My top five... female news presenters

You’re so vain; I bet you think this song is about you...

They say the camera puts on ten pounds and after spending the last two weeks learning with the great @carollowe98 (from the BBC) about TV interviewing I can assure you it’s true.

Both girls and boys in my broadcast journalism class have spent the fortnight discussing hair, make-up, clothes, their weight and colours to wear.

Having discussed about how every female newsreader we admire has short hair, I have evolved from a long haired lover from Liverpool...

To...

So to honour those women who have inspired me to chop off my locks I have compiled my top five female news readers and presenters.


1) Sian Williams

Sian Williams co-presents BBC Breakfast with Bill Turnbull. Having started in local BBC radio (including

Manchester and Liverpool) as a producer and reporter, Sian rose to national radio and then TV.


I like Sian’s manner she always seems so friendly and I like that her and Bill seem to have the same sense of humour.

I was saddened to hear that Sian (along with BBC Breakfast reporter Chris Hollins) will not be moving to BBC Media City.

Her agent said the move was not an issue but that Williams wanted a break from the show's early starts.

2) Alex Jones

Although not technically a news reader, I enjoy watching Alex on the BBC’s One show. She appears relaxed and fun on the show and handles the guests well.

Alex began as TV researcher before being asked to try out presenting.

She worked for BBC Choice and S4C and in 2010 was announced as the new presenter of the ONE Show, replacing Christine Bleakley.

On a lighter note, Alex has great hair and is currently performing in Strictly Come Dancing.

3) Natasha Kaplinsky

You have to admire Natasha’s career having worked as a journalist/presenter for the BBC, ITV and Sky News.

Natasha started her career on a youth chat show for Granada, in 1999 she moved to ITV in London and then in 2000 bagged

the Sunrise and Live at Five presenting job at Sky.

She then moved to the BBC presenting a variety of shows including BBC Breakfast and the 10 O’clock news.

Then......over to Channel 5 for an alleged salary of more than £300,000, before leaving after having a baby.

It was announced this year that she would present some shows for ITN, providing maternity leave for Nina Hussain.

Phew... oh and she won the first series of Strictly Come Dancing back in 2004.

4) Moira Stewart – BBC Radio 2

Moira was the first black newsreader to appear on British television and has worked on several BBC programmes.

In 2007, she lost her presenting slot on Sunday AM, which provoked a backlash of ageism and sexism complaints.

Although the reasons for her decision to quit the BBC were varied, it is hard industry to grow old in and I fully agree with what Moira done.

She is an inspirational female and I hope my career spans as long as hers.

She currently reads the news on Chris Evans’ breakfast show on BBC Radio 2 and was awarded an OBE.

5) Angela Rippon

Angela was the first female to regularly present national news on the TV.

She began her career at BBC South West before becoming a reporter for BBC TV news. She has further presented shows such as Antiques Roadshow, Top Gear, Rip Off Britain and even the European Song Contest.

Angela to students will be known for TV show Cash in the Attic – a day time classic. She currently presents ‘Rippon’s Britain’ a feature on the BBC’s ONE show.

She has also expressed her views on ageism/sexism at the BBC saying “The British public doesn’t give a toss about the age or sex of a presenter as long as that presenter is doing a good job.”

Angela is an OBE and is a patron of the old time dance society. She also took part in Dancing on Ice in 2010, aged 66 – what a legend.

I decided to keep with national presenters but there are so many great regional female TV presenters who I admire. If I could have a slice of each of their careers I would be a happy broadcast journalist.

There is one stand out feature on the road to success as a presenter – make sure you appear in a reality TV dance show (Jones, Kaplinsky, Rippon). Best get practicing now!

My top five... TV reality shows

My top five.... reality TV shows

It’s hard to say whether these TV shows are reality, scripted reality, drama - the list goes on. From the early days of MTV’s The Real World to recent show The Only Way is Essex, what is about watching people’s lives play out that enthrals us?



Thanks to http://www.flickr.com/photos/leunix/ for the Flickr Image.

The Guardian website features a great debate about how these shows could be encouraging regional stereotyping.

Julia Raeside argues: “Based on this new method of storytelling, Geordies are sexually incontinent, Essex girls are thick and west Londoners are shallower than a crepe pan. It's reductive and damaging.”

In defence of scripted reality TV, Paul Flynn comments (in relation to Big Brother and how things have progressed): “The second wave of reality TV – constructed, scripted or bespoke – concentrated on these basic human mechanisms to propel quick turnaround stories. It's just another way of telling stories. I can't believe I'm still having this argument in 2011.”

I’m in the Flynn camp. It’s entertainment, it’s fun and the viewing figures show how popular these type of shows are.

This makes me think back to my music degree and reading philosopher Adorno’s work on popular culture. He argued that capitalism fed people with the products of a 'culture industry' - the opposite of 'true' art - to keep them passively satisfied and politically apathetic.

Maybe TOWIE is keeping us ‘passively satisfied’ and ‘politically apathetic’ but in all honesty, sometimes you need an hour of a show to get lost in.

And here are mine.....


(All show real people but some of the scenes may have been set up purely for your entertainment! – as the saying goes)

1) TOWIE (The Only Way is Essex) is a semi reality show based in Essex. It follows the lives of several young people (I’ll just add in that they are glamorous and gobby), their family and friends.
Story lines have included Lauren and Mark’s on/off relationship, Joey Essex being ‘reem’ and Gemma’s adoration of Sugarhut night club owner Mick. If that made no sense - watch it!

When you can watch: Wednesday and Sunday on ITV 2

Check out some Vajazling...



2) Don’t Tell the Bride is a reality show on BBC3 which gives the groom £12,000 and three weeks to plan a wedding for his bride. I have seen a magical wedding in a fairytale castle, a reggae/Irish theme and I have even seen the bride skydive to her venue. In the last episode the groom spent nearly all the budget on flights to Ibiza, only to realise he couldn’t legally marry there.

When you can watch: Tuesday 9pm on BBC3

She was not impressed...



3) Made in Chelsea is a new viewing for me but I think it deserves a top five rating. It follows the champagne fuelled lives of a group of South West London guys and gals. The ‘dahlings’ drive fancy cars, live in fancy houses and have names such as ‘Binky’ and ‘Ollie’. I shall say no more...

When you can watch: Monday 10pm E4

Sorry about the ad and watch out for the strong language..



4) Come Dine With Me I suppose isn’t scripted drama but it is a reality show following people and filmed in their homes. There are usually four/five people who each take a night to entertain and cook for their guests in different areas of the country. They then each score the host at the end of the night, leading to the highest scorer winning themselves £1000. Fancy that. I used to enjoy the voice over guy but not so much anymore, let me know what you think.

When can you watch: Most weekday nights at 5.30pm on Channel 4

No embed but here is a link to a clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rocxZrz39LA

5) Here is the curve ball - I could have gone for the Hills, House wives of New Jersey, Coach Trip, Eddie Stobart and even my guilty pleasures of real life police shows. No, I chose The Man Who Moves Buildings.

One Sunday before I went to work I got hooked watching this American reality show about just that – a man who moves buildings. It is fascinating. The Pattersons’ family firm take on really complex projects moving buildings in the USA.

When you can watch: It was on Channel 5 but I can’t see a recent series to inform you about. As soon as I see it back on the screens I will tweet but for now you can get more information on it here

Let me know your thoughts on reality TV, do you have a favourite show or do you despise it?