# BBC Journalists in Newsroom Scandal?



## spliff (Mar 11, 2011)

*Michael Buerk.*
Watching the news reports this morning about the earthquake and tsunami in Japan I was struck by one of the reporter's surname, namely Roland Buerk. 
Could he by any chance be related to the famous Michael Buerk I asked myself and if so is this yet another example of BBC nepotism? 
I looked him up on Wiki and yes, he is indeed allegedly the son of well known misogynist Michael.

Then it struck me, Roland looks nothing like his Dad. 



*Roland Buerk.*



*John Simpson.*

I thought it would be insensitive to post this observation on the Massive Earthquake thread, so here it sits in a thread of its own.


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## gsv (Mar 11, 2011)

"yet another example of BBC nepotism"
You have any reason to believe it's anything other than a son following in his father's trade? Or any examples at all of BBC nepotism in, let's say, the last 15 years?

GS(v)


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## Andrew Hertford (Mar 11, 2011)

John and Mike Sergeant. Not that it bothers me all that much really.


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## marty21 (Mar 11, 2011)

They do look similar 


There is history of such shenanigans in the BBC news room 

Peter Woods (baggy eyed 70s newsreader) is the father of Justin Webb (Presenter of Today) 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Justin_Webb


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## butchersapron (Mar 11, 2011)

gsv said:


> "yet another example of BBC nepotism"
> You have any reason to believe it's anything other than a son following in his father's trade? Or any examples at all of BBC nepotism in, let's say, the last 15 years?
> 
> GS(v)


Peter Snow and Dan Snow. 

Not that it matters as you're going to respond to any examples with something along the lines of _how do you know they're not just good at their chosen professions?_


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## marty21 (Mar 11, 2011)

Richard Dimbleby - and the Dimbleby brothers


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## discokermit (Mar 11, 2011)

fearne cotton is related to bill cotton, bbc exec.


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## zoooo (Mar 11, 2011)

Hardly a scandal, is it.


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## mrs quoad (Mar 11, 2011)

*cough


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## Citizen66 (Mar 11, 2011)

zoooo said:


> Hardly a scandal, is it.


 
Interesting though, if John Snow turns out to be the mum.


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## spliff (Mar 11, 2011)

gsv said:


> "yet another example of BBC nepotism"
> You have any reason to believe it's anything other than a son following in his father's trade? Or any examples at all of BBC nepotism in, let's say, the last 15 years?
> 
> GS(v)


 


zoooo said:


> Hardly a scandal, is it.


 
Fuck me. 

That's what pisses me off about messageboards, you have to splatter your posts with smileys and dancing bananas to convey you're not being serious.


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## Lord Camomile (Mar 11, 2011)

spliff said:


> Fuck me.
> 
> That's what pisses me off about messageboards, you have to splatter your posts with smileys and dancing bananas to convey you're not being serious.


Is this genuine anger, or ironic anger?


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## 1927 (Mar 11, 2011)

Jon Humphries and brother Bob.

Best one is Gloria Hunnyford, both son and daughter worked for beeb at same time as her.


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## Brixton Hatter (Mar 11, 2011)

When I have kids and they grow up and they come and ask me for a job I'm gonna tell them to fuck right off.


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## London_Calling (Mar 11, 2011)

gsv said:


> "yet another example of BBC nepotism"
> You have any reason to believe it's anything other than a son following in his father's trade? Or any examples at all of BBC nepotism in, let's say, the last 15 years?
> 
> GS(v)


*splutters*

The BBC's middle name is nepotism. Look at the credits of almost any show and you'll see the familiar names roll by, and if they're not directly related they've old school friends or friends of the family - except of course for the BBC staff wot post here. Jesus, I can't think of an organisation where it happens more.

If you want one, how about the much beloved John Peel.


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## gsv (Mar 11, 2011)

um - what about John Peel 

GS(v)


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## killer b (Mar 11, 2011)

his son has a show on r6.


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## gsv (Mar 11, 2011)

There's definitely a spectrum between "Dad gave me a career direction, some advice and introduced me to useful people" and "Let's give Bobby's son the job". I suspect more of the former than the latter, but tbh there's a yawning chasm between employees and 'talent'.

GS(v)


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## killer b (Mar 11, 2011)

gsv said:


> There's definitely a spectrum between "Dad gave me a career direction, some advice and introduced me to useful people" and "Let's give Bobby's son the job". I suspect more of the former than the latter, but tbh there's a yawning chasm between employees and 'talent'.


 
yes, there is a spectrum of nepotism. it's still nepotism though.

that said, i reckon peel's son probably has an awesome record collection...


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## London_Calling (Mar 11, 2011)

The point though is who didn't get that really golden opportunity because JP  knew someone who could do him a favour.


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## killer b (Mar 11, 2011)

absolutely.


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## Dan U (Mar 11, 2011)

Richard littlejohns daughter works for the Mail

It's the media in general, imo


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## Bakunin (Mar 11, 2011)

Dan U said:


> Richard littlejohns daughter works for the Mail


 
Fair's fair, she deserves some decent breaks. She does have to contend with the lifelong misfortune of being Littlejohn's daughter.


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## London_Calling (Mar 11, 2011)

Ditto Peaches Geldof who seemingly inherited the win double of her mothers all-consuming narcissism together with her fathers looks. 

Better that than his musical talent some might say . . .


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## Dan U (Mar 11, 2011)

Has she inherited her mums propensity for smack and kinky sex games with Australians?


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## London_Calling (Mar 11, 2011)

Whoa! you reminded me, I used to see Peaches - in fact the whole family including mum and Mr Hutchence -  at the local swimming pool. Peaches was probably about 7 or 8  then. They all seemed so happy together as well. Funny old life . . .


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## Struwwelpeter (Mar 11, 2011)

My Dad was a journalist (not for the BBC).   As a kid/teenager, one of the most common questions that I got from his colleagues and aquaintances was whether I wanted to be a journalist.  They almost always looked mortified when I said that I didn't.  I get the impression that it's a very self-satisified profession (trade?) hence the disbelief that someone with some family connections wouldn't want to use them to get a job.  I would have been shit at it: I can't write well, I don't do deadlines and I can't hold my drink, so I saved everyone a lot of embarrassment.


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## Ms T (Mar 11, 2011)

I work for the BBC.  My Dad was a steel worker and then an insurance agent and then on the long-term sick.  My Mum was a housewife and a school cleaner.  

Roland Buerk is actually a stringer for the BBC, not a correspondent.


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## Bakunin (Mar 11, 2011)

And if you're thinking of a career in journalism (or the media generally) then don't mention having a Media Studies qualification unless you wish to be mercilessly laughed out of whatever room you happen to be in at the time.

You should also learn to smoke at least three packs of fags and drink a bottle of spirits a day, obviously, and perhaps develop the ability to withstand large amounts of iffy chemical substances while hanging out with dodgy characters in illegal gambling dens and dubious drinking emporia at all hours of the day and night while getting the unpaid work experience bod to write the stuff that you then file under your own byline while nicking the aforementioned work experience bod's decent ideas and passing them off as your own.

The ability to surrender any semblance of non-cynicism and faith in human nature while simultaneously ranting on in a highly-paid spot as a syndicated columnist about how society is going to the dogs while paying for all your excesses via the means of your vast expense account would also be a plus.


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## Citizen66 (Mar 11, 2011)

Ms T said:


> Roland Buerk is actually a stringer for the BBC, not a correspondent.



What does a 'stringer' do? Spin yarns?


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## Bakunin (Mar 11, 2011)

Citizen66 said:


> What does a 'stringer' do? Spin yarns?


 
If by 'yarns' you mean stories that may well have little or no relation to actual fact, then yes.

In old-school journo jargon, however, a stringer is a hack who often doesn't have a regular gig but is instead paid by the word. Hence the expression 'String a few words together.'


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## spliff (Mar 11, 2011)

marty21 said:


> Richard Dimbleby - and the Dimbleby brothers


They were brilliant acrobats. I saw them perform at Bertram Mills* Circus in the 60's.

*He was the son of Mrs.Mills. FACT!


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## London_Calling (Mar 12, 2011)

Dated 2008:



> Roland Buerk has been a BBC correspondent in South Asia for the last five years, based first in Bangladesh and since the beginning of 2007 in Sri Lanka



http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/crossing_continents/7740838.stm


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## spanglechick (Mar 12, 2011)

there's pots of nepotism in acting too - but the way I saw it, if my dad have been an actor, he'd have introduced me to some useful people. I don't think you can begrudge anyone helping their children, or being helped by their parents, can you?


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## D'wards (Mar 12, 2011)

spanglechick said:


> there's pots of nepotism in acting too



Sports as well - a rare field where your success is directly proportionate to your talent.

Part of it must be the biological inheritance, but part of it is growing up in that world i think.


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## TheHoodedClaw (Mar 12, 2011)

spanglechick said:


> there's pots of nepotism in acting too - but the way I saw it, if my dad have been an actor, he'd have introduced me to some useful people. I don't think you can begrudge anyone helping their children, or being helped by their parents, can you?


 
It also helps to have a family member working in the local council if you want a job there (at least in Scottish councils). It's not exactly nepotism, but as with so many occupations, it helps to know people. Put in a good word, and all that.


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## killer b (Mar 12, 2011)

It is exactly nepotism ffs. What else can you call it?


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## trashpony (Mar 12, 2011)

Connections? I used to babysit for Paul Reynolds' kids when he worked for the BBC as their Brussels correspondent. His son is now the Beeb's Beijing correspondent. I'm sure if he were shit he wouldn't have got the job. 

All I think when I hear him on the radio is awww and fucking hell I'm old


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## redsquirrel (Mar 13, 2011)

TheHoodedClaw said:


> It's not exactly nepotism, but as with so many occupations, it helps to know people. Put in a good word, and all that.


Then what the fuck is exactly nepotism if this isn't?


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## TheHoodedClaw (Mar 13, 2011)

killer b said:


> It is exactly nepotism ffs. What else can you call it?



*shame-faced* was a bit pished to be fair


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## Lakina (Mar 13, 2011)

I'd be demanding an investigation, if I could be arsed to pay the licence fee.


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## London_Calling (Mar 14, 2011)

spanglechick said:


> I don't think you can begrudge anyone helping their children, or being helped by their parents, can you?


 
I don't think anyone in this thread is suggesting otherwise?


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## London_Calling (Mar 14, 2011)

trashpony said:


> I'm sure if he were shit he wouldn't have got the job.


In a gold-plated, made-for-life job opportunity with a world-reknowned public body for which there are thousands of applicants for every job I'm not convinced "he isn't shit"  is one of the criteria.


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## JWH (Mar 15, 2011)

London_Calling said:


> In a gold-plated, made-for-life job opportunity with a world-reknowned public body for which there are thousands of applicants for every job I'm not convinced "he isn't shit"  is one of the criteria.



I don't think BBC journalist is gold-plated and made-for-life. It's certainly not a bad job, to be sure.



London_Calling said:


> Dated 2008: Roland Buerk has been a BBC correspondent in South Asia for the last five years, based first in Bangladesh and since the beginning of 2007 in Sri Lanka.
> http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/crossing_continents/7740838.stm


 
I don't know how it works in the BBC but in print media it's perfectly possible to be correspondent without being an employee and to get paid by the piece. Some correspondents are such of numerous outlets. If nothing interesting happens in your "franchise area" or if you don't come up with interesting-to-the-editor feature stories, then you don't get paid.


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## pk (Mar 15, 2011)

BBC is rife with nepotism and Oxbridge favours, it's a cushy gig paid for by taxes, so of course it's milked by The Man.


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## _angel_ (Mar 15, 2011)

TheHoodedClaw said:


> It also helps to have a family member working in the local council if you want a job there (at least in Scottish councils). It's not exactly nepotism, but as with so many occupations, it helps to know people. Put in a good word, and all that.


 
Of course it's nepotism! I know someone with a good job on a council, whose dad just happened to have a similar level job at.


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## London_Calling (Mar 15, 2011)

JWH said:


> I don't think BBC journalist is gold-plated and made-for-life. It's certainly not a bad job, to be sure.


 
Sure, somewhat overstated but it'll always stand out on a CV because of the training it implies.


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