Here is the news and it's a self important pipsqueak reading it!

Terry Wogan has hit the nail squarely on its head with his observations on our current batch of newsreaders.

It never ceases to amaze me that Sky in particular, are under the deluded belief that what they think is a major news story will be given gravitas by whisking Kay Burley and Jeremy Thompson across the globe to present their coverage. Perhaps some, while sneeringly telling us about this MP who claimed expenses for a packet of biscuits, would like to consider telling us the size of their own over-inflated pay packets. These self appointed inquistadors consider their role to belittle their prey on live television, then later shock horror, reveal that public perception of politicians is at an all time low. D'ya think!!

I’m from the age of Gordon Honeycombe, Kenneth Kendall and Robert Dougall amongst others. We may have had to wait three hours between their bulletins, but I’ll wager they’d simply refuse to first name call the weather presenter in a manner most of us employ to enquire ‘What you having to drink mate?’ in our local. On tv it simply sounds smug, 'look at me, I'm all chummy with the weathergirl and our reporters'. And can I really be alone in thinking that when ITV's two newsreaders stand before the cameras like a pair of C&A window dummies, it somehow takes something away from their credibility for the following news broadcast?

Ah well, while it may be a sign of my metamorphosing into a grumpy old man, I'd still love to know what Reginald Bosanquet make of it all as he gazes down from the great news desk in the sky!

and finally, a windsurfing dog in California…………………


nick