15 Comments

Immagina la mia sorpresa di vedere - subito ! all'improvviso ! - La Bellissima sullo schermo di nuovo ... *despite* this terrible negative (allegedly!) of a non-English accent. Actually the truth is that the accent of some non-Anglophones, like you, becomes so good that any distraction there might be comes from wondering where and how that person was brought up.

Can't say I watch SkyNews much: adverts are a drag and the bad smell of the founder Murdoch will never go away, however "diversified" the ownership may or may not now be.

But I have 2 good reasons to start watching regularly now: your professionalism, and of course your pronunciation.

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If you watch on YouTube there are no ads - just a world weather forecast.

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It’s great to see you back on TV. If Sky have any sense they’ll snap you up for a permanent slot immediately (assuming, of course, you want one). Al Jazeera’s loss is very much Sky’s gain!

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Hi Barbara, so pleased to see your beautiful & articulate presence on Sky News TV. All the best of luck- from Cape Town.

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Hi Barbara, that is fantastic, that makes sense with someone such as yourself and the integrity that you have. Sky News in Australia is a divisive awful news service as mentioned equivalent to Fox in America, our "right wing" governments love them because they show and highlight the intolerance. I can remember being told as a child that a journalist should be unbiased. We have no media in Australia that is allowed to question our politicians and hold them to account on either side. More foreign voices are key even though we still do have colonialism and imperialism drilling into communities it is no longer like that.

Thank you for setting me straight.

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I’d never heard of you until I saw you a short time ago on Sky. Your “accent” is fabulous!

I’m a Yank who gets the vast majority of my foreign news from Sky, usually on the after midnight broadcasts when it’s night here. The partiality of US news reports is almost too much, and their overseas coverage is weak at best. Outside Biden trying to fund Ukraine’s war effort, you’d never know there was a war going on there. As for the rest of the world, forget it - rarely a mention. Sky’s coverage is far more detailed while being concise, and seems impartial, at least to me.

Can’t wait to see and hear more of and from you. I thought you were terrific.

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Dear Barbara,

I have always enjoyed your work. I have never understood your concern about your accent. As somebody who has spent 40 years in broadcasting I can assure you that you speak perfect RP. I'm not sure if you listened to or watched any of the new presenters on the revived BBC news channel. Mamma Mia!

Imagine my delight when finishing work at my desk in the early in the early hours of the morning, looking up to see your radiant presence illuminating the screens of Sky News. A wise decision on their part and they should use you more often. Do you have any idea when you're next scheduled to be on air.

You might tell your friend that Sky UK is not owned by Rupert Murdoch. While having a shareholding in Sky Australia and Fox news, he sold his holding in the UK business after the Monopolies Commssion blocked his bid to raise his is share of the company to 100% following the phone hacking scandal. The shares were purchased by the Roberts family who own the highly successful cable business in the United States, Comcast. They are good people who will have little difficulty abiding by the OFCOM rules.

Kindest regards,

Steve Cosser.

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Thank you so much for your comments Steve. I guess I've slowly grown into my accent and certainly the way British broadcasting views diversity has changed enormously over the years. I have kept my rolling Rs though!

My next scheduled Sky News shift is Saturday from 8 until midnight, including the Paper Preview from 1030, which I really enjoy, it's great to be able to chat with our contributors. I don't know if you're on instagram, but I'll post on my stories whenever I'm on air.

And yes, definitely part of Comcast and OFCOM regulation at the heart of news.

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We couldn't be prouder of you, dear Barbara! Sincere congrats for this new adventure! Good luck! 🍀 🥰

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Thank you so much Cinzia and Antonella. You have always been so supportive! until next time in Italy! un abbraccio

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But Sky News, in Australia Sky News is not unbiased it is the same as Fox News in America. Being owned by Murdoch would that not be a controlling voice and given their biases how would this allow you the freedoms of truth.

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Hello Nicole, see message above from Steve about how Sky News is no longer part of the Murdoch media group. Also, TV is regulated in a different way here in the UK compared to Australia or the USA. That's why I often think it's wrong to lump everyone together into 'Western media'.

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And, of course, as you have stated repeatedly, there’s no such thing as ‘Western media’ - just English-language media 😉

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It's great to see you back on our screens. I find your news broadcasts balanced and very refreshing.

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That is lovely to hear. Thank you Robert.

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