Of course it's a hard life being an arts journalist - all those free iPod nanos and invitations to brunch chez Madonna, that sort of thing. But I'd still be the first to admit that such hardships pale beside the numbing grind of the newsdesk, where, rumour has it, reporters are sometimes required to go a full day without access to fairtrade latte.
Thus it was, when the idea was mooted in our morning news meeting of blogging about the UK theme tune (it's to be axed by those mean-spirited types at Radio 4, in case you haven't been paying close attention), the arts desk politely demurred. Music it undeniably is, and therefore in our neck of the woods, but can getting up at 5.30am in order to hear a performance be described as "cultured"? As if. This Vulture only wakes up of an evening, as anyone who's tried to engage him in meaningful conversation prior to elevenses knows to their cost.
Not so newshound Ros Taylor, who makes a habit of rising at that unholy hour in order to keep you good folks up-to-speed on what the papers say. Despite hating the UK theme at first, she says, thanks to years of early starts it's definitely grown on her - and she's not going to be lectured to by a load of nannying bureaucrats who pronounce otherwise. Save the UK theme! Save the morning!
It's over on Newsblog, if you want to take a peek. But don't stay long, obviously, in case the idea of commencing your day with a stirring dose of What Shall We Do With the Drunken Sailor starts to appeal. That way madness lies.
