Musings from the Merse
Thursday, May 18, 2006
After a long absence from the ether Huttonian is being asked to pontificate on his previous existence on the ToDay programme in the very near future. Being reluctant to travel to either Embra or Newcastle to make use of proper studio facilities the BBC techies have agreed that I can speak to the nation from the comfort of my own kitchen-well, shared with the wife -on the normal bog standard telephone. My experience of broadcasting away days is not a happy one. Being sent by taxi from Newcastle Co Down, Norn Iron, to an alleged BBC studio in Downpatrick was not a great success. The facility was closed (not unsuprisingly at 7am), the caretakerunwilling to either admit me or reveal whether or not there was a studio in the St. Patrick centre and when I was reluctantly let in, the studio, protected by a combination lock, refused to open-so I had to broadcast to an anxious world via the caretakers own phone at 6 p a minute.
Again in norn iron BBC engineers sent a radio car for me whereI could join in the discussion parked on the sea front 30 yards from our cottage. The day was foul, the sea wall had been partially demolished by a very big gale the night before and the waves continued to crash over the vehicle while I was trying to respond to questions on the Middle East. Wonderful sound effects for Desert Island Discs but not much help for anything else. Sound quality was not good mainly because the wind and waves kept on sweeping the dinky litle place on aerial off the roof. In the end BBC norn Iron accepted the humble domestic phone as the instument of choice and as far as I know no complaints about the sound quality.
I hopethe Paxton exchange which never seems to have less than a couple of BT vans parked outside it does not go on the blink until my words of wisdom have flashed around the known world. The BBC belatedly discovered a studio in the Maltings in Berwick used by Radio Borders but the lady who looks after it is not able to set it up in time and the BBC techies are reluctant to let me have a go. So the kitchen it will be.
Again in norn iron BBC engineers sent a radio car for me whereI could join in the discussion parked on the sea front 30 yards from our cottage. The day was foul, the sea wall had been partially demolished by a very big gale the night before and the waves continued to crash over the vehicle while I was trying to respond to questions on the Middle East. Wonderful sound effects for Desert Island Discs but not much help for anything else. Sound quality was not good mainly because the wind and waves kept on sweeping the dinky litle place on aerial off the roof. In the end BBC norn Iron accepted the humble domestic phone as the instument of choice and as far as I know no complaints about the sound quality.
I hopethe Paxton exchange which never seems to have less than a couple of BT vans parked outside it does not go on the blink until my words of wisdom have flashed around the known world. The BBC belatedly discovered a studio in the Maltings in Berwick used by Radio Borders but the lady who looks after it is not able to set it up in time and the BBC techies are reluctant to let me have a go. So the kitchen it will be.
Comments:
Don't the BBC in London talk to their regional radio colleagues ? BBC Radio Newcastle regularly speak to their north Northumberland reporter in their Berwick studio - perhaps that studio is only good enough for the provinces.
Yes thats the Maltings Studio but the lady who has the keys was apparently not available to let anyone in!
I am glad that I didn't have to flog over to the Maltings for 8-20-the trysting hour according to Mr Humphries as I was belatedly squeezed in at 8.54-only time to emit a very words of wisdom? As for a nearer studio the Hutton Think Tank is on the case (Media,Myths and Mice section) The building available- a mobile hen house on wheels has rotten acoustics but they may be able to do a deal with the Hutton Hall committee when the building is ready
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