Tuneful

BBC initiatives are tricky things these days. How to make something seem sparkly, big and ambitious, without spending too much money. The aggregation of some genuinely new ideas and quite-a-lot-of business-as-usual looks impressive in today's "launch" of BBC Music.

But spending money on cinema screenings of music treats for schoolkids is an odd twist  - why not stick them out on CBBC during the day ?  Will the Culture Secretary and the Education Secretary be entirely comfortable with this strategic drive into a Gove Gap ? How much licence fee money is going into a partnership with the National Skills Academy ?  And to fund four showcases for new bands and singers in The States ?

It's perhaps why we get this odd disclaimer at the end of the press release: We believe that the specific proposals above are covered within existing service licences and permissions as they represent refashioning or extending existing activity. As the BBC’s Music offer evolves, we may develop further proposals that need new permission and we will put these to the Trust when appropriate.