A sad loss for broadcasting

In the last few weeks we have learned of the death of 3 revered giants of British broadcasting – Cliff Morgan, Sir David Frost and David Jacobs, each of whom brought to the public an immense talent. Not only were they admired for their ability but also for their modesty. This week brought yet another sad loss in the guise of Tom Vernon, probably best known for his TV work as 'Fat man on a bicycle', but otherwise known as an accomplished author and broadcaster.

Cliff Morgan was one of the most outstanding rugby players of his generation before moving into broadcasting, where apart from being a commentator he eventually became Head of Outside Broadcasts for the BBC. A born raconteur with a tremendous zest for life he will forever be remembered for his commentary of the Gareth Edwards try for the Barbarians against the All Blacks in 1973. He was also a very generous man who never forgot his roots and did much for the sport that he loved, regularly putting in appearances at functions to help players and clubs that had not been as fortunate as he had been.

He could be very critical of his own performances as a broadcaster though my favourite story about him was an occasion where he allowed his enthusiasm to get the better of him during an outside broadcast; the intro music was rolling and the cameras were about to cut to him but the music was kept running until he finished telling a particularly good joke to his fellow presenters; being Head of Department does come come without a few special privileges.

David Jacobs was not really my generation though I do remember him presenting Juke Box Jury (which I hated as a kid and still makes me cringe whenever clips are shown on TV). He was also one of the original presenters of Top of the Pops. There have been so many changes throughout his 70 year broadcasting career yet he never changed, never even tried to, much to his credit. He had a wonderful voice and diction that lacked the 'formality and starchiness' of many of the BBC presenters of the 50's. His talents enabled him to turn his hand to anything from commentating on the Eurovision Song Contest to presenting Any Questions? On Radio 4. Famously he chaired the Any Questions? programme in Basingstoke which included the controversial MP, Enoch Powell, on the panel of guests. The show was interrupted on several occasions by demonstrators; at one point a brick was thrown through the church hall window, landing on the stage having narrowly missed David's head. The way in which he managed to deal with the incident while keeping the programme running is a lesson that any budding broadcaster should study.

It is unlikely that there will ever be another broadcaster like Sir David Frost. It was his great good fortune that he emerged during the 60s when people were still waking up to the possibilities of TV. He was at the forefront in an era of pioneering shows that pushed the boundaries in so many areas. He made his name as performer and presenter on the satirical TV sketch show, TW3, before moving on to the interview-based 'The Frost Programme'. He could do it all, writer, journalist, presenter, interviewer, comedian and what is more he made it look so easy.

The truth is that nothing in life is ever that easy, you don't get to interview the likes of Richard Nixon or Ian Smith by turning up on the doorstep and thrusting a microphone under their nose. A great deal of research and negotiation needs to be done before, during and after the event in order to secure coups like that. A producer friend of mine who worked with him once explained how David Frost would keep a catalogue of everyone he ever met purely on the off chance that he may have need to refer to it in the future – times, places, interests, who else was present, family details, pet's names, etc. Remember that there were no computers in those days and he had a fantastic filing system. This information struck a chord with me since I have tried to adopt a similar approach for recording information that I consider may be important to me in the future.

Today celebrities and politicians are more savvy about how to use the media, programme budgets are smaller and the opportunities for individuals to shine in so many differing fields are fewer.

Tom Vernon is perhaps not as well known as the illustrious names above though I consider his contribution to broadcasting as equally important. He is probably best known for his TV and book work as 'Fat man on a bicycle' though he was also a regular contributor to Radio 4's 'Today' programme for many years as well as being an original member of the BBC Radio London team. Tom is the only one of the 4 names that I ever met personally, when I first encountered him, he and fellow presenter, Mike Sparrow, were recording a series of short sketches for BT's Christmas message campaign. I was a freelance for the BBC at Hanover Square and our paths would often cross at weekends when the studios were more freely available. You always knew when Tom was in the building, first you you would hear 'the sandals' bounding along the corridor then the door would burst open and the room would be filled with this tremendous ball of energy and enthusiasm. Local radio was an ideal platform to ply his trade because he was incredibly gifted, and you needed to be, since you never knew what you were going to be tasked with next, usually at short notice. I was just starting out in the BBC and he would often find time to talk during his work, passing on tips and advice.

He was a wonderful story teller with a great sense of humour and was very knowledgeable on so many different topics. It was no surprise that he was able to transfer his talent to television. What made him special, as is the case with the others I have mentioned in this article, is that he was an intelligent broadcaster, he knew how to relate to those he was interviewing,how to listen,  when to ask the questions and when to allow the interviewee to speak, it is a skill that many of the modern presenters lack.

The media is a very powerful tool and it is a privilege to be a broadcaster, a privilege that all 4 recognised. The ability to convey a message or present a story to an audience either as information or entertainment is a wonderful skill that is underated and in decline. The secret of a good interview is to shine the spotlight on the interviewee. Analyse any interview by one of the above and I will guarantee that the amount of time that their voice is heard in comparison with the guest is considerably less, which is a tribute to how good these individuals were at their job.

In this celebrity driven, throw away society, the art of communication is something that is often talked of but rarely appreciated. These individuals understood that broadcasting is not simply about staged press conferences and sound-bites, the fact that their careers encompassed many decades is testament to their professionalism and the industry is a sadder place without them.