PM Glass Box.
The Glass Box is where the PM team meets in at 18.00 every weeknight to discuss the content of the programme. We stay six feet away from each other.
We try to be honest with each other, but not hurtful, as we talk about what worked and what didn't...what met our expectations and what fell short.
This virtual glass box is where you're encouraged to take part in the same spirit. The PM editor Joe Carr will read your comments and may well add her own.
Listen to PM
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Do you know, with that face mask on, we can't see whether "Joe" is wearing lipstick today.
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I am longing for somebody who is discussing MPs expenses and saying that "ministers get paid more" than the basic 64,000 quid a year, to say how many Labour members of parliament are ministers of one sort and another. There seem to be "junior ministers" for so many things I never thought of having a minister for!
Leaving the expenses business out of it for a moment, what proportion of the Labour MPs do get a bit (or even a lot) of extra dosh by having a position that means they aren't on the basic salary?
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Chris: Tried an FoI request? I'm sure the information's probably already public domain in one form or another, so they shouldn't have grounds for refusing it - especially as you're just asking for the numbers of MPs paid at each grade, and not their names.
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This flu build-up to a possible "Pandemic" makes me realise how lucky "we" are to have the NHS. It will of course struggle to cope in a Pandemic. But, it's there and seemingly well armed to assist.
So many countries have no NHS... What then?
Even the US has around 50 million people with no medical cover.
Frightening...
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Why is this news? Did it get this attention in 1968 when the media and broadcasting industries were a fraction of what they are now? Or in 1918?
Not only is it being made a top news story by everyone with a living to earn from news, but it is being 'sold' like a third-rate disaster movie.
Talk about journalists leading the news agenda! Really shameful.
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The BBC enjoyed the bird flu, and is clearly now enjoying swine flu. I suppose that it is easy reporting and gets people worried.
Why not lead on something else? The repeated collapse of terrorism cases might be suitable. Or is "We cannot find enough evidence to convict anyone in this country on terrorism charges" not newsworthy. Certainly doesn't have the ring of "we're all doooomed".
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Nigel_N (6)
Absolutely. The only people this level of nonsense benefits are the very same individuals who are insisting we are under severe and perpetual threat of a massive terrorist outrage about to be visited on any one of us at any moment - if only they could manage to actually convict someone...
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JW 5
N_N 6
Each to his own.
When the WHO speaks about "Flu", of any strain, I want to know and, I listen.
And, I try and follow WHO and, my own Health Service advice. I only "Bark" if I feel I have some knowledge. Which in this area I don't.
Fortunatly, most people in the UK have never encountered "Flu".
"Flu" isn't to be ignored, it can often be a killer disease.
In January 1958 as a youngster I lost my Mother to "Flu". Five days is all it took. I remember it as if it were last week.
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Charlie, 8
You have my sympathy.
But, having heard some of Today, all of the World at One, and 20 minutes of PM, I'm not convinced that the BBC has enough knowledge to "Bark" either.
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Charlie (8)
Charlie, no one actually know how serious this is yet. The media machine is indulging in some serious conjecture and wishful thinking here.
I lost my grandfather, two aunts and an uncle to cancer. They are painful memories. Between ten and two years is all it took. However this doesn't necessarily qualify the subject to appear as top billing on every news bulletin broadcast the length and breadth of the country.
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N_N 9
It isn't the BBC which is doing the "Barking". Health professionals are doing that. It's their job.
The BBC is reporting. And, in my opinion quite appropriatly.
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Charlie (11)
Er, no the health professionals (doctors and scientists) are not actually. On the whole they're being asked leading questions which they are answering honestly. Their answers are then being interpreted to fit the story.
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Charlie (11)
And in my opinion the BBC is not "reporting" this story, it's making it.
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Charlie, I'm very sorry to hear that flu killed you mother.
My whole immediate family had flu (we called it "Asian flu") in 1958, and I was told later that I nearly died -- not that I noticed at the time, I was far too ill to care.
Since then I have had flu twice in my adult life, and that's the reason that I tend to make mild mock of people who have a five-day cold and call it flu! The real thing is unmistakebly frightful, and not a mere week-off-work feeling-a-bit-grotty matter.
For which reason I especially like the advice we are given, that if we have the symptoms of flu we should not go to our GP but ring the Health Line instead. On neither occasion I have had "the symptoms of flu" as an adult have I been capable of getting to a doctor's surgery: lucky to have a loo and drinking water available on the same floor as the bedroom is more like it, because getting further than that wouldn't have been possible.
As for "wash your hands" and "cover your mouth when you sneeze or cough", I think that people having to be *told* those things is pretty frightful, since they ought to be givens, not special-behaviour-during-pandemics.
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Charlie: I'm sorry for your trouble (as they say in Ireland). How awful to lose your mother to flu when you were so young and no wonder you feel strongly about this issue.
JW: I'm afraid I disagree with you too. I think PM are presenting this story in a balanced way and not asking leading questions. It's not a Cancer vs Flu competition but if there was some new strain of cancer that had killed over 200 people in a few weeks, would you sit up and listen?
As I said on another thread, if you don't like what you are hearing, you can always just turn the radio off.
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N_N
J W
Well, you know best.
I shall say no more. But will re-visit this issue later this year. Should you be correct, I shall apologise.
We shall see.
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C-G
L_S
Thank you for your comments.
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Surely, this evening's PM "Glass Box" can't be a copyright infringment..?
"The Pig and the Box"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Pig_and_the_Box
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I would like to lodge an official complaint (if I may?).
It is 20.33 and I am yet to receive the newsletter for today.
I've checked the link Ed sent a few days ago and there is no newsletter there either.
Was it something I said?
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L_S 19
"Newsletter"?
Mmmm... I vaguely remember the name.
Tell me, what is/was it?
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Charlie: we seem to be experiencing the same problem. I do hope someone clever and techie can work it out.
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L_S
Were I you, I wouldn't hold my breath.
I haven't received a "Newsletter" for months. I've de-registered, re-registered, sent e-mails, commented on the Blog...
I don't run a "Spam-filter" or "Firewall".
Yet still... nothing...
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Re 'the flu'
Am I the only person who heard the Today program this morning. There was an eminent serious health professional who said that this flu virus is no different from the the other false alarms that we've had in recent times. (not exactly the same words but the same impression).
Anyway this health professional said if it comes we will catch it, and get over it and that that there was nothing really special about this one.
Anybody else here the interview??
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Or even 'Hear'
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Hi, Charlie, JW et al,
Today, an old timer from John Kennedy's Administration said a propos the flu, that if there had been 24-hour News Networks in the days of Cuban Missile Crisis, it would have gone to a nuclear exchange, because of all the pushing, pulling and minute-by-minute demand for news destabilizing an iffy situation even further.
I agree that we want hard facts and figures and a periodic (twice daily?) balanced account of the situation.
I am not so sure about lots of breathless reporters having to come up with something every half an hour. It does feed a sense of panic, at this stage not really justified by facts, I think...
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23.fJd
Sorry I missed your comment while typing my own. I think we are coming at it from a similar angle, though with different back-up sources.
I like the quote you report a great deal better than a lot of what I have heard lately! Thanks.
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Cossackgirl,
Well said.
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Dear all,
Thank you for the interesting debate. I would be really concerned if I thought we were scaremongering. But, as Pallab Ghosh explained on today's WATO, there are two major things we don't know about this flu. 1) Its deadliness- we don't know the number of people killed as a proportion of those infected. 2) Its rapidity. Those are the two known unkowns, as D. Rumsfeld would say. Known knowns- over 100 dead in Mexico, cases confirmed by the day in Scotland, Israel, New Zealand, America... I could go on. Anyone really think that's not worth reporting?
And one other point about our coverage. We reported the situation in the UK as it stands, followed by an interview with a man who will be responsible for implementing emergency plans if needed. Then we did a brief world update, and then we employed the BBC's finest to answer listener questions, an item that was massively over subscribed in terms of what we could deliver. So I don't think the tone of our coverage was alarmist, and it didn't feel like we were broadcasting to a scared audience.
Finally, apologies to all of you who posted/ emailed questions that we didn't get round to answering. We really tried to get through more and we may do it again if people think that would be useful.
And thank you for not following E. Maire down the garden path of the erroneous E.
Jo
p.s. don't know about the newsletter- sorry.
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28 Joe - erroneouse E?
whate ise thise gardene pathe ofe whiche youe speake?!!!
that's enough, Ed
ne-ne
xx
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If the outbreak could be contained in a small area it could be snuffed out by saturation prescribing of anti - virals.
So we were told, authoritatively, weren't we?
But the cases of people dying seems to be 'contained' in that way i.e. in Mexico.
Surely therefore, as the priority, the virus should still be wiped out there?
Because, people are DYING there, and merely sneezing outside Mexico.
A mild pandemic is 'better' than a Threat Level 4 epidemic which is killing people.
The WHO has the wrong maximand, surely.
(Assume Mexico and Britain are one country (after all it's one world), then the proper strategy, surely, would be to wipe it out in Mexico, where it is killling US)
The argument that the virus may BECOME lethal, here, is against liklihoods.
We should not 'protect' ourselves (against an unlikely outcome) by letting others, far more certainly, DIE.
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TRW (30) - Do us all a favour and re-read your postings before you press the 'Post Comment' button. You could save us all the trouble of reading your tripe.
Alternatively you could lay off the booze and post something sensible.
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The are 9 billion people on this planet and 140 have died from pig-flu.... I like those odds
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Thunderbird (32), every journey starts with a single step. Those odds sound good and if the journey ends now then they are. If this virus remains mild outside Mexico and not very infectious then fine.
However, would all those who are posting saying this is just media hype really prefer that no-one ever 'hoped for the best but prepared for the worst'? Preparing for the worst includes making sure that people are informed (a) about what is happening now (b) about what may happen in future and (c) what we can do to influence events.
Interesting comment about the effect 24 hour news reporting might have had on the Cuban missile crisis.
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Jo - surely you mean "E.E. Maire" - (formerly known as Truffles)?
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I woke up feeling really groggy this morning??
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Just watched a BBC TV news clip about the origins of the 'flu, and while I'm very happy with the tone of radio coverage I did not think it helpful for the reporter to end by referring to a virus that 'had spread fear across the globe'. I don't think it has done so far, but I can't think of anything more calculated to make people fearful that being told that lots of other people are afraid.
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FJD (35) If that's the case then you should trotter down the doctors
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I found Hugh's piece yesterday really interesting. He gives a real insight into life there, describes it all so vividly and, despite the dangers, with obvious affection for the people and surroundings.
Another great report Hugh, thankyou.
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I've been offline for nearly 20 hours due to 'technical difficulties' so couldn't comment 'til now on Hugh's report which was quite spellbinding. Then, this morning, I caught his Today report, which complemented last night's report perfectly.
I feel (yet again!) ashamed that the actions of our Government are, at least in part, responsible for damaging Basra in this way. I'm also sad to think that they feel that the presence of our soldiers there hasn't stopped the progress of the militias. In fact, it all sounded that very little of benefit, and a great deal of detriment, is all that we are leaving behind us there.
Is there any way in which humble citizens of the UK like myself can help the Basrans to restore their community?
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Lady Sue - It's inevitable, you know. Some day Hugh will post a piece that is merely average. It's bound to happen. Meanwhile he's head and shoulders above his colleagues.
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As Big Sis and Lady Sue say - top marks to Hugh for another fascinating report.
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Talking about accents and actors with regard to Kate Winslet I was mesmerised by the Lancashire accent Penelope Keith managed to hold convincingly in a recent R4 monologue. With such a well known upper crust accent, I wonder who coming in half way through would have recognised the actor as PK.
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I thought it was pathetic that Swine Flu was given 'Top of the Running Order' and the shock result of the historic defeat of the Government on the Gurkhas pushed down the batting order.
Get some perspective !!
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/apr/29/swine-flu-mexico-uk-media1
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Kate Winslet's complains at not being considered working class because of her accent; in Reading we tended not to consider her working class not because of her accent but more because of the posh public schools she attended and was head girl at.
Why on earth she would considers it important to be considered working class is beyond me, she just isn't and that is all there is to it.
Yours Darren
(actually working class)
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lordBG I agree.
But I liked the piece from Irag by Hugh and Caroline.
The picture Hugh painted in my minds eye of shacks etc but hope was brilliant.
Mind you, the shipping forcast was lacking in substance! I didn't hear a mention for Dogger Bank or German Bite!
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I liked the piece from Hugh and Caroline too. Despite what must be obvious hardships, I suspect Hugh enjoys being there.
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As we are having to make do with yesterday's GB, can anyone tell me what that phrase was Joanna Lumley was yelling out? I'm sure it is something to do with Gurkhas but I would like a translation.
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I have to say that some days I'm more proud of being a Lib Dem than others - and today was one of those days.
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Well done TBird @ 37.
A lot of the humour on this blog is very contrived. Trotting to the GP surgery is inspired.
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Hi Gang, I have some broad comments about what appears to be an increasingly populist editorial stance.
Is it only me that feels there has been a reduction in broad news reporting in favour of more lengthy coverage of sensational argument (political or otherwise) and sensational stories?
This last week and a half it has seemed as if there's been very little news (swine flu apart) and more effort to 'big up' the stories available.
I don't mean to sound churlish: I admire your work greatly and thoroughly enjoy the programme and the skill with which it is delivered by Eddie. It has just seemed that recently quality has been falling away in favour of quick wins.
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L-S 47
Ithink it means victory to Gurkha Land.
Not, you may notice, Great Britain.
If I am wrong I apologize.
These guys were mercenaries but still I agree they have earned the right to live here. Unlike so many others.
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It was so frustrating to be listening to today's PM (29th) and the Gurkha revolt in Parliament while being transported to give a lecture in another town, away from my computer until 5 mins ago!!
It's not half so much fun shouting "Great!", "Brilliant!", "Well done!", "Proud of you!" at a car radio, as it is to be typing it now among this family of bloggers.
I just want to add a propos our Prime Minister this ancient quote:
"Quem deus perdere vult, prius dementat" (whom God wishes to destroy, he first makes mad).
I am referring to the Pr. Min.'s uncanny knack of making very strange choices in his acolytes, policies and priorities.
He is becoming hapless to an expert professional degree, turning unerring bad judgement into an art form.
I think a nice cup of tea now...
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(51) dharmabum: thanks for that. I couldn't catch what she shouted, so was not able to google it.
In case anyone's wondering, last night I suspect the Glass Box hung a sign on the door of PM saying, "Gone fishing"...
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How sad that the self-declared superior class person from Reading (c.f. Kate Winslett) didn't know the difference between "incredible" and "incredulous". I think Eddie teetered on pointing this out but, in the event, pulled the punch.
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