Wednesday, March 31, 2010

What does Simon say?

Radio 4 is very excited about getting Simon Schama on A Point of View.

And so is the professor. Over excited.

He puts on a real performance, full of verbal tricks, playfulness, dramatic language.

He (& his producers) should heed the wise words of one of the earliest broadcasters: you are addressing an audience, not of millions, but of one, sitting by the fire in their own front room.

These days the listener may very well be doing the ironing, preparing the supper, having a bath or driving the car.

But even when I sit down & try to listen properly I find it hard to understand what he is saying, & gain very little idea of what he is actually talking about. Only familiar words like Macclesfield jump out of the jumble.