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Andrew's a True Marr-vel

11 December 2008

The BBCs Andrew Marr has revealed his views on modern journalism during a special Masterclass at BU.

BBC broadcaster and political commentator Andrew Marr warned students and staff against 'McNugget Journalism' during a Masterclass at BU.

The session was hosted by the University's HEFCE-funded Centre for Media Practice (CEMP), based in the Media School.

Marr, who presents his own Sunday morning talk show on BBC television, as well as BBC Radio 4's 'Start the Week', made his comments 'in conversation' with Stephen Jukes, Dean of the Media School. The one-time editor of 'The Independent' likened modern newspaper layouts to those found on a computer screen which he finds particularly detrimental to political coverage.

"What I worry about is that we're turning into a more purely visual culture, used to images, logos, small boxes," Marr said. "Newspapers are copying it and in many ways television is copying it too with all of the extra 'red button' gizmos.

"It's really important to have democratic journalism that involves quite extended pieces of prose," he continued. "Without that, you can't understand what's going on; you cant understand it in tiny 'McNuggets' or factoids. It all just becomes a swirl where nothing is properly connected."

Andrew Marr is just one of a series of industry speakers to have hosted CEMP Masterclasses at BU. In the past, BU has welcomed film director Roger Michell ('Notting Hill', 'Enduring Love'), Jana Bennett, Director of Vision at the BBC, Ed Richards, Chief Executive of industry regulator Ofcom, and Max Clifford, the PR guru.

The next CEMP Masterclass is scheduled for February with visit to the Talbot Campus by BBC Director General, Mark Thompson.