Invasion of the noddies

The noddies are grinding my gears.

I can hardly bear to look at television news interviews these days with the constant parade of the noddies standing behind their political masters.

While viewers may have a modicum of interest in the words coming out of the interviewees mouth, why can’t we be spared the army of uncomfortable supporters hanging around the shoulders of their colleagues trying to look intensely interested in their spokesperson’s every word?

Being sycophantic is not endearing at the best of times.  I can’t for the life of me think why campaign strategists think that a background filled with individuals, whose body language reeks of “am I looking cool and authentic?”, will win votes.

Back in the day when I was working in communications, the reporters and camera people wouldn’t even entertain shots wide enough to incorporate noddies let alone be compliant in the practice.

I can remember only one occasion when a boss called for what he termed “a full court press”, where he wanted all his tier 2 team around him as part of a media conference.  He may as well not have bothered because the cameras stayed off the surrounding entourage.

The problem today for the majority of Members of Parliament is gaining profile in a social media world where there’s literally thousands of other more interesting and attractive people expounding their views in highly creative ways.   So they turn up with their bosses to every walk-about or stand-up in order to convince themselves that they are garnering recognition and doing their bit to reinforce the team message.   In fact they are a distraction.

No wonder younger people are turning off mainstream news bulletins and politics in droves.  The invasion of the noddies is a turn-off.