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From The Times
June 26, 2004

BBC journalism

From Mr Michael Sullivan
Sir, The trouble with the BBC is that it tends to looks down its corporate nose at journalists who learnt their craft anywhere other than the BBC, and tries to create journalists out of people it has already employed as journalists, usually straight from university.

I recommend to the new Director-General that the syllabus of his proposed “college of journalism” (report and leading article, June 24) should include reading, writing, English grammar, spelling, shorthand, typing and a year’s practical work experience of covering criminal and civil courts, inquests, press conferences and local government meetings — cub reporter stuff.

Add to that some training in the art of delivering reports to camera with the hands tied behind the back. That might eliminate the absurd hand-flapping, which I believe was brought into being by an American adviser who said that it enabled the reporter to “interact with the viewer”.

Let the BBC take its journalists and its editorial managers back to basics.

Yours faithfully,
MICHAEL SULLIVAN
(BBC TV News, 1967-93),
2 Tudor Court,
Amherst Road, W13 8NE.
michael.sullivan17@btopenworld.com
June 24.

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