bsjmcr
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Posts: 1,593 
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Post by bsjmcr on Jan 20, 2021 12:03:41 GMT
Hope this is in the right place, if not, feel free to move.
I find myself increasingly annoyed when the news (BBC in particular and worse still BBC Newsnight which puts up people's names for a millisecond at best) does not state the constituency on the screen when a member is speaking, whether in the chamber or elsewhere. I find (other than BBC Parliament) only Channel 4 does this consistently. How much does it cost to put it up, especially when the local area they represent is particularly important for context these days (with regards to infection rates, tiers, etc). This isn't just geekery but you have to google them if they are talking about 'my area' yet you're not told where (and the news doesn't always say where they're speaking from or they could just be in their London office/home). I probably should write to Points of View rather than on here but still.
Contrast this with US courage such as CNN and you always see the party and state permanently on the screen while they speak, even more so than their senior position if they have one. E.g. Nancy Pelosi (D-California) - or it cycles between the two. That is how it should be.
Then C-Span seems to go further in listing the actual conurbations in a member's seat, (up to 3 I think), which is beautiful and necessary given their naming system.
e.g. AOC
D-New York 12th District (Bronx & Queens)
Adam Schiff D-California
28th District (Glendale, Hollywood(!), Burbank)
So just to throw out there some simulations and to hear your thoughts on this, and perhaps if the BBC was to do the same. Granted our naming system is better in that most are on named real places rather than numbers, but it's not perfect, I'm sure one could boil down a constituency to three places within if the existing name isn't sufficient.
E.g. Christian Wakeford
Con, Bury South (Prestwich, Whitefield, Radcliffe)
Andrew Stephenson
Con, Pendle (Nelson and Colne)
Sara Britcliffe
Con, Hyndburn (Accrington)
Jeff Smith
Lab, Manchester Withington
(Chorlton, Didsbury, Withington) (perhaps the Manchester makes this redundant for most viewers but there we are)
Barry Gardiner
Lab, Brent North (Wembley...)
Or, alternatively put the county or region if the existing name is useless
Edward Timpson
Con, Eddisbury (Cheshire)
Mike Amesbury
Weaver Vale (Cheshire)
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Post by Pete Whitehead on Jan 20, 2021 12:10:21 GMT
Worse, I've noticed this increasingly on coverage of debates in the Commons chamber which means if you haven't heard the Speaker call them you don't even have a name to go on
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bsjmcr
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Posts: 1,593
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Post by bsjmcr on Jan 20, 2021 20:54:59 GMT
Worse, I've noticed this increasingly on coverage of debates in the Commons chamber which means if you haven't heard the Speaker call them you don't even have a name to go on Honestly don't know how much more licence money it costs to have a researcher (or anyone who can hear the Speaker beforehand!) and display a graphic... Wonder what's the best way to get them to listen - POV? 'Newswatch'? I also believe, as alluded to above, even if someone has a more senior position, to put their party and constituency up in all cases. CNN graphics take up almost a quarter of the screen, and stay up for the duration that the member is speaking, what's wrong with that? Boris Johnson Prime Minister Con-Uxbridge & South Ruislip Sir Kier Starmer Leader of the Opposition Lab-Holborn & St Pancras Another pet peeve - someone from the North is speaking, the location in the corner: LIVE: Greater Manchester LIVE: Yorkshire LIVE: North East England LIVE: Somewhere above the M25 Yet someone speaks from London: LIVE: North West Islington, North-by-Northwest-slightly-East-West-North-Central London |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jan 20, 2021 22:26:26 GMT
GMB is guilty of using "Joe Bloggs, Croydon " but "Sarah Smith, Greater Manchester"
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bsjmcr
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Post by bsjmcr on Jan 21, 2021 21:13:01 GMT
GMB is guilty of using "Joe Bloggs, Croydon " but "Sarah Smith, Greater Manchester" Both GMB presenters seem really London-centric (as is the whole programme of course, whose introduction blares out 'Live from London') - didn't Susanna boycott BBC Breakfast's move to Salford? And as good Piers has been at holding the government to account, I do get an 'it's grim up North' air from him... |
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Post by Davıd Boothroyd on Jan 21, 2021 22:37:28 GMT
I don't agree with that criticism. It's actually the other way round. The broadcasters will report on an event which happened "in Penrith" or "in Darlington" or "in Huddersfield" which are discreet small areas with populations far under 100,000, but when it's in London it's "West London" or "North London" - areas which could cover millions.
Something which happens "in West London" could be near me and very important, or it could be in Hayes or Feltham or Southall, miles away and a completely different locality. Nearness on the map isn't the same as being local in a big city.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jan 21, 2021 23:08:01 GMT
Worse, I've noticed this increasingly on coverage of debates in the Commons chamber which means if you haven't heard the Speaker call them you don't even have a name to go on Honestly don't know how much more licence money it costs to have a researcher (or anyone who can hear the Speaker beforehand!) and display a graphic... Wonder what's the best way to get them to listen - POV? 'Newswatch'? I also believe, as alluded to above, even if someone has a more senior position, to put their party and constituency up in all cases. CNN graphics take up almost a quarter of the screen, and stay up for the duration that the member is speaking, what's wrong with that? Boris Johnson Prime Minister Con-Uxbridge & South Ruislip Sir Kier Starmer Leader of the Opposition Lab-Holborn & St Pancras Another pet peeve - someone from the North is speaking, the location in the corner: LIVE: Greater Manchester LIVE: Yorkshire LIVE: North East England LIVE: Somewhere above the M25 Yet someone speaks from London: LIVE: North West Islington, North-by-Northwest-slightly-East-West-North-Central London I've said before that when normal people are asked where they're from, they answer with a major town or city, a county, or a well-known geographic region. Londoners answer with the exact council estate and expect everyone to know exactly where that is |
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bsjmcr
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Posts: 1,593
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Post by bsjmcr on Jan 22, 2021 0:05:10 GMT
I don't agree with that criticism. It's actually the other way round. The broadcasters will report on an event which happened "in Penrith" or "in Darlington" or "in Huddersfield" which are discreet small areas with populations far under 100,000, but when it's in London it's "West London" or "North London" - areas which could cover millions. Something which happens "in West London" could be near me and very important, or it could be in Hayes or Feltham or Southall, miles away and a completely different locality. Nearness on the map isn't the same as being local in a big city. I think saying 'Islington, London', 'Chiswick, London', etc in all cases without the superfluous compass points would make it equal? That sounds fair and clear to all. It seems foolproof to me, and if people don't know where the locality is they can google it. Credit where its due to the broadcasters who put Didsbury on the map today. I think we would all be just as happy with 'Didsbury, Manchester' as 'Hayes, London'. |
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Foggy
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Yn Ennill Yma
Posts: 6,144
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Post by Foggy on Jan 22, 2021 7:16:12 GMT
Worse, I've noticed this increasingly on coverage of debates in the Commons chamber which means if you haven't heard the Speaker call them you don't even have a name to go on Another pet peeve - someone from the North is speaking, the location in the corner: LIVE: Greater Manchester LIVE: Yorkshire LIVE: North East England LIVE: Somewhere above the M25 Yet someone speaks from London: LIVE: North West Islington, North-by-Northwest-slightly-East-West-North-Central London I agree that the centre-of-the-universe attitude emanating from the capital is unhelpful. Given all your examples in this thread, though, I think it's worth reminding everyone that there are, of course, parts of England which are very much neither The North nor London... |
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Harry Hayfield
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Cavalier Gentleman (as in 17th century Cavalier)
Posts: 2,922
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Post by Harry Hayfield on Jun 24, 2021 13:04:02 GMT
I believe that when an MP is on screen the LIVE caption should read LIVE (name of constituency) and the strapline should read Name of MP, Party.
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Post by 🏴☠️ Neath West 🏴☠️ on Jun 24, 2021 18:21:26 GMT
Something which happens "in West London" could be near me and very important, or it could be in Hayes or Feltham or Southall, miles away and a completely different locality. Nearness on the map isn't the same as being local in a big city. Hayes and Feltham and Southall should be described as Middlesex. |
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Post by Davıd Boothroyd on Jun 24, 2021 18:31:56 GMT
Something which happens "in West London" could be near me and very important, or it could be in Hayes or Feltham or Southall, miles away and a completely different locality. Nearness on the map isn't the same as being local in a big city. Hayes and Feltham and Southall should be described as Middlesex. I hardly think using a name which ceased to mean anythiing 56 years ago would help. And if it was used, it could refer to Ponders End or to Staines-upon-Thames. |
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Post by 🏴☠️ Neath West 🏴☠️ on Jun 24, 2021 18:57:10 GMT
Hayes and Feltham and Southall should be described as Middlesex. I hardly think using a name which ceased to mean anythiing 56 years ago would help. And if it was used, it could refer to Ponders End or to Staines-upon-Thames. A small county. It's not like how Lincolnshire can mean Stamford or New Holland. And besides, Hayes, Middlesex, helps differentiate it from Hayes, Kent. |
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Post by relique on Jun 25, 2021 8:06:37 GMT
Hope this is in the right place, if not, feel free to move. I find myself increasingly annoyed when the news (BBC in particular and worse still BBC Newsnight which puts up people's names for a millisecond at best) does not state the constituency on the screen when a member is speaking, whether in the chamber or elsewhere. I find (other than BBC Parliament) only Channel 4 does this consistently. How much does it cost to put it up, especially when the local area they represent is particularly important for context these days (with regards to infection rates, tiers, etc). This isn't just geekery but you have to google them if they are talking about 'my area' yet you're not told where (and the news doesn't always say where they're speaking from or they could just be in their London office/home). I probably should write to Points of View rather than on here but still. Contrast this with US courage such as CNN and you always see the party and state permanently on the screen while they speak, even more so than their senior position if they have one. E.g. Nancy Pelosi (D-California) - or it cycles between the two. That is how it should be. Then C-Span seems to go further in listing the actual conurbations in a member's seat, (up to 3 I think), which is beautiful and necessary given their naming system. e.g. AOC D-New York 12th District (Bronx & Queens) Adam Schiff D-California 28th District (Glendale, Hollywood(!), Burbank) So just to throw out there some simulations and to hear your thoughts on this, and perhaps if the BBC was to do the same. Granted our naming system is better in that most are on named real places rather than numbers, but it's not perfect, I'm sure one could boil down a constituency to three places within if the existing name isn't sufficient. E.g. Christian Wakeford Con, Bury South (Prestwich, Whitefield, Radcliffe) Andrew Stephenson Con, Pendle (Nelson and Colne) Sara Britcliffe Con, Hyndburn (Accrington) Jeff Smith Lab, Manchester Withington (Chorlton, Didsbury, Withington) (perhaps the Manchester makes this redundant for most viewers but there we are) Barry Gardiner Lab, Brent North (Wembley...) Or, alternatively put the county or region if the existing name is useless Edward Timpson Con, Eddisbury (Cheshire) Mike Amesbury Weaver Vale (Cheshire)
I'd say telling Pelosi is from California as saying Boris Johnson is from the UK 
I understand your criticism. In France we usually say the département (which are areas with between 1 to 21 MPs) where the MP is elected. Sometimes the number of the constituency (although it's not that useful). Sometimes, though, they just give us the grouping they are in.
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