Channel 4 - More4 News blog - Here's why I WILL be wearing a poppy

Here's why I WILL be wearing a poppy

8 November 2006, 4:14 PM

If you turn over from Channel 4 News to More4 News on any night this week you'll notice one significant difference.

Not just the changed set or different reports we run. But that I WILL be wearing a poppy.

While Jon insists he won't wear one on Channel 4 News. I agree that newscasters shouldn't wear all sorts of political or charitable adornments. The news studio is not the place for us to declare our commitment to fighting breast cancer or declaring we want to make poverty history by wearing ribbons or wristbands.

If we did we'd be deluged with all kinds of ornaments for all sorts of charities with requests to publicise their cause. And we shouldn't express a personal opinion - no matter how uncontroversial it seems - by wearing special things.

But I think poppies are different.

They are so ubiquitous for the first 11 days of November that not wearing one makes more of statement than having one on. All our guests and interviewees are wearing them. All the politicians and experts who appear in our reports are wearing them. So it looks like we are making a statement by not wearing one.

I know Jon Snow has one on in the office - or in the street. But viewers who don't see him in real life don't know that. Many assume he's taking a stand against militarism or the Iraq war. And so I think if we don't wear a poppy we raise more questions about our personal beliefs than we do if we pin one on.

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Readers' comments

Posted by kumquatkowboy on 8 November 2006, 5:50 PM

I don't wear one because my clothes don't have a suitable buttonhole to put it in. I think the Legion should get with the programme and start selling wristbands that you can wear without a suit.

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Posted by sjhoward.co.uk on 9 November 2006, 12:33 AM

[Trackback] As sort of an adjunct to this post, a little more about wearing a poppy on TV. Jon Snow, on Channel 4 News, won’t (he hasn’t in years): I do not believe in wearing anything which represents any kind of statement … I am begged to wear ...

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Posted by momochan on 9 November 2006, 4:46 PM

No offense to any of the three newsreaders who have taken the time to publicly agonise over whether to wear a poppy or not but, don't you have more important things to do? All three posts on the subject seem to be a bout of navel gazing. Does anyone really care that much? And, as Sarah says, she is only wearing one because everyone else is, which is exactly why all politicians etc. are wearing one. You're all sheep!

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Posted by apemantus on 10 November 2006, 8:38 AM

Your argument does not stand closer inspection. If people are presuming things because Jon Snow is not wearing one, that is their problem not his. If you bow that readily to public pressure and hysteria, you're better off working for the Sun than Channel 4 News!

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Posted by nicojabin on 10 November 2006, 11:12 AM

I completely agree with my previous commentator and Jon Snow. It is not just his right, but a neutral stance not to wear a poppy. For example, what about the recent suggestion to wear a white one, in order to add a non-militarist stance to the remembrance? Jon is right, news presenters should stay away from any, absolutely any political statements while on air. So should everyone else on air.

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Posted by JSomers on 10 November 2006, 5:39 PM

It was only after reading Jon Snow's "blog" and that of Sarah Smith's that I have come to understand his decision not to wear a RBL Red Poppy. I don't agree with the reasoning behind such a decision but I support his decision because we all live in a free society paid for by the sacrifices of those who fought to protect it - which are being eroded by draconian legislation introduced by those who would never have the courage to make similar sacrifices

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Posted by DaveParker on 11 November 2006, 8:21 PM

Poppies are not different. "They are so ubiquitous for the first 11 days of November that not wearing one makes more of statement than having one" Since when was ubiquity of a politically-charged symbol a compelling case, to the extent that failure to conform becomes too controversial to contemplate? I guess those of us who find such ritual conformity not to our taste will have to consider ourselves beyond the pale of decent society. But I far prefer that fate to having to adopt a badge because not doing so might be deemed to single me out as disobedient. I thought we'd seen the back of that kind of thing in 1945.

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Posted by greentea on 12 November 2006, 9:10 PM

Sarah: The whole issue of poppies is extremely politically charged, but instead of the will-they-or-won't-they fodder of the tabloids, it would be good to see some coverage that genuinely attempts to investigate that political charge - why do people feel so strongly that everyone in public life should wear a poppy? Is it just journalist-led or are they reflecting widespread public sentiment? Is a red poppy a symbol of militarism or remembrance or both? And who decides? And what role does the fear of being accused of 'dishonouring the dead' play in our political culture? Does it have anything to do with why so few MPs had the courage to properly interrogate the reasons they were given for going to war on Iraq? The debate a couple of weeks ago in parliament where Labour MP after Labour MP stood up and said it was sickening that they were even having a debate about Iraq while troops were in danger - really the most contemptible weasely tribal rubbish when troops are posting to blogs saying they're over the moon that General Dannatt has spoken out - was a case in point: how can MPs be so 'in touch' with the public mood on one hand (by wearing poppies), and so insultingly out of touch on the other?

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