Erm well obviously the presenter needs to be engaging and not patronising....entertaining and grab their attention.
My 2 and a half year old doesn't take much notice of Cerrie or Alex - they just don't engage her. She loves watching Chris and Pui on the CBeebies web site and asks to watch the bedtime song on that and sing at night - but whether it's just early days I don't know. Alex and Cerrie don't engage her in the interactive parts as Chris and Pui did.
My daughter will sit transfixed and repeat the stories of the readers she likes and asks me to switch off those she doesn't like.
It all comes down to basics of who engages a child and who doesn't, and I think disability has very little if anything to do with it. A charismatic personality and knowing how to address children and be entertaining are all key to the issue.
But, might we be on the receiving end of some BBC spin?
I read the Cbeebies message board last week and whilst there were lots of people saying that they thought she was a bad presenter, there was hardly anyone commenting on her "scaring thier children". One of the comments sigted was be a Poster who said "does anyone think she may scare children" - not really that she does.
Had to laugh a this article as I've been watching for the last couple of weeks and didn't notice she had one arm. I did however notice that she was a God awful presenter and wondered where on earth the BBC had found her or atleast why they'd hired her.
One or two parents I've chatted with have said that their children noticed Cerrie's arm and asked about it but more seem to say their children either didn't notice or didn't think anything of it. Certainly not a major deal for them and certainly not scary.
However there does seem to be a consensus that Cerrie and Alex are not demonstrating much in the way of ability as childrens' tv presenters so far. At the moment Alex is very wooden and permanently startled and Cerrie seems to be overacting in at attempt to sound natural and so coming across totally false and as wooden as Alex. They aren't helped by some abysmal scripts (I assume they are working to scripts). They seem to have been thrown in at the deep end and they are floundering. Hopefully they will improve quickly as they are painful to watch and listen to at the moment. Fortunately the kids don't seem to notice or mind, but they aren't the whole audience.
Does everyone here on this forum buy the daily mail and seem to think that unless other people agree with them they are .... ignoramuses, planks, bad parents etc.... i seem to remember that for "daring" to have my own opinion (of what i actually see, not what i think) it's accused that my kids will grow up white supremacists signed up for the Deutsches Jungvolk movement the moment they hit 10 yrs old.
Unlike yourselves i do not feel the need to prove my parenting skills amongst a bigoted group by belittling everyone who does not agree, what i do find shallow is the fact the forum seems devoid of mature adult comment other than a childish slagging off contest that it seems to be.
It seems odd that every time someone criticises the parents who think a childrens TV presenter with one hand will scare the children, you seem to read it as a direct attack on you. I don't think anyone has attacked you or said you're not perfectly entitled to your opinion.
Cerrie Burnell may be a good presenter or a bad presenter, I haven't seen her, but her disability is irrelevant. As some posters have mentioned, parents can use it as a talking point.
It does seem strange that some people object 'on behalf of their children'. From what I remember, there was no such outcry when Grange Hill had a cast member with cerebral palsy in the 80s.
It does seem strange that some people object 'on behalf of their children'. From what I remember, there was no such outcry when Grange Hill had a cast member with cerebral palsy in the 80s.
Children's TV in the 80's was alot more edgy than children's TV today. It's all twee now, nothing edgy is out there. The 70's children's TV was even more scary and now they complain about someone with one arm, it's ridiculous.
I have to admit the first time I saw her I was taken aback and had to look twice, my son was perfectly fine with it, he didn't even notice. It's just because we are not used to seeing it on the television. I spoke about it with a friend and we both agreed it was a good thing to have her on the television so that children see it as normal and don't get scared when they come across a physically disabled person in real life.
It does seem strange that some people object 'on behalf of their children'. From what I remember, there was no such outcry when Grange Hill had a cast member with cerebral palsy in the 80s.
Children's TV in the 80's was alot more edgy than children's TV today. It's all twee now, nothing edgy is out there. The 70's children's TV was even more scary and now they complain about someone with one arm, it's ridiculous.
You're wrong on both counts as the character actually featured in the 90s, thus making your final point nul and void.
I don't think tv is less edgy at all. Without wanting to sound awful the BBC have a duty to represent people from all walks of life and people with disabilities have been present on many BBC shows throughout the years whether it be acting or in a presenting capacity.
If anything the edge has been gone because we have lost shows like Grange Hill and Childrens' Ward. You've got to remember though we are talking about a channel for under fives here so in terms of edginess they're not really comparable to the aforementioned shows.
Some parents really sicken me. I couldn't believe that some parents had the nerve to complain about a woman who was born without a hand. I saw her on BBC Breakfast News this morning and she seemed like a nice, chirpy bubbly girl, the sort I would happily allow my daughter to watch. She doesn't seem offensive compared to todays children's presenters.
I noticed someone said children find differences scary which I think is twaddle.
Children are far more accepting of things. My little girl's uncle is "brown" and my little girl was talking about it and actually thought we all had the same colour skin because to her he's just her uncle :rolleyes:
Besides that not everyone is the same anyway, the sooner children learn that the better.
I still maintain she is a rubbish presenter though lol
Anyone see them talking about it on Breakfast News?
I noticed someone said children find differences scary which I think is twaddle.
Children are far more accepting of things. My little girl's uncle is "brown" and my little girl was talking about it and actually thought we all had the same colour skin because to her he's just her uncle :rolleyes:
Besides that not everyone is the same anyway, the sooner children learn that the better.
I still maintain she is a rubbish presenter though lol
Anyone see them talking about it on Breakfast News?
My son has white skin, I don't he always wants the same colour skin as me, hopefully he won't go orange one day with the fake tanners
With parents like that, I hate to think what their children are going to become - I think it is a wonderful move to employ disabled presenters. I don't think it is a first - I think one of the quiz shows used to have someone? If they had more disabled people the children would soon accept it as the norm, which is how it should be.
Had to laugh a this article as I've been watching for the last couple of weeks and didn't notice she had one arm. I did however notice that she was a God awful presenter and wondered where on earth the BBC had found her or atleast why they'd hired her.
I'm sorry to say I think I have my answer now.
Sadly I am sure you wont be the only one to think that, and the same is going to apply to Alex with his obvious 'regional accent'. They are performing so poorly at the moment that it is inevitable people look for reasons why their obvious failings seem to be overlooked.
The other issue is why comments in discussion forums suddenly become news four weeks or so after they are made. The BBC themselves say they have only had eight or nine formal complaints. If they'd had hundred or thousands it might be news, albeit breaking rather belatedly. Indeed when you actually read beyond the headlines the story becomes little more than "A few people complained to the BBC about Miss Burnell, one poster on one discussion board used the word 'scary' in a post four weeks ago, the vast majority didn't agree with his views". I wonder who was behind the story.
I am disgusted at the ignorant parents who would complain about this. Would the BBC allow complaints based on gender or race? The children know no better but the parents are shamful. What would they do if their kids become disabled? Keep them in the house in case they scared people... The parents should explain that people are different rather than complain to the BBC. They really need to GROW UP!!! and stop being so bigoted. one word to these parents .. DISGRACE
Just saw her on cbeebies just now, was looking at the kids to see their reaction, nothing from the 2 yr old or the 9 month old. The 4 yr old said she's got one arm and pointed to the screen, I was really surprised, he certainly wasn't frightened.
Comments
Erm well obviously the presenter needs to be engaging and not patronising....entertaining and grab their attention.
My 2 and a half year old doesn't take much notice of Cerrie or Alex - they just don't engage her. She loves watching Chris and Pui on the CBeebies web site and asks to watch the bedtime song on that and sing at night - but whether it's just early days I don't know. Alex and Cerrie don't engage her in the interactive parts as Chris and Pui did.
My daughter will sit transfixed and repeat the stories of the readers she likes and asks me to switch off those she doesn't like.
It all comes down to basics of who engages a child and who doesn't, and I think disability has very little if anything to do with it. A charismatic personality and knowing how to address children and be entertaining are all key to the issue.
I will give this woman credit for even making it to television in the first place,
as for the parents, idiots really if they think this is a problem.
Had to laugh a this article as I've been watching for the last couple of weeks and didn't notice she had one arm. I did however notice that she was a God awful presenter and wondered where on earth the BBC had found her or atleast why they'd hired her.
I'm sorry to say I think I have my answer now.
However there does seem to be a consensus that Cerrie and Alex are not demonstrating much in the way of ability as childrens' tv presenters so far. At the moment Alex is very wooden and permanently startled and Cerrie seems to be overacting in at attempt to sound natural and so coming across totally false and as wooden as Alex. They aren't helped by some abysmal scripts (I assume they are working to scripts). They seem to have been thrown in at the deep end and they are floundering. Hopefully they will improve quickly as they are painful to watch and listen to at the moment. Fortunately the kids don't seem to notice or mind, but they aren't the whole audience.
Glad you found that funny
It seems odd that every time someone criticises the parents who think a childrens TV presenter with one hand will scare the children, you seem to read it as a direct attack on you. I don't think anyone has attacked you or said you're not perfectly entitled to your opinion.
Cerrie Burnell may be a good presenter or a bad presenter, I haven't seen her, but her disability is irrelevant. As some posters have mentioned, parents can use it as a talking point.
Children's TV in the 80's was alot more edgy than children's TV today. It's all twee now, nothing edgy is out there. The 70's children's TV was even more scary and now they complain about someone with one arm, it's ridiculous.
Hilarious.
It's not actually funny, but children do say these things especially if it is the first time they have come across it.
You're wrong on both counts as the character actually featured in the 90s, thus making your final point nul and void.
I don't think tv is less edgy at all. Without wanting to sound awful the BBC have a duty to represent people from all walks of life and people with disabilities have been present on many BBC shows throughout the years whether it be acting or in a presenting capacity.
If anything the edge has been gone because we have lost shows like Grange Hill and Childrens' Ward. You've got to remember though we are talking about a channel for under fives here so in terms of edginess they're not really comparable to the aforementioned shows.
What 70's tv was scary?
Children are far more accepting of things. My little girl's uncle is "brown" and my little girl was talking about it and actually thought we all had the same colour skin because to her he's just her uncle :rolleyes:
Besides that not everyone is the same anyway, the sooner children learn that the better.
I still maintain she is a rubbish presenter though lol
Anyone see them talking about it on Breakfast News?
My son has white skin, I don't he always wants the same colour skin as me, hopefully he won't go orange one day with the fake tanners
Lol bless
Exactly. The parents are ignorant.
Sadly I am sure you wont be the only one to think that, and the same is going to apply to Alex with his obvious 'regional accent'. They are performing so poorly at the moment that it is inevitable people look for reasons why their obvious failings seem to be overlooked.
The other issue is why comments in discussion forums suddenly become news four weeks or so after they are made. The BBC themselves say they have only had eight or nine formal complaints. If they'd had hundred or thousands it might be news, albeit breaking rather belatedly. Indeed when you actually read beyond the headlines the story becomes little more than "A few people complained to the BBC about Miss Burnell, one poster on one discussion board used the word 'scary' in a post four weeks ago, the vast majority didn't agree with his views". I wonder who was behind the story.
True, but have never in my experience heard a child ask why someone's face is dirty, children aren't that stupid imo.
http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/news/society/satan-makes-room-for-parents-who-complained-about-disabled-tv-presenter-200902241599/
I have had it a few times....