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TV review: first Newsnight from Evan Davis gets off on right foot Newsnight review: Evan Davis gets off on right foot
(about 7 hours later)
With his record as a business journalist, Evan Davis knows all about high-profile launches and takeovers and, on Monday night, he went public with a majority share of what had previously been the Paxman brand, hosting Newsnight live from the Conservative party conference.With his record as a business journalist, Evan Davis knows all about high-profile launches and takeovers and, on Monday night, he went public with a majority share of what had previously been the Paxman brand, hosting Newsnight live from the Conservative party conference.
In a newspaper interview, Davis had pleaded with BBC2 viewers not to watch his first week’s programmes as the show’s new lead presenter, while he got the hang of the gig, but will have known that there was about as much chance of that happening as of a politician giving a straight answer.In a newspaper interview, Davis had pleaded with BBC2 viewers not to watch his first week’s programmes as the show’s new lead presenter, while he got the hang of the gig, but will have known that there was about as much chance of that happening as of a politician giving a straight answer.
“Hello, hello,” Davis began, like a parodic copper, although it is unclear if the welcome will become a catchphrase.“Hello, hello,” Davis began, like a parodic copper, although it is unclear if the welcome will become a catchphrase.
In advance, the most anticipated comparisons with Paxo had both involved necks. Would Davis wear a tie (as his predecessor always did) and would he be less inclined to go for the throats of interviewees?In advance, the most anticipated comparisons with Paxo had both involved necks. Would Davis wear a tie (as his predecessor always did) and would he be less inclined to go for the throats of interviewees?
On the first point, he sported a dark blue kipper with red flecks, nicely complementing a tightly-cut navy suit. On the second issue, whereas Paxman brought to political journalism the tone of the anti-terrorist squad with a bombing suspect, Davis seemed to be aiming more for the atmosphere of a university entrance interview, trying to draw out a sense of the interests and personality of his first candidate, the prime minister.On the first point, he sported a dark blue kipper with red flecks, nicely complementing a tightly-cut navy suit. On the second issue, whereas Paxman brought to political journalism the tone of the anti-terrorist squad with a bombing suspect, Davis seemed to be aiming more for the atmosphere of a university entrance interview, trying to draw out a sense of the interests and personality of his first candidate, the prime minister.
“I wonder if you think the biggest divisions in politics now are on the right?,” he posited softly, through a half-smile. Davis had a theory that the prime minister makes alternate attempts to identify himself with the ideological sides of his party, and tried to explore this in discursive, seminar style: “I’m gonna ask you some litmus questions between left and right, okay?”.“I wonder if you think the biggest divisions in politics now are on the right?,” he posited softly, through a half-smile. Davis had a theory that the prime minister makes alternate attempts to identify himself with the ideological sides of his party, and tried to explore this in discursive, seminar style: “I’m gonna ask you some litmus questions between left and right, okay?”.
So did the PM think in pounds and ounces or metric measures? (He was with Mrs Beeton on that one.) Was it okay for two men to kiss in public? “Yes”, said Cameron. “If I can kiss my wife in public, I don’t see why you can’t kiss your husband.” It was a good sound-bite to have won but there seemed to be a suggestion from the prime minister that Davis was asking the question as a gay man rather than a neutral journalist, an assumption that might rankle with the presenter.So did the PM think in pounds and ounces or metric measures? (He was with Mrs Beeton on that one.) Was it okay for two men to kiss in public? “Yes”, said Cameron. “If I can kiss my wife in public, I don’t see why you can’t kiss your husband.” It was a good sound-bite to have won but there seemed to be a suggestion from the prime minister that Davis was asking the question as a gay man rather than a neutral journalist, an assumption that might rankle with the presenter.
And it often seemed that this post-Paxman style of gentler interrogation might work better on paper than on screen; Cameron easily overrode the first attempted interruption and, before long, the men were talking over each other, with the presenter not-quite-shouting that the Iraqi security services are “a joke, a joke!”, and accusing the premier of “banging on” about Europe. This may be a programme that forces the baring of teeth.And it often seemed that this post-Paxman style of gentler interrogation might work better on paper than on screen; Cameron easily overrode the first attempted interruption and, before long, the men were talking over each other, with the presenter not-quite-shouting that the Iraqi security services are “a joke, a joke!”, and accusing the premier of “banging on” about Europe. This may be a programme that forces the baring of teeth.
This debut edition, though, certainly suggested that the new host will introduce a more youthful feel. Gym-trim and with shaven head and micro-quiff, he impressively looked and sounded at least a decade younger than Cameron, who is actually his junior by five years.This debut edition, though, certainly suggested that the new host will introduce a more youthful feel. Gym-trim and with shaven head and micro-quiff, he impressively looked and sounded at least a decade younger than Cameron, who is actually his junior by five years.
After a quarter of an hour with the PM, Davis read out a tweet from a journalist mentioned in the interview (expect a lot more social media than Paxo’s days), then introduced a report from Mark Urban on the demonstrations in Hong Kong and a discussion on the journalistic ethics of the Brooks Newmark resignation.After a quarter of an hour with the PM, Davis read out a tweet from a journalist mentioned in the interview (expect a lot more social media than Paxo’s days), then introduced a report from Mark Urban on the demonstrations in Hong Kong and a discussion on the journalistic ethics of the Brooks Newmark resignation.
On his final Radio 4 Today programme last week, Davis got professionally ahead of himself and said “tonight” instead of “today”, raising fears that he might close his first Newsnight stint, at 11.20pm, with a rogue “good morning”.On his final Radio 4 Today programme last week, Davis got professionally ahead of himself and said “tonight” instead of “today”, raising fears that he might close his first Newsnight stint, at 11.20pm, with a rogue “good morning”.
In the event, he managed the correct send-off, although saying “good night”, unlike his “hello”, only once. And, while Davis knows more than most that stock can violently rise and fall, his product launch seems likely to have encouraged high public and corporate confidence.In the event, he managed the correct send-off, although saying “good night”, unlike his “hello”, only once. And, while Davis knows more than most that stock can violently rise and fall, his product launch seems likely to have encouraged high public and corporate confidence.