The Apprentice Braggers

I am a great fan of The Apprentice, and certainly I will be blogging and podcasting about this entertaining show in the next few weeks. Yes; I say entertaining, because with good editing and casting, the BBC are able to create a show rather than a basic business programme.

I am always astonished by the 'bragging': the mission statements and straplines some of the contestants utter. I know they will have been interviewed for hours and the producer cleverly picks one off the cuff remark. Perhaps I was brought up to be modest, and this is, of course, in a contest, a problem, but some of the statements from contestants is...well....

One of the most memorable comments is from a female who has been 'taught' by The Dalai Lama and Al Gore and has worked on projects with 12 Nobel Peace Prize winners. And how old is she? I'd love to know which school she went to. Perhaps the truth is slightly embroidered; reading books 'teaches' you about a person's values and thoughts. The trouble is that over inflated boasts often put you into a weak position, since others start to joke about you. It is the case of the shepherd boy who cries 'Wolf' one too many times: no one takes you seriously so when you are truthful, you've already lost their trust.

I know we all have to blow our trumpet, and for individuals that are quieter and more modest by nature, this is more of a challenge, but their needs to be a reality check and a balance. My challenge to you, is to start boasting, and when a trusted colleague or friend starts squealing, or accuses you of arrogance, you will know how far is acceptable!!

BBC Radio too middle class?

Oh dear; the BBC are really losing the plot aren't they? We have had a senior BBC Exec accuse the BBC of being too 'middle class' in their programming. Apparently Radio 4 isn't listened to by significant numbers of people from the North. (The question is, is Radio 1?) In another report 'Outnumbered' the award winning sit com is considered too middle class and 'Southern' for the BBCs audience and isn't relevant to many people's lives. This same exec has been involved in cultural highlights such as 'Snog, Marry, avoid' that personally i feel irrelevant to my life.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/bbc/8279381/BBC-Radio-4-too-middle-class-and-London-centric.html

I agree that the BBC - particularly in its news reporting is very London focused. Major news in other regions of the country is often barely featured in the national news. But the report is somewhat naive; people in different parts of the country have different tastes and habits and there is nothing wrong with that. Many people in other regions listen to local radio because they feel it covers news and their lives more effectively. The BBC has some fantastic local radio stations. Radio 4 is a national radio and has to cover different material and subject matter.

There is a place for different regional accents - provided they speak clearly, just as RP must be spoken with good diction. What I can't forgive the BBC for, is using presenters and judges that are not able to speak English clearly; I will throw something at my TV if I hear another "You was' from Louise Redknapp or Alesha. That isn't being middle class; it is about providing good clear, English.