A few months ago a BBC News presenter blurted out in a heated altercation with a politician that she was paid £96,000 a year. She was not a ‘star’ presenter, just one of many news presenters appearing on the news channel. The stars get paid more, some a lot more.
But for nearly £100,000 a year, paid by all of us through our license fee, what can we expect ?
Well for a start the ability to read the news clearly. Sadly, some of them can’t even do that: they mumble and rush their way through their autocued script.
And secondly a reasonable understanding of the English language would help them to conduct sensible interviews. Half an hour ago I was astounded when a BBC News presenter clearly did not understand the meaning of the word ‘majority’.
She was interviewing Lindsay German, the leader of a demonstration that is being held in London today, calling for British troops to be withdrawn from Afghanistan.
News presenter: “What do you want to achieve ?”
Lindsay German: “Well what we want to achieve is to change Government policy, and bring the troops home. This is a majority opinion of the British people now......”
News presenter: “Well you were saying a majority. In a recent poll 56 percent were opposed (to the war), 37 per cent in favour..........It’s not quite a majority. It’s just over half.”
Lindsay German: “Well that’s a majority. A majority is just over half surely. Over 50 per cent is a majority”.
Mind-boggling ignorance.
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