Close encounters
So, do you think I'm a letch?
Working Lunch viewer Len has emailed, and his dander is well and truly up on Naga's behalf.
He writes, "Please ask Declan to stop leaning in to his co-presenter when sitting next to her ... She nearly fell off the couch today in fright at his invasion of her space ... I am sure he does not mean to look like a letch."
Well, Naga did nearly fall off her chair, but with laughter at the thought that I might be lecherous towards her (and that she would let me away with it without a good slap if I was).
But we're both grateful to Len for getting in touch. We welcome all your thoughts - as emails to the programme, comments on this blog or good old-fashioned letters.
I'm not going to insult you by trotting out the usual 'customer service' soft-soap. We are not always going to agree with you. Most of what we do on the programme is done deliberately, based on our experience as journalists and our knowledge of the existing audience and potential viewers. And sometimes, you're not going to like it. But we think other people will.
And all your comments increase our knowledge of what you want from what is still your programme. We know you have a choice of viewing, and I'm grateful that so many of you choose us on a regular basis. Your opinion of it matters - even about things like 'do our knees touch too much?', 'do we pat each other on the shoulder too many times?' or 'do we make you sick with our devoted gazing at each other?'
Note I said 'most of what we do" ... It's live television. Some things don't go according to plan. Some things just aren't as clever on the air as they sounded in our programme meeting. And sometimes we just make mistakes. Where we spot them, we'll fix them as fast as we can. But if you see it first - I'd be very grateful if you could please haul us over the coals. We deserve it.
Comment number 1.
At 3rd Dec 2008, mesmerizing commenter wrote:I have to say declan that you do often look like you're taking her space! But I put it down to trying to get you both in shot. Its quite funny though, you often sit down and Naga scoots away!
Regarding business link. They are great for starting a business if you don't know anything. I would say that Ive had a real problem asking specific questions though. Ive asked about import/export, weee regulations, intellectual property, and on each occasion Ive been given the numbers of people who either havnt got a clue or never ring back. I usually have to resort to doing all the research myself as best I can.
I would say they need to improve their access to specialist advice.
Also, I want to correct your (commonly held) view that we have some magic touch on product design innovation that keeps us in the west ahead of the far east on the intellectual technology design side. Its mostly not true (except in some small high value technology areas where there is little price sensitivity).
Its not about technology innovation that the people in the far east can't do, its about our companies innovating in providing a service or product to the west. We then buy cheap from the far east to increase our profits. But ultimately we are in the west, selling to the west, and buying from the far east, so the trade is pretty much all one way.
The reason the chinese, for example, struggle in the design of some products is simply because there is a language and understanding barrier in what the western customer wants. A bit like us trying to design a product where the specification was written in german and not understanding the market its going into.
Also, we have companies putting profits into matching the look and feel of products to our customers, and in china they are focussed on providing low cost manufacturing (though things are changing rapidly as their own markets mature).
The average guy that develops the actual electronics in these devices in the UK is paid around £35k, less than a london tube driver. Its the flash marketing chap in those companies thats on the 6 figure salaries. Bit different in the US where an electronics engineer earns twice that.
There are so many regulations to meet here that to make one product that meets the regulations you would have to spend £10k just on approvals, and if you change it a little you have to spend much of that again. Thats per product, before you even think about designing it, and all the other costs of a business. And then when you sell it customers are not prepared to pay very much for it as they see DVD players for £19.99 all the time and assume its cheap to design and make. Though you can survive as a small firm in electronics by doing non-price sensitive products (e.g. for industry) mostly you need to be prepared to put your time and money into the sales, infrastructure and marketing. Because ultimately thats what gives you your power in the market. Otherwise your product will just be copied and sold through a chain with more reach than you.
Then again I guess most electronics engineers do it because its interesting and not for huge salaries.
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Comment number 2.
At 8th Dec 2008, dennisjunior1 wrote:declan,
you should not impeaching on the co-host, space.
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Comment number 3.
At 10th Dec 2008, TomNightingale wrote:I,m sure you are not. But I wouldn't blame you!
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