The Rittenhouse Review

A Philadelphia Journal of Politics, Finance, Ethics, and Culture


Tuesday, February 18, 2003  

ON AIR MELTDOWN AT THE BBC WORLD SERVICE
World News Anchor Has a Savitch Attack

I don't really know why I'm blogging this, but earlier this morning I was listening to the World News Bulletin, an online broadcast from the BBC World Service. (Go listen sometime. The program is informative and concise -- it lasts about five minutes -- and simply by listening to the BBC you're thumbing your nose at scores of wing-nuts and warbloggers.)

Anyway, near the end of the broadcast the anchorwoman had some kind of a Jessica Savitch-like meltdown. I couldn't tell if she was crying or perhaps just needed to sneeze really badly or what, but her voice quivered, she paused repeatedly, and it took nearly 30 seconds for her to regain her composure and finish the program.

It was very strange and I felt sorry for her.

What I can't understand is why the BBC left the broadcast, of a program that is updated at least once an hour, archived on its web site so that more and more people could hear the anchor's unfortunate performance.

Maybe it was nothing. Regardless, the broadcast has been removed by the BBC and I didn't catch the anchor's name.

I'm sure you all found this fascinating, so I'll be certain to do some follow-up reporting on the situation.

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