The hubris of Today presenters.

Well, I hope he props that notice in front of him when he hosts UC!

Well, I like Amal. I like his conversational style and his courtesy towards people around him. I am pleased that he seems to be relaxing into his role on the Today programme after a very nervous start.

I did get very tired of the confrontational Brian Redhead and, more recently, John Humphreys, though I appreciate they both enunciated clearly and precisely.

I didn't hear Today this morning. I'll find it on catchup and listen in.

I guess I might recognise him on tv without knowing his name.
If he knows he should slow down then, time for him to actually do that by now.
I didn’t think anyone could be more annoying than Peston, but maybe this guy is the one.😁

He used to be the BBC Media Editor Oreo, so was always in TV interviewing celebs and reporting on media and arts.
He has always gabbled and he realises that as he had a notice on his desk saying "Slow the F*CK DOWN"
He needs to have it in front of him all the time.

Amol on Twitter 5 years ago:

Genuinely grateful to all the people who have said nicely, or often, that I need to slow down when doing radio. I probably do talk too fast. Will do my utmost to slow down on #R4MediaShow at 16.30 on @BBCRadio4
As ever grateful for constructive feedback

👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 Callistemon

Tbh have never heard of Amol Rajan and don’t listen to Today either, but like to watch University Challenge and don’t like the sound of this presenter at all.
Was hoping for somebody to take over who has a clear voice.
Am sick and tired of presenters who think the whole point of an interview is for themselves to grandstand.

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We are her talking about Presenters on UK TV

The thread is about one particular presenter and his style of interviewing, trying to sound superior and patronising Sir Keir Starmer QC, barrister, former Director of Public Prosecutions and Leader of the Labour Party and Leader of the Opposition.

It's not about accents, Asian presenters feeling the need to lose whatever accent they had.

It's about one presenter's style and went on from there to his gabbled, fast way of speaking and, inexplicably, on to yet another attack on the UK.

Fleurpepper

What on earth are you on about??? Please.

We are her talking about Presenters on UK TV. Give me one example!

Not nice? I am an immigrant, married to an immigrant, and most of my friends and family are immigrants.

Are you an Asian immigrant?

Do your DC have a similar accent to you or do they speak like their peers? Or RP?
I'm interested because my DC is an immigrant too, married to someone born of an immigrant father whose accent is still very strong. However, SIL has an accent local to his area.

Fleurpepper

Of course- but most spoke their own language at home, and had to make a conscius effort, at school, to acquire RP in order to succeed.

I don't think that applies to just Asian, African or people from other countries. It applied until recently to British people as well. We all have to moderate our accents when we visit another part of the country.
Someone I went to school with Read the news for Look North from Leeds she certainly did not speak the way she did when at school. DH went to school with a chap who was a newsreader for Boarder T.V. he had certainly changed his accent from the local one.

neil nunes has gravitas, which one wants in an announcer, and so many now lack. he's excellent.
agree, can't stand AR.
used to like the media programme on radio 4 with dear departed steve hewlett. he made it interesting.
can't stand it now with AR.
patronising. smarty-pants. inflated ego and it shows.
dreading univ challenge.

Anybody see him on House of Games? Going back to the original thread, not the sharpest knife in the drawer!

What on earth are you on about??? Please.

We are her talking about Presenters on UK TV. Give me one example!

Not nice? I am an immigrant, married to an immigrant, and most of my friends and family are immigrants.

Fleurpepper

Who?

3 asian presenters tonight on BBC News, not a trace of accent, and only the soft modern version of RP. (not sure what Clive's origins are). So yes, they have to lose parents' accent to acquire local one and then acquire soft modern rp to succeed. Admirable.

I taught 1000s of Asian and West Indian, and more, students in the schools I taught at. They were mostly amazing at manipulating languages, often several at home with extended family, + or or more on top for films, videos, etc. Then 2 types of English, local and RP, and excellent at the foreign languages we taught them too. Just remarquable. Natural talent, but also hard work and dertermination- as they knew it was the key to success.

I assume you haven’t been to a solicitor’s, GP’s or Hospital in the U.K. recently, accents have not hindered their careers.

Fleurpepper sorry your posts aren’t particularly nice on this subject.

silverlining48

Neal Nuness might be the person you mean. He's on R4. I remember there were complaints about his west indian (?) accent initially but I thought it was rather nice.

Thank you, yes he has a very soothing voice, but I am prejudiced as I adore the West Indies and have always found the West Indians to be beautiful people inside and out.

Neal Nuness might be the person you mean. He's on R4. I remember there were complaints about his west indian (?) accent initially but I thought it was rather nice.

Fleurpepper
By assuming that Clive Myrie and Reeta Chakrabati had to learn to speak perceived English you are showing your prejudice.
Why do you assume that their parents spoke with an Asian accent.

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Fleurpepper

Of course- but most spoke their own language at home, and had to make a conscius effort, at school, to acquire RP in order to succeed.

RP (received pronunciation) disappeared years ago from TV and Radio.

The continuity announcer on one of the channels is broad West Indian for starters.

Fleurpepper

Of course- but most spoke their own language at home, and had to make a conscius effort, at school, to acquire RP in order to succeed.

Not because they were Asian though Fleurpepper, all children adapt to the local dialect. I went to school with a girl from Newcastle, and can remember being amazed when I went to her house for tea and she spoke to her parents with a completely different accent to her school accent. It happens to everybody. My Australian nephews with British
parents speak with Aussie accents - it’s the same the world over.

I have become accustomed to most of the newsreaders and presenters over the years but Amol Rajan does grate. I think it's his manner as well as the fast pace gabbling
He comes across as patronising, even bored as if he is trying hard not to be in awe of anyone. .if so he's succeeding

Maybe he shouldn't be doing that job so early in the morning.

Of course- but most spoke their own language at home, and had to make a conscius effort, at school, to acquire RP in order to succeed.

Fleurpepper

Just been listening to Rita and Clive, not a hint of a foreign accent. Been discussing this with OH right now, neither he nor I can think of any UK presenter with a strong foreign accent, asian or african, etc. They just would not have got the job if they had, quite simply.

But isn’t that because most people in television speak with regional accents, the fact that their parents are originally of Asian descent doesn’t mean that they would speak with an Asian accent, when they have been in the UK all their lives? You speak with the accent of the place you were brought up, not with the accent of your parents,

NO prejudice from me. We are talking here about delivery, from presenters. One is technique and style, one is accent- that all from immigrant background had to work very hard at acquiring- yes, it is called 'received' pronunciation, and not for nothing. There is absolutely NOTHING prejudiced in my comment, but the reality.

Give me ONE, and hopefully THREE, examples, please.
No-one with a strong Asian (or even a hint) accent would get a presenter job, and there are none. This is NOT prejudice at all from me, an immigrant, married to an immigrant.

Fleurpepper
Don’t count on me to salve you prejudices. You can ask Uncle Tom Cobbly and all but you won’t change my/our minds.

Just been listening to Rita and Clive, not a hint of a foreign accent. Been discussing this with OH right now, neither he nor I can think of any UK presenter with a strong foreign accent, asian or african, etc. They just would not have got the job if they had, quite simply.