大象传媒

Teenagers Take Over..

Comments

1. At 12:28 PM on 29 Feb 2008, Jon wrote:

   I despair at the so called adults who are ringing up berating the teenagers who were on your programme.

   They should accept the reality of a teenagers life in 2008 and LISTEN. They might learn something.

2. At 12:34 PM on 29 Feb 2008, claire wrote:

   That last caller was a disgrace! How can he possibly justify his argument that he has more rights as an adult when he failed to maintain a civil argument before throwing his toys out the pram by hanging up! Why should he have these rights if by his 'adult' age he can't demonstrate the respect and civility that he expects young people to have. If he wants them to grow up he should set a better example.

   Claire, 22 from Newcastle

3. At 12:37 PM on 29 Feb 2008, Carlos J wrote:

   What a surprise. More drivel from VD and she was not the half.

   Oh to the teens, some more eloquent than the presenter.

   But do me a favour, camp guy, loud mouth black girl and other nonenities.

   You said Derbyshire, "Give it a chance" a couple of days ago.

   I did it and was awful.

   Only just above the usual standard of this programme.

4. At 12:43 PM on 29 Feb 2008, DEREK wrote:

   HAVING LISTENED TO THE PROGRAMME THIS MORNING , COULD I JUST SAY THAT THE CHILDREN WHO WERE ON THERE, TYPICALLY DON'T KNOW ANYTHING (NOR WANT TO KNOW ANYTHING) ABOUT "RESPECT".

   WHY MUST THEY HAVE TO COMMIT TOTALLY ILLEGAL ACTIONS, WITHOUT ANY THOUGHT NOR CARE OF THE CONSEQUENCES

   THEY BRAG ABOUT DRINKING,DRUGS AND HAVING SEX.

   SELF, SELF, SELF.
   UNDER 18s ARE CLASSIFIED AS CHILDREN NOT ADULTS .
   

5. At 12:45 PM on 29 Feb 2008, Hamish Daya wrote:

   Where is all the anger coming from?

   I have been listening to these teenagers and its been warming my heart. They are positive, reasonable, and they can use their minds. Yes they are naive, and irresponsible in some of the things they do, but they are teenagers for crying out loud. They aren't meant to have all the answers yet, but they are trying. Can't we give them some encouragement rather than just fighting them and alienating them further?

   On the subject of drugs: I used cannabis a lot as a youth, and it contributed to depression in later life. I used to listen to music that glorified it (e.g. Reggae) but none of it told you of the long-term harm. If you want to get a buzz why not try rock climbing? Thats my addiction.
   

6. At 12:48 PM on 29 Feb 2008, Bob Perkins wrote:

   Victoria,

   I managed to hear the beginning of the programme, and the last quarter of an hour, as I had to go out to collect wood. So if my comments miss something that was discussed while I was away, please forgive me.

   1 I spent 15 years teaching in the 60's and 70's so I spent a lot of time with teenagers. We worked well together because there was mutual respect, I listened to them and they listened to me. Many of my colleagues didn't, and the young people had no respect for them, and didn't learn anything. Things have changed over the years, because those young people who got no respect then, are the adults of today - no wonder their own teenagers have a difficulty with the establishment!

   2 Whilst I was out, I picked up a copy of Paris-Normandie. Top story? Trouble with 'les ados' So the UK problem isn't unique,

   3 Unfortunately, Victoria, you sometimes display a similar attitude in your presentation. You appear to have a bias against 55+ males and you let this come to the surface from time to time. I have heard you say that we 'don't fit the profile', but I wonder if there is something personal and deep seated about this?

   4 May I make a suggestion? Why not host a programme where teenagers and senior citizens exchange views? My experience is that, because of the age difference, these different generations often find that they have a lot to offer each other, despite the attempts of the popular media to demonise the young and frighten the old.

   Best Wishes,

   Bob Perkins, aged 63 and a half, which probably means that you'll zap this out without even reading it! ( PS, as a Stockport County supporter I've got some sympathy for you, as I wouldn't widh Gary Megson on anybody as a football manager!)

7. At 01:22 PM on 29 Feb 2008, chris wrote:

   I was unfortunate enough to get the timing wrong and tuned in at the end of this ridiculous show, I do hope your listening figures plummeted, I also hope the hand picked, I wonder from where? Teenagers feel better having moaned and whined, I guess for the last three hours, certainly in the section I was unfortunate enough to listen to, I also hope they are all now off to the post office to pay their license fee.........ho ho, of course they wont because we do, the hard working tax payers, we pay for all of the little groups they have, clear up after them, and today, some people, had to listen to their moaning, just goes to show, being legitimate tax paying law abiding does you know good at all, it is not until a section of people cause trouble and then we throw money - air time is not free - and recourses at them, poor show indeed.

8. At 02:14 PM on 29 Feb 2008, David Walkden wrote:

   Hi Victoria,

   Having listened to your show this morning whilst decorating our spare bed-room,I feel that I have to add my weight to the comments made by the callers who stated that having these teens on your show just served to re-affirm their pre-conceptions about the youth of today.

   At 18 you think you know it all, but sadly, you don't. You are only just starting out on the journey of life and most of your learning is still to come.

   Respect has to be earnt as you serve your apprenticeship for adulthood.

   I actually laughed out loud as I heard one young man brazenly discuss his cavalier attitude to drug use, and his straight faced affirmation that he was a "non-conformist".

   This young lad was like a caricature of what us oldies percieve today's 18 year olds to be....
   (I'm actually only 37 but listening to him I felt 65).

   Anyway, good luck to 'em all and let's see if they're still campaigning for the rights of teens when they're all working 40+ hours a week to pay their exhorbitent mortgages in ten years time.

   Dave Walkden in Bolton.
   

9. At 02:16 PM on 29 Feb 2008, Morgan wrote:

   I feel today that Victoria Derbyshire has once again failed to provide a coherent and varied discussion into young people and yobbish behaviour within today's society. Instead she lets a career zealous oppotunist 18 year old hog the air time and discuss what little life experience she has. I'm 25 now, and when I was 20 I believed that I was quite streetwise compared to when I was 15. Low and behold I am still learning life experience at 25 and will go on to the day i die, but for these well-educated, public school, adolescent upstarts to come on and tell us what life is like for those children whose families are affected by not light but heavy drug usage, abusive violent behavour, malnourishment, poverty, poor education and lack of career opportunities brought on by poor education, a slow economy, immigration and peer pressure, I think it is not a suprise that young people turn to crime and yobbish behavour. It is very true that Kids have nothing to do. Cinemas are very expensive and parks are littered with aggresive dogs and their owners. Instead, they group up with older boys and girls and drive around in cars, drinking and smoking in order to find a reason to exist, when their parents would not even give a damn as to their whereabouts.

   Victoria, I say again, you have absolutely no idea about today's society and this has been proved by your poor choice in guest selection. next time, invite some people who really have had it tough. Take a leaf out of Ross Kemp's book and go talk to people who actually have life experience. Otherwise, quit your job.

10. At 11:01 PM on 29 Feb 2008, wrote:

    OMG what happened?

    I mentioned in my blog contribution yesterday that having followed Georgie's blog all week, I was unable to listen to the show and hoped that the podcast included info on the teenager subjects.

    I have just arrived home keen to look at what happened only to find some really awful comments on here, no Georgie blog, no Georgie video and a real negative feel to what took place. This is so very disappointing

    Victoria, what did you do?
    

11. At 12:03 AM on 01 Mar 2008, Jason wrote:

    I have to agree with Victoria that teenagers today do not face any greater pressures than their predecessors.

    The contributors to the show had some valid points, some put more eloquently than others, but never the less valid.

    However, I also have to conceed the fact that some of the teenagers admitting to drug use and binge drinking (excessive or otherwise) does fuel the current "general" attitude of the age group.

    There are good kids and back kids and unfortunately it is the bad kids that get all the press and form the basis of most peoples' views. That just makes it harder for the good kids.

    I admire those who appeared on the show, but some just need to think about what they share with others if they have a certain view to put across.

    I was young... once.

12. At 12:06 AM on 01 Mar 2008, Jason wrote:

    I have to agree with Victoria that teenagers today do not face any greater pressures than their predecessors.

    The contributors to the show had some valid points, some put more eloquently than others, but never the less valid.

    However, I also have to conceed the fact that some of the teenagers admitting to drug use and binge drinking (excessive or otherwise) does fuel the current "general" attitude of the age group.

    There are good kids and bad kids and unfortunately it is the bad kids that get all the press and form the basis of most peoples' views. That just makes it harder for the good kids.

    I admire those who appeared on the show, but some just need to think about what they share with others if they have a certain view to put across.

    I was young... once.

13. At 12:08 AM on 01 Mar 2008, Jason wrote:

    I have to agree with Victoria that teenagers today do not face any greater pressures than their predecessors.

    The contributors to the show had some valid points, some put more eloquently than others, but never the less valid.

    However, I also have to conceed the fact that some of the teenagers admitting to drug use and binge drinking (excessive or otherwise) does fuel the current "general" attitude of the age group.

    There are good kids and bad kids and unfortunately it is the bad kids that get all the press and form the basis of most peoples' views. That just makes it harder for the good kids.

    I admire those who appeared on the show, but some just need to think about what they share with others if they have a certain view to put across.

    I was young... once.

14. At 08:22 AM on 01 Mar 2008, Victoria wrote:

    Morning

    I think there's some valid criticism in the postings above鈥nd if we accept the praise then we must accept the criticism. Although the teenagers on the programme were from varied backgrounds and different parts of the UK, they were essentially "good kids". What you didn't hear on the radio was a 15 year old boy who has a robbery conviction. His foster parents changed their mind about him appearing on the programme, and it's their right to do that. As I explained at the beginning of the programme, the group we had on came from a youth club, some were friends of an 18 yr old we had on the show a couple of months ago, and some got in touch with us when they heard we were doing this programme. Yes they were handpicked - as all the guests you hear on the radio are - from our show to Today to Mayo to Jonathan Ross.

    Does it matter if the show "reaafirmed your preconceptions of teenagers"? (hope your spare bedroom looks lovely David). I don't think it does. We didn't want to affirm or change what people thought of teenagers necessarily - we simply wanted to hear what teenagers had to say. And 3 hours out of the thousands we broadcast every year didn't seem too controversial. Particularly when alongside immigration, the way teenagers behave is the number one issue for people in Britain. Chris I'm afraid you won't be getting your "own programme" because the electorate isn't up in arms about the way white middle-aged middle class men behave (your own description). Sorry.

    We don't always get it 100 per cent right when we try new things - but I hope you don't think we shouldn't try.

    Mark you should be able to download the first hour of yesterday as a podcast, or try the listen again facility.

    Have a good weekend

15. At 05:22 PM on 01 Mar 2008, Les Clarke wrote:

    Victoria
    In my opinion your youth program on Friday would suggest that some of today鈥檚 teenagers have no morals, Sex on the third date 鈥淗eroin is not a big deal鈥� binge drinking is OK at the weekend. Smoking just to be with others 鈥� to me this says that we have a generation out of control. This is thankfully not true for all youngsters but I winced as most of them tried to communicate their views by adding, 鈥測ou know鈥� to practically every sentence.

    Please don鈥檛 do it again 鈥�.
    Les Clarke age 64
    

16. At 10:55 AM on 02 Mar 2008, chris wrote:

    Hi Victoria

    Well it would appear by reading your message you admit it was a mistake, "We don't always get it 100 per cent right when we try new things - but I hope you don't think we shouldn't try" When so many, and lets be honest here more people sent messages than are shown, said this was a bad idea and were obviousley proved right perhaps it would be a good ldea to listen to your audience a little more in the future. As for "Chris I'm afraid you won't be getting your "own programe" because the electorate isn't up in arms about the way white middle-aged middle class men behave (your own description). Sorry." this just goes to show that when I said you had to be 'trouble' in this country before anyone takes notice is 100% correct. It seems to me that we only discuss issues when the noise is loud or the violence high, If we continue in this way, and this is all media and Government, is it any surprise people cause violence to get noticed? When the Iraq war was on the cards Millions marched - no one in power took any notice, Not until The IRA caused mayhem in this part of the UK did anyone listen, I think you get the idea, it seems to me that all the time people continue to have issues and problems no one cares as long as there is no Violence or public dis order, Who heard of Fathers for Justice until they did the stunts they do? Plane crazy? and again the list goes on, be good and keep your head down, no one cares, cause trouble and all of a sudden air time, money, groups, funded projects, does this really seem fair? Pensioners die in cold Winters, Children are badly treated in care homes, it doesnt seem to matter until it is too late. why? because they didnt cause trouble and bring the spotlight on them selves. Not the most eloquent argument you will hear but it is the best I can do, and I am sure people reading this of a similar ilk to me will understand what I am saying, so Victoria until Us White Middle class middle aged people start to cause trouble no one cares about how we think and feel, seems a sad statement or dont you think everyone has a right to an opinion?

17. At 05:56 PM on 02 Mar 2008, Dinosaur wrote:

    Good show I thought - when it was not being too 'worthy'.
    My favourite moment was when MrAngryTeenage-Basher slammed down the phone ... and the teenage chorus in the studio (including Ms Derbyshire, 39) ganged up together to utter:
    'OOOOOOOOOOOOO!'

18. At 01:33 PM on 03 Mar 2008, Mark wrote:

    Victoria, thanks for the heads up about the listen again feature which is what I used to listen to the whole of the programme. Imagine my surprise when I got to hear several well rounded, sensible, modern teens that were able to talk quite freely and articulately about their lives and experiences; A complete contrast to some of the comments posted pre and post programme.

    We are all aware that there are problems in life and many of these problems are caused by minorities of people. Teenagers do not have the exclusivity on these problems as the various ages of man all present their own difficulties for our communities.

    As we grow older it does appear that we become less tolerant of the younger generation, but we also appear to have very short memories. For those of you who so easily condemn the way teens speak and behave, do you think that your parents totally agreed with the way you lived your life as a teenager/young adult. Did your grandparents always agree with what your parents did and said? Our language is constantly evolving and generations use language if different ways.

    A teenager鈥檚 life is about experimenting with what life provides them. For some this will be about how they participate in sports or the arts, for some it will mean experimenting with illegal drugs, for some with alcohol, tobacco and sex. For some it will be a mixture of the above or none of the above. It is ridiculous to paint them all as the binge drinking, drug taking violent group of people that is so often suggested by others and our media.

    Never before has our media been so prominent in our lives. Never before have we been constantly bombarded with stories of negativity and had it dissected, discussed and debated. It is no wonder therefore that very biased and skewed views of society exist.

    I would like to thank the Five Live team for allowing the 鈥渢ake over teens鈥� programme to be aired and I hope that you do not regret it in any way. In fact I hope this could become a regular event; Is it really so bad to let a group of teens make a statement and converse with us for a couple of hours every year? Wouldn鈥檛 it be great to catch up with the recent presenters in the future?

    To the teens that took part in the programme, I would like to thank you for your participation. I think you represented yourselves and peers very well. I hope you feel the same way and that the feedback you have received has been overwhelmingly positive.

    Special thanks should go to Georgie for not only taking part in the programme but for providing us with daily blog entries which proved to be enlightening and interesting.

    Well done to all concerned.

    Mark