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Topic History of: A totally incomprehensible BBC Correspondent Max. showing the last 5 posts - (Last post first)
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Jo
I think there's a difference between diction and accent. People with regional accents can still speak clearly, or not, just as those who think their accents are superior.
honey!oh sugar sugar.
Barney wrote: Do we think then that UK broadcasters shouldn't have local accents?
By definition - any media outlet, when employing an reporter, will have tested for broad comprehension.
Oh I like accents, I have one myself.
But there is a difference between a regional burr and complete garble. (although the worst are usually given jobs in call centres)
Do you have an accent?
Barney
Communication and comprehension are helped by a good voice, resonance, tone and diction.
The really great ones - Kronkite and Rather, for example - didn't know or care about these aspects.
People just wanted to know what they said and thought.
Naturals both - just being themselves, live to the US, a couple of hours after waking up.
Frost was our closest...
JK2006
It's like women. For the majority women broadcasters are fine. But those of us who age and tend to lose high and mid range frequencies (Kenneth) they are almost impossible to hear.
Barney
Do we think then that UK broadcasters shouldn't have local accents?
By definition - any media outlet, when employing an reporter, will have tested for broad comprehension.