Everyone else has a blog these days, why shouldn’t I! As you may know, I have been in broadcasting for many years. This blog is just an extension of that, it’s an opportunity for me to share my thoughts on whatever subject attracts my attention. Comments are welcome!
BBC – it gets worse
Oh dear it just gets worse. Just one day after George Entwistle resigned as BBC Director General, the BBC announced that he's getting a huge pay off. They are paying him a years salary as a parting gift. His annual salary was £450,000. The BBC say he is...
Entwistle had to go
The BBC is widely regarded as the finest broadcasting organisation in the world, but events of the last few weeks have thrown that belief into doubt. Mark Thompson, Director General of the BBC, announced in March 2012 that he was leaving his post, he had been...
Passion might win in the end.
The Radio Two breakfast show has nearly nine million listeners, huge. Commercial radio has a smaller audience, but in my day I only had to vaguely mention the word competition and all the phone lines would light up, long before any mention of the number to call. Not...
Shut up about flash photography
Last evening I watched, as I often do, the BBC six o'clock news. The lead story was from Wales. The bulletin was presented, as many BBC programmes are these days, by someone with a strong Welsh accent - Huw Edwards. Why broadcasters seem to think that strong, and in...
I have an iPhone 5!
I have an iPhone 5! It's fantastic. I love it. When the iPhone 5 was announced I could see how good it was, but hadn't expected to be able to upgrade until next year. But several things ran through my mind. I was talking to Ben Weston, and he pointed out that these...
Goodbye Mark Thompson
Today is Mark Thompson's last day as Director General of the BBC. Many within the BBC, and many like me who left the BBC during his tenure, will be happy to see him go. The BBC is unique in many ways, particularly in the way it is funded. I can think of no other large...
iPhone 5
Beautiful, just beautiful, and packed with great features and great apps, I can't wait to see it. Another splendid design from Jony Ive, who really is the best at this sort of thing, a Newcastle University graduate too!. Apple recruit the best people in the world for...
Two unique events
Two unique events are occurring in our household this week, two in three days actually. One was yesterday, it was Nick's 18th birthday. It went well. Here is the birthday boy sampling a pint of real ale, my pint actually. He ordered a Peroni. My quality real ale was...
Time flies
The photo on the left was taken by Helen, probably in August 1995, Nick and his dad walking in the garden. Nick was about 11 months old then. The photo on the right was taken by Helen today, Sunday 9th September 2012, Nick and his dad walking in the garden. Nick will...
Kindle is the future, but ..
I like to read, especially on holiday when you can relax, soak up some sunshine and read a good book. Hardbacks are out, too heavy to hold up when you are lying on a sun bed, also why would you pay £20 for a book, when you could wait a few months and get the paperback...
Wake up America – you have a problem
It's the run up to another American election, and Americans do some funny this at a time like this. In the year 2000, for instance, they narrowly voted for Al Gore as President, probably, but the voting was so close, and as they couldn't figure out how to read the...
A sad demise
There was a time, in the early 1980's, when if you were going out for a meal in Newcastle upon Tyne it really had to be Italian. Why? Because that's all there was. There were plenty of restaurants to chose from, but they were all Italian, okay not quite all, but the...
The Olympic flame passes through
The Olympic Flame made it to the Tyne Valley today and passed by rather uneventfully. I'll never see it again in my lifetime so I suppose it was a historic moment. Before it arrived literally dozens of Police motorcycle riders came through in short convoys of three or...
BBC 1 is NOT a sports channel
Here is today's schedule on BBC 1 - Saturday 9th June 2012: 4.30 - Match of the Day Live: Euro 2012 7.10 - BBC News 7.30 - Match of the Day Live: Euro 2012 10.00 - BBC News and National Lottery Draws 10.30 - Formula One: Canadian Grand Prix - Qualifying...
Sense at last, the pasty is saved.
These are Greggs Steak Bakes. They contain, amongst other things, Protein: 16.5g, Carbohydrate: 28g, Fat: 27.5g, Salt: 2g. The chancellor of the exchequer, George Osborne, announced in his 2012 budget that VAT was to be applied to food sold hot in shop like Greggs....