias - Newsnight promotes Labour

toryrascal — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 22:17:15 +0000

I enjoyed Newsnight this evening, after catching up with last week’s Derren Brown devilry.

I couldn’t help but think that someone in Labour had learned some tricks from Brown: the party’s website was displayed prominently throughout Newsnight. It’s a tad naughty, if you ask me. I wonder if Auntie intends to balance it out with similar promotion for the Opposition next week; if they could guarantee a purely Conservative panel as well, that would be just grand.

Balanced BBC reporting - a panel consisting of two Labour supporters.

Product placement... chuckle...

People say the writing's on the wall for Labour. I'm not sure this is what they meant.

Spike Lee Goes American Gangster on BBC Regarding Obama

lovesoul — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 21:33:17 +0000

‘How long have you been black?‘. Knockout. About time someone took that annoying BBC N