The Shaking

Chapter Three

09.13. BBC Radio South East studios, Canterbury, Kent.

So far presenter Neil Simpson considers the breakfast show has been running smoothly. With any luck he'll be off-air within the next hour with another programme successfully concluded.

It has been a slow news day so far, with only the usual national government agenda driven, borderline propaganda stories to report on, and even then there hasn't been much going on in the wake of the 'User Fee' proposals for National Health Service funding reform. After the mauling she'd received when she flew that kite the Health Minister had quickly hauled it back down and gone quiet, but Simpson is sure the idea will return in some form in the future and provide plenty of material for a phone-in or several. Had RSE not been a part of the remnant BBC they might have tried to make more out of the Royal Mexican 'flu outbreak, but orders have come down from Above not to go overboard on the story; the tone of the network's coverage will be set by the corporation's rolling news channel, which though making the most of the story, would be treating it respectfully and not attempt to match the fawning yet prurient extremes of the commercial news organisations. Instead they'd had to make what they could of anything local, and even then there were thin pickings to be found despite Radio South East's increased catchment area.

RSE is barely a year old, a product of the BBC's enforced 'contracting into quality' in anticipation of the planned gradual reduction of the Licence Fee prior to its eventual abolition and replacement by commercial sponsorship. As a result the nationwide local radio network has been amalgamated into a fewer number of 'regional' stations. The move was supposed to reduce costs - which it has, though only barely - and increased the quality of local news gathering - which it obviously couldn't - but still Neil doubts if anything positive has come from the reorganisation, or if the inevitable End has only been postponed, not avoided, leaving a demoralised workforce unsure of their role, direction, or future. RSE is an impoverished rump reduced to covering vacuous local, celebrity, and 'issues based' filler; the aural equivalent of a local paper, mostly ignored and irrelevant; there really only as an emergency broadcaster standing ready to "Connect in a Crisis" if the need ever arises.

"Neil, check your screen."

Simpson's wandering train of thought is interrupted by his producer Chloe Hall's voice through his headphones.

"Thirty seconds."

Her warning alerts him to compose himself before the record he is currently playing to fill one of the increasing gaps between the spoken news features ends and he's live on air again. Neil thumbs an acknowledgement Chloe will be able to see through the soundproof glass separating his little studio from the outside office and sound engineer's console.

Simpson feels a vibration through his feet. He wonders what it is but no sooner has it been sensed it has gone.

The song fades out. Simpson fades up his microphone and begins introducing the next segment regarding the latest controversy about school overcrowding. As he does so he notices a vivid red BREAKING NEWS ticker flashing on one of the news agency feeds; at the same time he sees a sudden increase in the text, email, and social media traffic sent to RSE. What's going on? wonders Neil as he finishes his introduction and runs the prerecorded report.

As the segment plays he is about to ask Chloe what is happening when she speaks to him. "Neil, fade that report down and break into it, we're going live!" As he does as he is asked, Neil's heart begins to beat faster in the anticipation of the unknown and unexpected. This is one of the rare occasions he yearns for as a presenter; those unscripted, broadcast by the seat of your pants moments when it is all up to you.

"We're interrupting that report which we hope to share with you later in order to bring you some breaking news..." he begins, speaking as Chloe reads him the details. "We're getting first reports of an earthquake - yes, an earthquake - in or near Kent. Preliminary measurements indicate it registered..." It's an effort to split his concentration in two, speaking while listening to the unbelievable story his producer tells him and repeating what she's saying. "... and we'll keep you updated on this developing story as we learn more..."