Bits

Portfolio post: all lightweight stuff.

Reading between the lines (cos you have to) I'm guessing the BBC will be paying a total of £140m a year for football, adding up its current League deal, and the new FA Cup move. On top of what BBC Alba pays for Scottish Premier League games.

How will Lord Hall handle Maria Miller's call for action against John Inverdale for his boorish comments about Marion Bartoli ?  The Byford answer would have been a training course. And it's a solution he's left in the Corporation's DNA, with courses still to come to make sure BBC suppliers fully embrace the "values" and "respect" at work....

Speaking of genetics, Lord Hall has told the Radio Times that music should be the DNA of the BBC. This probably doesn't mean a return for Top of the Pops, but, with "arts, culture and Shakespeare" flowing from Tone's lips, on top of soccer deals, Anne Bulford must be furrowing her brows a little and examining the war-chest.

On the music front, if publicists are allowed, in school holidays, to announce that celebs like Miley Cyrus are visiting Radio 1, then they should pay for security needed for crowd control in the Entwistle piazza at Broadcasting House. Or perhaps it's a move by Ben Cooper to drive up waning interest in breakfast host Nick Grimshaw - if that's so, then Ben should pay.

Staying upbeat, Peter Salmon revealed details of the annual staff survey of BBC North employees yesterday. Earlier this year we were told they are "much happier" than other BBC staffers. Now, 53% feel management communications at BBC North are open and honest. Oh for a trend report - and a comparison with the rest of the Corporation.

We note this morning that Dr Leah Totton, ready to inject a willing nation with botulinum toxin after her Apprentice win, will also be offering a skincare range - presumably because Apprentice 2012 losing finalist Susan Ma is making Siralan big bucks with Tropic Skin Care, and there's a business model in place. And Siralan clearly remembers with joy the money his apprentices made selling fake-tan in Essex back in May 2012.