Tide coming in

Some more clues about the future shape of the BBC from DG Tony Hall yesterday. In a speech to a conference of  international "technology innovators" held at Broadcasting House, he said by the end of the current Charter, the BBC would be running 170 apprentices - representing 1% of the workforce.

We note the last reported headcount, in July, is 16,534 - and there are two more years of DQF cuts to come, plus 3% to pay for "Where Next?"  There may be firing as well as hiring.

Lord Hall made a vigorous defence of the BBC's role in the UK market, saying it was a vital catalyst for creativity, a driver of quality across broadcasting, and works hard to engage with entrepreneurs. "The BBC is a great social invention precisely because it helps markets, because it aids competition, because it lifts all boats."

"Lifts all boats" can be traced back to Adam Smith, but was a favourite of John F Kennedy. Warren Buffett's critique of "trickle-down economics" was that "a rising tide lifts all yachts", not all boats - a gag picked up by Ed Miliband at this year's Labour Party conference.