Radio News Item

My news item would be broadcast on a local radio station which covers Guildford as part of its TSA

Radio News Item - This year's Guildford panto announced by Lewis Mason

Would you like...

Picture the scene. Saturday afternoon. Your favourite shopping town. Countdown to Christmas has begun.

Got it?

However, before you have reached your first shop (or coffee outlet!), you have already been offered the chance to sign up for a paintballing session, the chance to win a once in a lifetime holiday or even to change your car insurance provider. Does this sound familiar? Of course it does, because our town centres are swarming with on foot sales personnel. Despite the fact that these ladies and gents are most probably very lovely people, we, as their customers, have grown to dislike them. Often, we don't listen to more than their first two words, as we have already adopted an unnatural burst of speed to act as if we never saw them in the first place.

But, then you find yourself on the other side of the fence. This is when you can really see the impatience and often ignorance of people.

I wasn't trying to sell anything. Quite the opposite. I was giving the public the chance to win two tickets to see this years pantomime of Sleeping Beauty at the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre in Guildford. However, as soon as I approaced anyone to offer them the chance to take part in a little competition, before I had finished saying the words "Would you like", I had been shunned and they were off to fight their way to the cheapest knickers/pants (no sexism, I won't have it!) in the town. So, that wasn't working. So, I obviously needed to change my technique. Keep the politeness, but get to the point quicker. Only one way to do it. Speed up! Then, the ignorance came to the fore. "Would you like free..." At the mention of the word "free", people took a look back at me. However, realising that they had already snubbed me and they had to save face, they couldn't possibly return, even though they knew there was in fact, something in it for them!

So, anyway, was I successful. No. If you have taken the time to read this, then why not have a go at winning the tickets! Just listen to Eagle Radio's Curtain Call Panto Special, listen out for the competition question, and you could be at Surrey's most traditional pantomime, this winter. The cast includes Boyzone's Shane Lynch, CBeebies' Sarah-Jane Honeywell and Eagle Radio's Peter Gordon.

To listen to the podcast, click here

The Royal Wedding - Reaction

Sarah-Jane Honeywell Interview

I caught up with CBeebies' Sarah-Jane Honeywell as she comes to Guildford's Yvonne Arnaud Theatre to play Sleeping Beauty in this years' pantomime.


Sarah-Jane Honeywell Interview by Lewis Mason

It's Panto Time...Oh Yes It Is!

This year's pantomime at the New Victoria Theatre, Woking is Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. An all star cast includes pop star Gareth Gates and actor Cliff Parisi. Join me as I meet the cast!


Meet the Cast - Snow White Woking Panto 2010 by Lewis Mason

The Bible That Is...Facebook

Social Networking has become a worldwide phenomenon with Facebook surely leading the way as the favourite avenue. I went to see the new film, The Social Network, last week, starring Justin Timberlake. It was a fantastic film, and it was really interesting to see how the Facebook revolution came about. Now, I use Facebook regularly, and since investing in an iPhone, I have used it more and more. It's very easy to check into other people's worlds when sitting bored on a train! However, I'm starting to become really frustrated with how everything is taken in a literal sense and how information can only be true...if it says so on Facebook. Hence my title, it is almost becoming a religious, sacred word! Only, the information changes! I believe a problem with Facebook is the number of friends that you have and the way in which a person interprets information. For example, at the time of writing, I have 693 friends on Facebook. That means that for everything I write on Facebook, each of those 693 people are able to interpret the information in their own way. So something that is supposed to be funny, can be seen as rude, nasty or irrelevant to somebody else. However, a person will believe their opinion or interpretation is correct, which potentially, could lead to disagreement and argument. There is also the 'Relationship Status', function on Facebook. You can be having a pint down the pub with your best mate, having a chat about your love life. Then, all of a sudden, they'll pipe up with 'but, it doesn't say that on Facebook'. I'm going to stick to boring status', and try not to put other information on there, because, let's be honest, Facebook already knows that 'It's Complicated'!

In the words of Elton John, "it's a sad, sad situation"...

This week, The Metro  revealed that a survey, conducted by PRS for Music, has unveiled REM's Everybody Hurts as the song most likely to make a grown man cry! More than 1,700 people were surveyed as men named Eric Clapton, U2 and Elton John among the artists whose work is most likely to make them shed a tear or five. I strongly believe that emotions are evoked through music due to personal matters related to the song. The chairman of PRS for Music, Ellis Rich, agrees with this, stating that, "A well-written tear-jerker is one that people can relate to and empathise with". So, what is it about the songs that came in the top 10? Have they gained an overwhelming amount of airplay, allowing them to be exposed to so many people and allowing this truly personal connection? In fact, it seems that men are a very soppy breed, who have been heartbroken many times! Nothing Compares 2 U  by Sinead O'Connor, Robbie Williams' Angels and the age old lover's classic Unchained Melody are all in the top ten. On the other hand, the latter two have also featured heavily amongst survey results for Britain's top funeral songs. With so many fantastically emotional songs out there, what is it about these tracks that get blokes blubbing! I guess that's for another survey! Anyway, here is the list in full:

1. Everybody Hurts - REM
2. Tears in Heaven - Eric Clapton
3. Hallelujah - Leonard Cohen
4. Nothing Compares 2 U - Sinead O'Connor
5. With or Without You - U2
6. The Drugs Don't Work - The Verve
7. Candle In The Wind - Elton John
8. Streets of Philadelphia - Bruce Springsteen
9. Unchained Melody - Todd Duncan
10. Angels - Robbie Williams


On a happier note...post a comment with your top 5 happy songs!!! The tracks that can put a smile on your face no matter what!