England 2018 team statement "We stand by our previous position that the BBC's Panorama did nothing more than rake over a series of historical allegations none of which are relevant to the current bidding process. It should be seen as an embarrassment to the BBC."
BBC statement "The programme is in the public interest and shows that some Fifa executives involved in making decisions about the 2018 bid have a history of taking bribes - and that Fifa has consistently failed to act. Delay until after the bid was not an option once it became clear that the winning nations might have been chosen by officials with a proven track record of corruption."
So - history or revelation ? The key element of Andrew Jennings' Panorama was a spreadsheet listing payments from ISL, a Swiss sports marketing company, to various names - some clearly FIFA exectuves, others probably, if the codes were right - during the 90s, when ISL won rights from FIFA year after year. The allegation is that ISL won the contract because they bunged key FIFA representatives. In the film Andrew said he received the document a matter of weeks ago. Some of the film couldn't have been made without the document - but much might have been already in the can. News that Panorama had commissioned Jennings to "do" FIFA again first surfaced in August. Was it always going to be based on this "key" document - or did Andrew just get lucky ? The question is important, because the argument is clearly about timing. England 2018 could not possibly pull out of the bid, yet Jennings (and David Mellor) were pushing the viewer to say withdrawal ought to be contemplated until FIFA is cleaned up - positions they have held way before the spreadsheet in the brown envelope emerged.
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Monday, November 29, 2010
All over Wales
A national radio station for Wales - on old-fashioned FM, as well as DAB - will emerge in the New Year. Real Radio has got the nod from Ofcom to use its licences for mid and North Wales as a single station, with a single editorial area. You can, of course, tune in now on digital satellite. No changes to the line-up currently doing well in South Wales - Jagger and Woody at breakfast, Chris Moore mid-mornings, Wiggy through the afternoon and Dave Brookes at Drivetime. Sounds about as classy as you'd expect from the Guardian Media Group, huh ?
Here's a promotional picture of Woody and his producer EJ, preparing for a "semi-naked car wash", a forfeit paid after Wales drew with Fiji a couple of weeks ago.
Help needed
Probably the most famous pub near Broadcasting House in London is The George. In the postwar years it was known as "The Gluepot" for many who gathered there, either because they had work at the BBC, or because they'd finished work at the BBC, or they hoped to have work at the BBC, or they were avoiding work at the BBC. You might see John Ireland, Alan Rawsthorne, Dylan Thomas, William Walton, Louis MacNiece, Constant Lambert, Humphrey Searle and more.
A little further off the beaten track is The Yorkshire Grey, in Langham Street. Its competitive pricing policy over the years (and a relaxed attitude to late licensing hours in the 70s and 80s) established it as a venue for BBC staff of a less stellar reputation; it's code was YG1, mimicking BH studio numbering. Now, in a world of envy, we'd like to beef up its history, ideally beyond that of The George. So far we have established that Arthur Rimbaud and Ezra Pound were customers. It's likely that Rimbaud's chum, Verlaine [Paul, not Tom] popped in for a tincture or two.
But are there more ? Doris Lessing lived at 25 Langham street from 1959 to 1963 - did she like at bottle of brown ? And when did the pub first open ? Surely not when Boswell lived in Great Portland Street (1740-1795) ? Or when Langham St was still Queen Anne Street East, home to Edwin Landseer in 1802 ?
This is a race. Other pubs are on the history kick. The Manic Street Preachers played their first London gig upstairs at The Horse and Groom, on Great Portland Street. Bob Dylan's London debut was at The King & Queen, at the far end of Foley Street. All leads on former top-notch denizens of The Yorkshire Grey most welcome.
A little further off the beaten track is The Yorkshire Grey, in Langham Street. Its competitive pricing policy over the years (and a relaxed attitude to late licensing hours in the 70s and 80s) established it as a venue for BBC staff of a less stellar reputation; it's code was YG1, mimicking BH studio numbering. Now, in a world of envy, we'd like to beef up its history, ideally beyond that of The George. So far we have established that Arthur Rimbaud and Ezra Pound were customers. It's likely that Rimbaud's chum, Verlaine [Paul, not Tom] popped in for a tincture or two.
But are there more ? Doris Lessing lived at 25 Langham street from 1959 to 1963 - did she like at bottle of brown ? And when did the pub first open ? Surely not when Boswell lived in Great Portland Street (1740-1795) ? Or when Langham St was still Queen Anne Street East, home to Edwin Landseer in 1802 ?
This is a race. Other pubs are on the history kick. The Manic Street Preachers played their first London gig upstairs at The Horse and Groom, on Great Portland Street. Bob Dylan's London debut was at The King & Queen, at the far end of Foley Street. All leads on former top-notch denizens of The Yorkshire Grey most welcome.
Line up time
Signwriting is a skill; I even found getting Letraset straight more than tricky, despite the helpful line-up dots. The first stab at big, bold signage at MediaCityUK looks a little wonky in this shot.
The 'e', 'S' and 'd' could do with a nudge down, to an untrained eye. I am, however, assured by the clear vision of contributors to the MediaCity thread here, that it's all been sorted now.
The 'e', 'S' and 'd' could do with a nudge down, to an untrained eye. I am, however, assured by the clear vision of contributors to the MediaCity thread here, that it's all been sorted now.
Sunday, November 28, 2010
All agreed ?
There are difficulties in running a website that tries to be so many things to so many people. At 2150 tonight (Sunday) the top story on the BBC News UK site is headlined "Wikileaks claims 'criticise UK'"; the international site chooses "Wikileaks reveal US Global Fears".
The Scotland site still leads with "Chaos as heavy snow hits Scotland", with no reference on the home page to Wikileaks. In Wales, it's still "Temperatures hits record low -17C", again with no link to the handiwork of Mr Assange; and in Northern Ireland, the lead is "Irish 85bn euros bail out agreed". So much for a common news agenda. No wonder Byford's walking...
The Scotland site still leads with "Chaos as heavy snow hits Scotland", with no reference on the home page to Wikileaks. In Wales, it's still "Temperatures hits record low -17C", again with no link to the handiwork of Mr Assange; and in Northern Ireland, the lead is "Irish 85bn euros bail out agreed". So much for a common news agenda. No wonder Byford's walking...
Value judgement
Plain-speaking John Myers has been hired by the BBC Trust for yet-another-look at value for money in BBC Network Radio. John, formerly with GMG, and quite fond of appearing at the microphone himself in the north-east, has had a year off after stepping down from the group, and will act as an independent consultant leading the review, before taking up a new role as head of the Radio Academy in April 2011.
Commercial radio spokesman Andrew Harrison is moderately gracious about the exercise, looking at Radio 1, 1Xtra, 2 and 6Music. "Although this falls some way short of a formal benchmarking exercise with Commercial Radio, as requested by both the NAO [National Audit Office] and the BBC Trust, we would still expect John Myers, who is greatly respected across all of the radio industry, to identify both areas of best practice and possible savings".
The only way he can properly assess the value-for-money of the music networks is if the BBC has really responded to the NAO report from 2009, which was scathing about the corporation's lack of both cost-benefit analysis and work on benchmarking. Otherwise it'll be another document for the shelf.
Commercial radio spokesman Andrew Harrison is moderately gracious about the exercise, looking at Radio 1, 1Xtra, 2 and 6Music. "Although this falls some way short of a formal benchmarking exercise with Commercial Radio, as requested by both the NAO [National Audit Office] and the BBC Trust, we would still expect John Myers, who is greatly respected across all of the radio industry, to identify both areas of best practice and possible savings".
The only way he can properly assess the value-for-money of the music networks is if the BBC has really responded to the NAO report from 2009, which was scathing about the corporation's lack of both cost-benefit analysis and work on benchmarking. Otherwise it'll be another document for the shelf.
- 1300 Monday update. Phil Riley, formerly of LBC, now with Midland radio group Orion, says "I think it's an inspired choice, because the commercial sector know John well, know he's got the best interests of radio at heart and will not let the BBC off the hook. At the same time, the BBC knows he's got the best interests of radio at heart and he's not going to recommend things that would damage the BBC." John Myers will look at Radio2 and 6Music. Radio2 and 6Music are controlled by Bob Shennan. Bob is also President of the Radio Academy.
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Primal Scream
If you want to read what it feels like to be a presenter under scrutiny, read Decca Aitkenhead's interview with Adrian Chiles and Christine Bleakley in The Guardian. Adrian, as ever, is riddled with self doubt - and has a welcome new respect for breakfast broadcasters. However he'll come through - he did in fine style with Wake Up to Money and 5Live Breakfast in 1994. And I suspect the PR team wouldn't have let them do the interview unless things were coming back on track for Daybreak.
Reconstructed
Jonathan Charles, currently competing with Turnbull and Williams, Chiles and Bleakley, and Holmes and The Dolly Birds for a breakfast tv audience, is leaving the BBC in the New Year. Jonathan's main gig has been presenting BBC World four days a week from 0500-0800 (which can occasionally lead to stress), but he's been grafting for the corporation around the world for 20 years. Boss Helen Boaden says he's driven up European morning audiences - and he'll be a loss to World News, BBC News and the general fun of life.
Despite his business acumen, Jonathan seems to be heading to the European Bank of Reconstruction and Development, which will either be the busiest banking service over the next few years, or dead along with the Euro. He follows brother Paul into the heady world of PR. Paul fronted for Eurostar and Virgin Atlantic, and now is COO for Lewis PR.
Despite his business acumen, Jonathan seems to be heading to the European Bank of Reconstruction and Development, which will either be the busiest banking service over the next few years, or dead along with the Euro. He follows brother Paul into the heady world of PR. Paul fronted for Eurostar and Virgin Atlantic, and now is COO for Lewis PR.
Friday, November 26, 2010
Friday music 26 November
Chet Baker, 1964, in Belgium. Teeth going through drugs and booze, but just listen. Jule Styne and Sammy Cahn wrote Time After Time. Introduced by Frank Sinatra in the 1947 film It Happened In Brooklyn. If this is too sleepy for you, try Chris Montez' cover, produced by Herb Alpert, with Hal Blaine on drums.
Hobson's choice
Whilst the BBC, BECTU and NUJ still discuss the detail of CAB 2011 (the Career Average Benefits pension scheme being imposed on existing employees), there's a little less attention on the proposals for new employees.
From December 1, new hires (if there are any under the 16% cuts) will be offered only Lifeplan. (Note the absence of the word "pension"). It is a defined contribution scheme, to be run by Friends Provident. The BBC contributes a maximum of 10% of salary; salary sacrifice is used to save on National Insurance contributions, and if you take up life assurance as well, you can create a lump sum of up to four-times basic salary.
I noted yesterday that new Director of Corporate Finance Charlie Villar arrives on November 29. I wonder which scheme he'll choose.
From December 1, new hires (if there are any under the 16% cuts) will be offered only Lifeplan. (Note the absence of the word "pension"). It is a defined contribution scheme, to be run by Friends Provident. The BBC contributes a maximum of 10% of salary; salary sacrifice is used to save on National Insurance contributions, and if you take up life assurance as well, you can create a lump sum of up to four-times basic salary.
I noted yesterday that new Director of Corporate Finance Charlie Villar arrives on November 29. I wonder which scheme he'll choose.
Beth sy'n bod ?
You do have to wonder how they ever got a programme out over recent years. Recently departed Chief Executive Iona Jones is taking S4C to an employment tribunal for unfair dismissal. The chairman apparently resigned, then claimed it was a delayed resignation so he's still in post; meanwhile the vice-chairman says he's in charge and is negotiating terms with the BBC. Labour AM Alun Davies, a former S4C executive, says they should all go. “The S4C Authority need to get their heads out of the sand, recognise that not only are they a part of the problem – they are the problem"
The Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt is clearly fed up with the lot of them, and doesn't want to see anyone Welsh until 2015 (the year, rather than later this evening).
The Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt is clearly fed up with the lot of them, and doesn't want to see anyone Welsh until 2015 (the year, rather than later this evening).
360 degrees
BBC Technology Correspondent Rory Cellan-Jones has been visiting the new bit of the re-developed Broadcasting House, and has made this very clever panorama shot of the huge, double-height newsroom. Whilst the shiny floor looks appealing, and ideal for Strictly Come Dancing, there will, in the end, be carpet. And quite a lot of people (despite 16% cuts).
Thursday, November 25, 2010
The right Charlie ?
Tim Senior, the BBC's interim Director of Corporate Finance is moving on. He joined the BBC a year and a half ago, as Director of Financial and Commercial Strategy, from private equity group Terra Firma. Prior to that he was a media and telecoms consultant with Oxera.
From Monday, the role goes to Charles Villar, who takes responsibility for long term planning, and, joy-of-joys, gets to help with the new 16% "efficiency" programme. Charles spent 1991 to 2003 with Deloittes then Arthur Andersen, as a financial consultant in the inevitable "media and telecoms" area; and then joined the Department for Business when they set up the Shareholder Executive, designed to make the Government more savvy about its part or full ownership of things like the Royal Mint, Ordnance Survey, and, eventually, Northern Rock. He's also taken an interest in Channel 4, and BBC Worldwide (and thus, possibly, might have been known to BBC CFO Zarin Patel, who sits on the Worldwide Board as a non-exec; it might explain the use of the more familiar "Charlie" in her announcement of the appointment)
Mail v BBC (statistically, that is)
The Mail website, under publisher Martin Clarke, continues to soar ahead of the Fleet Street pack in the ABCe monthly figures for October - and it would still be interesting to have some meaningful comparisons with the BBC and Sky in these multimedia equations.
Martin helpfully gave a slideshow at the Society of Editors (still available to view) and claims that the Mail's 50m (blue line) compares with 57m (red line) reached by BBC "Journalism".
Mail Online
Average daily unique browsers: 2,758,875 (+3.31 per cent)
Monthly unique browsers: 50,051,735 (+6.7 per cent)
Guardian.co.uk
Average daily unique browsers: 2,080,691 (+2.07 per cent)
Monthly unique browsers: 37,463,006 (+4.13 per cent)
Telegraph.co.uk
Average daily unique browsers: 1,722,484 (+3.16 per cent)
Monthly unique browsers: 33,944,742 (+6.05 per cent)
Mirror Group
Average daily unique browsers: 530,138 (+0.8 per cent)
Monthly unique browsers: 11,681,022 (+3.58 per cent)
Independent.co.uk
Average daily unique browsers: 555,908 (+0.42 per cent)
Monthly unique browsers: 12,449,264 (+3.49 per cent)
TheSun.co.uk
No data available
Times.co.uk
No data available
Martin helpfully gave a slideshow at the Society of Editors (still available to view) and claims that the Mail's 50m (blue line) compares with 57m (red line) reached by BBC "Journalism".
Mail Online
Average daily unique browsers: 2,758,875 (+3.31 per cent)
Monthly unique browsers: 50,051,735 (+6.7 per cent)
Guardian.co.uk
Average daily unique browsers: 2,080,691 (+2.07 per cent)
Monthly unique browsers: 37,463,006 (+4.13 per cent)
Telegraph.co.uk
Average daily unique browsers: 1,722,484 (+3.16 per cent)
Monthly unique browsers: 33,944,742 (+6.05 per cent)
Mirror Group
Average daily unique browsers: 530,138 (+0.8 per cent)
Monthly unique browsers: 11,681,022 (+3.58 per cent)
Independent.co.uk
Average daily unique browsers: 555,908 (+0.42 per cent)
Monthly unique browsers: 12,449,264 (+3.49 per cent)
TheSun.co.uk
No data available
Times.co.uk
No data available
Nice package
Still loving FoI and What Do They Know? The BBC has collated Mark Byford's total remuneration packages since he joined the Executive Board, in response to someone known only as "Margaret".
1999/2000 £238,000
2000/2001 £280,000
2001/2002 £294,000
2002/2003 £306,000
2003/2004 £384,000
2004/2005 £457,000
2005/2006 £456,000
2006/2007 £437,000
2007/2008 £513,000
2008/2009 £485,000
2009/2010 £488,000
Total: £4.3m
1999/2000 £238,000
2000/2001 £280,000
2001/2002 £294,000
2002/2003 £306,000
2003/2004 £384,000
2004/2005 £457,000
2005/2006 £456,000
2006/2007 £437,000
2007/2008 £513,000
2008/2009 £485,000
2009/2010 £488,000
Total: £4.3m
Thommo; "We thought of it"
The "48-hour" deal to fix the licence fee for six years was the BBC's idea, says Mark Thompson. He told the Voice of the Listener and Viewer conference in London last night that the deal was actually worked out over nine days. "A comprehensive settlement was our idea", and better than "walking away from the table".
He said the strategy had outmanoeuvred the BBC's opponents, who were gearing up for the traditional "smaller BBC" campaign that would have been afforded by a licence fee debate in 2011.
Thommo also offered some hope for services at Bush House, where the impact of 16% cuts is expected to be severe. "For the next three years, the World Service will continue to be funded by the Government. The cuts it faces as part of the Government's Comprehensive Spending Review will mean a significant reduction in services as well as job losses. There is no getting away from this fact. But when the licence fee funding begins in 2014, it is our intention, subject to approval from the BBC Trust, to increase investment in the World Service again and hold it at a higher level until the end of the Charter period". It depends a bit when "again" comes into play...but Thommo says the future is even better: "...transferring both the World Service and BBC Monitoring to licence fee funding means that, after decades in which parts of the BBC have been in scope for Government spending reviews, the BBC should never again have to get involved in a CSR."
The DG also repeated that there would be no new calls on the licence fee; one hopes that line holds true - there is still the big question of who pays for the extra DAB transmitters clearly needed to make it an effective UK service, particularly along motorways.
Full speech now available here
He said the strategy had outmanoeuvred the BBC's opponents, who were gearing up for the traditional "smaller BBC" campaign that would have been afforded by a licence fee debate in 2011.
Thommo also offered some hope for services at Bush House, where the impact of 16% cuts is expected to be severe. "For the next three years, the World Service will continue to be funded by the Government. The cuts it faces as part of the Government's Comprehensive Spending Review will mean a significant reduction in services as well as job losses. There is no getting away from this fact. But when the licence fee funding begins in 2014, it is our intention, subject to approval from the BBC Trust, to increase investment in the World Service again and hold it at a higher level until the end of the Charter period". It depends a bit when "again" comes into play...but Thommo says the future is even better: "...transferring both the World Service and BBC Monitoring to licence fee funding means that, after decades in which parts of the BBC have been in scope for Government spending reviews, the BBC should never again have to get involved in a CSR."
The DG also repeated that there would be no new calls on the licence fee; one hopes that line holds true - there is still the big question of who pays for the extra DAB transmitters clearly needed to make it an effective UK service, particularly along motorways.
Full speech now available here
Naughty BBC journalists
BBC No 2 Mark Byford's either just getting out in time - or leaving a division that's prepared to take on problem staff. Since 2006, 215 (57%) of the 375 internal disciplinary cases heard in the BBC have been in journalism - more if you count World Service in the total. On the other, the HR department (People) seems rather-too-good-to-be true, at just one case over nearly five years. And were only three sent to "dry out" all told ? All from an FOI request by one M Mutcer, found on What Do They Know.
Disciplinary cases by department
Audio & Music 18
English Regions (Journalism) 97
Finance 10
Future Media & Technology 48
MC&A 12
Monitoring (Journalism) 13
News (Journalism) 49
Northern Ireland (Journalism) 4
Operations Group 5
People 1
Scotland (Journalism) 18
Sport (Journalism) 6
Vision 17
Wales (Journalism) 28
World Service (Global News) 49
The basis for the 375 cases breaks down as follows...
Absence 19
Behaviour/ conduct 65
Breach of Editorial Guidelines 13
Bringing the BBC into disrepute 5
Bullying & Harassment 14
Capability 8
Conduct 27
Conflict of Interest 23
Disciplinary 3
Editorial & broadcast issues 12
Failure to Follow Management Instruction 21
Fraud/ Theft 16
Inappropriate Behaviour 17
Misuse of BBC Resources 15
Performance 6
Preliminary Investigation 8
Substance Abuse 8
Timekeeping 12
Unauthorised Absence 32
(blank) 51
And the outcomes - it looks like 41 (11%) were shown the door, and 10 fell on their swords."Compromise agreement" (13) is also an early bath, but with less than a full pay-off. Unless "blank" is some other awful fate.
Alcohol dependency programme 3
Cancelled 10
Compromise Agreement 13
Disciplinary 4
Dismissal 26
Final written warning 77
Informal action 4
Monitoring of performance 1
No action taken 27
Not Upheld 2
Partially Upheld 1
Resignation received and accepted 10
Summary Dismissal 15
Verbal warning 32
Withdrawn 16
Written Warning 118
(blank) 16
Disciplinary cases by department
Audio & Music 18
English Regions (Journalism) 97
Finance 10
Future Media & Technology 48
MC&A 12
Monitoring (Journalism) 13
News (Journalism) 49
Northern Ireland (Journalism) 4
Operations Group 5
People 1
Scotland (Journalism) 18
Sport (Journalism) 6
Vision 17
Wales (Journalism) 28
World Service (Global News) 49
The basis for the 375 cases breaks down as follows...
Absence 19
Behaviour/ conduct 65
Breach of Editorial Guidelines 13
Bringing the BBC into disrepute 5
Bullying & Harassment 14
Capability 8
Conduct 27
Conflict of Interest 23
Disciplinary 3
Editorial & broadcast issues 12
Failure to Follow Management Instruction 21
Fraud/ Theft 16
Inappropriate Behaviour 17
Misuse of BBC Resources 15
Performance 6
Preliminary Investigation 8
Substance Abuse 8
Timekeeping 12
Unauthorised Absence 32
(blank) 51
And the outcomes - it looks like 41 (11%) were shown the door, and 10 fell on their swords."Compromise agreement" (13) is also an early bath, but with less than a full pay-off. Unless "blank" is some other awful fate.
Alcohol dependency programme 3
Cancelled 10
Compromise Agreement 13
Disciplinary 4
Dismissal 26
Final written warning 77
Informal action 4
Monitoring of performance 1
No action taken 27
Not Upheld 2
Partially Upheld 1
Resignation received and accepted 10
Summary Dismissal 15
Verbal warning 32
Withdrawn 16
Written Warning 118
(blank) 16
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Revelations ?
Re-reading reporter Andrew Jennings in the post-transmission euphoria of his last Panorama "The Beautiful Bung: Corruption and the World Cup" back in 2006, you'd think the mighty pen had all but won - Sepp Blatter and Jack Warner would be on their way, and FIFA would be cleansed.
Andrew was a "veteran" then, having started back in the 60s on the Sunday Times Insight team, and moving on to World In Action. All good investigative reporters are obsessive, but it's clear from his website, Transparency in Sport, that over the past four years, Andrew's focus has been more or less entirely on FIFA.
So the important question about his next Panorama, still due for transmission on Monday, will be "What's new ?" Re-hashes and re-caps of old stuff won't do. The DG must be convinced it passes the test; so let's hope it delivers.
Andrew was a "veteran" then, having started back in the 60s on the Sunday Times Insight team, and moving on to World In Action. All good investigative reporters are obsessive, but it's clear from his website, Transparency in Sport, that over the past four years, Andrew's focus has been more or less entirely on FIFA.
So the important question about his next Panorama, still due for transmission on Monday, will be "What's new ?" Re-hashes and re-caps of old stuff won't do. The DG must be convinced it passes the test; so let's hope it delivers.
- 25 November update: According to Charles Sale in the Mail, Andrew Jennings was still doing interviews for the programme last weekend, talking to Gerry Sutcliffe.
Supermarket News
There's a slight moistening of the eyes as I read the news that Bangor City might be finally on their way from the Farrar Road Stadium - a move that's been gestating since 2003. Bangor centre will become even more boring with an ASDA in the middle.
The stadium in theory holds 1,500, with 700 seated. In 1962, they took on AC Napoli in a two-legged European Cupwinners' Cup tie, led by manager, former Everton star T G Jones. They won 2-0 at home in front of 8,000 fans, but lost 3-1 away. On the current away goals rule, they'd have been through, but it went to a replay at Highbury, in front of 21,000 and Bangor lost 2-1. I used to sneak off to Farrar Road in the mid-sixties, when the team had been rebuilt round the talents of Jimmy Conde, Tony Broadhead and Tony Coleman (later of Manchester City) when on holiday at my gran's house. Neville Southall started his career there, though made few first time appearances.
The new site is at Nantporth - sportsground for the old Bangor Normal College. It has a great view of the Menai Straits, should there be longueurs on the pitch. And if Bangor have a good run, it'll completely block up the old A5.
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| Daily Post |
The stadium in theory holds 1,500, with 700 seated. In 1962, they took on AC Napoli in a two-legged European Cupwinners' Cup tie, led by manager, former Everton star T G Jones. They won 2-0 at home in front of 8,000 fans, but lost 3-1 away. On the current away goals rule, they'd have been through, but it went to a replay at Highbury, in front of 21,000 and Bangor lost 2-1. I used to sneak off to Farrar Road in the mid-sixties, when the team had been rebuilt round the talents of Jimmy Conde, Tony Broadhead and Tony Coleman (later of Manchester City) when on holiday at my gran's house. Neville Southall started his career there, though made few first time appearances.
The new site is at Nantporth - sportsground for the old Bangor Normal College. It has a great view of the Menai Straits, should there be longueurs on the pitch. And if Bangor have a good run, it'll completely block up the old A5.
Assistant gardener
Jay Hunt, former Controller BBC1, has a new friend to share gardening leave with, before they both move to Channel 4. George Dixon, in charge of scheduling across BBC Vision, has been hired as Head of Channel Management at C4, to replace Rosemary Newell. Of course, Jay will have taken no part in the process - part of the requirement of "gardening leave". But Dixon will report to Jay, who is allowed to start as Chief Creative Officer in January.
Dixon knows where the BBC TV bodies are buried. He joined in 1996 as a Commissioning Assistant and went on to become Deputy Scheduler on BBC ONE in 1997. He moved to Daytime scheduling in 2001, and was moved to BBC2 later that year, working to Controllers Jane Root and Roly Keating. In 2006, he was appointed by Peter Fincham to run BBC1 schedules, before Jana Bennett elevated him still further to run scheduling across the group.
Dixon's notable interventions include stripping the Simpsons across the BBC2 early evening schedule five nights a week; launching 24 in a 10.00pm slot on Sunday; and re-launching Top Gear at 8.00pm on Sundays. At BBC1 he took a hardline on scheduling Strictly against XFactor, until sat on by Sir Michael Lyons this season. There's also a bit of trumpet blowing on the C4 announcement of George's move: "He was personally responsible for the scheduling and commissioning strategy for BBC1 and in this time created and implemented the strategy that turned around the channel's performance on Wednesday and Sunday. BBC1 has now overtaken ITV1 as the most popular network in peaktime for the first time in history". I wonder who wrote that.
Dixon knows where the BBC TV bodies are buried. He joined in 1996 as a Commissioning Assistant and went on to become Deputy Scheduler on BBC ONE in 1997. He moved to Daytime scheduling in 2001, and was moved to BBC2 later that year, working to Controllers Jane Root and Roly Keating. In 2006, he was appointed by Peter Fincham to run BBC1 schedules, before Jana Bennett elevated him still further to run scheduling across the group.
Dixon's notable interventions include stripping the Simpsons across the BBC2 early evening schedule five nights a week; launching 24 in a 10.00pm slot on Sunday; and re-launching Top Gear at 8.00pm on Sundays. At BBC1 he took a hardline on scheduling Strictly against XFactor, until sat on by Sir Michael Lyons this season. There's also a bit of trumpet blowing on the C4 announcement of George's move: "He was personally responsible for the scheduling and commissioning strategy for BBC1 and in this time created and implemented the strategy that turned around the channel's performance on Wednesday and Sunday. BBC1 has now overtaken ITV1 as the most popular network in peaktime for the first time in history". I wonder who wrote that.
For local people
Charts graph performance from 1999 to the most recent quarter, from the excellent MediaUK site.
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Citizen Desmond
As we hinted here back in October, Richard Desmond wants to get out of his contract with Sky for a news service for Channel Five, and has invited ITN, Mentorn and CNN to submit ideas, and presumably financial tenders, on giving him what he wants. (The Guardian) Reading between the lines, he wants access to skills and content, but would like to add his own editorial stamp. We look forward to alternate daily leads on house prices and Princess Diana's death. Read by Kerry Katona, with Vanessa Feltz standing in at weekends (now free).
Saignant
Always dangerous. "A rare interview" was how Newsnight's Stephen Smith described last night's tete-a-tete with reclusive Doonesbury creator Garry Trudeau. He'd been on R4 Today the previous Friday, and was on Nightwaves with Philip Dodd on Radio 3 that same evening. Perhaps not so rare, with a book to promote.
Share alike
David Holdsworth, in charge of regional and local broadcasting for the BBC in England, has made his move on savings. He's testing "daytime sharing" on local radio with two six month pilots. From next February, Radio Sheffield, Radio Leeds and Radio York which will have one afternoon show presented by Liz Green. And from December, Radio Kent and BBC Sussex and Surrey will have one drivetime show, presented by Dominic King.
Radio Today seems to have the email from David: "Rest assured, we are not reducing the budgets of these stations, but we are re-organising in order to re-direct some people effort [to breakfast and morning output]."
Unless Helen Boaden, Director of News and now owner of local radio, gives stations preferential treatment, they will face the same 16% cuts as other outputs over the next licence fee period. "Rest assured" represents a moment in time. The big question is whether or not David H can arrest the decline in BBC Local Radio listening by adding staff effort to breakfast shows. Effort isn't always everything, as Daybreak has shown...
Radio Today seems to have the email from David: "Rest assured, we are not reducing the budgets of these stations, but we are re-organising in order to re-direct some people effort [to breakfast and morning output]."
Unless Helen Boaden, Director of News and now owner of local radio, gives stations preferential treatment, they will face the same 16% cuts as other outputs over the next licence fee period. "Rest assured" represents a moment in time. The big question is whether or not David H can arrest the decline in BBC Local Radio listening by adding staff effort to breakfast shows. Effort isn't always everything, as Daybreak has shown...
Bob and Vanessa and Jeremy
I hope Radio 2 Controller Bob Shennan has his copy of the BBC's Editorial Guidelines. He's just (as predicted) signed Vanessa Feltz as replacement for Sarah Kennedy for the 0500-0630 weekday slot. But he's also announced that she'll be the first call to deputise for Jeremy Vine on the lunchtime show. This is regarded by all insiders as the network's "news and current affairs" offering.
I refer Bob to "Conflicts of interest: Off-air activities" - particularly this bit..
BBC staff and freelances primarily known as presenters or reporters on BBC news and current affairs programmes must not... advocate any particular position on a matter of public policy, political or industrial controversy or other currently 'controversial subject'.
These are just some headlines from Vanessa's columns for The Daily Express from the past year.
WE WILL NOT BUY GORDON BROWN'S TURGID PROSE
WHY THE OLD GO HUNGRY IN HOSPITALS
SHAME ON TEACHERS WHO BOYCOTT SATS
WHY JOHN TERRY IS UNFIT TO BE A CAPTAIN
The BBC guidelines go on to deal with people who are newspaper columnists etc, but the last sentence seems important.
In some cases the BBC may employ as freelance presenters people whose primary occupation or identity is not the presentation of BBC news or current affairs. For example, presenters may be academics or newspaper editors or columnists and they may have particular viewpoints on current affairs. The BBC would not place the same constraints on their off-air activities as would be placed on BBC news staff or mainstream news or current affairs presenters and reporters. But employment of such freelance presenters should not undermine the BBC's impartiality and it may be advisable in some cases to state on air what their main position or occupation is and, if relevant, that they hold a partial view on a topic. Such presenters should not be used to present news bulletins or major daily news programmes dealing with a wide range of issues.
I refer Bob to "Conflicts of interest: Off-air activities" - particularly this bit..
BBC staff and freelances primarily known as presenters or reporters on BBC news and current affairs programmes must not... advocate any particular position on a matter of public policy, political or industrial controversy or other currently 'controversial subject'.
These are just some headlines from Vanessa's columns for The Daily Express from the past year.
WE WILL NOT BUY GORDON BROWN'S TURGID PROSE
WHY THE OLD GO HUNGRY IN HOSPITALS
SHAME ON TEACHERS WHO BOYCOTT SATS
WHY JOHN TERRY IS UNFIT TO BE A CAPTAIN
The BBC guidelines go on to deal with people who are newspaper columnists etc, but the last sentence seems important.
In some cases the BBC may employ as freelance presenters people whose primary occupation or identity is not the presentation of BBC news or current affairs. For example, presenters may be academics or newspaper editors or columnists and they may have particular viewpoints on current affairs. The BBC would not place the same constraints on their off-air activities as would be placed on BBC news staff or mainstream news or current affairs presenters and reporters. But employment of such freelance presenters should not undermine the BBC's impartiality and it may be advisable in some cases to state on air what their main position or occupation is and, if relevant, that they hold a partial view on a topic. Such presenters should not be used to present news bulletins or major daily news programmes dealing with a wide range of issues.
One big contract
Some IT companies will benefit from Martha Lane Fox's report on the Government's next steps in online engagement with citizens - but many more will lose. The logical consequence of massive centralisation of systems is fewer flowers flourishing, with a turn to one big provider of software. Who will it be ? Last month Francis Maude signed a memorandum of understanding with Steria, the Paris-based IT specialists, already a key provider to many Government departments (also feeling their way round finance services for the BBC). But was it an understanding simply that their existing contracts would be protected, whilst a new lead provider is appointed - or that, from now on, they are in charge ?
Monday, November 22, 2010
Dave and Dom
One suspects David Cameron is more likely to decide who'll be the next Chairman of the BBC Trust than Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt, despite the process of "applications leading to interviews" in January.
The Guardian reports that Dom Loehnis, consultant with headhunters Egon Zehnder International, is helping with the process. In May this year, The Times described Loehnis simply as "Cameron’s best friend". Dom was on holiday with the Cameron family when Samantha first appeared on the horizon, as a friend of Dave's sister, Clare.
Dave and Dom were both at Eton, though Loehnis was below the future PM. Cameron went to Brasenose to study PPE after a gap year; Loehnis caught up, reading English at University College, Oxford. Loehnis has a few good connections of his own; Dad Anthony started at the FCO, travelled through Schroder Wagg and other merchant banks, before becoming Executive Director of the Bank of England; he's now chairman of Alpha Bank.
Dave and Dom re-engaged after university in the late 80s, when Loehnis was working as Arts & Media Correspondent at the Sunday Telegraph, and Cameron was at Central Office. It's believed Cameron helped Loehnis get his next job, as special adviser to Peter Brooke at the Heritage Department. (Somewhere later along the line Dom says he also advised Chris Smith) From there Dom had spells at Pearson, and Booz Allen in New York, before joining AMFMi to set up websites for the US radio chain.
He re-emerged in the UK in 2000, married Tiffany Richards, a literary agent, and co-founded Monkey Kingdom TV with Will MacDonald as creative director (best known then as Chris Evans' sidekick on TFI Friday). Another Etonian, Harry Eastwood was also on board (as featured in the infamous Bullingdon Club photo from 1987 with the future PM). After six years, Dom moved on, spending nine months as "Investment Director" for private equity firm LongAcre Capital (who'd put up the money for Monkey); LongAcre got taken over by the Jefferies Group, so Dom moved on to Egon Zehnder on their "media and entertainment" roster. .
Dom is 41, likes good food and Arsenal. The Independent says he shares with Cameron an interest in cricket, bridge, socialising, piss-taking and cooking.
In May last year, the Egon Zehnder consultancy provided the BBC with a "Board Effectiveness Review", present by one Dom Loehnis. The minutes say "It was noted that the Board was working well according to the most important criteria, but that there were inevitably some areas for improvement". Let's hope he can help provide the BBC Trust with improved leadership.
The Guardian reports that Dom Loehnis, consultant with headhunters Egon Zehnder International, is helping with the process. In May this year, The Times described Loehnis simply as "Cameron’s best friend". Dom was on holiday with the Cameron family when Samantha first appeared on the horizon, as a friend of Dave's sister, Clare.
Dave and Dom were both at Eton, though Loehnis was below the future PM. Cameron went to Brasenose to study PPE after a gap year; Loehnis caught up, reading English at University College, Oxford. Loehnis has a few good connections of his own; Dad Anthony started at the FCO, travelled through Schroder Wagg and other merchant banks, before becoming Executive Director of the Bank of England; he's now chairman of Alpha Bank.
Dave and Dom re-engaged after university in the late 80s, when Loehnis was working as Arts & Media Correspondent at the Sunday Telegraph, and Cameron was at Central Office. It's believed Cameron helped Loehnis get his next job, as special adviser to Peter Brooke at the Heritage Department. (Somewhere later along the line Dom says he also advised Chris Smith) From there Dom had spells at Pearson, and Booz Allen in New York, before joining AMFMi to set up websites for the US radio chain.
He re-emerged in the UK in 2000, married Tiffany Richards, a literary agent, and co-founded Monkey Kingdom TV with Will MacDonald as creative director (best known then as Chris Evans' sidekick on TFI Friday). Another Etonian, Harry Eastwood was also on board (as featured in the infamous Bullingdon Club photo from 1987 with the future PM). After six years, Dom moved on, spending nine months as "Investment Director" for private equity firm LongAcre Capital (who'd put up the money for Monkey); LongAcre got taken over by the Jefferies Group, so Dom moved on to Egon Zehnder on their "media and entertainment" roster. .
Dom is 41, likes good food and Arsenal. The Independent says he shares with Cameron an interest in cricket, bridge, socialising, piss-taking and cooking.
In May last year, the Egon Zehnder consultancy provided the BBC with a "Board Effectiveness Review", present by one Dom Loehnis. The minutes say "It was noted that the Board was working well according to the most important criteria, but that there were inevitably some areas for improvement". Let's hope he can help provide the BBC Trust with improved leadership.
Big shed news
It used to be an Argos warehouse near the Trafford Centre; then this year it became the Museum of Museums, a "private cultural enterprise by the Peel Group", a free family visitor attraction; from next year it's an exhibition centre, EventCity, making money and competing with other venues across the north of England. All fine with D1 planning permission....
The first booking is by Great Days Out, who used to have their event for group travel bookers at the Bolton Arena. Manchester Central, formerly GMex, must also be worried. EventCity offers 375,000 sq ft, compared with their 115,000 sq ft. Peel's Mike Butterworth told Manchester Confidential "We’ll be cheaper than Manchester Central, although I can’t say by how much.”
The first booking is by Great Days Out, who used to have their event for group travel bookers at the Bolton Arena. Manchester Central, formerly GMex, must also be worried. EventCity offers 375,000 sq ft, compared with their 115,000 sq ft. Peel's Mike Butterworth told Manchester Confidential "We’ll be cheaper than Manchester Central, although I can’t say by how much.”
Old Stagers
As we await the outcome of Miriam O'Reilly's ageism case against the BBC, outgoing Controller BBC 1 Jay Hunt and her counterparts on 2, 3 and 4 have clearly left room for the odd oldie in their Christmas schedules. Michael Gambon,70, gets a run-out in the festive Dr Who, playing the role of Kazran Sardick (hopefully not some unpleasant anagram). Martin Jarvis, 69, will enjoy the role of narrator in a new version of Just William; and Jean Marsh and Eileen Atkins (both 74) re-appear in the new three-part stab at Upstairs Downstairs. Jack Shepherd, 70, is Melchior in Tony Jordan's Nativity. John Hurt, 69, leads in a new version of Whistle and I'll Come to You.
76-year-old Peter Martin takes a pivotal role as Joe Carroll in the Royle Family Christmas Special. Bruce Forsyth, at 81, is there for a Strictly special. Sir Michael Parkinson, 74, gets to front "Swingin' Christmas" featuring the John Wilson Orchestra. And Ronnie Corbett, at 79, stars in The One Ronnie on Christmas Day.
76-year-old Peter Martin takes a pivotal role as Joe Carroll in the Royle Family Christmas Special. Bruce Forsyth, at 81, is there for a Strictly special. Sir Michael Parkinson, 74, gets to front "Swingin' Christmas" featuring the John Wilson Orchestra. And Ronnie Corbett, at 79, stars in The One Ronnie on Christmas Day.
Only a Northern Gong
You have to say that BBC Controllers are already putting reasonable amounts of work into the northwest, even ahead of next year's move into MediaCityUK. Saturday saw the Royal Television Society's North West Awards (at the Hilton in Deangsate, not the Lowry or, indeed, the Holiday Inn MediaCityUK). 15 of the 21 awards went to BBC network commissions (and many of the others to BBC regional output). Here's the 15.
Best Children’s Programme The Well by Melvin Burgess
Conker Media for BBC Switch on BBC Two
Best Current Affairs Programme Future of Food
Blakeway North for BBC Two
Best Production (Craft) Worried About the Boy
Red Production Company for BBC Two
Best Post Production (Craft) I’m in a Rock and Roll Band
SumCreative for BBC Two
Award for Innovation in Multiplatform Dragons’ Den – Series 8
BBC Manchester Multiplatform Productions for bbc.co.uk
Best Script Writer Ann McManus – Waterloo Road
Shed Productions/BBC Scotland for BBC One
Best Performance in a Comedy Steve Edge - Scallywagga
BBC Comedy North for BBC Three
Best Single Documentary Small Teen Big World
Nine Lives Media for BBC Three
Best Performance in a Single Drama or Drama Series Douglas Booth – Worried About the Boy
Red Production Company for BBC Two
Best Factual Series Behind the Scenes at the Museum
Platform Productions for BBC Four
Best Factual Entertainment Programme Dragons’ Den
BBC Entertainment Production North for BBC Two
Best Comedy Programme John Bishop’s Britain
Objective Productions North/Three Amigos for BBC One
Best Single Drama or Drama Series Worried About the Boy
Red Production Company for BBC Two
Best Children’s Programme The Well by Melvin Burgess
Conker Media for BBC Switch on BBC Two
Best Current Affairs Programme Future of Food
Blakeway North for BBC Two
Best Production (Craft) Worried About the Boy
Red Production Company for BBC Two
Best Post Production (Craft) I’m in a Rock and Roll Band
SumCreative for BBC Two
Award for Innovation in Multiplatform Dragons’ Den – Series 8
BBC Manchester Multiplatform Productions for bbc.co.uk
Best Script Writer Ann McManus – Waterloo Road
Shed Productions/BBC Scotland for BBC One
Best Performance in a Comedy Steve Edge - Scallywagga
BBC Comedy North for BBC Three
Best Single Documentary Small Teen Big World
Nine Lives Media for BBC Three
Best Performance in a Single Drama or Drama Series Douglas Booth – Worried About the Boy
Red Production Company for BBC Two
Best Factual Series Behind the Scenes at the Museum
Platform Productions for BBC Four
Best Factual Entertainment Programme Dragons’ Den
BBC Entertainment Production North for BBC Two
Best Comedy Programme John Bishop’s Britain
Objective Productions North/Three Amigos for BBC One
Best Single Drama or Drama Series Worried About the Boy
Red Production Company for BBC Two
Tilting at...
The Peel Group writ doesn't ride entirely untrammelled over the north-west. Plans for a 20-turbine wind farm on Green Belt land near Frodsham have to got to go to a public inquiry, after objections from Cheshire West & Chester City Council. The site is just north of the M56, below Helsby Hill. Found via Place North West.
© Copyright Mike Harris and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.
© Copyright Mike Harris and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.
Goodies all round
The Daily Mail has finally had lunch with The Goodies, celebrating the 40th anniversary of their tv show this year - and hoping to make a little dosh for charity by re-releasing the Funky Gibbon. Proceeds go to the International Primate Protection League’s Save the Gibbon campaign
Graeme, Tim and Bill have been honoured by the BBC by the replay of a five-year-old documentary on BBC2. But that's it.
Graeme Garden says ‘A few weeks ago, a viewer wrote in to Points Of View to ask if the BBC was going to show a series to mark the 40th anniversary. A BBC commissioning person replied that, no, they wouldn’t be doing that because, on the whole, they don’t want their programmes to be nostalgic...Then the BBC man said: “It is worth remembering that The Goodies’ final series was recorded by London Weekend Television in 1982”’
Bill Oddie picks up ‘Has the BBC been bearing a grudge for 30 years ?' Potentially quite an expensive grudge, if it exists. The Goodies pick up some repeat fees from Australia. The trio can also take some consolation from the availability of a 40th Anniversary 8-disc DVD, which, though branded as a BBC product, includes both BBC and ITV episodes, available from around £42. Fewer grudges at BBC Worldwide, then, and probably worth November's round of lunches.
Graeme, Tim and Bill have been honoured by the BBC by the replay of a five-year-old documentary on BBC2. But that's it.
Graeme Garden says ‘A few weeks ago, a viewer wrote in to Points Of View to ask if the BBC was going to show a series to mark the 40th anniversary. A BBC commissioning person replied that, no, they wouldn’t be doing that because, on the whole, they don’t want their programmes to be nostalgic...Then the BBC man said: “It is worth remembering that The Goodies’ final series was recorded by London Weekend Television in 1982”’
Bill Oddie picks up ‘Has the BBC been bearing a grudge for 30 years ?' Potentially quite an expensive grudge, if it exists. The Goodies pick up some repeat fees from Australia. The trio can also take some consolation from the availability of a 40th Anniversary 8-disc DVD, which, though branded as a BBC product, includes both BBC and ITV episodes, available from around £42. Fewer grudges at BBC Worldwide, then, and probably worth November's round of lunches.
Sunday, November 21, 2010
XFactor percentage play ?
Has Syco's security been breached ? Top tweet of the night comes from Ronnie Joice, a 23-year-old from Newcastle, who's been a member of various bands supporting Pete Doherty and Babyshambles, and now works mainly as a DJ and model. This tweet reads fairly authoritatively (compared with the rest of Ronnie's output):
Leaked votes MATT (25%) ... REBECCA (21%) ONE DIRECTION (15%) MARY (14%) ... WAGNER (8%) CHER (7%) KATIE (7%) PAIJE (3%)
Presumably, if correct, there was some reason that Cher was in the bottom two, rather than Katie. A dilemma for XFactor's PR team - how to prove it's wrong - if it is ? At 2225 it had been retweeted by 100+, and Ronnie was trending in the UK...
Leaked votes MATT (25%) ... REBECCA (21%) ONE DIRECTION (15%) MARY (14%) ... WAGNER (8%) CHER (7%) KATIE (7%) PAIJE (3%)
Presumably, if correct, there was some reason that Cher was in the bottom two, rather than Katie. A dilemma for XFactor's PR team - how to prove it's wrong - if it is ? At 2225 it had been retweeted by 100+, and Ronnie was trending in the UK...
How Heritage Works Now...
In June this year, the Coalition withdrew financial support for English Heritage's plans for a new Visitor Centre at Stonehenge, to the tune of £10m.
In August this year, English Heritage and the Heritage Lottery Fund were on the Coalition's list of quangos etc that might be merged.
In October, it was announced that there would be no merger.
On Friday, it was announced that the Heritage Lottery Fund would contribute £10m to the English Heritage Stonehenge project - more than double its original intention.
In August this year, English Heritage and the Heritage Lottery Fund were on the Coalition's list of quangos etc that might be merged.
In October, it was announced that there would be no merger.
On Friday, it was announced that the Heritage Lottery Fund would contribute £10m to the English Heritage Stonehenge project - more than double its original intention.
Hello, goodbye...
Sometimes a clutch of tweets tells a story on its own. Take this series from twitterer Jayne Nickalls, CEO of Directgov.....
On June 24 she receives this from Number10gov, and retweets: Well done to the team from @DirectGov for their great work on this: http://spendingchallenge.hm-treasury.gov.uk
On July 29 she sends this: @Marthalanefox Great to have you over. Everyone very pleased to meet you. Looking forward to working together in the future !
@marthalanefox is leading a review of Directgov. Can online public services be delivered more efficiently? Have your say http://bit.ly/dg-r
I'm leaving my role as Directgov CEO. It's been an amazing journey and thanks to everyone who has supported Directgov in this start up phase
On June 24 she receives this from Number10gov, and retweets: Well done to the team from @DirectGov for their great work on this: http://spendingchallenge.hm-treasury.gov.uk
On July 29 she sends this: @Marthalanefox Great to have you over. Everyone very pleased to meet you. Looking forward to working together in the future !
@marthalanefox is leading a review of Directgov. Can online public services be delivered more efficiently? Have your say http://bit.ly/dg-r
I'm leaving my role as Directgov CEO. It's been an amazing journey and thanks to everyone who has supported Directgov in this start up phase
Hugh's sense of place
Architecture critic Hugh Pearman re-works his RIBA journal piece on MediaCityUK for the Sunday Times Culture section today, and in parts, he's ruder about quality than before.
"It wouldn't have hurt to have hired a top-class architect to steer this through from first to last, instead of cobbling it all together with many hands. Yet this doesn't seem to be how the world of British regional property developments thinks".
But he's soon back on course: "Despite my reservations, I wouldn't be in despair if I were a BBC evacuee about to be put on a train up north. Architecturally, it may have missed the boat, but the masterplan hangs together. This is not a bit of window-dressing regeneration, but the real thing, with real jobs, big enough to make a difference across the whole northwestern economy. Coming here used to feel like coming to the ends of the earth. It may still be far from perfect - one sighs at what it could have been - but it feels like a real fragment of city. It is a place".
"It wouldn't have hurt to have hired a top-class architect to steer this through from first to last, instead of cobbling it all together with many hands. Yet this doesn't seem to be how the world of British regional property developments thinks".
But he's soon back on course: "Despite my reservations, I wouldn't be in despair if I were a BBC evacuee about to be put on a train up north. Architecturally, it may have missed the boat, but the masterplan hangs together. This is not a bit of window-dressing regeneration, but the real thing, with real jobs, big enough to make a difference across the whole northwestern economy. Coming here used to feel like coming to the ends of the earth. It may still be far from perfect - one sighs at what it could have been - but it feels like a real fragment of city. It is a place".
Wind-up radio
Whilst we all look to satellites, cable, low-powered mobile etc, to deliver broadcasting, there's still room in radio for big masts - and they don't come much bigger or more power hungry that those at the BBC's World Service transmission site on Ascension Island in the South Atlantic.
Now they're being powered by a new hybrid wind/diesel power station, supported by five wind turbines. The installation's predicted to save the corporation £0.5m a year on the amount of diesel required. The diesel costs are inflated by the cost of shipping it to the island every 18 months - so they've also invested £3.3 million in a new oil tank.
Danny steps up
The search for a replacement for Jason Manford (and his "daddy") on The One Show will turn the spotlight on the acumen of Danny Cohen, new Controller BBC1. He'll want to keep the ratings of four million or so a night stable. But the show needs to find someone with the "well-stocked mind" if the current toe-curling interviews are to be improved. Too often neither presenter knows much more about the guests than the afternoon's briefing has given them. Too often it's clear they have little interest in the answers that come to their rehearsed questions.
The latest odds from William Hill: EVS Matt Baker, 5/2 Chris Evans, 6/1 Matt Allwright, 10/1 John Barrowman, 12/1 Rhod Gilbert, 12/1 Richard Bacon, 14/1 Adrian Chiles, 16/1 John Bishop, 20/1 Marcus Brigstocke, 25/1 Alexander Armstrong, 25/1 Charlie Brooker, 25/1 Hugh Dennis, 25/1 Jack Dee, 33/1 Ian Hislop, 33/1 Paul Merton, 33/1 Russell Howard, 50/1 Billy Connolly, 50/1 Eamonn Holmes, 50/1 Sir Terry Wogan, 66/1 Andrew Flintoff
The latest odds from William Hill: EVS Matt Baker, 5/2 Chris Evans, 6/1 Matt Allwright, 10/1 John Barrowman, 12/1 Rhod Gilbert, 12/1 Richard Bacon, 14/1 Adrian Chiles, 16/1 John Bishop, 20/1 Marcus Brigstocke, 25/1 Alexander Armstrong, 25/1 Charlie Brooker, 25/1 Hugh Dennis, 25/1 Jack Dee, 33/1 Ian Hislop, 33/1 Paul Merton, 33/1 Russell Howard, 50/1 Billy Connolly, 50/1 Eamonn Holmes, 50/1 Sir Terry Wogan, 66/1 Andrew Flintoff
Vaizey v Huggers: no contest ?
Sounds of either "clarification" or "backtracking" are heard in the Sunday Telegraph from Culture Minister Ed Vaizey, over so-called net neutrality. He certainly left the impression last week that ISPs might be able to prioritise services that currently come tumbling freely down their broadband pipes.
Now today's version: "People are already entitled to choose the speed of their connection, but we’re not saying one ISP should be able to prioritise one provider’s content over another and I don’t support the commercial decision to downgrade a rivals site.” [Note to Erik Huggers: is there hard evidence that it's already happening ?]
“The marker I wanted to put down is that at the moment I don’t think heavy handed regulation is necessary. I’m saying we’re not going to put regulatory hurdles in the way – the last 20 years have told us not to do that. What I announced as far as I was concerned was business as usual – an important statement that the government was alive to these issues and prepared to intervene in the future. I am absolutely as one with someone like Tim Berners-Lee”. So that's alright then...
Now today's version: "People are already entitled to choose the speed of their connection, but we’re not saying one ISP should be able to prioritise one provider’s content over another and I don’t support the commercial decision to downgrade a rivals site.” [Note to Erik Huggers: is there hard evidence that it's already happening ?]
“The marker I wanted to put down is that at the moment I don’t think heavy handed regulation is necessary. I’m saying we’re not going to put regulatory hurdles in the way – the last 20 years have told us not to do that. What I announced as far as I was concerned was business as usual – an important statement that the government was alive to these issues and prepared to intervene in the future. I am absolutely as one with someone like Tim Berners-Lee”. So that's alright then...
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Playtime
A visualisation of meeting pods inside one of the BBC buildings at MediaCityUK. Presumably they roll away at night for hoovering purposes. On the other side of the atrium, there are some X's that can be wheeled into place for a giant version of Noughts and Crosses.
Information glut - 7
Director of the North, Peter Salmon, has estimated it will cost £5m to move the BBC Breakfast operation to Salford. That's on top of the £150m net cost of the whole project cost he quotes, which will apparently all be recouped by savings within 20 years.
Meanwhile, in the world of those-bloodied-but-unbowed by the recent Executive Board night of the long-knives, Peter (now off the Executive) has been leading senior managers through a Home Counties residential course on "dealing with turbulence", at the behest of Lucy Adams (now off the Executive).
Meanwhile, in the world of those-bloodied-but-unbowed by the recent Executive Board night of the long-knives, Peter (now off the Executive) has been leading senior managers through a Home Counties residential course on "dealing with turbulence", at the behest of Lucy Adams (now off the Executive).
Credit
Some of the travelling public of Greater Manchester have voted on the city's modern "Ten Wonders", whittled down from over 100 entries on a Facebook campaign page set up by System One Travelcards. A range of odd bedfellows for Peel's contributions - MediaCityUK (open) and the Millennium Footbridge (still not quite open for foot traffic).
1. Whitworth Park
2. Old Trafford
3. Scouthead
4. Urbis
5. Cheesden Mill
6. Messenger of Peace statue, at the Peace Garden
7. Salford Quays Millennium Footbridge
8. MediaCity UK
9. Victoria Baths
10. Rochdale Town Hall
1. Whitworth Park
2. Old Trafford
3. Scouthead
4. Urbis
5. Cheesden Mill
6. Messenger of Peace statue, at the Peace Garden
7. Salford Quays Millennium Footbridge
8. MediaCity UK
9. Victoria Baths
10. Rochdale Town Hall
Friday, November 19, 2010
Information glut - 6
The BBC spent £1.2m with executive search consultants over the last five years. The catering operations at Television Centre and Broadcasting House were subsidised to a total of £2.3m between 2006 and 2010, in order to keep open at times when the contractors could not make a profit. The BBC says it's on course to remove subsidies by 2011/12.
The BBC has a unnamed preferred supplier for wine, but apparently staff may occasionally purchase vinous liquids through expenses, the details of which would be too time consuming to extract. However, the cost of wine purchased through the single supplier for the six months to 31st May 2010 was £17,623 including VAT.
.
The BBC has a unnamed preferred supplier for wine, but apparently staff may occasionally purchase vinous liquids through expenses, the details of which would be too time consuming to extract. However, the cost of wine purchased through the single supplier for the six months to 31st May 2010 was £17,623 including VAT.
.
Information glut - 5
Training's a good thing. The BBC spends some money on external courses. In 2009/10 three people went on a course called "How to deliver Presentation [sic] Effectively", for a total spend of £1,485. Two people went on a course called "Be an agile programmer" at £3k each. The bargain was clearly the one person who went on a course called "I want ideas and I want them now" - a mere £500.
Information glut - 4
This table is a belter. It lists the "market median" for the top BBC jobs, researched by Towers Perrin, now Towers Watson, in August 2009. My chums in news will enjoy the market median suggested for Mark Byford - a job so important we can now manage without it. My chums in the radio industry would be interested to know of anyone making close to £875k a year from running radio stations, then, or indeed now. How many companies of 20,000 staff pay their HR boss £825k ? And these are "median" figures. The actual salaries have been discounted by between 50% and 80%, the BBC's tough, hard-nosed formula. But if the figure you're discounting from is generous....
Executive Role Incumbent Market median Actual
Deputy DG Mark Byford £1,150,000 £474,500
Director, BBC Vision Jana Bennett £1,050,000 £414,500
Director, FM&T Erik Huggers £915,000 £330,000
Group Finance Director Zarin Patel £950,000 £351,750
Director, A&M Tim Davie £875,000 £365,000
Chief Operating Officer Caroline Thomson £1,025,000 £335,000
Director, BBC People Lucy Adams £825,000 £320,000
Director, MC&A Sharon Baylay £750,000 £310,000
Executive Role Incumbent Market median Actual
Deputy DG Mark Byford £1,150,000 £474,500
Director, BBC Vision Jana Bennett £1,050,000 £414,500
Director, FM&T Erik Huggers £915,000 £330,000
Group Finance Director Zarin Patel £950,000 £351,750
Director, A&M Tim Davie £875,000 £365,000
Chief Operating Officer Caroline Thomson £1,025,000 £335,000
Director, BBC People Lucy Adams £825,000 £320,000
Director, MC&A Sharon Baylay £750,000 £310,000
Information glut - 3
The total basic salary bill for Senior Managers working at the BBC as at 30th June 2010 was £68,950,722. There are currently 599 Senior Managers employed. That produces an average pay of £115k. However the distribution is not even. 117 earn more than the Prime Minister's £142,500. 26 earn more than £200k, and 12 earn more than £300k.
All this in an organisation of just over 20,000 staff. Again, if evenly shared out, each "senior" manager would be responsible for 33 staff. Sort of classroom size, eh ?
All this in an organisation of just over 20,000 staff. Again, if evenly shared out, each "senior" manager would be responsible for 33 staff. Sort of classroom size, eh ?
Information glut - 2
Mark Byford did not go alone to the World Cup. Three others had tickets provided by FIFA, according to this FoI answer...
• Dominic Coles, Chief Operating Officer, Journalism
• Barbara Slater, Head of Sport
• Richard Deverell, Chief Operating Officer, BBC North
By way of background, we are happy to volunteer that Mark travelled to South Africa in his capacity as the Chair of the BBC World Cup Steering Group. FIFA issued an invitation to the BBC to attend the tournament, and the Director General and Director, BBC North (BBC Sport is now part of this Division) asked Mark Byford to represent the BBC during the Final weekend. Dominic Coles was accompanying Mark Byford and during their trip both visited production teams, news partners, South African officials including the government minister of communications, FIFA representatives and the BBC News Bureaux in Johannesburg and Nairobi. Dominic is FIFA’s main contact having negotiated for the BBC the rights deals covering the event.
Barbara Slater has overall responsibility for the production including setting the level of investment, scheduling, talent, production plan and business continuity. She was in South Africa to inspect and ensure the effectiveness of the operation, meet right holders, talent and key partners and understand the configuration of the host operation in relation to future events.
Richard Deverell is operationally responsible for BBC Sport and Radio 5 Live and the multi-platform coverage of major sporting events they cover across the world. As the new technology at BBC North will play a key role in the future delivery of sports content, Richard accompanied Barbara in order to better understand the challenges and opportunities faced by teams in the field covering a major sporting event like the World Cup - the biggest global event before the 2012 Olympics. As well as helping identify and learn about some opportunities around delivery operations, Richard met with some of the partner organisations with whom BBC Sport work.
• Dominic Coles, Chief Operating Officer, Journalism
• Barbara Slater, Head of Sport
• Richard Deverell, Chief Operating Officer, BBC North
By way of background, we are happy to volunteer that Mark travelled to South Africa in his capacity as the Chair of the BBC World Cup Steering Group. FIFA issued an invitation to the BBC to attend the tournament, and the Director General and Director, BBC North (BBC Sport is now part of this Division) asked Mark Byford to represent the BBC during the Final weekend. Dominic Coles was accompanying Mark Byford and during their trip both visited production teams, news partners, South African officials including the government minister of communications, FIFA representatives and the BBC News Bureaux in Johannesburg and Nairobi. Dominic is FIFA’s main contact having negotiated for the BBC the rights deals covering the event.
Barbara Slater has overall responsibility for the production including setting the level of investment, scheduling, talent, production plan and business continuity. She was in South Africa to inspect and ensure the effectiveness of the operation, meet right holders, talent and key partners and understand the configuration of the host operation in relation to future events.
Richard Deverell is operationally responsible for BBC Sport and Radio 5 Live and the multi-platform coverage of major sporting events they cover across the world. As the new technology at BBC North will play a key role in the future delivery of sports content, Richard accompanied Barbara in order to better understand the challenges and opportunities faced by teams in the field covering a major sporting event like the World Cup - the biggest global event before the 2012 Olympics. As well as helping identify and learn about some opportunities around delivery operations, Richard met with some of the partner organisations with whom BBC Sport work.
Information glut - 1
Not yet clear whether or not this counts as burying bad news, but the BBC seems have released the answers to 44 Freedom of Information requests in one go today.
Early titbits - the BBC spent £162m on redundancy deals for 3,577 staff from 2006 to 2010; an average of around £45k per head. Five people got deals worth between £301k and £500k; eleven got deals worth between £201k and £300k. Reassuringly, none of the top five have since been re-employed by the BBC. There's no similar claim made for the eleven !
Early titbits - the BBC spent £162m on redundancy deals for 3,577 staff from 2006 to 2010; an average of around £45k per head. Five people got deals worth between £301k and £500k; eleven got deals worth between £201k and £300k. Reassuringly, none of the top five have since been re-employed by the BBC. There's no similar claim made for the eleven !
'orses Part 2
Thank you, a good time was had at the races. And in the balance sheet of information shared, I'm also now much richer in knowledge. Not only did Arthur Rimbaud drink at the Yorkshire Grey in Langham Street, W1; Ezra Pound did as well, as evidenced in this excellent piece by James Campbell: So it is that the two fiercest street-fighters of modern poetry, one French, the other American, shared the same London local. Though not of course, at the same time. Shapesoftime imagines they did in another little gem here. All found via a tip from a Welsh sage.
In another strand of the conversation, a former BBC foreign correspondent remembers seeing Dominic Harrod, economics correspondent, buying a round in the Yorkshire Grey - "the folkloric-pub equivalent of photographing a Yeti".
In another strand of the conversation, a former BBC foreign correspondent remembers seeing Dominic Harrod, economics correspondent, buying a round in the Yorkshire Grey - "the folkloric-pub equivalent of photographing a Yeti".
'orses
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Reputation management
I was rather puzzled to hear BBC Trust chairman Sir Michael Lyons in a pole position on the Today programme this morning, running defensively round a range of questions that have already been answered.
The 'peg' seemed to be a Royal Television Society panel this evening, entitled "What next for the BBC", looking ahead to a post-Sir-Michael era. The chairman is sensitive about his reputation and record, so how dangerous might this event be ?
Sir Christopher Bland, a former BBC Chairman (of the Governors), thinks the Trust was a barmy idea. Lord Fowler wants control of the BBC handed to Parliament ("which most nearly represents the licence-fee payers"). Chris Goodall is from media research specialists Enders Analysis, and Richard Tait is a former member of the BBC Trust. The chair is Tim Suter, consultant, formerly of the BBC and Ofcom. Not an asbo between them, Sir Michael.
The 'peg' seemed to be a Royal Television Society panel this evening, entitled "What next for the BBC", looking ahead to a post-Sir-Michael era. The chairman is sensitive about his reputation and record, so how dangerous might this event be ?
Sir Christopher Bland, a former BBC Chairman (of the Governors), thinks the Trust was a barmy idea. Lord Fowler wants control of the BBC handed to Parliament ("which most nearly represents the licence-fee payers"). Chris Goodall is from media research specialists Enders Analysis, and Richard Tait is a former member of the BBC Trust. The chair is Tim Suter, consultant, formerly of the BBC and Ofcom. Not an asbo between them, Sir Michael.
Public art
An artworld bargain - an original Banksy for £125,000. The only issue is that you have to look after the pub it's painted on.
The Banksy pub on Berry Street in Liverpool got its name after the graffiti specialist painted the building for the 2004 Liverpool Biennial art festival. The pub is up for auction this Friday, and the owners have just reduced the guide priced from £175,000 to £125,000. The building is listed, and the owner must apply to Liverpool City Council for planning consent if they choose not to keep the artwork and paint over it.
All found on Place North West.
All found on Place North West.
Huggers v Vaizey
The BBC's Erik Huggers v the Coalition's Ed Vaizey on net neutrality is hardly going to have the same cachet as Mark Thompson v Rupert Murdoch on buying out Sky, but will be more fun than David Haye v Audley Harrison, at least in the ring. Erik has posted his views based on a speech to the FT World Telecoms Conference yesterday, and he's warned ISPs that he's on their case if they're not nice to his beloved iPlayer.
To this end, our R&D team are developing a prototype meter to show consumers in real-time how efficiently BBC iPlayer is being delivered by their ISP - with a simple red, amber, green indicator. In addition, we propose to work with the industry to discuss the possibility of a "kitemark" to denote levels of different broadband package capability in simple, easy-to-understand language.
My problem - both the meter and the kitemark sort of assume net neutrality has gone, and variable charging, to either provider or consumer, is in place.
To this end, our R&D team are developing a prototype meter to show consumers in real-time how efficiently BBC iPlayer is being delivered by their ISP - with a simple red, amber, green indicator. In addition, we propose to work with the industry to discuss the possibility of a "kitemark" to denote levels of different broadband package capability in simple, easy-to-understand language.
My problem - both the meter and the kitemark sort of assume net neutrality has gone, and variable charging, to either provider or consumer, is in place.
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Right round London
OK, this afternoon's non-screen-break activity is to play with the world's largest panoramic photo - an 80 gigapixel tour round London, stitched together from 7,886 individual photos taken over the summer from the top of Centre Point.
Here's one zoom-in, of the new Broadcasting House development.
Here's one zoom-in, of the new Broadcasting House development.
Number One nosh
Restaurant fixers and creators Chris Corbin and Jeremy King have signed to set up a brasserie at Number 1 Kingsway, London - facing onto The Aldwych, and just over the road from BBC Bush House.
Corbin and King have had their hands on Le Caprice, The Ivy and J Sheekey, and now run The Wolseley. The Kingsway site was previously home to a ground floor restaurant called Bank, part of a mini-chain operated by Christian Delteil. During the re-development, Caffe Amici, a long time Bush favourite, has been rehoused further up Kingsway.
Whether or not Corbin & King attract BBC types across the road for the last remaining year of the Bush House lease will depend very much on their pricing structure, and perhaps the privacy of their tables.
Corbin and King have had their hands on Le Caprice, The Ivy and J Sheekey, and now run The Wolseley. The Kingsway site was previously home to a ground floor restaurant called Bank, part of a mini-chain operated by Christian Delteil. During the re-development, Caffe Amici, a long time Bush favourite, has been rehoused further up Kingsway.
Whether or not Corbin & King attract BBC types across the road for the last remaining year of the Bush House lease will depend very much on their pricing structure, and perhaps the privacy of their tables.
Sharp elbows
There's an odd sense of jostling still going on amongst BBC Executives and their various tribes.
Last week Tim Davie, ambitious Director of Audio & Music appeared on a panel at the Promax Conference (usually seen as a tv event) with David Abraham, CEO of Channel 4, and Richard Halton of YouView. The session was called Building Brands in the On-Demand Age. One delegate tweeted "Tim Davie spoke a lot of sense about the future of tv viewing. Good stuff"
Meanwhile, the Telegraph's Neil Midgley has pointed to a potentially-Jana-Bennett-size hole in John Smith's management team at BBC Worldwide. The move of Darren Childs has left John without a director of international channels. Jana managed TLC for Discovery for three years from 1999.
Others with an interest in a shake-up would be Peter Salmon (is the job done at BBC North ?) and Pat Younge, flexing his avoir-du-poids as "Chief Creative Officer, Vision", whatever that means. Helen Boaden, who'll fly free of Mark Byford in the New Year, is also not beyond making the odd strategic acquisition for News in any fall-out of "simplification" of structures.
But will we see a genuine restructuring or just some trimming of existing divisional managements, as the Thom(p)son Twins contemplate the 16% cuts needed by the new licence fee deal ?
Last week Tim Davie, ambitious Director of Audio & Music appeared on a panel at the Promax Conference (usually seen as a tv event) with David Abraham, CEO of Channel 4, and Richard Halton of YouView. The session was called Building Brands in the On-Demand Age. One delegate tweeted "Tim Davie spoke a lot of sense about the future of tv viewing. Good stuff"
Meanwhile, the Telegraph's Neil Midgley has pointed to a potentially-Jana-Bennett-size hole in John Smith's management team at BBC Worldwide. The move of Darren Childs has left John without a director of international channels. Jana managed TLC for Discovery for three years from 1999.
Others with an interest in a shake-up would be Peter Salmon (is the job done at BBC North ?) and Pat Younge, flexing his avoir-du-poids as "Chief Creative Officer, Vision", whatever that means. Helen Boaden, who'll fly free of Mark Byford in the New Year, is also not beyond making the odd strategic acquisition for News in any fall-out of "simplification" of structures.
But will we see a genuine restructuring or just some trimming of existing divisional managements, as the Thom(p)son Twins contemplate the 16% cuts needed by the new licence fee deal ?
Master of Ceremonies
Who will "own" the Royal Wedding for the BBC ? David Dimbleby, 72, or younger pretender Huw Edwards, 49 ? Or can both be accommodated ?
How about Dimbleby for one last flourish in the scaffolding studio along the route; and Huw for the service itself, and thus perhaps a better position in the archive ? OK that's sorted..
Dress commentary: Sophie Raworth or Fiona Bruce. I like Sophie. But then I like Fiona. Which is the better ?
How about Dimbleby for one last flourish in the scaffolding studio along the route; and Huw for the service itself, and thus perhaps a better position in the archive ? OK that's sorted..
Dress commentary: Sophie Raworth or Fiona Bruce. I like Sophie. But then I like Fiona. Which is the better ?
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Smooth operators
As uncannily predicted here, SIS has signed a joint venture agreement with Peel Media to manage and operate the studio complex at MediacityUK, Salford Quays. The SIS reputation is built on outside broadcasts, but they have a foot in the door with studio work for the BBC in London through The One Show.
MediaCityUK’s studio complex has seven HD television studios including one, at 12,500 sq ft, that that will be one of the biggest of its kind in Europe. Ascent Media had previously been in exclusive talks with Peel about running the studios, but that, clearly, is all over.
0945 Wednesday update: Full MediacityUK press release here
MediaCityUK’s studio complex has seven HD television studios including one, at 12,500 sq ft, that that will be one of the biggest of its kind in Europe. Ascent Media had previously been in exclusive talks with Peel about running the studios, but that, clearly, is all over.
0945 Wednesday update: Full MediacityUK press release here
It was Wales that brought them together...
Couples go through rocky times. In June this year, Prince William dropped into McColl's convenience store in Blaenau Ffestiniog, 
and picked up two frozen stonebaked-style pepperoni pizzas, a bag of McCain frozen chips, an iceberg lettuce, a bag of salad leaves, a bottle of Tropicana orange juice and two bottles of water. Then he found he had no cash, and Kate Middleton came in to pay with her platinum credit card. A classy evening was clearly ahead for the RAF Valley helicopter rescue pilot and his girlfriend.
However grand next year's wedding, the Prince and bride-to-be have committed to fulfilling his three year posting at RAF Valley. The press haven't yet found their Snowdonia hideaway, but it won't take long now...
and picked up two frozen stonebaked-style pepperoni pizzas, a bag of McCain frozen chips, an iceberg lettuce, a bag of salad leaves, a bottle of Tropicana orange juice and two bottles of water. Then he found he had no cash, and Kate Middleton came in to pay with her platinum credit card. A classy evening was clearly ahead for the RAF Valley helicopter rescue pilot and his girlfriend. However grand next year's wedding, the Prince and bride-to-be have committed to fulfilling his three year posting at RAF Valley. The press haven't yet found their Snowdonia hideaway, but it won't take long now...
Folk tales
An everyday story of Countryfile folk continues. Today, former Radio 4 controller Mark Damazer has been a witness in the Employment Tribunal case of Miriam O'Reilly, who claims she lost work from the BBC through ageism and sexism. Mark said his decision to spike a proposed R4 programme about Wootton Bassett had nothing to do with the fact it originated from Miriam, saying he did not recall that her name had been mentioned. "My decision was taken solely on the basis that I felt the story had already received a lot of exposure and the piece would not stand out.”
Damazer was also asked about O'Reilly's performance covering Jenni Murray's slot on Woman's Hour; he described her as "highly able”, but added: “I never felt she would break through to the first rank of reporters – but very few people do”. Earlier former Controller BBC1 Jay Hunt was brought back to talk about the switch of Countryfile from Sunday lunchtime to early evening; her key point - "It would have been utterly insane to use Countryfile to appeal to younger viewers."
Damazer was also asked about O'Reilly's performance covering Jenni Murray's slot on Woman's Hour; he described her as "highly able”, but added: “I never felt she would break through to the first rank of reporters – but very few people do”. Earlier former Controller BBC1 Jay Hunt was brought back to talk about the switch of Countryfile from Sunday lunchtime to early evening; her key point - "It would have been utterly insane to use Countryfile to appeal to younger viewers."
Masterful
It's an academic roller-coaster-ride at St Peter's College, Oxford for new Master Mark Damazer, formerly Controller of Radio 4. So far this term, he's picked up a little about TB, quantum mechanics, game theory and Cambodian forests, protein interaction and DNA repair, memory-improving drugs, and the performance history of medieval plays.
But there's always room to learn more from the greats - and last Friday, Mark and the St Peter's JCR supped at the fountain of knowledge that is the Parf-Daddy, sorry, Andy Parfitt, Controller BBC Radio 1/1Xtra, Switch, etc. Mark's report: "No state secrets were revealed – though we got close. Andy Parfitt’s qualified defence of ‘monsterdom’ – the grizzly projection of superstar rock music egos – was a highlight."
Could this be a reference to the Electric Proms, now the property of Bob Shennan of Radio 2 ? "Monsters" Elton John, Leon Russell, Neil Diamond and Robert Plant were the principal performers, with a combined age of 262. Next year, expect performances at the wheels of steel from Desmond Carrington and David Jacobs, both 84.
But there's always room to learn more from the greats - and last Friday, Mark and the St Peter's JCR supped at the fountain of knowledge that is the Parf-Daddy, sorry, Andy Parfitt, Controller BBC Radio 1/1Xtra, Switch, etc. Mark's report: "No state secrets were revealed – though we got close. Andy Parfitt’s qualified defence of ‘monsterdom’ – the grizzly projection of superstar rock music egos – was a highlight."
Could this be a reference to the Electric Proms, now the property of Bob Shennan of Radio 2 ? "Monsters" Elton John, Leon Russell, Neil Diamond and Robert Plant were the principal performers, with a combined age of 262. Next year, expect performances at the wheels of steel from Desmond Carrington and David Jacobs, both 84.
Tally ho
I suspect BBC Radio Sport will be raiding petty cash soon, for the purchase of a blackboard to be set up close to the 5 Live studios. Sponsors of various sporting events have begun tracking how many times their name gets mentioned in commentaries and sports bulletins, and editor Colin Patterson is trying to even things up. Charles Sale in the Mail believes it's NPower, backers of the Football League, who are grumpy that Aviva gets more namechecks for their deal with Premiership rugby.
A piece of chalk could help keep a daily record.
A piece of chalk could help keep a daily record.
Anger management
The website "Angry People in Local Newspapers" is a daily treasure, pointed out to me by DJ and journalist Doug Morris. It now has a Guardian accolade - "surely the crowning cultural achievement of the internet era".
Today's offering celebrates the work of the Reading Evening Post, recruiting ground for many national papers and some broadcasters, as its website offered no less than five stories embellished with after-the-event pictures of angry locals. Is this the angriest paper in the UK ?
Today's offering celebrates the work of the Reading Evening Post, recruiting ground for many national papers and some broadcasters, as its website offered no less than five stories embellished with after-the-event pictures of angry locals. Is this the angriest paper in the UK ?
Bending ears
An excellent new research tool for nosy journalists, and others, is now online. Who's Lobbying does its best to track meetings between ministers and others, both specifically and in categories. It's not yet comprehensive - as it points out, government departments have adopted different systems for publishing data, clouding apparent ambitions for transparency. Nonetheless, worth adding to your bookmarks.
Found via The Online Journalism Blog.
Found via The Online Journalism Blog.
Monday, November 15, 2010
The giant butterfly of broadcasting
Aaargh. John Plunkett's rumour in the Media Guardian, that Vanessa Feltz will get the early show on Radio 2, has a terrifying ring of credibility to it.
Vanessa's principal income is currently hosting Radio London's phone-in, 0900-1200 every weekday. At the end of October, she announced that "there has been a rather large Vanessa-shaped gap on the telly for far too long now although it is getting smaller... God, what a gastric band and a little life-threatening surgery can do.... The brand new Vanessa Show is starting on Channel 5 every weekday after Matthew's [Wright] show. It’s an unbeatable combination. There will be glamour, glitz, controversy, excitement. Richard [Desmond] will take Channel 5 into the stratosphere.”
So Vanessa will biff Trisha Goddard from the 1045 slot on Channel 5 in the New Year; but why not make more money in a day ? The Radio 2 slot runs 0500-0630 - leaving plenty of time for V to get from Western House to Northern & Shell House, probably with a free set of newspapers in a BBC cab. And Controller R2 Bob Shennan can keep his talk-for-oldies content up, as the BBC Trust demands, 'cos that's what, self-evidently, Vanessa's good at... Isn't she ?
Testimonial
Broadcast reports that former BBC1 Controller Jay Hunt has been called back to the witness stand tomorrow in the Employment Tribunal hearing the case of axed Countryfile reporter Miriam O'Reilly. It says the BBC's legal team wants to bring forward notes from a meeting between Hunt, BBC Trust chairman Sir Michael Lyons, and other senior members of the BBC, in which she talked about her vision for the channel, and made specific reference to Countryfile. Barrister Jason Galbraith-Marten must think they'll be helpful.
We've mentioned Miriam's legal team here, so here's some stuff on Jason. The Chambers Guide to the UK Legal Profession 2010 says that Jason he has a strong case for being identified as the best junior at the Employment Bar. He is "always extremely well prepared, he is a barrister you can trust due to the depth of his knowledge, his speed of turnaround and his top-notch service standards generally." He has been described as a “silk in the making” and “excellent with clients, thorough, hard-working and hands-on.”
Meanwhile, whatever the rights and wrongs of the case, Countryfile steams on, notching up 7.55m viewers this Sunday, against 5.45m for The Cube on ITV.
We've mentioned Miriam's legal team here, so here's some stuff on Jason. The Chambers Guide to the UK Legal Profession 2010 says that Jason he has a strong case for being identified as the best junior at the Employment Bar. He is "always extremely well prepared, he is a barrister you can trust due to the depth of his knowledge, his speed of turnaround and his top-notch service standards generally." He has been described as a “silk in the making” and “excellent with clients, thorough, hard-working and hands-on.”
Meanwhile, whatever the rights and wrongs of the case, Countryfile steams on, notching up 7.55m viewers this Sunday, against 5.45m for The Cube on ITV.
Wise move
Radio Today reports that Wise Buddah, the tv and radio production house based on glamorous Great Titchfield St, W1, has two new joint managing directors. Head of talent Chris North and head of studios and technology Dave Holt will take charge on a day-to-day basis between them. Extraordinarily, neither have "BBC" in their CVs.
Boss and founder Mark Goodier, now Chairman, says "This provides me with the perfect opportunity to take a broader role and focus my attention on developing new opportunities for the business". And, of course, present a three hour show for Smooth Radio from 10am every weekday...
Boss and founder Mark Goodier, now Chairman, says "This provides me with the perfect opportunity to take a broader role and focus my attention on developing new opportunities for the business". And, of course, present a three hour show for Smooth Radio from 10am every weekday...
Not-so-little-SIS
The racing-to-production-to-outside broadcast specialists, SIS, could be hiring more staff at MediaCityUK in the years ahead. Ever since it was announced that they'd be taking more space at Salford Quays, it has looked likely that they'd provide the human and technical glue between Peel Media's studios and the BBC's production teams on site. Negotiations have been going on for some time, and need to be sorted ahead of 2011.
SIS were formed in 1986, to provide the first live racing pictures in UK bookies (replacing audio commentary and a man with a whiteboard). In 2008, they bought BBC Outside Broadcasts. Now, they have a pivotal position in UK and European broadcasting. This year they've provided host broadcaster services for the Commonwealth Games in Delhi; they've taken Sky Sports News and BBC F1 coverage into HD; they supply all of ESPN's OB needs for UK football; they provided 70 uplink vehicles for customers in the General Election results; they have the UK's largest OB truck, etc etc.
BBC Sport can clearly work with them; let's hope Children's and others can too.
SIS were formed in 1986, to provide the first live racing pictures in UK bookies (replacing audio commentary and a man with a whiteboard). In 2008, they bought BBC Outside Broadcasts. Now, they have a pivotal position in UK and European broadcasting. This year they've provided host broadcaster services for the Commonwealth Games in Delhi; they've taken Sky Sports News and BBC F1 coverage into HD; they supply all of ESPN's OB needs for UK football; they provided 70 uplink vehicles for customers in the General Election results; they have the UK's largest OB truck, etc etc.
BBC Sport can clearly work with them; let's hope Children's and others can too.
Restraining
There are still more than a few loose ends in the story of the super-injunction on reporting of the Chandlers, held hostage in Somalia, and released at the weekend. The BBC observed the ruling, which it said meant no mention of what was going on until a) they were out of Somalia and b) they were in the hands of Foreign Office officials. Many others did not.
Fleet Street Blues has a fairly dispassionate analysis here. What would be helpful is the actual wording of the injunction; the names of all the parties to the hearing; and the list of those to whom it was served. And something a little more detailed from Sky News on their view.
Fleet Street Blues has a fairly dispassionate analysis here. What would be helpful is the actual wording of the injunction; the names of all the parties to the hearing; and the list of those to whom it was served. And something a little more detailed from Sky News on their view.
Familiarisation
There are times when the BBC DG has to earn his substantial sack of corn - and the run-up to Christmas looks like being one of those. At a time, normally, when seasonal pre-records are done, and parties can commence, Thommo's diary will instead be filled with interviews, seminars, Commons Select Committees and speeches trying to put reassuring flesh on the 48-hour six-year-licence fee deal.
The end of last week was spent getting closer to the World Service, at sessions with language editors. If William Hague hadn't done enough to secure a future for the Burmese Service, Aung San Suu Kyi nailed it with this quote "I never really felt I was alone... partly thanks to the BBC which kept me in touch with the rest of the world". We probably need to know if she listened by radio, fm, short-wave, online or indeed watched tv.
There is, probably, some tension still between the FCO and the World Service management ambitions. The BBC side seems to be floating a strategy which might cut, for example, Caribbean, Vietnamese and Macedonia services - and perhaps concentrate more on programmes than networks, to enable investment in Africa and perhaps Urdu. The FCO will want to keep as many language services as possible.
Resolution is unlikely now until the New Year.
The end of last week was spent getting closer to the World Service, at sessions with language editors. If William Hague hadn't done enough to secure a future for the Burmese Service, Aung San Suu Kyi nailed it with this quote "I never really felt I was alone... partly thanks to the BBC which kept me in touch with the rest of the world". We probably need to know if she listened by radio, fm, short-wave, online or indeed watched tv.
There is, probably, some tension still between the FCO and the World Service management ambitions. The BBC side seems to be floating a strategy which might cut, for example, Caribbean, Vietnamese and Macedonia services - and perhaps concentrate more on programmes than networks, to enable investment in Africa and perhaps Urdu. The FCO will want to keep as many language services as possible.
Resolution is unlikely now until the New Year.
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Message, not the medium
The FT joins the BBC-bashers with an editorial today/tomorrow. Under the heading, "BBC must change from within", it accuses the corporation of having "an anachronistic fixation with remaining a vertically integrated broadcaster and controllling its own distribution".
The charge is applied to both iPlayer and YouView, but one could go further back. The BBC had been reluctantly selling tv and radio transmitters to third parties, when DAB radio came along and needed new masts; Auntie has had to pay for the lion's share of their construction over the years. More will need to be spent if DAB is to work effectively on all Britain's motorways - an element missing from the hastily-constructed six year licence fee deal. Internally, the BBC has also spent substantial amounts on search engine development, now largely dropped, and trying to make sure it retains pole position in Electronic Programme Guides. It continues to hire developers, with considerable concentration on making iPlayer work for commercial organisations like BT (why can't BT do that ?).
As the FT points out, spending on distribution of all sorts has been going up, as spending on programmes has fallen. And in the end, content is king, surely ?
The charge is applied to both iPlayer and YouView, but one could go further back. The BBC had been reluctantly selling tv and radio transmitters to third parties, when DAB radio came along and needed new masts; Auntie has had to pay for the lion's share of their construction over the years. More will need to be spent if DAB is to work effectively on all Britain's motorways - an element missing from the hastily-constructed six year licence fee deal. Internally, the BBC has also spent substantial amounts on search engine development, now largely dropped, and trying to make sure it retains pole position in Electronic Programme Guides. It continues to hire developers, with considerable concentration on making iPlayer work for commercial organisations like BT (why can't BT do that ?).
As the FT points out, spending on distribution of all sorts has been going up, as spending on programmes has fallen. And in the end, content is king, surely ?
Lily thwarted again
Poor old Simon Pickard, BBC Senior Compliance Manager. Nobody's doing his bidding. A certain Ms Lily Burlero has been asking, under Freedom of Information legislation, about a repayment apparently made by the BBC World Service to the FCO for over six months. Now Mr Pickard, who's already found failure to comply in an Internal Review, has had to fess up that the management have missed another self imposed deadline of November 5th, and have no clear idea when an answer will be given. Mr Pickard takes the opportunity of reminding Lily of her rights, in his most recent letter.
Naturally as the individual that undertook the Internal Review into the handling of your request, I would have hoped that those involved in dealing with your request would have taken onboard my findings and supplied you with a response by now. I can only conclude that you may wish to make a complaint regarding the handling of your request directly with the Information Commissioner's Office.
What will Lily do ?
Naturally as the individual that undertook the Internal Review into the handling of your request, I would have hoped that those involved in dealing with your request would have taken onboard my findings and supplied you with a response by now. I can only conclude that you may wish to make a complaint regarding the handling of your request directly with the Information Commissioner's Office.
What will Lily do ?
Canny
There's a bit of synthetic anger in Scotland's Sunday Mail, after finding out through FoI requests that BBC Scotland spent £1,172,729 on taxis over the last two years. There's no allegation of abuse of the system, just surprise that, five years after introducing a centralised booking system, yearly bills seem stuck at around £500k.
The Mail does point out, however, that the figure doesn't include journeys not booked centrally but claimed. Which gives me a chance to hark back to this FoI answer, about the top 5 spenders in Scotland, excluding head honcho Ken McQuarrie.
The Head of Radio Scotland, Jeff Zycinski, who's moved the station's HQ to Inverness (where he lives) comes first. His 2009/10 discloures show 50 nights at the Crowne Plaza in Glasgow, 12 nights at other hotels in the city, 76 rail fares, 3 flights and 57 taxis.
Head of Programmes, Ms Donalda McKinnon, shows 61 single flights between London and Glasgow, 63 cabs centrally booked and 11 re-claimed. It's a hard life on the road, so there are "subsistence" claims for meals at The Real Greek, Romano's, Davy's Wine Bar, an unnamed deli, and Nando's. One bargain seems to be a group dinner (2 attending) described as "Government Meal with the DG" at £41.42.
Expenses for Bruce Malcolm, Chief Operating Office, I'm afraid, show a slight blame culture. There are two claims for rail/tube at £32 - one in April which carries the legend "PA did not prebook Heathrow Express", and then one in May "PA forgot to pre-book tickets". I'm cowering, if you're not. Bruce lives both high and low in London. Evening meal at "The Stick and Bowl" for £6 is good value. An unnamed venue costs £32. Last September, Bruce managed a "group meal after 11 hours duty" for three attendees at Osteria Piero in Glasgow, for £101.90. The right to a nice meal after a long shift will appeal to many around the BBC who will be looking up the expenses rules again.
The Mail does point out, however, that the figure doesn't include journeys not booked centrally but claimed. Which gives me a chance to hark back to this FoI answer, about the top 5 spenders in Scotland, excluding head honcho Ken McQuarrie.
The Head of Radio Scotland, Jeff Zycinski, who's moved the station's HQ to Inverness (where he lives) comes first. His 2009/10 discloures show 50 nights at the Crowne Plaza in Glasgow, 12 nights at other hotels in the city, 76 rail fares, 3 flights and 57 taxis.
Head of Programmes, Ms Donalda McKinnon, shows 61 single flights between London and Glasgow, 63 cabs centrally booked and 11 re-claimed. It's a hard life on the road, so there are "subsistence" claims for meals at The Real Greek, Romano's, Davy's Wine Bar, an unnamed deli, and Nando's. One bargain seems to be a group dinner (2 attending) described as "Government Meal with the DG" at £41.42.
Expenses for Bruce Malcolm, Chief Operating Office, I'm afraid, show a slight blame culture. There are two claims for rail/tube at £32 - one in April which carries the legend "PA did not prebook Heathrow Express", and then one in May "PA forgot to pre-book tickets". I'm cowering, if you're not. Bruce lives both high and low in London. Evening meal at "The Stick and Bowl" for £6 is good value. An unnamed venue costs £32. Last September, Bruce managed a "group meal after 11 hours duty" for three attendees at Osteria Piero in Glasgow, for £101.90. The right to a nice meal after a long shift will appeal to many around the BBC who will be looking up the expenses rules again.
Still checking ?
All quiet in the BBC multimedia newsroom this morning. At 0900, on the Andrew Marr show, no mention of freedom for the Chandlers, released by Somali pirates after a year in captivity. Not a peep on the BBC News website, updated every minute of every day.
0640 GMT on CNN. Not long after on Sky. Updated on the Telegraph and Mail websites before 0900. Is the story in some way dubious ?
1500 Update: BBC World News Editor Jon Williams explains - there was a so-called "super injunction" which said news of the couple couldn't be broadcast until a) they were out of Somalia and b) they were in the custody of Foreign Office officials. It looks like US broadcasters CNN and Fox used the story first - does that invalidate a UK injunction ?
1550 Sky News' Mark Stone interprets the injunction rather differently.
0640 GMT on CNN. Not long after on Sky. Updated on the Telegraph and Mail websites before 0900. Is the story in some way dubious ?
1500 Update: BBC World News Editor Jon Williams explains - there was a so-called "super injunction" which said news of the couple couldn't be broadcast until a) they were out of Somalia and b) they were in the custody of Foreign Office officials. It looks like US broadcasters CNN and Fox used the story first - does that invalidate a UK injunction ?
1550 Sky News' Mark Stone interprets the injunction rather differently.
Saturday night's alright
It was a quiet night in Wantage. Our Culture Minister Ed Vaizey stayed in with XFactor and decided to share his views via Twitter. In order...
Ten mins behind on x factor. Just seen Marys brilliant performance
Cher best so far tonight; right song dine [sic]the right way
Rebecca - magnificent
It may not have been a quiet night in Bolton. This from Wanderers strike Kevin Davies, who probably didn't watch the XFactor.
not in the England squad time for a beer
Ten mins behind on x factor. Just seen Marys brilliant performance
Cher best so far tonight; right song dine [sic]the right way
Rebecca - magnificent
It may not have been a quiet night in Bolton. This from Wanderers strike Kevin Davies, who probably didn't watch the XFactor.
not in the England squad time for a beer
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