Timing

BBC unions (NUJ, BECTU and Unite) are meeting management today, looking for movement on cuts, redundancies and pay. They'll take what they hear to a series of big meetings with members next week.

There's an emerging tendency to find money for problems; I cite an extra £5m to BBC Scotland for "content" in the run-up to the referendum and the Commonwealth Games. This represents a five per cent increase in Ken MacQuarrie's annual content budget, and, of course, may offer employment opportunities to those at risk of redundancy and improve morale - at least until the vote.

Participants at the BBC (internal) News Festival noted that Lord Hall was wearing red socks in his Q&A session earlier this week...