The Morning Meeting
Hi there. It's a dank drizzly day here in London but somehow winter always feels more bearable before Christmas rather than after. In fact I was waiting for the bus last night and saw an advert for at Somerset House which is a classic evening if you're ever in town. And all this despite sun-bathing on Sunday. Anyway, enough rambling about the weather.
We're going to start something new from today.. And that's invite those of you online to join our editorial meeting each morning. Of course there's nothing new in asking you to set the programme's agenda, but we've not been telling you exactly when we meet. We normally meet at 1100GMT ( will help you to find what that will be in your country) and we're pretty punctual bunch. If we slip one way or the other, I'll apologise in advance - but if we're meeting whatever the time it'll say so here on the blog.
So what do we talk about?
Well we all sit down (with the one producer who's at with News Online) and run ideas you've suggested, and debates and stories we've been hearing or reading on news programmes and sites around the world. At the end of it we'll have decided which stories or issues we're going to
What are the criteria for stories that make it on air?
The pre-requisite for a story on World Have Your Say is that it's got people talking. It might be a global talking point such as our debate on the relative importance of your state and your religion... or it can be a story which has got a single country talking such as the shooting at a Canadian school in September... if it's important to people, it'll have a very good chance of making the show.
All that said, we only have an hour on World Have Your Say so often some stories will not make it because there isn't room. We'd rather do one story well than squeeze two into the same part of the programme.
How do I join the meeting?
If you'd like to see what we're talking about and of course tell us what you think should make the programme, please post there, email us or call into the meeting on 00 44 20 7557 0635. We're also looking into using and . If you'd like to join the meeting that way, let us know.
Today's meeting
So after that long introduction, what might make today's programme?
We've got Priya at TVC (´óÏó´«Ã½ speak for television centre) and continue the shorthand, here at Bush (Bush House, where the ´óÏó´«Ã½ World Service is based) we've got Mark, Cathy, Paul, Puja, David and Peter...
1110: I'm very interested in talking about this study on the . I'd like to hear what it's like for people living there. But David's not sure how it's going to work on air. As you'll see on the list, these aren't cities we hear from a great deal. There may be difficulties with people speaking English and just getting through on the phone. Also, Pete's wondering what we're going to be asking. Should we ask about everyone's experiences of pollution. I'm not to sure about that.
11:20 Mark suggest that this is going to be tough but Paul could try and get hold of people and find out what life's like in these cities. It'll be a surprise if he manages that for this programme, but hopefully for next week. If you live in one of the countries whose cities have made the list, let us know what you think of the story. David's still not too convinced (when he has a certain look in his eyes, I can tell).
1125: So Paul is going to update the blog throughout the day on how he's getting on. It'll make it on air if we can find the people to speak to us. Here's that got my thinking by the way.
1130: Cathy's suggesting a discussion about whether people are prepared to use less energy if it would improve human rights? Is there a link between the two? And if there is, would you act? She's been reading about the today which is considering energy issues.
1135 Pete's arguing that Russia would under more pressure on its human rights record if it didn't provide so much gas to Western Europe. So he believes a lot of you do make the connection between the two issues. Mark's interested but says we need to be careful about how the story is set up. David's says he's 'written it down' which normally means he's not too interested but we'll see.
1135: Paul wants to talk about . There's a referendum on the matter in two days. His suggested question is 'Should a country that can barely house its people spend billions on widening a canal?' David asks whether people around the world care. He also wants to know how many people are in Panama (the kind of thing a World Service deputy editor should know). Paul doesn't know but here's the .
Now Priya suggests a in Germany as a talking point. Furrowed brows all round and we move swiftly on! What about the Putin she asks? Can we discuss wider issues of attitudes towards rape in Russia, asks Mark. Or should we talk about whether we all say things in private that are publicly unacceptable? I'm unsure about both to be honest, but this is the first story David's gone for. 'There are lots of elements of this story to talk about, ' he says. He rightly points out that it's one of most read stories, and that's a decent guide to what you want to talk about. He adds that if this was Bush and Blair we'd definitely do it. Looks like it's going to make it.
1140: Puja now and she's been reading about the case of a British man . is going to visit Pakistan but now the case may be affecting the trip. Puja says she's spoken to people in Pakistan who are saying there are rumours that may be paid to help the man avoid the death sentence.
1150: Our main concern about the story is how sure we can be that negotiations are taking place. David's reading an story saying that the victim's family have been resisting that idea. We're going to leave this. When and if blood money is paid I'm sure it'll make the running order.
1154: Pete's turn now and he wants us to look at a in public places in Iran. After a remarkably long debate about the different terms that can be used for the pipes (Puja likes hubbly-bubbly), we return to the matter in hand. 'it's an institution there,' says Pete.
1156: On we go. Mark raises one of the lead stories in our newsroom - from the Iranian President about the holocaust. Also what about the lead story of between Fatah and Hamas in the Palestinian territories.
1200: Last but not least David mentions a story he's been keen for us to do all week - that questions the benefits of breast cancer screening. Millions of dollars are spent on this each year in the UK.
1205: Some meetings we agree stories in 5 minutes. Today we've a huge range. David's in charge of the programme so he'll have the final say. I'll post in a minute outlining what we've decided.
Thanks for following the meeting.
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