In which case there's a pretend Arab sheik I should introduce you to.
Writers' Guild Podcast: Radio Comedy Page 2
Last call for your questions. And thanks for your very helpful input up to now.
Here's the podcast. Lots of discussion about how new writers can break in to radio writing.
http://www.writersguild.org.uk/podcasts/149-writing-radio-comedy
>>>Stephen Carlin is busy writing a new Radio 4 sketch show with James Kettle with additional writers from the best emerging talent, called 'The Headset Set' due for broadcast sometime in early 2011! The six part series is based in the call centre of Smile5- a fictional mail order company, occupying a space somewhere between a traditional sketch show and a sitcom format. Watch this space for further details>>>
Quote: RJ @ March 2 2011, 3:56 PM GMT>>>Stephen Carlin is busy writing a new Radio 4 sketch show with James Kettle with additional writers from the best emerging talent, called 'The Headset Set' due for broadcast sometime in early 2011! The six part series is based in the call centre of Smile5- a fictional mail order company, occupying a space somewhere between a traditional sketch show and a sitcom format. Watch this space for further details>>>
Good for James. I've met him before, nice bloke.
Thanks Griff. Does that mean we sound worthy and dull?
Big thanks for this Anorak.
I too am curious about 'The Headeset Set'. Maybe it's a show the people who did well with 'Newsjack' can submit to (I, being someone who's written for other open-sub shows but not NJ, hope they're more lenient).
I 2nd the niceness of Mister Kettle. Hurrah for him.
No more RFTP? 
I got the impression during our chat that, RFTP or no RFTP, Jane is keenly aware of the importance of bringing new writers in. She sounded genuinely proactive about this - controllers always do when they start in the job, but she's been there for more than a year and the fact that she spoke about it so strongly is good news for new and newish (and hopefully Jewish) writers.
That definitely came across. I just hope all the fully 'open door' eggs aren't in the Newsjack basket as not everyone is up for writing topical stuff.
Quote: Badge @ March 3 2011, 10:43 AM GMTThat definitely came across. I just hope all the fully 'open door' eggs aren't in the Newsjack basket as not everyone is up for writing topical stuff.
Traditionally the open door slots were topical because the shows were on all or most of the year - News Huddlines, Week Ending. But writers who were less engaged with topical eg David Renwick, Riley & Cecil, Lee & Herring, would find a way of getting their funny ideas across on the slenderest of topical hooks.
I think there was a little more freedom in Week Ending though. Newsjack has a definite tone and Miles has to be the spine of most (though certainly not all) of the sketches. Week Ending was freer in tone, subject and structure. It wasn't very good, but easier for writers with different interests and styles to get on.
I write this as someone who hasn't had anything on NJ, but I have had a fair amount on other Radio 4 and Radio 7 shows (but I could never write for shows like 'The Now Show' or 'News Quiz'). Last year I was submitting to NJ and a BBC2 show at the same time and I got nothing on NJ but something on the BBC2 show. Personally, I hope there are more non-topical opportunities.
P.S. I do like Newsjack and Miles (just in case I've given the impression that I don't) I just can't write for them. Also, I know NOTHING compared to Anorak.
I can't give you a specific link, these leaflets have only just been printed and as far as I can see they're not yet up on writersroom. It's quite a small leaflet and as far as I can tell most of the information in it can be found by trawling through the other sections of writersroom eg http://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/writing/tips_radiocomedy.shtml
A serious discussion between writersroom, the BBC radio and TV comedy departments and the Writers' Guild is on the cards, and with it hopefully there'll be some clearing up of rules, advice and misunderstandings.
Would just like to say a big thanks to Mr Cohen and everyone else involved in these podcasts, they've been very interesting, providing some great insight into the machinations behind the scenes, as it were, lovely stuff.
Thanks Tony.
Yes Griff it does seem odd that a rejected script remains a rejected script. When the moment of the meeting arrives I shall return here with a request for questions to put to writersroom about their methods.
I may, quite probably, return some time before that too. But that will probably be to make some smart alec comment about a new sitcom.