Genius or dreadful?
When I saw this on the BBC's website, I didn't know which way to go. I still don't. Part of me thinks it's genius; part of me thinks it's dreadful. I'm torn.
I like the breezy silliness of the KitKat/banana comparison; I like the KitKat-wafer-thin excuse for a news story; I'm not so po-faced as to think there isn't a place for this kind of thing on a publicly-funded news website. I mean look at this bit!
Superb! And what's that, you say? You'd like to see a picture of a slightly camp-looking Lionel Blair, holding a curvy banana? All right then:
I know, I know. There's a sense in which news is being trivialised by a lot of celebrity flim-flam; and yes, there's a sense in which it's a bit dispiriting to see that the only way people can engage with a politician like Gordon Brown is through his choice between KitKat or banana; and yes, there's a lot of crap that overwhelms news websites at times, pushing out real news at the expense of celebrity ballast.
But, but, but... when it's done this well, and with the tongue so firmly planted in the cheek, I don't mind my tax pounds paying for the BBC website at all. I know there are many who do turn purple and start grabbing the flaming torch when they see this kind of thing in the absence of actual news, but given that this is alongside pages and pages of good news coverage, why not? I'm going for genius.
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Hello. I'm a Bristol-based writer and soon-to-be-redundant journalist. You can read more about me and the Enemies site here, or follow me on Twitter. Email me if you like - antonvowl at live dot co dot uk
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February 9th, 2010 - 15:18
Added to the fact that some of our bigger-selling newspapers would do this kind of story *with an entirely straight face*
February 9th, 2010 - 15:21
i glanced at this post during a VERY SERIOUS AND IMPORTANT discussion with a colleague, and subsequently burst out laughing right in her astonished face. shame on you, anton vowl.
February 9th, 2010 - 15:26
“To enrich people’s lives with programmes and services that inform, educate and entertain.”; the Beeb’s remit and purpose. Though not necessarily in that order.
I think the article does, modestly, fulfill at least one of those criteria. QED
PS Whaddya mean, ” …a SLIGHTLY camp-looking Lionel Blair…” ? Good grief!
February 9th, 2010 - 15:26
The BBC News magazine is to me an endless source of sub-coffee table banality. That. I. Can’t. Help. Clicking. On!
What’s that, an article on whether sock lengths have changed in the past 50 years? I’m there! (Help me…)
February 9th, 2010 - 15:29
It’s a bit of a laugh, I don’t think this is worth any blood pressure.
February 9th, 2010 - 15:32
It’s genius. I was hedging my bets, until I saw the photo of Lionel Blair holding a banana. Definitely genius.
February 9th, 2010 - 15:44
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/feb/07/boycott-latin-american-bananas-lucy-siegle
February 9th, 2010 - 15:58
Definitely genius:
“PORTABILITY
Easily battered about and squashed. Can look obscene in a trouser pocket. “
February 9th, 2010 - 16:19
“I like bananas, but I like Kit Kats. But which is better? There’s only one way to find out…”
February 9th, 2010 - 17:28
So what is better a Kit Kat or a Banana?
There’s only one way to find out…
February 9th, 2010 - 18:09
This is all very well Anton, but as we can see from your avatar, you are clearly in hock with ‘Big Banana’.
February 9th, 2010 - 21:56
G2 magazine in the Guardian also picked up the story, my favourite line of which was in favour of the KitKat:
‘Snaps satisfyingly (bananas are silent)’.
Genius.
February 10th, 2010 - 08:58
When the Guardian wrote the same kind of thing yesterday, they went for “A tricky shape to carry in the trouser pocket”. Churnalism at it’s finest?