To wonder why all the 'WFH' COVID experts, journalists, MPs etc are filmed with bookshelves behind...

[Dances]

I mean really, in MN terms, it's a book boast

Doing Bookshelf Bingo now

Well they’re not going to do a bbc interview from their kitchen or bedroom or kids playroom are they? They’ll be in a home office / study which is where the books are stored too.
I’ve got a blank wall with nice birch forest wallpaper but that’s cause of the layout, work book shelves are to the side of my desk.

Yes, it's been making me laugh.

There's also a fine selection appearing in piles as laptop-stands. Some people have a better quality of coffee-table book than others, I've noticed.

Casino- in every room, bookshelves on every wall?

I have books in every room of this house except the utility (probably). That's how it should be!

If I was having a skype interview on TV, and I have done them, I either choose a plain wall if I can find one, or my office, which has books in, because it's a neutral, professional-ish back drop. It's not about looking clever, but I'm not going to do it in front of Tracy Island and a pile of unfolded laundry because that would be massively distracting.

BUt I freely admit to reading people's bookshelves in interviews too. I think that's fair game!

“People who say this sound like people who don5 have loads of books“

I’ve got 3 6 foot bookcases, plus more books in other places... none of them would be behind me anywhere unless I rearranged most of my house to put them there...

Yes there are some occasions where it has been obvious that the interviewee is at a workplace desk, behind which are bookshelves

But there are many interviews where the bookshelves are the staging and a prop.

That's what I'm talking about

All of my lessons are filmed with bookshelves in the background, too. It's not done to show off: it's done because the library is where I work, so it's logical to film the lessons there. It's probably the same for them.

Probably every other wall in their house needs redecorating or dusting.
Books can hide a multitude of sins.
Whilst also reflecting the fact that one is well read, well informed and well educated of course 😀

I have a bookcase on my landing upstairs. I wouldn't sit in front of that to be interviewed on the telly.

One time when DH was on a video call with his team, our son had walked in asking for milk and I had to run to go get him, so a world away from the books you see in the background!

I'm mean, I don't care, but it's funny

Not really. I do my Zoom work calls in my study out of the way. I have a bookshelf behind me. I would think that is very common in anyone who has a study/office at home. Which most of these people probably do?

Because an office is a desk on one side and books on all the other sides. Where else do you put the books? Especially the work-related books.

that should have read 'I mean' but the other one will do too....

@irregularegular
Do you live in Australia/ New Zealand ?

I’m working from the kitchen table, so the background is the draining board and fridge. Today I was waiting on a call picking up, and DP wandered in, trailed hotly by the cat shrieking for food. All glamour. No books.

You see for me, books and bookshelves are so normal that the idea it was staged wouldn’t even have come to my mind.

So id say that it says a more about you and what you think is normal than it is about them.

If I have zoom meeting/teaching, I have a bookcase behind me. Because that’s where my desk is and where my bookcase is. I’m not going to inconvenience myself to appease the feeling of ‘book boast’ of people in the other side.
(Tbf, they probably have as many books as I have anyway )

Because most of these people will work from home regularly anyway and we're seeing their home offices.
I'm a lecturer and my home office is floor to ceiling books on two walls. One of the book free walls is where my desk and computer is and the other is a window so not a conducive background for a video call. That means everyone is seeing my books .... but we have a lot of books and they spill into other rooms too.

@Samtsirch
Err no. UK. Why???

hmm - I work from home - in my office - behind me ...bookshelves!

not staged that's just my office - I also have Batman posters, Doctor Who Funkopops and Lego figures and a remote control darlek - if I was video conferencing that's what would be behind me

I’m a plant person. I’m getting giddy when I see another plant person on the telly.

Here is a bloke from the WHO on Sky News earlier:..

Lisa Nandy's book loft had me drooling on Question Time!

Now that is one I could well believe was staged. I wonder who all those books belonged to?

the bookshelves are the staging and a prop.
But that implies something temporary. The bookshelves will be there permanently. They aren’t going to want to do an interview in a bathroom or kitchen just to avoid the bookshelf look. Where else?

I'm facing book shelves at my desk (AKA The edge of the dining room table), these are filled with DH's comics and graphic novels. I have very few books as I very rarely read. It just puts me to sleep.