26 May 2010

Behind the scenes of

BBC General
Elections
T
by Sarah-Jayne Collins
he guest at the Coventry that it had been created by Coventry
conversations discussion on
18th May was Rob Hopkin,
University Alumni – Johnny Spencer.
Hopkin added:” The set for the BBC ” The set
the main director for the
recent General Election
Election show took three and a half
years to complete, with the production for the BBC
Election
broadcast from the BBC. Used to the team deciding how they were going
demands, as this was his fifth Election to show all elections”. Two and a half
night show, he showed that he clearly years before the show, there was a
excels under pressure.
He gave the audeince a fascinating
competition for the design of the set
and with just eighteen months to go, show took
insight into what happens behind the
scenes in order to present us with cov-
the set design was finalised and com-
missioned. three and a
erage that: “Dwarfs any of the normal
BBC News offerings”, as he put it.
Rob Hopkin gave an illuminating
conversation that shed some light on half years to
complete...”
Receiving information from over a the complexities behind one of the
“100 Outside Broadcast trucks”, includ- major television events covered by the
ing our own John Mair who was in BBC and broadcast worldwide.
Northern Ireland covering the results,
he has only 16 screens visible to him
Picture source: http://atangledweb.squarespace.com/storage/BBBC%20QT.jpg

at any one time in the gallery and

therefore, has to make instantaneous
decisions about what the viewers see.
He then imparted that there had al-
ready been two vague scripts prepared
prior to the broadcast with him only in-
structing those involved at “six minutes
to ten” which one should be followed.
Unable to prepare any earlier, as this
would have been unlawful and seen as
bias, the reporters had to adapt their
styles for the ‘hung parliament’ option
on the spot.
Upon being asked a question about
the set design, he let everyone know
 A Stormy Conversation with
Weatherman John Kettley
by Radina Choleva
John Kettley, the broadly known
weather forecast presenter at BBC Radio
Five Live, spoke last week at Coventry
University about some extreme varieties
of weather ranging from freeze to global
warming.
‘’Back in 1974 when the earth was cool-
ing down, everyone thought that global
warming hasn’t been mentioned at this
point and was thought to be rubbish’’,
recalled Kettley when asked about wave
on air. He continued by saying today
there is: ‘’No right training anymore’’.
Working on 12 hour shifts he described
how hard it was to work with the then
technologies and pressure: ‘’I was knack-
ered after the shifts’’. As to what sources
he uses for his forecasts, he took the
audience by surprise revealing: ‘’I have
never used BBC weather website for my
researches’’.
The only weatherman for whom a song
News in Brief
„„ The long awaited master class
with Professor Jon Snow of Channel
4 News will take place tomorrow at
the Goldstein Theatre from 9.00am
to 11.00am.
„„ Also tomorrow it’s the chance to
talk to the most successful drama
producer in British TV, Stephen
Garret the producer of ‘Life on Mars’,
‘Ashes to Ashes’ and ‘Hustle’ will be
in Ellen Terry at 1.00pm.

Picture Source: cutoday.wordpress.com/.../

power and mechanical energy depart- was released, ‘’John Kettley is a Weather-
ment. man’’ by the group ‘A Tribe of Toffs’, he

‘’I have could not help mentioning about this cult

single, telling: ‘’The only thing I earned

never used
from participating in the song was £250’’,
adding it undoubtedly had a positive
impact on his career.

BBC weather The former student of Applied Phys-

ics at Coventry University recalled some

website memories back from the best three years

of his life, when he did not see much of

for my university life and going to pubs, stating

that: ‘’As a student you have to work hard,

researches’’
play hard’’.
Stephen Garret: Producer of ‘Life on
Mars’.

Giving his opinion on what is the so- „„ Professor David McLellan from
Picture Source: http://www.electricegg.co.uk/gallery/photography/john_kettley_2_DSC09657.jpg

called 21st century weather crisis, he re-
plied: ‘’Climate change is climate change,
because climate is changing. Nobody
knows how much global warming will
rise’’. He specially mentioned about that
in a chapter of his book which was pub-
lished last year called ‘’Weatherman’’.
Questioned as to whether the discus-
sions at the Copenhagen Conference
could help for the solving of the global
warming issue, Kettley’s respond inter-
ested the small audience: ‘’It just looked
like two weeks of hot air.; I don’t think
anything came out from Copenhagen’’.
After being 30 years on national TV, he
expressed his feelings that each profes-
sional forecast presenter should do their
own research and graphics before going
the University of Kent will visit Ellen
Terry on 28 May to talk on the title
‘Is Marx Still Relevant Today?’ All of
these Coventry Conversations and
more are available to download at
iTunes.
„„ Don’t miss the opportunity to
see the talents of the media and
communication graduates as they
showcase their work at the Media
Festival which will be held from 3
June to 5 June, 10.00am to 5.00pm
at Ellen Terry.
John Kettley

The student and staff newsletter of the Media and

Communications department of Coventry School
of Art and Design
Edited by Radina Choleva and Natasha De Silva
Submissions invited to: the-buzz@live.co.uk
With many thanks to Sarah-Jayne Collins and John Mair