Evan Davis – Q&A

Name?
EVAN DAVIS

Age?
43

Where are you from?
BROUGHT UP IN ASHTEAD, SURREY. BORN IN MALVERN WORCESTERSHIRE

How did you get started in broadcasting?
I WORKED FOR AN ECONOMIC RESEARCH INSTITUTE AND A BBC PRODUCER CALLED, ASKING IF I COULD ACT AS A MOCK INTERVIEWEE FOR A CANDIDATE ECONOMICS CORRESPONDENT THEY WERE THINKING OF EMPLOYING. AFTER THE INTERVIEW, I SAID MAYBE I COULD APPLY FOR THE JOB ITSELF… HAVING A WORKING KNOWLEDGE OF ECONOMICS WAS AN ENORMOUS HELP TO GETTING STRAIGHT IN.

When was that?
1993

Why News broadcasting?
THERE ARE SOME OF US WHO JUST LIKE NEWS.. NOT BECAUSE IT’S IMPORTANT (IT IS IMPORTANT, BUT NOT AS IMPORTANT AS NEWS PEOPLE TEND TO THINK). BUT BECAUSE ITS JUST FEELS PLUGGED IN.

Where else would have viewers seen or heard you before?
SCHOOL DRAMA; THE ODD APPEARENCE AS AN ECONOMIST FROM THE INSTITUTE FOR FISCAL STUDIES

What is your Best on-air moment?
BEING HUGGED BY A MAN IN A GORILLA OUTFIT IN COLOGNE IN WHILE MAKING A PROFOUND POINT ABOUT THE EURO.

What is your Worst on-air moment?
TODAY PROGRAMME, BEING INTERVIEWED BY JIM NAUGHTIE AT 6.45AM DOWN AN ISDN LINE FROM HOME. I HAD A TERRIBLE ECHO OF MYSELF ON THE LINE, SO REMOVED THE HEADPHONES WHILE TALKING. BUT IT MEANT THAT I COULDN’T HEAR JIM TRYING TO INTERRUPT ME… IT MEANT I TALKED ALL OVER HIM AND SOUNDED RATHER RUDE.

What would you like to do before your career ends?
PERSUADE PEOPLE THAT ECONOMICS IS NOT REALLY ABOUT INFLATION AND INTEREST RATES — BUT IS A USEFUL WAY OF LOOKING AT ALL SORTS OF ISSUES, FROM TRANSPORT POLICY, TO DIVORCE.

What advice would you give to anyone that would like to get into the broadcasting world?
I WOULD ENSURE THAT I HAD SOME OTHER SKILL OR KNOWLEDGE BEFORE GOING INTO BROADCASTING. IT GOES A LONG WAY. THE BROADCASTING LOOKS AFTER ITSELF WHEN YOU GET INTO IT.

A big thanks to Evan for taking part.

Posted by on Thursday 21 May 2009
Copy link