Sky News is showing the NASA tv channel while the shuttle lands, and talking over the audio feed. The news man just said that they’ve been receiving a myriad of emails from viewers asking the newsmen to ‘shut up’ as the viewers can’t hear the NASA feed. Hear, hear.
However, the newsman said “we’re talking because we never know when NASA is going to say something” and that they dislike leaving no audio at all. So they’re still talking. Newscasters no longer know how to be quiet.
Reminds me of the Liz Two Coronation story.
The late Brian Johnson had the task of doing the audio over live footage of the royal procession for part of its journey from Buckingham Palace to, er, wherever they were going. He had reams of bumf about things he could say, the weight of the gold carriage, names of all the corgis, who designed Liz’s hat etc etc. So had every other BBC man. The procession was delayed, and the previous announcer used up all the yak. Then he handed over to BJ. BJ had nothing left to say, so he was silent for about three minutes, before saying, “and now I hand you over to…” the next man in the chain.
The next day viewers said his silent three minutes were the best part of the whole commentary!