Save Vaughan Savidge
Add your name here please, using the comment link.
Jump to more content from this blog
About this blog
PM The evening news and current affairs programme presented by Eddie Mair.
iPM The programme that starts with its listeners. Join the discussions online and contribute ideas for a weekly programme presented by Eddie Mair and Jennifer Tracey.
The PM Privacy Commission
Read the final report of the PM Privacy Commission.
- Full Audio and Transcripts
- Hugh Tomlinson QC
- Zac Goldsmith MP
- Max Mosley
- Stephen Abell
- Hugh Grant
- Sir Charles Gray
- Alan Rusbridger
- Helen Wood
- Max Clifford
- Marcus Partington
- John Kampfner
- Christopher Graham
- Louise Mensch
- Andy Trotter
- John Mullin
- Avril Sanders Royle
- Jimmy Wales
Meet the commissioners, view the terms of reference and hear the Commission Chair Sir Michael Lyons explain his approach.
RSS feed
Email us
Listen to PM
Couint me in !!
But what about :-
* Harriet Cass
* Brian Perkins
* Charlotte Green
* Annie McKie
Surely they are not on the 'endangered' list as well?
Save Vaughan!
(What from?)
Also save Charlotte, Brian (he's still around from time to time) and all the others
Maybe we should create a Newsreader's Refuge, along the lines of how they do things at Slimbridge. We could build presenting studios and desks, then newsreader spotters can view this rare species in their natural habitat. I can just imagine it now, with Bill Oddie presenting Newsreader Watch Live, and Sir David Attenburgh can do a 26 piece special, Life in the News Room....
I think under the circumstances we listeners have the right to know Vaughan's AGE...before we decide if he's old enough to be valued :)
Save newsreaders, especially Vaughn. Few things in life are as exciting as his voice.
You never hear Corrie Corfield on PM anymore. Why is that?
Save 'em all I say. Especially Moira.
Surely the danger here is that we might 'save' a man called 'Vaughn Savage' and poor Vaughan Savidge might end up as 'collateral damage' ?
Lack of respect for truth endemic in the
White House, oh yes, and in Downing Street. How have we got to this?
Vaughan Savage to be saved. Ok. Let us turn him into the "Voice of the Beeb" like Mohammed Al Fayed's John Cole is the Voice of the Harrods boss.
Everytime Mr Cole comes on I spit out my dummy and ask "Is that a proper job for an intelligent man?" The Establishment? One day I will say more but hurling unsubstantiated accusations at Prince Philip et al is not dignified. I feel for Mr Al Fayed's lost still but that is fast fading a decade on.
10 years and Mr al Fayed side asked for more time to get their case ready for the Inquest/Enquiry - but the Voice of Al Fayed said "Oh no that is not so?" Hah - I know whom I believe Mr Cole.
Yes Vaughan can now be the Voice of the Beeb and therefore doesn't have to be so polite to other voices - as Eddie had to be today.
Save Vaughan Savage. Hang on a sec! I think I am losing my own Voice with all this ranting!
Save Savige!!!
Old newsreaders never die.. They simply get faded out..
Save vaughan Savidge - PLEASE.
We do not like the 'new' methods of reporting .
We like 'proper' people such as Vaughan, John Humphrys, and Moira Stuart
IF IT AIN'T DAMAGED, NO NEED TO FIX IT!
Save Vaughan Savidge...
You can get 10p back on an empty one!
Ooooh, we're putting our names here in our thousands, are we, Eric? Is this some scam to up the number of bloggers a la GMTV?
ps: if we save enough Vaughans do we get a free gift? Or has it already been allocated to a child in the Blue Peter studio?
When did you last see a Water Vole?
Add Mr. Savidge to the protected species list IMMEDIATELY!
yes save vaughan charlotee brian and the rest.
Why do you give so much time to people like the cycle facist?
I drive buses and coaches and there is a suicide zone. I am an advanced motorist and always use all my mirrors but it doesn't stop cyclists and motor cyclists zipping up the side of the vehicle into the dead zone - often having changed lanes and emerged from behind the vehicle!
SAVE SAVIGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Cyclists are damn hippies!
Frances O (14):
Yes, thousands! There's more of us than there seems. I count as nine bloggers just by myself.
Karen (6):
Nice "summoning" of Corrie there. Let me try...
"You never hear Jimmy Young on the radio anymore. Why is that?"
(Let's see if that works...)
Please keep the real newsreaders like Vaughan, Rory, Peter Donaldson, Chris Aldridge, etc and the continuity announcers. We don't like anyone except the newsreaders and announcers reading important news headlines and bulletins as they are so much clearer and don't sound like the presenter trailling what is in their programme.
Yes, YES!
Save the man!
(Before the ´óÏó´«Ã½ turns its news and current affairs programmes into the verbal equivalent of lift music).
Oh, alright then. Although if we're going to save him, I must insist that he's kept in humanitarian conditions, fed and watered properly and allowed to write home on a regular basis.
Ah. Probably rules the ´óÏó´«Ã½ out then ;-)
Do we need a Frog committee to ensure that no newsreader is harmed in the making of PM? What's the collective noun for Froggers??
Save Vaughan Savidge and all his ilk. Put them in the Glass Box and recycle them endlessly.
Karen (6) trust you heard Corrie at 6pm!
Like the 'Slimbridge' idea, but given that Mr Savidge started his life in 'warmer climes' is there not a bit of a danger that after a successful campaign he will just fly south in the Autumn ??
And what about Neil Nunes ?? Haven't heard him for a while either. He hasn't become 'one for the pot' ?
Listening to the discussion about cyclists, accidents,and traffic lights I was impressed by the fact that pedstrians never figured in the talk. The cyclist who ignores red lights ought to be told that pedestrians may be crossing the road when the light is red. I have had to jump out of the way of cyclists who ignored red lights-one even shouted at me to watch the road, as though he had every right to advise me thus. Being hit by a cyclist is a very unpleasant experience, and for the old, may be fatal.
Save Vaughan Savidge!
For many thousands of people (I appear to be the fifteenth) this may be the great moral issue of the first decade of the twenty-first century. Well, apart from fundamental freedoms being eroded by cowardly governments, lies, propaganda, the destruction of the natural world, the systematic corporate asset-stripping of the planet etc etc.
Life would be even grimmer without the calm reassurance of Vaughan, Harriet, Brian, Charlotte and Annie ...
Save all the announcers I say...
re Moira. How about giving her a job commentating football matches?
....and I'd like to add my name to the *ahem* thousands voting here for Mr Savidge to stay in the big cross academy (or whatever it's called).
Now, if you've charged me too much for my vote, can I sue you? Or will you just apologise and sack the people you've contracted to organise the blog?
Heard Neil recently on the World Service.
I thought Peter Donaldson had left the Beeb.
And as for you, Big Sis (15), I think you'll find one of my relations along with Carolyn, Carrie et al on the right hand side.
And quite rightly so.
Save Vole Savage!
Shave Mark Thompson
When all the HumanBeings have disappeared from the ´óÏó´«Ã½ - to be replaced by Machines/Recorded messages - who will switch the machines on/off ?
Until we have somewhere to sign a "Save Charlotte Green" petition, I am not going to sign anything. This could be converted into one of those "Celebrity Get Me Out of Big Dancing on Celebrity X Maria" things where all votes count, even when there was only one person to vote for.
Perky (21) I believe that the collective noun is a Beach of Froggers. If it is not, then it should be. ;-)
H.
Vaughan definitely - Charlotte Green ... well, what can I say except put her to the top of the "save" list.
In the happy little statelet of Northern Ireland we have a few who I would gladly consign to some other career.
Thank goodness for Radio 4 and especially PM.
Mind you, a special mention should go to the newsreading marathon runners of the 6 o'clock news - what a tour de force !
I am really disappointed that it's not spelled "Savage" but, oh alright, save him if you must...
Its 10.05 and vaughan does not sound like he needs saving. But save him anyway!
Yes save him! First they will drop Vaughn and then next it might be Charlotte Green or even (Heaven forbid) god himself Brian Perkins.
dan in the states
What are we saving him from? I'm feeling magnanimous, count me in.
There is but one sure way to save Vaughan Savidge - get Sir Menzies Campbell to demand that he go immediately. That easily should see him through the rest of the century. Pip pip!
Count me in, too!
xx
ed
Bring back Moira Stuart as a straight news reader as well.
It is an important and different role, which should be resurrected
I'm a bit worried that his surname is spelt the same way as my accountant's. I wonder if they are related... Oh, go on, save him anyway.
And while you're at it, elevate Carolyn Quinn to sainthood. You know she's earnt it.
Save the man - get Bono and Bob Geldof on the case immediately. We should organise a worldwide series of pop concerts - Rock the Savidge? Dance until Dawn for Vaughan?
Save Vaughan Savidge!
Bedd;
Brian Perkins ("I'm the Daddy") and Peter Donaldson are indeed endangered. The ´óÏó´«Ã½ 'retired' both of them when they passed 60 years old, then re-hired them as freelancers.
Donaldson no longers reads the news on 'Today' since that now involves starting at 05:20 when Radio takes over from the World Service and he wasn't willing to get up even earlier than he already was.
FFred;
I love the idea!
Paul Dockree;
That'll be Michael Cole then? John Cole used to be the ´óÏó´«Ã½'s political editor before he retired a while back.
Frances O;
He sort-of has, see above comment.
Muppet;
Quite agree.
Humph;
You make an excellent point. If we are to save Vaughn than we must also give Seagreen the status of National Treasure.
Si.
Does he want to be saved? He might prefer to do something else like former newsreaders do - Antiques Roadshow, Mastermind, advertising insurance...
Save Vaughan (but only if he changes the spelling to 'Savage')!
But I do like Charlotte and Alice and was delighted to catch a sight (what the aural equivalent?) of Brian Perkins the other day.
Newreaders should be cherished - otherwise it all merges into one endless presenterthon (eg ´óÏó´«Ã½ Breakfast - although that is shockingly awful it shouldn't be mentioned on such hallowed company).
First time posting today, but am apparently malicious!
Anyhoo, so we all know to whom we're lending our support;
/radio4/presenters/vaughan_savidge.shtml
One comment against Moira Stuart.
I am all for keeping newsreaders and I think Moira Stuart is absolutely charming. But I don't think she should carry on being a newsreader (I am sure the ´óÏó´«Ã½ has other jobs for her).
The trouble is, she doesn't speak clearly enough for a newsreader. The real-time subtitles aren't fast enough, but her diction is not up to newsreading. I really don't understand how she got the job in the first place.
Whatever happened to that nice boy Patrick Muirhead? He read the Shipping Forecast with such intuitive style. Did Mark Thompson fire him?
Eddie,
Are you charging for these votes? And is the result already in? You'll have that Jezza Vine chap round if you're not careful.
This may be a little controversial but I believe that the reason Moira Stewart isn't reading the news bulletins anymore is that's she's not a very good newsreader.
As a regular viewer to Breakfast with Frost and Andrew Marr's programme that was it's replacement I can't recall a bulletin that didn't have a stumble in it.
Whether it was that Moira couldn't see the autocue properly or for some other reason - who knows? However the standard of reading was far below that of the average News 24 presenter - Carrie being No: 1
Moira *does* however have a wonderful personality and would make an ideal host for any number of programmes across Radio and television.
Vyle Hernia (42) That thought just occurred to me, too.....Has anyone asked Vaughan? I wondered if he had already made plans for his redundancy payment. ;o(
Haha - on the ´óÏó´«Ã½ News Front page:-
The link reads :- rubbish link to recycling
Well it made me smile :-)
Newsreader Island
The cast:
FIRST NEWSREADER - Vaughan Savidge
SECOND NEWSREADER - Brian Perkins
THIRD NEWSREADER - Harriet Cass
FOURTH NEWSREADER - Charlotte Green
FIFTH NEWSREADER - Corrie Corfield
FATHER PIERRE - Eddie Mair
The sketch:
(A stock shot of a jet landing which they always use to introduce 'Newsreader's World'. This leads us into Newsreader Island - a tropical island paradise where all the inhabitants have Newsreader suits, glasses and microphones.)
CAPTION: 'NEWSREADER'S WORLD'
(Various Newsreaders pace past the camera.)
First Newsreader: Today we look at a vanishing race. A problem people who are fast disappearing off the face of the earth.
Second Newsreader: A race who one might say are losing a winning battle.
Third Newsreader: They live in a sunshine paradise, a Caribbean dream, where only reality is missing.
Fourth Newsreader: For this is Newsreader Island.
Fifth Newsreader: An island inhabited entirely by ex-´óÏó´«Ã½ newsreaders in pursuit of the impossible dream.
First Newsreader: The whole problem of Newsreader Island is here in a nutshell.
Second Newsreader: There are just too many Newsreaders.
Third Newsreader: The light-weight scripts.
Fourth Newsreader: The old repeated themes.
Fifth Newsreader: The practiced voice of the seasoned campaigner.
First Newsreader: Cannot hide the basic tragedy here.
Second Newsreader: There just isn’t enough news to read.
(Cut to a different location.)
Third Newsreader: You can't teach an old dog new tricks and so (turning to a swimming pod with lots of Newsreaders around it, wandering with stick mikes and stuttering) you find them...
Fourth Newsreader: (seated by swimming pool) Sitting beside elegant swimming pools...
Fifth Newsreader: (seated at drinks table, with sun umbrella) ... sipping Martinis...
First Newsreader: (standing by the pool) .. and waiting for the inevitable bulletin.
Second Newsreader: (standing fully clothed in the pool) I talked to the island's only white man, Father Pierre.
(Cut to a different location. Feeling of heat. The third Newsreader stands beside a priest in a white robe.)
Third Newsreader: Father Pierre, why did you stay on in this colonial Campari-land where the clink of glasses mingles with the murmur of a million mosquitoes, where waterfalls of whisky wash away the worries of a world-weary Newsreader, where gin and tonic jingle in a gyroscopic jubilee of something beginning With J - Father Pierre, why did you stay on here?
Father Pierre: (putting on a pair of Newsreader-style glasses) Well mainly for the interviews.
Fifth Newsreader: Well there you have it, a crumbling...
First Newsreader: ... empire in the sun-drenched...
Second Newsreader: Caribbean, where the cliches sparkle on the waters...
Third Newsreader: ... like the music of repeat fees...
First Newsreader: And so...
Fifth Newsreader: ... from Newsreader Island...
First Newsreader: ... it's...
Second Newsreader: ... fare...
Third Newsreader: ... well and...
Fourth Newsreader: ... bon...
Fifth Newsreader: . .. voy...
First Newsreader: ... age.
(Cut to film of plane taking off. Roll credits. Eddie crashes the bongs.)
Jonnie (50)
What are you talking about? (Maybe they've changed it already)
We are more than happy to share with the nation the authoritative and mellifluous tones of a former, much missed and respected denizen of this ancient Essex village, viz Vaughan Savidge!
Lady from Auchtermuchty @ (46)
Look here -
So nice to see Mr. Savidge now presiding over his fate!
Yes, save Vaughan. Don't throw him away.
We might be able to recycle him into something else (I almost wrote useful, but perish the thought).
Headline on ´óÏó´«Ã½ sports pages;
Vaughan Savidge saved. But Rooney scored on the rebound.
On the Moira package last night;
Loved the sheer brass-face of the interviewer who commented to the DG that if this is how you treat a valued member of staff he'd hate to be someone who wasn't admired. Polishing his CV this morning, I take it?
Si.
Jonnie (50) The only thing that bothers me about the fortnightly collections (which we've had for some time without problems) is the instruction to wrap waste before putting it in the bin. Far fewer people than in the past take a daily newspaper and if rubbish is wrapped in plastic it won't rot down easily and means more plastic in the landfill.
Seems to me that for people with gardens giving them (or selling at large discount) not only an ordinary composter, but also one of the green cone type that will safely take food waste would benefit everyone.
And then there's the problem of recycling the containers themselves. Big news story in Derby recently when the council switched from plastic boxes to blue wheelie bins for the recyclable materials and found that none of the boxes could be recycled! Fortunately a lot of people came forward to claim them for resuse, which did provide a short term solution.
Very good, Island Correspondent, but shouldn't that be "Eddie leaves a massive gap just ahead of the bongs"?
jonnie (50)
giggle. In fact it worked first time!
But " Refuse changes 'boost recycling' "
Why should we refuse changes to boost recycling?
OK, so the punctuation's not right, but in the spirit of things...
On a slightly more serious note, there is a lot of fuss over 'Mumbling' Moira Stuart - but there was far less fuss when Newsnight were threatening to AXE not one, but THREE PRESENTERS... [oops..sorry, actually they were proper journalists or 'correspondents' in the jargon]
Indeed it was even possibly [though not the most likely outcome, I grant you..] that Martha Kearney might have been 'evicted', as she does not count as a 'proper' presenter in the way that Kirsty and Paxo do [even though she filled in for them occassionally]
I'm sure Moira Stuart is very nice and all that, and does a nice cameo in 'Extras' now and then, but Martha Kearney she is not.
That said, if people like Vaughan Savidge and Harriet Cass, who are the few people in the ´óÏó´«Ã½ these that can actually speak English properly, cannot be saved what hope is there...
Big Sis (44), the Vaughan link says: "he fell into television, producing a weekly programme for four years."
Ouch! Hope he didn't get cut by any broken glass
Island Correspondent: Can you sell tickets to fab island, perleeeese?
hi, me and my mum were litening to your programme, and decided to campaign to SAVE Vaughan Savidge!
Sorry Mr Savidge - I misspelt your surname earlier. Save Vaughan and save my blushes. Now I have lost my Voice - a job for on Ms Moira Stuart perhaps?
Oh I don't know - I think he looks good WITH hair but, whatever, add my name to those that want Vaughan shaved.
please register my support for mr savidge and his oddly spelled name.
Can we get him Grade II listed?
Dave
Savidge to stay!
(although Sir T of Wogan used to insist his name is prawn sandwich - there always seems to be a food theme there)
I am glad we agree Brian Perkins is GOD. .....and while we are on the subject why oh why do the Today presenters now tell us about the papers? Bring back the newsreaders I say!
M x
Save him.....save the lot of them...I dread turning on the Radio for fear of what I'll hear sometimes. The diction and syntax of some newsreaders is appalling, why oh why do they insist on putting the emphasis on the wrong word in a sentence all the time? Just listen and you'll hear it - but not from the likes of Vaughan, Harriet and Charlotte.
Newsreaders are friends who lead us into the programme. I wish the old PM music would come back and the "Here's Peter Donaldson with the headlines" & "Thanks Peter" only person who does this now is Robin Lustig. I hear Mark Thompson on Today/Yest in Parliament who seemed to be treating the Moira Stuart issue as if its nothing to do with him. WHY do bosses always do this ? move people around & change job titles just to show those above them that they are "doing something" I've had this in lots of jobs. If it works LEAVE IT alone.If Moira wants to stay let her stay. Contracts today are so vague "any other duties" etc.. people have talents so use their talents and don't force them into something that is not for them. Lets save Vaughan,Peter D, Brian, Charlotte et all they are GREAT and let them read the papers as they used to. When I worked in a call centre listening to rude angry people all day it was a joy to hear the voices of Peter, Charlotte etc. Retirement ? what about a nice music programme ? I wouldn't blame them doing adverts but its the ´óÏó´«Ã½'s loss. Keep up the good work as part of the Radio 4 family.
Let Vaughan go if he wants to.....he may have been waiting for this opportunity for years. ;o)
Save Vaughan Savidge, count me in to
I just love all the comments on Vaughan Savidge, I loved the Island one, with Eddie as the priest, keep all the presenters, they are great and I love everyone of them but Ediie is my no one!
Vaughan Savidge, well worth saving.
Now I've seen the picture, I am definitely on for saving Vaughan. (Is that really him? Not a face for radio, certainly)
Count me in! Not just for the ever so lovely Vaughan, but Moira and all the others mentioned (especially Charlotte - so professional, apart from her one memorable mention of a "cross-flannel cherry"). Keep up the good work chaps.
Save Vaughan and all newsreaders.
Christine (73),
Surely he's someone?
;-)
ed
THAT's not Vaughan Savidge. I listen to him all the time, and therefore know exactly what he looks like.
The picture above is clearly that of an imposter.
Please Save Vaughan Savidge
Look, I've been hanging on in the queue for ages waiting to cast my vote to save Alvar Liddell and now that I finally get to the front of the queue I find that you've closed the voting.
If he is saved, will he be selling his story to the highest tabloid bidder? Will Des Browne be involved in the decision making?
Do save Mr Savidge, anyway.
Save our Savidge
Save our Savidge!!
.....what's he done exactly?
Excellent blog. Far too funny for me to contribute.
HI EARL ENVY
I'm as keen as the next man to save Vaughn Savage but can you be sure ans save Andy Rushton as well. I'd love to know what he does when there is no test match. And does he get paid extra when he has to do the ball by ball when the line to St. Lucia or wherever goes down.
Please save Vorn. Sometoims 'is voice is the only thing that keeps me goin.
Can we have a campaign for Vonn to change his surname to the real spelling of ‘Savage’? Thanks. Who seconds this?
Is Vonn one of the newsreaders to use the terms ‘IraRq’ or ‘uh-raRq’? Would he cite farfighters when referencing an item about blazes?
Can we next have a Save The Save Vaughan Savidge Campaign er, Campaign?
I think that isn't really Clarrie Grundy at 86.
Hair by Janice? Tee hee.
cromasaig (79), I agree. He has a full head of dark, straight hair and is v debonair.
I loathe seeing pictures of these R4 impersonatord, except for the PM crowd, who look Just Right.
Are you aware that Mr Savidge (known to the TOGS as Prawn Sandwich, by the way) moonlights on Radio Three?!
Still, nice voice - almost as tasty as our Eddie.
Baby, we were Vaughan to run
Dave (67): I disagree. Vaughan's at least Grad II*, though I'd rate him as Grade I.
Or even Ancient Monument. Then he could never be demolished, could he?
Eddie - I can't quite believe how much response this simple campaign has had.
It's excellent stuff though - perhaps you should start a campaign for each of the Very Important People at Radio 4 so that we can all sign up for their salvation before they've actually been threatened with anything ;-)
This could run and run . . . unlike me - but that's all on the Ronnie thread.
Is he saved yet? How will we know when to stop campaigning?
Vaughan....
It's one of those ´óÏó´«Ã½ names like Alvar. He must be nurtured and cherished - whatever his age. Brian Perkins fine as a reader but wrong name. Sorry Mate I notice, with some disquiet, that Radio 1 DJs are now getting "Public School" names like 'Daniel P. Carter' or 'Scott Mills" OK there's Chris Moyles - Hey does anyone else think Eddie looks like Moyles?
Ah, Steve (96), but who could improve upon the marvellously named Damian Gramaticus?
Steve: Short answer re Eddie/Chris Moyles - No. Nothing like.
Eddie and Chris are like Chalk and Cheese. Well, Cheese (i.e. tasty) and Chalk (i.e. not tasty).
If you defame Eddie like this, we may well have to take action(!)
Steve @ (96)
You're right he does look like him. Come to think of it, you never see 'em together do you?
Daisy: That is HERESY!
May ants infest the pants of all thsoe who insult dear Eric so! I have no idea what Chris Moyles looks like but I have heard him and he is a prize idiot and a bully! Stop this association at once.
Too right, Appy. Or even, to quote:
"May the bird of paradise fly up your nose
May an elephant caress you with its toes
And may your wife be plagued with ladders in her hose"
A plague on all who insult Eddie!