LACK OF INTEREST

Media Watch heard three words on Wednesday which did not encourage us to look at or listen to too much news.
First was "Tay-bo" Umbeki from Fabian Pierre at TV6, then "Gal-A" from Satesh Mahabir of CNC 3, and "U-rope-pean" Union from Maxine Maharaj of IE News.

A STEUPS! is not even good enough to describe the reaction to these pronunciations.

These three presenters chose to rename these internationally known, for want of a better word, symbols.
The first name of the South African President is spelt Thabo and pronounced "Tar-bo", that place in Sri Lanka which was devastated by a tsunami three years ago and which is now hosting a major cricket tournament is Galle and pronounced "gall" (as in gall bladder), and one of the world's economic and political powerhouses is the "Euro-pean" Union (that's where we get the currency the Euro).

It would appear that a knowledge of world affairs and an interest in it is sorely lacking among these three.
A cursory glance at the BBC news (every half hour, seven days a week, 365 days a year) would have provided the pronunciation of these names.

It's not enough to just present the news. You have to be accurate.
Don't be afraid to ask how to pronounce a word before you go on the air.
The only person who will have egg on their face if you don't is YOU.