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London Bombings

K

kms575

Just a comment about radio coverage in London regarding today's events. BBC R5 (BBC's all news/sport UK format) obviously covering the event fully. Capital FM in London has suspended music, and is interviewing eyewintesses, providing news feeds, and seems to be running commercial free.
Any other observations?
 
I'm in the 'States, but have listened to the Internet stream of BBC Radio 5 and watched streaming video of BBC's special television news coverage (I suspect it's being simulcast on BBC-1 and BBC News 24).

The BBC, as usual, is doing an outstanding job.

Has anyone in the UK been watching ITV News (ITN) or Sky News coverage??
 
> I'm in the 'States, but have listened to the Internet stream
> of BBC Radio 5 and watched streaming video of BBC's special
> television news coverage (I suspect it's being simulcast on
> BBC-1 and BBC News 24).
>
> The BBC, as usual, is doing an outstanding job.
>
> Has anyone in the UK been watching ITV News (ITN) or Sky
> News coverage??
>

I'm also in the US. the UK certainly knows how to cover news. No wild speculation, no 'experts.' They just tell the story. My thoughts and prayers to everyone in London.
 
> I'm also in the US. the UK certainly knows how to cover
> news. No wild speculation, no 'experts.' They just tell the
> story. My thoughts and prayers to everyone in London.

Although I'm not a Londoner, as a Englishman I'd like to thank you for the sentiments. It's very comforting to have them. Being at work today, I missed most of the coverage on both TV and radio, however, the BBC coverage was outstanding as always. As you can imagine it's been wall-to-wall, and consistently excellent. I've also taken in some of the American coverage - on Fox and CNN, both of which we get on satellite - and the gaps in their announcers knowledge is quite worrying: one had no idea who our Defence Secretary was (describing him as a safety person at first) and another commented London was 'several thousand miles from Edinburgh'. Made me realise how far ahead the BBC was in quality terms, especially remembering back to 9-11 when I'm sure the BBC's coverage would have stood up against the American networks in terms of knowledge and insight, if not resources and on the spot reporting.

In terms of radio, most London stations played 'appropriate' music with frequent news updates. Capital FM and it's sister Gold dropped music and commercials and went all news, and were simulcast on XFM (Rock). National station BBC Radio 2 was playing appropriate music too, with less presenter time and frequent news updates. It's midday debate programme continued. I also checked out American radio today... noticed music based stations in Washington DC and New York City mentioning the incident. What was the American radio reaction in general?

Thanks again for your kind wishes,
Owen
<P ID="signature">______________
Owen</P>
 
> Just a comment about radio coverage in London regarding
> today's events. BBC R5 (BBC's all news/sport UK format)
> obviously covering the event fully. Capital FM in London has
> suspended music, and is interviewing eyewintesses, providing
> news feeds, and seems to be running commercial free.
> Any other observations?
>


I tryed checking shoutcast video streams to see what might be there and someone ran a feed of Sky News and another had CNN, both have shut down since.

Currently I'm listening to BBC World Service.
 
London Bombings from an American Media Perspective

What was the American radio
reaction in general?

It was "Top Story" since it occured...and it's 5pm EST. The "Big 3" TV networks (CBS, NBC, ABC) had "live coverage" until about 11-ish in the morning.

The big cable news networks are still broadcasting coverage

NPR's coverage was lackluster...at least where I live. All three local affiliates stopped live coverage after 9am, then went to classical music.

Commercial radio stations were mixed; some news/talkers had network "live coverage"...others didn't...and most music formatted stations only gave it lip service

Just wondering...I happen to think this was related to London winning the 2012 Olympics...whoever won the bid for the Olympics were going to get bombed the next day...whaddya think?

Hope this helps

Radio-X

<P ID="edit"><FONT class="small">Edited by radiodxrichmond on 07/07/05 08:55 PM.</FONT></P>
 
> Just a comment about radio coverage in London regarding
> today's events. BBC R5 (BBC's all news/sport UK format)
> obviously covering the event fully. Capital FM in London has
> suspended music, and is interviewing eyewintesses, providing
> news feeds, and seems to be running commercial free.
> Any other observations?
>
My wife and I observed that the way the British -- particularly the BBC -- cover the news is markedly different from the breathless, speculative, panic-inducing style of the U.S. news channels.

The American networks need a body count -- they're about the statistics first, then what "might happen" next. BBC provided context, depth, and a sense of calm about the situation. Watching BBC America at home and listening to BBC London 94.9 on my computer at work today was the best way to get the information without the blather.

To our mates across the pond -- your American friends stand with you. Thank you for showing us how to handle our business in the toughest of moments.
 
Re: London Bombings...American Media

> What was the American radio
> reaction in general?
>
> Commercial radio stations were mixed; some news/talkers had
> network "live coverage"...others didn't...and most music
> formatted stations only gave it lip service

this reminds me of 9-11. I wasn't in radio...I was working for Bill Gates. at that time it seemed that we (at Microsoft) had better information and were ahead of what others were getting from "the media"

====================================

I'm in a "medium" market, the only operator at a multiple (over 5) station cluster. one of our stations is news/talk

while I'm on-air at a music station I try to stay on top of what is going on (via internet, cable TV, alphanumeric paging)

at about 0300 PT, I caught on to what was happening and started to relay information on my show to my audience

our news/talk station was not staffed...I don't know if there were any mention of it on the overnight programming. I can't service everybody all of the time (like when stations go off-air, and I don't know that they are). I heard complaints from our staff that the competitor of our news/talk station began their coverage earlier than we did...
 
Re: London Bombings from an American Media Perspective

I am in agreement that the media in the UK did a marvelous job in covering this travesty - much better than our media. I kept wishing for CNN and Fox News to just run their respective partner feeds from CNNI and SkyNews. A perusal of London radio stations indicated that they treated the event very appropriately and with respect for all. Very impressive job, collectively.

> Just wondering...I happen to think this was related to
> London winning the 2012 Olympics...whoever won the bid for
> the Olympics were going to get bombed the next day...whaddya
> think?
>
Well, it doesn't seem that such an intricate attack could have been planned in 24 hours time, nor would it be logical to plan it based on the 1 in 3 chance that London had in overcoming Paris for the 2012 olympics.

Probably more likely to be timed with the G8 and to gain the maximum level of horror. The olympic bid win was just "good luck" (forgive me) for those slimebags. Its the typical Al Qaida barbarism against any free country who also dares to support freedom for others.

It's all very sad and my thoughts and prayers tonight are with Londoners and with all in the UK. We're with you guys...
 
Re: London Bombings- from a Brit in American Media

Once again, thank you for the kind words from members of this group. I will relay the outpouring of sympathy from our friends in the USA, when I file my report to BBC Three Counties Radio on Wednesday morning..

It was frustrating to listen to events from London on the local radio stations. For the longest period, they were talking about two fatalities. In my own office, (one spoke of a national network!), I told our news department, reports of piles of bodies in the tube trains, were coming from my brother who lives near and works in London.. The response.. It isnt on the news wire so I cant report it until its confirmed...

I will also asmit to being annoyed, none of the local media gave me a call to ask questions about this! Its not like they dont know a Brit works on the radio in this city! If I had called each station to correct information they were broadcasting, I would have made myself very unpopular!

Jazzy


> > What was the American radio
> > reaction in general?
> >
> > Commercial radio stations were mixed; some news/talkers
> had
> > network "live coverage"...others didn't...and most music
> > formatted stations only gave it lip service
>
> this reminds me of 9-11. I wasn't in radio...I was working
> for Bill Gates. at that time it seemed that we (at
> Microsoft) had better information and were ahead of what
> others were getting from "the media"
>
> ====================================
>
> I'm in a "medium" market, the only operator at a multiple
> (over 5) station cluster. one of our stations is news/talk
>
> while I'm on-air at a music station I try to stay on top of
> what is going on (via internet, cable TV, alphanumeric
> paging)
>
> at about 0300 PT, I caught on to what was happening and
> started to relay information on my show to my audience
>
> our news/talk station was not staffed...I don't know if
> there were any mention of it on the overnight programming.
> I can't service everybody all of the time (like when
> stations go off-air, and I don't know that they are). I
> heard complaints from our staff that the competitor of our
> news/talk station began their coverage earlier than we
> did...
>
 
Re: London Bombings- from a Brit in American Media

Americans have not had the UK on our minds this much since Dianna's funeral.
Things like this unite our two countries.<P ID="signature">______________
_____________________________________________
Proud 2 B a pioneering satellite radio subs¢riber
Ai4i is always on the trailing edge of technology</P>
 
Re: London Bombings- from a Brit in American Media

> Americans have not had the UK on our minds this much since
> Dianna's funeral.
> Things like this unite our two countries.
>
One thing i'll add, in hindsight,it seemed that more the foreign press was on top of the story as it happened than the british press. I dont know if this is because of self imposed editiorial restrictions at the major outlets (BBC,SKY,ITV,ect..)But the US-based cable and news outlets seemed to have a foot up in the reporting of the story, including casulty counts and shots of the scenes. Everything I heard on BBC radio and pulled off of video feeds didnt have much to offer except the whole "Stay off the streets" message London Metropolitan was telling commuters.
 
Re: London Bombings- from a Brit in American Media

> But the US-based cable and news outlets
> seemed to have a foot up in the reporting of the story,
> including casulty counts and shots of the scenes.

Sensationalism is not considered good journalism!<P ID="signature">______________
_____________________________________________
Proud 2 B a pioneering satellite radio subs¢riber
Ai4i is always on the trailing edge of technology</P>
 
Re: London Bombings- from a Brit in American Media

> > But the US-based cable and news outlets
> > seemed to have a foot up in the reporting of the story,
> > including casulty counts and shots of the scenes.
>
> Sensationalism is not considered good journalism!
>
I concur, But when is reporting what really happened considered sensationlism? Thats a question ive asked myself since 9/11. I think the US media went WAAAAAY overboard in its coverage of the towers and pentagon suicide flights, in fact I think they went way over the line in the way things were handled,for like three weeks it was wall to wall coverage of Terrorvision 24/7 (Thank Fox News,IMHO). I will give the UK and European press for acting with restraint, but I have to really wonder if their coverage of the incident(s) was really useful in helping out the citizens of London or caused more confusion?
 
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