Television Broadcasts: Audibility

Debate between Lord Ashton of Hyde and Lord Dobbs

Tuesday 4th April 2017 Lords Chamber

[Lord Ashton of Hyde]

My Lords, I am not an expert on enunciation, but I am told that it is all to do with your diaphragm.

[Lord Dobbs (Con)]

My Lords, perhaps I may take this opportunity to agree with my noble friend Lord Fellowes that when dialogue is written it is always clear. A great part of the problem may be that modern televisions are all screen and the speakers face backwards. It is bound to be a technological problem when the speakers face away from you, apart from the fact that of course we are all getting a little older and perhaps deafer.

[Lord Ashton of Hyde]

My Lords, I certainly do not agree that all written dialogue is comprehensible, although my noble friend is an obvious exception to that. The point is that the director is in charge of the entire programme and should listen to the rushes and to what he has produced. Sometimes it is perfectly reasonable for an actor to face away from the camera but it is important that he can still be heard.