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Simon Waldman

The wrong guy


You may not be familiar with the name Guy Kewney, but you will certainly have heard of the embarrassing incident when someone who clearly wasn't IT expert Guy Kewney was interviewed in a business slot on News 24. It's given Fleet Street's finest - and many insiders too - a good chuckle. (Watch the interview here)

news24_140x100.jpg puts it thus: "It appears that the joke has irresistible appeal to my fellow hax: specifically, anybody who isn't News 24 thinks it's hilarious."

He's not wrong. The mix-up has caused much gnashing of teeth, tightening up of procedures and has spawned this - the first News 24 entry on the Editors' blog.

Sadly, the real sequence of events is not quite as amusing as the papers suggest:

Images of Guy Kewney and Guy Goma1) Harassed producer sets off at a brisk pace - much of the activity on News 24 is conducted at a brisk pace - to get his guest from "reception". You've guessed: wrong reception... the real Guy Kewney was at stage door, our man legs it to Stage Six reception.

2) Producer asks receptionist to point out Guy Kewney. The Wrong Guy is identified. Producer asks again - having seen photo of real Guy (he describes himself as "very pink") on website, he is nonplussed by being sent in direction of a rather darker individual. Same answer.

3) Producer asks waiting man: "Are you Guy Kewney?" Wrong Guy replies in the affirmative and is whisked up to News 24's studio with only moments to spare before going on air.

4) Business presenter Karen Bowerman has premonition of disaster - gets message to editor (me) that guest "seems not to know too much about the subject".

5) Ed Has Idea: issues instruction to ask guest ONE question and then interview our (excellent and knowledgeable) reporter at High Court, Rob Pittam.

6) Instruction fails to reach correct people: the wrong Guy is asked three questions, with toe-curling results.

7) Only later does it transpire that real Guy is still waiting patiently in reception - prompting question: "Who the hell is Wrong Guy?"

Well, he's NOT a cabbie.

He is, in fact, a graduate in Economics and Business Studies who hails from the Congo. He was at Television Centre for a job interview - as a "Data Support Cleanser" in the Business Information Department. Poor soul, he was nervous and just did as he was told.

When I tracked him down today, he said that he had found his on air interview both "very short" and "very stressful" and was disappointed not to have been asked about data cleansing. He was prepared to return to the airwaves: "Happy to speak about any situation" - but would insist next time on "preparing myself".

How did the mix-up occur? We were hoping to interview Guy Kewney; we actually interviewed Guy Goma. Could have happened to anyone...

Simon Waldman is morning editor on 大象传媒 News

Paul Brannan

Helping the BNP?


Should the 大象传媒 News website link to the BNP's online pages? In doing so are we driving traffic to the party's "ignorant, hateful and cowardly" content, as one complainant insists?

newswebsite.gifThe disclaimer that "the 大象传媒 is not responsible for external sites" cuts little ice: "I am not asking the 大象传媒 to take responsibility for the racist content of this particular website, but you must take responsibility for linking to this vile content."

The easy thing to do would be to adopt an all-or-nothing policy. After all, if people really want to find their way to this kind of material then Google is only a click away. Why help the process? A blanket ban would relieve us of the Wisdom of Solomon judgement calls.

So, for that matter, would a policy of linking to anything and everything and that would certainly chime with web audiences who see editorialising as censorship.

In reality we make decisions on which sites to link to on a case-by-case basis and we consider them carefully, in relation to the news agenda and the context around each story. In general, we link to sites where there is sufficient editorial justification. We take into account the 大象传媒 guidelines on harm and offence and the law relating to such matters as defamation or incitement to racial hatred.

And as far as the BNP is concerned we have not in general linked to their site but, in the interests of impartiality, we have done so during election periods. Sure, we drive traffic to the site but click-throughs don't necessarily convert to support for the party. In fact, the opposite may be true.

Paul Brannan is editor of 大象传媒 Emerging Platforms

Barney Jones

AM and PM


The agonising in the 48 hours before broadcast centred on two things: securing the main political guest and overcoming the endless technical obstacles that seemed destined to scupper plans to broadcast live from an office block overlooking Tower Bridge.

sundayam_140x100.jpgThe technical problems of outside broadcasts often dwarf the editorial issues and so it was this week. Could we twist sufficient arms to get access to the offices of 'Visit London' :floor to ceiling glass with a stunning view of London? Yes, but a process of tortuous negotiation proved just as tough as securing an interview with the PM. And on that front we failed.

As so often, the editorial opportunities looked rich at the start of the week. The PM was interested. So was the Tory leader. Blair's insistence that he wanted to cut thought the "Westminster froth" and talk policy made us more hopeful. And Cameron's success at PMQs and good poll ratings also augured well.

There was a long-standing promise of the first broadcast interview with the deputy prime minister... and aides to the new home secretary and the new foreign secretary were both interested in the prospect of a session with Marr. With so many alluring possibilities it was perhaps inevitable that every one would have evaporated by Friday afternoon. Lord Chancellor Charlie Falconer to the rescue.

As it happened, the Human Rights Act and its unintended consequences was a huge story by Sunday, so Falconer looked on the money - addressing an issue that featured in almost every Sunday newspaper editorial. And how were the vital minutes spent before we went on air? Trying to fix a bust Autocue and working out how to get the American ambassador's heavily armed motorcade anywhere near our building when it turned out a vast cycle rally had been routed precisely where the men with curly bits coming out of their ears hoped to park the US limos.

Telling Ken to stuff his congestion charge is one thing, mowing down women and children out for a Sunday bike ride was judged a diplomatic incident too far. Of course a solution was found eventually and the show went on air with a full set of guests, with autocue and with a good story. Who could ask for more?

Barney Jones is editor of

Host

大象传媒 in the news, Monday

  • Host
  • 15 May 06, 08:34 AM

Guardian: Audiences for the 大象传媒 World Service have reached record levels ()

The Sun: "TV bosses were last night desperate to sign up a cabbie grilled on live telly by blundering 大象传媒 reporters" (, and more details)

Independent: Former 大象传媒 correspondent Tom Mangold says "if Panorama makes one more film about the NHS, I shall personally sit on the steps of White City, pour unleaded petrol over myself and ignite in protest." ()

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