Sam Mason
Encyclopedia
Sam Mason is a British
radio and television presenter.
Mason began her broadcasting career in the late 1980s as a continuity announcer for HTV West and presented the station's overnight strand Night Club (also broadcast on HTV Wales). She later progressed onto presenting HTV News bulletins and presenting various regional programmes including makeover show The House, local music contest First Cut, interior design series Living it Up! and topical debate programme Late & Live. She also presented and researched Custom Choppers for Men & Motors
in 2007.
Mason later joined BBC Radio Bristol
as a freelance presenter for two years, then went on to present a Sunday morning show and latterly, from 29 September 2008 until her dismissal in November 2008, the station's weekday afternoon show.
following an incident in which she made allegedly racist remarks made in an off-air phone conversation during a weekday afternoon show. Whilst phoning a taxi firm in order to send her 14-year-old daughter from Mason's Clifton home to her grandparents home, she was said to have requested the company not to send an Asian driver. The day after her suspension, Mason was told by the BBC that she would no longer be working for the Corporation. The phone call was illegally recorded by an operator for Streamline Black & White and sent to The Sun
. The taxi company says the operator has since been sacked.
Mason was previously convicted in 2003 and 2004 of speeding and public order offences
, whilst battling alcohol addiction.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
radio and television presenter.
Mason began her broadcasting career in the late 1980s as a continuity announcer for HTV West and presented the station's overnight strand Night Club (also broadcast on HTV Wales). She later progressed onto presenting HTV News bulletins and presenting various regional programmes including makeover show The House, local music contest First Cut, interior design series Living it Up! and topical debate programme Late & Live. She also presented and researched Custom Choppers for Men & Motors
Men & Motors
Men & Motors was a men's lifestyle television channel in the UK. It was the last remaining station operated by the former Granada Sky Broadcasting joint venture, set up by Granada Television and satellite broadcaster British Sky Broadcasting in 1996...
in 2007.
Mason later joined BBC Radio Bristol
BBC Radio Bristol
BBC Radio Bristol is the BBC Local Radio service for the English city of Bristol and the surrounding former Avon area. Launched in September 1970, it broadcasts from Broadcasting House in Bristol on FM frequencies 94.9 MHz , 104.6 MHz , 103.6 MHz , on AM 1548 kHz and on DAB.The...
as a freelance presenter for two years, then went on to present a Sunday morning show and latterly, from 29 September 2008 until her dismissal in November 2008, the station's weekday afternoon show.
Controversy
On 8 November 2008, after coming off air from a weekday afternoon show, Mason was suspended by BBC Radio BristolBBC Radio Bristol
BBC Radio Bristol is the BBC Local Radio service for the English city of Bristol and the surrounding former Avon area. Launched in September 1970, it broadcasts from Broadcasting House in Bristol on FM frequencies 94.9 MHz , 104.6 MHz , 103.6 MHz , on AM 1548 kHz and on DAB.The...
following an incident in which she made allegedly racist remarks made in an off-air phone conversation during a weekday afternoon show. Whilst phoning a taxi firm in order to send her 14-year-old daughter from Mason's Clifton home to her grandparents home, she was said to have requested the company not to send an Asian driver. The day after her suspension, Mason was told by the BBC that she would no longer be working for the Corporation. The phone call was illegally recorded by an operator for Streamline Black & White and sent to The Sun
The Sun (newspaper)
The Sun is a daily national tabloid newspaper published in the United Kingdom and owned by News Corporation. Sister editions are published in Glasgow and Dublin...
. The taxi company says the operator has since been sacked.
Mason was previously convicted in 2003 and 2004 of speeding and public order offences
Public order crime
In criminology, public-order crime is defined by Siegel as "...crime which involves acts that interfere with the operations of society and the ability of people to function efficiently", i.e. it is behaviour that has been labelled criminal because it is contrary to shared norms, social values, and...
, whilst battling alcohol addiction.