Broadcasters Turn to Headset Mics to Avoid the Noise in Westminster

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Broadcasters, journalists and television presenters have finally found a way in which to block out the constant noise and shouting coming from anti-Brexit protesters, by turning to a remarkably simple piece of technology. More commonly associated with Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears’ on-stage performances, headset mics are the latest method being employed by broadcasters and news channels including Sky News, the BBC and Talk-Radio to silence the constant droning and shouting of protesters on College Green in Westminster, Central London.

It has become an almost running challenge amongst the likes of Steve Bray and ‘Glockenspiel Man’ for who can disrupt broadcasters and news channels more. When TechRound has in recent times visited College Green, there has been shouting, swearing, bagpipes, glockenspiels and the EU anthem all with the supposed aim of annoying news presenters and their guests and disrupting the delivery of any news.

It is said amongst those in Westminster that the scale of any political crisis and the subsequent interest can be gauged by the numbers of gazebos put up on Westminster Green by journalists, news outlets and TV and radio news channels, although broadcasters and reporters on College Green look more fed up than ever.

Sky News

As Brexit, UK politics and parliamentary activity picks up pace and develops, it seems that Sky News in particular are getting unluckier and unluckier with having to deal with noise now even the weather massively disrupting their political broadcasts from College Green. Adam Boulton in particular is no stranger to uncomfortable moments whilst broadcasting live, having been recorded with a mouthful of food during election coverage, swearing at a colleague and even swallowing a fly. However, wearing a headset microphone seems to have caused him fewer problems and he recently been joined by Kay Burley in the Huge Disturbances on College Green Club…

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Sky News’ Adam Boulton is making use of his new headset mic

 

 

Oh…and he described all Brexit voters as ‘right wing,‘ calling it all ‘bollocks‘…

Beth Rigby is now also sporting the now ‘imperative’ headset microphone too. As Brexit, Parliament and therefore activity on College Green increase in their pace, more presenters are having to block out more noise than ever before…

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It also now seems that when headset microphones are not used, news broadcasts are cursed, as Kay Burley and others discovered recently, just when they thought they’d got rid of the shouty people who hang around College Green…


Kate McCann on the other hand, nowadays very often found in the Central Lobby of the House of Commons, is lucky enough to still have a good old fashioned lapel microphone when reporting from there. In stark contrast, inside the Chamber of The House, MPs seem to get on just fine with the very old fashioned ‘hanging microphones’ and we know how much shouting there can be inside The House of Commons’ Chamber…

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Poor old Adam Boulton just keeps drawing the short straw…

She has tried her utmost and given it her best efforts. However, even Kate McCann ultimately seems to have been destined to fall victim to too much noise when reporting from Westminster. She now joins her fellow presenters in adorning a headset microphone. Poor old Kate…Who will be the next presenter to fall to a headset microphone because of people shouting all sorts about Brexit?

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BBC News

The BBC’s bureau chief Katy Searle has said that the reason they have switched from ‘boom’ microphones, usually favoured by TV presenters and even the well-accepted and widely-used lapel microphones is because: ‘It [protesters shouting] can be quite intrusive but you also want to capture where you are. The problem is when it’s too loud to capture what the guests are saying.’ Either way, it does appear that the newer microphones are silencing the noise from protesters…

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The BBC are finding new ways to broadcast peacefully

Who is in Charge of College Green?

Although occupied by protesters, both the new and the old, the loud and the quiet, the noble and the downright silly, as well as news teams, journalists, broadcasters and TV presenters and crews, there is oversight and ownership of this much coveted piece of land in front of the Houses of Parliament. The Lady Usher of the Black Rod, Sarah Clarke is the person in charge of law, order and happenings on College Green in Westminster.

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Sarah Clarke, Lady Usher of the Black Rod is in charge of College Green

With Steve Bray having given up his job as a numismatist, researching and collecting coin-based objects in Port Talbot in Wales since the Brexit Referendum of 2016, to take on his new career of ‘Full Time Shouting Anti-Brexit Man,’ Sarah Clarke is likely to remain busy for quite some time, keeping the peace on College Green…or at least trying to…