It's been 20 years since I was taken off-air at BBC London due to my foreign accent. I was told diversity didn't apply to me. 40% of Londoners are now foreign-born, but that attitude hasn't changed.
Another fantastic newsletter in which many of us, foreign journalists, are finally finding the answers to those: "Why, why and why, I don't get a job in this country?". Love your newsletter Barbara! I see myself in it every time I read it. Ángela
I admire your persistence and have sympathy with the struggles you described. Ironically, what attracted me when I discovered you on Al Jazeera English a few years ago, apart from the stunning beauty and obvious intelligence, was your impeccable English.
I’m so sorry you had to go through all of that palaver. I didn’t know Sky had made you jump through all of those hoops. As you know by know, I think diversity should be celebrated. My biggest source of pride is that I have friends from all around the world. I understand the importance of being understood, my American mother-in-law sometimes doesn’t understand a word I’m saying cause I speak too fast, but accents are a good thing. I wish I’d used my French more while at the CBC but I’ve always felt too self conscious. The UK have always had such small minded attitudes I feel, which I always find ironic given the historical influences from the French and further back the Romans. I was mindful of this when I decided to become a U.S. citizen, fueled partly by the Brexit result. The idea that the U.S. accepts immigrants from around the world is fundamental to me even if in practice there are barriers to this. Incidentally I’m about to leave television news after 28 years. I’ve just accepted a job at the International Monetary Fund in D.C. I’m glad you preserved. I felt it always gave a different flavor in a positive way to have you reporting.
In fairness to Sky, they were open about what wasn't working and gave me the chance to try to improve it. Like you say, accents can be a good thing but in broadcasting I think they have to be taken into account and clarity worked on if needed. Amazing news about the IMF! 28 years in TV is enough for anyone. Good luck and thank you for all your support and feedback.
Yeah Sky were open to giving people a chance - my first tv job after working in a bookstore for three years. There were also plenty of accents about the place, I can think of staff from Australia, NZ and SA. Glad they were willing to give you a shot after the Beeb. Incidentally my first tv interview was for the Video Library at the Beeb. I didn’t get the job but I was straight out of Uni and very green. Thanks for the good wishes for the new job.
Hello Barbara! I read your piece when it published, but I'm back to share a link to story I've been reading, which might interest you. I looked up the story after I heard what a Jamaican lady said in a BBC interview today about Harry Belafonte. She was the first black TV reporter in the UK, but she didn't last in her job. Her contract was terminated after she'd been in the job for only 6 months... https://www.telegraph.co.uk/books/what-to-read/english-made-difficult-love-britains-first-black-tv-presenter/
Thanks for sharing this. Shocking how much racism there was on tv/radio even not so long ago. But what I can’t find in piece is a specific reference to her voice, which would be interesting. I would assume there would be a Caribbean accent? Would be amazing to find a tape. Part of British tv history
A story of my 86 stepfather, who is soon to be no longer with us….. but when he was in better health, I swear the only reason he watched the news was so he could berate them (usually the BBC) for picking the wrong sort of presenters. He had a special dislike for the Welsh, who were of course inferior to the English and therefore shouldn’t be daring to tell us anything of import (ditto, sigh, anyone not southern, middle aged, middle class at least and above all else, white).
Of course I never took any of it remotely seriously and simply used it to school him in how the world was changing and tough, you’re too much of an old codger to deal with it…..
Joking aside, being forced to learn ‘proper’ English must surely be humiliating. I remember my mum sending me - aged 10 - for elocution lessons because I didn’t speak poshly enough (52 now, still annoyed about it, still determined to speak any damn way I like, still put on a posher voice when speaking to posh people - much to the amusement of my wife….)
It reminds me of that song from My Fair Lady "Why can't the English learn to speak?!" which then turns into a commentary on the issues with various accents, British AND foreign! But like I mentioned in the newsletter, it is about trust and - for a variety of reasons - we all trust certain voices and accents above others. And we've all poshed it up on occasion! ;) I'm sorry to hear about your stepfather's health. Sending you all the best
Thanks Barbara for your pieces on the subject of foreign language and journalism. I worked in some of the newsrooms you have mentioned and I always felt 'the odd one out' because of my accent (I'd never pass a native speaker test); those times when I was on air, it was always related to issues linked to my country of birth - sometimes I wondered whether colleagues simply were looking for somebody with a foreign accent on air...
I always have mixed feelings about 'foreigners' doing pieces on their home countries and regions. In a way it makes sense to play to one's strengths, and doing stories on the Vatican or the Berlusconi scandals certainly helped raised my profile. But there is the danger of being pigeon-holed, and most reporters do have to show versatility. But again, things are changing. One of the BBC's most high-profile foreign correspondents is Indian (and speaks impeccable English with an Indian accent). She did a lot around Covid in India but she's been working out of Ukraine since the war. I think the more aware bosses become of the 'voice' issue, the more similar changes we'll start to see.
Really interesting read. What particularly struck me was that you mentioned how international news channels would be more amenable to ‘news with a foreign accent’ - yet BBC World and CNN International, arguably the two biggest world news channels, have very few presenters or reporters who aren’t from the western English-speaking countries. The only one I can think of off the top of my head is (the excellent) Yalda Hakim, who is originally from Afghanistan.
Thank you Luke. You're absolutely right about the two news channels you mentioned (and not just them) and have pretty much written the tease to my next newsletter, all about international news..... Coming up in the next few weeks!
Thanks Barbara for this article. You're truly an inspiration. It's something that I can relate to, having lived and worked in the UK for many years. I also have the opposite problem, that is when I come back to Italy I speak Italian with a bit of an accent and that can annoy a few people too. It's a no win situation.
Accents are all about who we are. And when we're uprooted from one place and taken to another, our voices will often reflect that. How silly of anyone to be annoyed by it though!
I like this article. I must say that I was eager to read as much as possibile from you but you have been silent for two months! As I subscribed just to read your comments on general life and i was not interested in other writers i decided to cancel my subscription. I am very sad for that, but probably it was me to have misunderstood how often you would write.
Hi Isa. My last post was less than 3 weeks ago. I was unwell in January but as you can see from my archive in 2022 I posted on average every 2/3 weeks and I've never hosted other writers on this page. I'm sorry to see you go but thank you for liking the latest article.
Another fantastic newsletter in which many of us, foreign journalists, are finally finding the answers to those: "Why, why and why, I don't get a job in this country?". Love your newsletter Barbara! I see myself in it every time I read it. Ángela
That's wonderful to hear, and the reason I write it. :)
I admire your persistence and have sympathy with the struggles you described. Ironically, what attracted me when I discovered you on Al Jazeera English a few years ago, apart from the stunning beauty and obvious intelligence, was your impeccable English.
Considering how hard I've worked at the latter, that makes me very happy!
I’m so sorry you had to go through all of that palaver. I didn’t know Sky had made you jump through all of those hoops. As you know by know, I think diversity should be celebrated. My biggest source of pride is that I have friends from all around the world. I understand the importance of being understood, my American mother-in-law sometimes doesn’t understand a word I’m saying cause I speak too fast, but accents are a good thing. I wish I’d used my French more while at the CBC but I’ve always felt too self conscious. The UK have always had such small minded attitudes I feel, which I always find ironic given the historical influences from the French and further back the Romans. I was mindful of this when I decided to become a U.S. citizen, fueled partly by the Brexit result. The idea that the U.S. accepts immigrants from around the world is fundamental to me even if in practice there are barriers to this. Incidentally I’m about to leave television news after 28 years. I’ve just accepted a job at the International Monetary Fund in D.C. I’m glad you preserved. I felt it always gave a different flavor in a positive way to have you reporting.
In fairness to Sky, they were open about what wasn't working and gave me the chance to try to improve it. Like you say, accents can be a good thing but in broadcasting I think they have to be taken into account and clarity worked on if needed. Amazing news about the IMF! 28 years in TV is enough for anyone. Good luck and thank you for all your support and feedback.
Yeah Sky were open to giving people a chance - my first tv job after working in a bookstore for three years. There were also plenty of accents about the place, I can think of staff from Australia, NZ and SA. Glad they were willing to give you a shot after the Beeb. Incidentally my first tv interview was for the Video Library at the Beeb. I didn’t get the job but I was straight out of Uni and very green. Thanks for the good wishes for the new job.
I’m glad you persevered that should be. Stupid English spell check 😀
Hello Barbara! I read your piece when it published, but I'm back to share a link to story I've been reading, which might interest you. I looked up the story after I heard what a Jamaican lady said in a BBC interview today about Harry Belafonte. She was the first black TV reporter in the UK, but she didn't last in her job. Her contract was terminated after she'd been in the job for only 6 months... https://www.telegraph.co.uk/books/what-to-read/english-made-difficult-love-britains-first-black-tv-presenter/
Thanks for sharing this. Shocking how much racism there was on tv/radio even not so long ago. But what I can’t find in piece is a specific reference to her voice, which would be interesting. I would assume there would be a Caribbean accent? Would be amazing to find a tape. Part of British tv history
A story of my 86 stepfather, who is soon to be no longer with us….. but when he was in better health, I swear the only reason he watched the news was so he could berate them (usually the BBC) for picking the wrong sort of presenters. He had a special dislike for the Welsh, who were of course inferior to the English and therefore shouldn’t be daring to tell us anything of import (ditto, sigh, anyone not southern, middle aged, middle class at least and above all else, white).
Of course I never took any of it remotely seriously and simply used it to school him in how the world was changing and tough, you’re too much of an old codger to deal with it…..
Joking aside, being forced to learn ‘proper’ English must surely be humiliating. I remember my mum sending me - aged 10 - for elocution lessons because I didn’t speak poshly enough (52 now, still annoyed about it, still determined to speak any damn way I like, still put on a posher voice when speaking to posh people - much to the amusement of my wife….)
It reminds me of that song from My Fair Lady "Why can't the English learn to speak?!" which then turns into a commentary on the issues with various accents, British AND foreign! But like I mentioned in the newsletter, it is about trust and - for a variety of reasons - we all trust certain voices and accents above others. And we've all poshed it up on occasion! ;) I'm sorry to hear about your stepfather's health. Sending you all the best
Thanks Barbara for your pieces on the subject of foreign language and journalism. I worked in some of the newsrooms you have mentioned and I always felt 'the odd one out' because of my accent (I'd never pass a native speaker test); those times when I was on air, it was always related to issues linked to my country of birth - sometimes I wondered whether colleagues simply were looking for somebody with a foreign accent on air...
I always have mixed feelings about 'foreigners' doing pieces on their home countries and regions. In a way it makes sense to play to one's strengths, and doing stories on the Vatican or the Berlusconi scandals certainly helped raised my profile. But there is the danger of being pigeon-holed, and most reporters do have to show versatility. But again, things are changing. One of the BBC's most high-profile foreign correspondents is Indian (and speaks impeccable English with an Indian accent). She did a lot around Covid in India but she's been working out of Ukraine since the war. I think the more aware bosses become of the 'voice' issue, the more similar changes we'll start to see.
Love this newsletter, please keep sharing honest news, just like this one. Love from Italy, Anna
Really interesting read. What particularly struck me was that you mentioned how international news channels would be more amenable to ‘news with a foreign accent’ - yet BBC World and CNN International, arguably the two biggest world news channels, have very few presenters or reporters who aren’t from the western English-speaking countries. The only one I can think of off the top of my head is (the excellent) Yalda Hakim, who is originally from Afghanistan.
Thank you Luke. You're absolutely right about the two news channels you mentioned (and not just them) and have pretty much written the tease to my next newsletter, all about international news..... Coming up in the next few weeks!
On the other hand BBC World News Radio is full of foreign accents. Think of Redi Thlabe on Newsday.
which is great
Thanks Barbara for this article. You're truly an inspiration. It's something that I can relate to, having lived and worked in the UK for many years. I also have the opposite problem, that is when I come back to Italy I speak Italian with a bit of an accent and that can annoy a few people too. It's a no win situation.
Accents are all about who we are. And when we're uprooted from one place and taken to another, our voices will often reflect that. How silly of anyone to be annoyed by it though!
I like this article. I must say that I was eager to read as much as possibile from you but you have been silent for two months! As I subscribed just to read your comments on general life and i was not interested in other writers i decided to cancel my subscription. I am very sad for that, but probably it was me to have misunderstood how often you would write.
Hi Isa. My last post was less than 3 weeks ago. I was unwell in January but as you can see from my archive in 2022 I posted on average every 2/3 weeks and I've never hosted other writers on this page. I'm sorry to see you go but thank you for liking the latest article.