2.82m in the overnight ratings for The Musketeers on BBC1 - 13.2% share.
In the words of a sage female friend on Facebook "The eye candy doesn't make up for the dialogue and plot..."
Saturday, February 28, 2015
Understandable vehemence ?
Often reviews of history books are more entertaining than the tomes themselves, if the reviewers are selected with a little flair.
Jean Seaton's volume of BBC history, "Pinkoes and Traitors" gets a kicking from Guardian writer, Seumas Milne, son of Alasdair, de-DG-ed in 1987...
The book is littered with inaccuracies and demonstrable distortions: from names and dates to the self-serving spin of those who have survived to tell the tale. In the case of the Thatcher-inspired sacking of the director general, Seaton claims he had been “misleading the governors” over the Maggie’s Militant Tendency libel action and that they had “intended” to sack this “zombie DG” for three years. There is no evidence for either claim.
In the FT, Lord Patten calls the book entertaining and wise - but then, it only goes up to 1987. He does, however, volunteer some thoughts about his own time at the Corporation.
Seaton brilliantly describes the sequence of events whenever the BBC has to endure what the former Radio 4 controller Mark Damazer has called its Saint Sebastian moments, the arrows raining down on unprotected flesh. Relentless external onslaught, with the broadcaster making good copy because of “its combination of celebrities, political misdemeanours and popularity”, provokes “nervous breakdowns and latent civil war”. Then, she notes, “as a matter of honour, BBC news would savage the Corporation.” It did this recently over the disgusting Jimmy Savile case with understandable vehemence, given the uproar over the reasons for the shelving of an exposé of his criminal behaviour by a BBC current affairs programme. We now know that he was a monster. It is salutary today to read some of the newspaper obituaries published in 2011, which make him sound like Mother Teresa.
Lord Patten became BBC Chairman in May 2011.
I wonder who the Sundays will wheel out to give their views.
Jean Seaton's volume of BBC history, "Pinkoes and Traitors" gets a kicking from Guardian writer, Seumas Milne, son of Alasdair, de-DG-ed in 1987...
The book is littered with inaccuracies and demonstrable distortions: from names and dates to the self-serving spin of those who have survived to tell the tale. In the case of the Thatcher-inspired sacking of the director general, Seaton claims he had been “misleading the governors” over the Maggie’s Militant Tendency libel action and that they had “intended” to sack this “zombie DG” for three years. There is no evidence for either claim.
In the FT, Lord Patten calls the book entertaining and wise - but then, it only goes up to 1987. He does, however, volunteer some thoughts about his own time at the Corporation.
Seaton brilliantly describes the sequence of events whenever the BBC has to endure what the former Radio 4 controller Mark Damazer has called its Saint Sebastian moments, the arrows raining down on unprotected flesh. Relentless external onslaught, with the broadcaster making good copy because of “its combination of celebrities, political misdemeanours and popularity”, provokes “nervous breakdowns and latent civil war”. Then, she notes, “as a matter of honour, BBC news would savage the Corporation.” It did this recently over the disgusting Jimmy Savile case with understandable vehemence, given the uproar over the reasons for the shelving of an exposé of his criminal behaviour by a BBC current affairs programme. We now know that he was a monster. It is salutary today to read some of the newspaper obituaries published in 2011, which make him sound like Mother Teresa.
Lord Patten became BBC Chairman in May 2011.
I wonder who the Sundays will wheel out to give their views.
Friday, February 27, 2015
Clara
Congratulations to Clara Amfo, taking over the mid-morning show on Radio 1 from Fearne Cotton, who's been in the slot since September 2009, following on from Jo Whiley, Simon Mayo and Simon Bates. It's an anchoring position for the network, and a big responsibility for Clara, who, I think, turns 29 on the day Fearne vacates the seat, 22 May.
Smiley Miley
Here's a new groovy picture of BBC Worldwide boss Tim Davie. It's used on the website to attract visitors to the UK Trade and Industry "Great Festival of Creativity" in Shanghai next week. BBC Worldwide is the official "Innovation Partner". Others on the journey are Prince William, Sir Martin Sorrell, Tom Parker-Bowles and Brent Hoberman.
Tim speaks at two sessions - one, introducing BBC Earth, with the help of Mike Gunton, Creative Director of the Natural History Unit; the second on Smart Cities...
"This session will be an immersive exploration in three parts of how people-centred design, infrastructure, and technology are already transforming the way we live in urban areas."
Will there be slides of his new offices at Television Centre ?
Happening guy
Andy is an accomplished senior manager who makes the important things happen, not just the urgent. A storyteller at heart with seventeen years experience in BBC news and current affairs, he has spent over a decade combining his extensive operational business experience with large-scale transformation and troubleshooting assignments....A charismatic leader and operational manager.
Little self-doubt (and why should there be ?), in the CV of Andy Conroy, who, I'm guessing, follows Matthew Postgate as a boss of BBC Research and Development without a formal academic qualification in the sciences.
Andy first worked for Auntie as a weekend volunteer at Radio Lancashire, and, after Emmanuel College, Cambridge, formally joined local radio in Birmingham. Then he became Production Director for the ill-fated beeb.com. A spell away from the BBC followed, with work on Wisden Online and interactive games for OpenTV, before a return to the bosom running online activities for Drama, Entertainment and Children's (prop Alan Yentob). He was promoted to head of the Future Media Portfolio, and claims credit for delivery of iPlayer Beta (was that the one that worked ?).
From there he became part of the BBC Worldwide acquisition of Lonely Planet. Then back to public service stuff with BBC Online, minding the Red Button, finally rising to Chief Operating Officer, BBC Future Media.
Little self-doubt (and why should there be ?), in the CV of Andy Conroy, who, I'm guessing, follows Matthew Postgate as a boss of BBC Research and Development without a formal academic qualification in the sciences.
Andy first worked for Auntie as a weekend volunteer at Radio Lancashire, and, after Emmanuel College, Cambridge, formally joined local radio in Birmingham. Then he became Production Director for the ill-fated beeb.com. A spell away from the BBC followed, with work on Wisden Online and interactive games for OpenTV, before a return to the bosom running online activities for Drama, Entertainment and Children's (prop Alan Yentob). He was promoted to head of the Future Media Portfolio, and claims credit for delivery of iPlayer Beta (was that the one that worked ?).
From there he became part of the BBC Worldwide acquisition of Lonely Planet. Then back to public service stuff with BBC Online, minding the Red Button, finally rising to Chief Operating Officer, BBC Future Media.
Thursday, February 26, 2015
Casual nightwear
Let not company boundaries constrain curators of arts and culture. Alan Yentob was spotted choogling in row five or six at The Brits, as broadcast on ITV. Ed Sheeran's manager tweeted that he seemed to be wearing pyjama trousers.
What does this portend for the next run of Imagine ? Kanye, Madonna, or checked kegs as high fashion statements ?
What does this portend for the next run of Imagine ? Kanye, Madonna, or checked kegs as high fashion statements ?
Uptown Funk
BBC News has turned to Europe for its next provider of newsroom computer systems. It has selected Annova's OpenMedia software, developed in Munich, for a contract lasting at least 12 years. Of course, being the BBC, it requires special configuration, so it won't go live until 2017. By then, BBC staff will have had 21 years on the old system, the Associated Press's ENPS.
Like ENPS, OpenMedia uses Microsoft Windows at its core. It claims 50,000 existing users - including many of the Rundfunk-ers (including WDR - what joy !), ARD, SFR, France 24, RTL, Ukraine's TRK and TV Al-Hijrah in Malaysia. The BBC estimates it will save £4m a year when it's up and running. The BBC reported to Parliament that ENPS cost £6.7m in the financial year 2007-8, so Annova has come in really cheap by comparison. One suspects that was quite a weighted factor in the BBC's typically exhausting list of 4,000 requirements. It's not an unreasonable bet that the tender operation, running since September 2013 cost more than a year's operation.
Like ENPS, OpenMedia uses Microsoft Windows at its core. It claims 50,000 existing users - including many of the Rundfunk-ers (including WDR - what joy !), ARD, SFR, France 24, RTL, Ukraine's TRK and TV Al-Hijrah in Malaysia. The BBC estimates it will save £4m a year when it's up and running. The BBC reported to Parliament that ENPS cost £6.7m in the financial year 2007-8, so Annova has come in really cheap by comparison. One suspects that was quite a weighted factor in the BBC's typically exhausting list of 4,000 requirements. It's not an unreasonable bet that the tender operation, running since September 2013 cost more than a year's operation.
- Annova already partners with Mosart, the system behind the BBC's wandering robotic cameras, so no big change there, for collectors of man v machine videos.
Control freaks
A rag-bag of observations about the Culture Select Committee report on the future of the BBC.
They biffed subscription-only. Philip Davies, stroppy Tory for Shipley, was on his own there.
They backed a long-term move to a form of household levy, used in Germany, perhaps collected along with a utility bill, like electricity or water.
They want to biff the Trust. Perhaps the deciding factor was the apparent non-participation of Sir Michael Lyons in the 2010 licence fee carve-up-over-a-weekend, presided over by Mark Thompson and Jeremy Hunt.
Pre-report publication, they rejected a call to freeze the licence fee, sought by Philip Davies and Conor Burns for the Tories, and Gerry Sutcliffe, for Labour. Shy retiring Paul Farrelly, Labour, once of Reuters, the Indie and the Observer, had lots of detailed amendments turned down, as did John Leech for the LibDems, formerly of MacDonalds and the RAC.
They came down pretty hard against the idea of BBC1 +1 as a use of the broadcast slot vacated by BBC3. The Trust will have to take note.
They want yet another independent review body set up to inform Charter negotiations. I feel tired already.
They like the idea of the last independent review body, under Lord Burns, to set up a Public Service Broadcasting Commission, appointed by the Government, to "advise" the BBC, and to advise the Government on the amount of funding it should get. Quangomania is complete under this structure with Ofcom getting responsibility for the supervision of BBC impartiality, and thus the wagons are circled in a ringfence of command and control with little obvious public access to the process apart from voting in General Elections. The new BBC Board, and whoever leads it, will have little time for the day job, under a tidal wave of scrutiny appearances and report preparation. Here's my take...
They biffed subscription-only. Philip Davies, stroppy Tory for Shipley, was on his own there.
They backed a long-term move to a form of household levy, used in Germany, perhaps collected along with a utility bill, like electricity or water.
They want to biff the Trust. Perhaps the deciding factor was the apparent non-participation of Sir Michael Lyons in the 2010 licence fee carve-up-over-a-weekend, presided over by Mark Thompson and Jeremy Hunt.
Pre-report publication, they rejected a call to freeze the licence fee, sought by Philip Davies and Conor Burns for the Tories, and Gerry Sutcliffe, for Labour. Shy retiring Paul Farrelly, Labour, once of Reuters, the Indie and the Observer, had lots of detailed amendments turned down, as did John Leech for the LibDems, formerly of MacDonalds and the RAC.
They came down pretty hard against the idea of BBC1 +1 as a use of the broadcast slot vacated by BBC3. The Trust will have to take note.
They want yet another independent review body set up to inform Charter negotiations. I feel tired already.
They like the idea of the last independent review body, under Lord Burns, to set up a Public Service Broadcasting Commission, appointed by the Government, to "advise" the BBC, and to advise the Government on the amount of funding it should get. Quangomania is complete under this structure with Ofcom getting responsibility for the supervision of BBC impartiality, and thus the wagons are circled in a ringfence of command and control with little obvious public access to the process apart from voting in General Elections. The new BBC Board, and whoever leads it, will have little time for the day job, under a tidal wave of scrutiny appearances and report preparation. Here's my take...
Bubbling under
Islington High Street/Upper Street is a living fast-food laboratory. Next, a branch of Cuppacha, established in Chinatown, and with an outlet in Sheffield.
Cover up
Some of the written submissions to the DCMS committee on the future of the BBC are entertaining. It was perhaps inevitable that British Naturism would want a more transparent BBC. They are still fuming over Andrew Marr's History of The World, where they say, in six scenes, costumes were "complete fiction".
Wednesday, February 25, 2015
Up to you
A footnote to today's Public Accounts Committee session with the BBC: Ma Hodge, firing off in all directions as has become her style, opened with questions about BBC Trust chair Rona Fairhead's role at HSBC. Demonstrating the dangers of a little knowledge, she demanded to know what sort of "due diligence" was now underway at the Corporation. None, said Trustee Nick Prettejohn, gentling pointing out that the neither the Trust nor the BBC Executive appointed her. "It's not right for us to revisit that decision".
By the way, Nick is still a non-executive director of the Lloyds Banking Group plc, where he is a member of the Audit Committee and the Risk Committee. Lloyds sold their Swiss-booked private banking business and their Miami-based international private bank in October 2013, and their private bank operations in Monaco and Gibraltar in April 2014. They boast they now have no private banking connections with Switzerland.
By the way, Nick is still a non-executive director of the Lloyds Banking Group plc, where he is a member of the Audit Committee and the Risk Committee. Lloyds sold their Swiss-booked private banking business and their Miami-based international private bank in October 2013, and their private bank operations in Monaco and Gibraltar in April 2014. They boast they now have no private banking connections with Switzerland.
Still standing
A very patient performance today by BBC DG Lord Hall and Anne Bulford this afternoon in front of Ol' Ma Hodges' Tax Dodgers Hanging Jury, otherwise known as the Public Accounts Select Committee.
Ma was left on her own by other members of the committee when she said it was "shocking" that Television Centre had been sold to property developers who were prepared to channel funding through Luxembourg companies. The BBC should have known, she ranted, and stopped it. Hall, Bulford and Trustee Nick Prettejohn (pronounced Pret-john, we now know) stood their ground, saying it was legal, commercially sound, not unusual and produced the best return.
The BBC side was also patient when Ma Hodge demanded to know more about the BBC's lurch from freehold to leasehold property. The real answer is that successive governments have never allowed the BBC to stock up enough capital to buy and build new freeholds, so PFI-type deals are the only way Auntie can renew its building stock. And in terms of building disposals, the BBC can teach the Government a trick or two. It's all in the BBC's 2020 Property Vision, a document sponsored by Lord Hall when he was still in the BBC last time round in 1998. He's the man to get the toilets flushing again.
Best moment: Ma Hodge to Anne Bulford "You're avoiding the question"
Anne Bulford "Not yet..."
Ma was left on her own by other members of the committee when she said it was "shocking" that Television Centre had been sold to property developers who were prepared to channel funding through Luxembourg companies. The BBC should have known, she ranted, and stopped it. Hall, Bulford and Trustee Nick Prettejohn (pronounced Pret-john, we now know) stood their ground, saying it was legal, commercially sound, not unusual and produced the best return.
The BBC side was also patient when Ma Hodge demanded to know more about the BBC's lurch from freehold to leasehold property. The real answer is that successive governments have never allowed the BBC to stock up enough capital to buy and build new freeholds, so PFI-type deals are the only way Auntie can renew its building stock. And in terms of building disposals, the BBC can teach the Government a trick or two. It's all in the BBC's 2020 Property Vision, a document sponsored by Lord Hall when he was still in the BBC last time round in 1998. He's the man to get the toilets flushing again.
Best moment: Ma Hodge to Anne Bulford "You're avoiding the question"
Anne Bulford "Not yet..."
Academia
So the Continuity Radio Academy plan is out... and, so far, it seems to rely on the old funders to get things going again.
Last year the Academy made a loss of £265k, which ate up reserves of £259k. This was largely due to poor attendance at what was deemed a good Radio Festival. With delegate prices aimed at middle management pockets or expense budgets, the Academy failed to spot that a) there were many fewer middle managers in both the BBC and commercial operations and b) many of those remaining had better things on which to spend company money.
Now, the old patrons have stumped up 50% of this year's money ahead of time, to give the "new" organisation some funds to work with.
The BBC's Chris Burns, who sits at Helen Boaden's right hand, will be the new Chair. A deputy chair will be sought from outside the usual suspects. Chris will co-opt Trustees with skill sets in finance, social media and the running of member organisations. Up to six other trustees will apparently emerge with expertise in other sectors. Previously, Academy trustees came from patron organisations by turn and turn about.
The Trustees will set up the next festival with twelve months. It'll be "London-based" - a phrase which appeared in outgoing Chair Ben Cooper's presentation almost as many times as "going forward" - accessible and affordable. They'll continue to run the Radio Production Awards, and if you cough up to be an individual Gold member, you get to vote on the shortlists. Gold members will apparently get access to versions of online radio training developed by the BBC - and Ben dangled the possibility of reciprocal membership of a trendy drinking club, like The Hospital. A different sort of training, if you like.
As for the main Awards, a "consortium" of the BBC, The Radio Centre (including Global, Bauer and Orion) Radio Centre-refusniks UTV, and the Radio Independents Group are going to thrash some new "contemporary and transparent" ideas out in the next month or so. It's rather sad that they can't apparently do that within the new Radio Academy structure.
Last year the Academy made a loss of £265k, which ate up reserves of £259k. This was largely due to poor attendance at what was deemed a good Radio Festival. With delegate prices aimed at middle management pockets or expense budgets, the Academy failed to spot that a) there were many fewer middle managers in both the BBC and commercial operations and b) many of those remaining had better things on which to spend company money.
Now, the old patrons have stumped up 50% of this year's money ahead of time, to give the "new" organisation some funds to work with.
The BBC's Chris Burns, who sits at Helen Boaden's right hand, will be the new Chair. A deputy chair will be sought from outside the usual suspects. Chris will co-opt Trustees with skill sets in finance, social media and the running of member organisations. Up to six other trustees will apparently emerge with expertise in other sectors. Previously, Academy trustees came from patron organisations by turn and turn about.
The Trustees will set up the next festival with twelve months. It'll be "London-based" - a phrase which appeared in outgoing Chair Ben Cooper's presentation almost as many times as "going forward" - accessible and affordable. They'll continue to run the Radio Production Awards, and if you cough up to be an individual Gold member, you get to vote on the shortlists. Gold members will apparently get access to versions of online radio training developed by the BBC - and Ben dangled the possibility of reciprocal membership of a trendy drinking club, like The Hospital. A different sort of training, if you like.
As for the main Awards, a "consortium" of the BBC, The Radio Centre (including Global, Bauer and Orion) Radio Centre-refusniks UTV, and the Radio Independents Group are going to thrash some new "contemporary and transparent" ideas out in the next month or so. It's rather sad that they can't apparently do that within the new Radio Academy structure.
Shift key ?
Technology palpitations at BBC News, where the decision on its next newsroom software system is expected to be announced this week.
The BBC has used ENPS (Electronic News Production System) since 1996, and flirted with change more than once since then. Indeed there were periods when rooms of consultants were employed to draft the ultimate specification. Thankfully, wise heads realised things were moving too fast for perfection. Associated Press, who own ENPS, have sold around the world on the back of their deal with Auntie, and must be hoping that continuity is the name of the game. But there's real tension between systems that deliver solid and secure performance without "falling over", and the sexier attractions of "apps" and "gizmos" that populate "new media" thinking.
The BBC tender process has been typically hair-shirted, and at least one contender, Avid's iNews, used by ITN and Sky, has dropped out.
The BBC has used ENPS (Electronic News Production System) since 1996, and flirted with change more than once since then. Indeed there were periods when rooms of consultants were employed to draft the ultimate specification. Thankfully, wise heads realised things were moving too fast for perfection. Associated Press, who own ENPS, have sold around the world on the back of their deal with Auntie, and must be hoping that continuity is the name of the game. But there's real tension between systems that deliver solid and secure performance without "falling over", and the sexier attractions of "apps" and "gizmos" that populate "new media" thinking.
The BBC tender process has been typically hair-shirted, and at least one contender, Avid's iNews, used by ITN and Sky, has dropped out.
Tuesday, February 24, 2015
Broad and wide
Series 2 of Broadchurch ended with an average audience of 6m in the overnights - 7.8m if you include ITV HD and ITV +1. That won't bother ITV too much - it's been adding around 2.5m viewers on catch-up, as has Indian Summers on C4.
In other news, New Tricks, with an average audience of just under 5m, is not coming back after this year's outing. Whereas The Musketeers, bumping along at 3m, are....
In other news, New Tricks, with an average audience of just under 5m, is not coming back after this year's outing. Whereas The Musketeers, bumping along at 3m, are....
US News
Readers have been asking me for news of Richard Somerset-Ward, who succeeded Humphrey Burton as BBC TV's head of music and arts in the early 1980s, and then moved to management of the BBC in the USA.
Richard, the son of a canon, went to Cambridge, and first emerged at the BBC in sport, producing items for Grandstand, and the odd religious discussion on Radio 4.
Now in his late sixties, he lives in a condo in Bedminster, New Jersey, where he is very busy. He is President of the Board of "Music in the Somerset Hills", chairman of the board of Muse Films, a not-for-profit New York operation that makes documentaries about culture and the visual arts, and he is a pillar of St Luke's Episcopal Church in Gladstone. There, he gives regular talks, is Chair of the Worship Committee, a member of the Episcopal Election Committee, and Master of the Corps of Acolytes....
The Corps of Acolytes at St. Luke’s is an intergenerational group made up of nearly 30 youths and several adults. The Corps is directed by the Master and Mistress of Acolytes, Richard Somerset-Ward and Alix Weisz, and is led by several young members, who are responsible for training newcomers and updating others. Acolytes are valued participants in the Sunday services; their youthful countenances (and footwear, which peeks from beneath their flowing robes) are constant reminders that St. Luke’s is a church for all ages.
Now in his late sixties, he lives in a condo in Bedminster, New Jersey, where he is very busy. He is President of the Board of "Music in the Somerset Hills", chairman of the board of Muse Films, a not-for-profit New York operation that makes documentaries about culture and the visual arts, and he is a pillar of St Luke's Episcopal Church in Gladstone. There, he gives regular talks, is Chair of the Worship Committee, a member of the Episcopal Election Committee, and Master of the Corps of Acolytes....
The Corps of Acolytes at St. Luke’s is an intergenerational group made up of nearly 30 youths and several adults. The Corps is directed by the Master and Mistress of Acolytes, Richard Somerset-Ward and Alix Weisz, and is led by several young members, who are responsible for training newcomers and updating others. Acolytes are valued participants in the Sunday services; their youthful countenances (and footwear, which peeks from beneath their flowing robes) are constant reminders that St. Luke’s is a church for all ages.
Monday, February 23, 2015
The Commitments
I'm sure viewers will be delighted at the BBC News Channel's "new commitment to international news".
"The BBC News Channel today announced a new [sic] international programme at 9pm as part of an ongoing commitment to providing its viewers with the best global news reporting."
What's really happening is that UK viewers will watch what's going out on BBC World at 9pm every night. That'll be Outside Source, Monday to Thursday, and a bulletin of World News Friday to Sunday. To me, simulcasting like that has a sniff of a saving rather than a commitment to anything in particular.
"The BBC News Channel today announced a new [sic] international programme at 9pm as part of an ongoing commitment to providing its viewers with the best global news reporting."
What's really happening is that UK viewers will watch what's going out on BBC World at 9pm every night. That'll be Outside Source, Monday to Thursday, and a bulletin of World News Friday to Sunday. To me, simulcasting like that has a sniff of a saving rather than a commitment to anything in particular.
Long game
They love Rona Fairhead at HSBC. She's standing for re-election as a non-executive director at the 2015 AGM, despite serving for longer than best practice guidelines. Here's the relevant bit from the annual report.
"The Board considers all of the non-executive Directors to be independent..... Rona Fairhead has served on the Board for more than nine years and, in that respect only, does not meet the usual criteria for independence set out in the UK Corporate Governance Code. The Board has determined Rona Fairhead to be independent in character and judgement, notwithstanding her length of service, taking into account her continuing level of constructive challenge of management and strong contribution to Board discussions. Rona Fairhead will stand for re-election at the 2015 Annual General Meeting."
The report notes that Rona has handed over the chairing of the HSBC Financial System Vulnerabilities Committee to Lord Evans of Weardale. The committee "oversees the implementation by management of policies aimed at mitigating financial crime and system abuse risks which HSBC faces in the execution of its strategy". Rona had been the chair since it was established 2013.
Rona has 76,254 HSBC shares, some owned jointly with another individual, worth a tad over £436k at 11.50am. She earned £494k in fees and £19k in benefits from HSBC over the year.
"The Board considers all of the non-executive Directors to be independent..... Rona Fairhead has served on the Board for more than nine years and, in that respect only, does not meet the usual criteria for independence set out in the UK Corporate Governance Code. The Board has determined Rona Fairhead to be independent in character and judgement, notwithstanding her length of service, taking into account her continuing level of constructive challenge of management and strong contribution to Board discussions. Rona Fairhead will stand for re-election at the 2015 Annual General Meeting."
The report notes that Rona has handed over the chairing of the HSBC Financial System Vulnerabilities Committee to Lord Evans of Weardale. The committee "oversees the implementation by management of policies aimed at mitigating financial crime and system abuse risks which HSBC faces in the execution of its strategy". Rona had been the chair since it was established 2013.
Rona has 76,254 HSBC shares, some owned jointly with another individual, worth a tad over £436k at 11.50am. She earned £494k in fees and £19k in benefits from HSBC over the year.
Having a laugh
25.03.2013 Danny Cohen, Controller, BBC One and Shane Allen, Controller, Comedy Commissioning, have commissioned a 6x30-minute prime time visual comedy series from Matt Lucas called Pompidou
17.06.2014 BBC One announced today that shooting has begun on Pompidou, a new prime-time visual comedy series created by and starring Matt Lucas.
The first episode of Pompidou has been scheduled at 6.30pm on BBC Two next Sunday.
17.06.2014 BBC One announced today that shooting has begun on Pompidou, a new prime-time visual comedy series created by and starring Matt Lucas.
The first episode of Pompidou has been scheduled at 6.30pm on BBC Two next Sunday.
Ring ring
And there was another British success - The Phone Call, written by Mat Kirkby and James Lucas, and directed by Mat, won the Oscar for best live-action short film.
Both writers work on videos and commercials at Ridley Scott's London studios - and discovered that their mothers were both volunteers for crisis help-lines - thus the plot. Mat moved from directing videos for Basement Jaxx, Adele, Muse, KFC, Sony Playstation and Somersby Cider, to persuade Sally Hawkins to take the lead. Then he used that as bait to secure Jim Broadbent - who never actually appears on camera. The twenty-minute film was shot over two days in offices in the City of London. .
James told the Hackney Gazette "Our cachet has risen... Mat’s going to make a feature, I’m writing away like Jack Kerouac on benzedrene, we are busy".
Both writers work on videos and commercials at Ridley Scott's London studios - and discovered that their mothers were both volunteers for crisis help-lines - thus the plot. Mat moved from directing videos for Basement Jaxx, Adele, Muse, KFC, Sony Playstation and Somersby Cider, to persuade Sally Hawkins to take the lead. Then he used that as bait to secure Jim Broadbent - who never actually appears on camera. The twenty-minute film was shot over two days in offices in the City of London. .
James told the Hackney Gazette "Our cachet has risen... Mat’s going to make a feature, I’m writing away like Jack Kerouac on benzedrene, we are busy".
Sunday, February 22, 2015
Status report
Jason Seiken no longer describes himself as Editor-In-Chief@Telegraph on his Twitter profile. My research skills are not quite up to uncovering when exactly this change was made - the Oborne resignation, the organ's coverage of HSBC, the reporting of the Times' commercial department, or a straightforward demotion may have all been triggers. The soubriquet was there certainly till the end of January.
Saturday, February 21, 2015
Loss leader
Excellent audience figures for all the Eastenders hullabaloo. The excitement didn't spill over for The Musketeers. Eastenders average 9.97m, Eastenders Backstages average 6.45m, then more than half the audience went elsewhere, leaving the Anglo-Czech extrapolation of Dumas' tales with just 3m viewers. Gogglebox, on Channel 4, a series about people watching tv, attracted 4m.
Friday, February 20, 2015
Job creation
The Salford Star, no friend of Peel Holdings, the developers of MediaCityUK, keeps plugging away with Freedom of Information requests.
Their latest, to the BBC, extracts the information that, of an estimated 2,500 staff based there, only 134 full-time employees and 16 part-time employees are Salford residents. The Star also asked for a breakdown of those who live in apartments in MediaCityUK itself, but the BBC said it could not provide the information.
Their latest, to the BBC, extracts the information that, of an estimated 2,500 staff based there, only 134 full-time employees and 16 part-time employees are Salford residents. The Star also asked for a breakdown of those who live in apartments in MediaCityUK itself, but the BBC said it could not provide the information.
Grumps
Two things to get off my chest. Apparently EastEnders producer Dominic Treadwell is officially a "hero" for a drawn-out, unremittingly nasty soap opera story-line, played out largely before the watershed, which ends with a child murderer. Remind me where that fits with the BBC's values, would you ? Isn't there gruesome enough stuff on the news ? Shall we model parents' conversations with children about all this ?
Second, my old English teacher hated the word "get". Ugly, and always replaceable with something more elegant, he said. Get Creative follows Get Inspired follows Get In follows the now-lapsed Get Writing.
Second, my old English teacher hated the word "get". Ugly, and always replaceable with something more elegant, he said. Get Creative follows Get Inspired follows Get In follows the now-lapsed Get Writing.
Smack
Forget Eastenders. BBC people of my age are in a Jean Seaton frenzy. Who was the spanker ?
Jean's new book Pinkoes and Traitors: The BBC and the nation, 1974 - 1987
tells us some stuff that has been in conversation rather than print for some time. Cover boy Sir Robin Day was a bit of a masher, as were Huw Wheldon, Malcolm Muggeridge and Sir George Howard.
But the book also tells of a group of women getting together to complain to the Head of Personnel about an unnamed man in a position of authority who propositioned women for spanking. According to Seaton, BBC executive Brian Wenham initially dismissed the allegations as harmless. When the women threatened to go to the Governors, “a compromise was found and the man was posted to a BBC job – abroad – with an expensive apartment in New York”.
Jean's new book Pinkoes and Traitors: The BBC and the nation, 1974 - 1987
tells us some stuff that has been in conversation rather than print for some time. Cover boy Sir Robin Day was a bit of a masher, as were Huw Wheldon, Malcolm Muggeridge and Sir George Howard.But the book also tells of a group of women getting together to complain to the Head of Personnel about an unnamed man in a position of authority who propositioned women for spanking. According to Seaton, BBC executive Brian Wenham initially dismissed the allegations as harmless. When the women threatened to go to the Governors, “a compromise was found and the man was posted to a BBC job – abroad – with an expensive apartment in New York”.
Thursday, February 19, 2015
Just passing through...
A correspondent with an eye for detail notes this picture of Stella Rimington, today's guest on Radio 3's Essential Classics. The microphone appears to be upside down. There also seems to be a random bit of foam sound absorption on the cubicle window. Stella's coat is over her chair. All a bit louche. But then, it is an indie production, by Classic Arts Somethin' Else.
Yankee doodle
As the BBC Trust tries to tie commercial wing BBC Worldwide ever closer to the public purposes (Bringing the UK to the world and the world to the UK) it may be useful to scrutinise the changing schedules of BBC America, now a joint venture with AMC Networks.
Tonight they introduce the obscure knowledge quiz, QI, to unsuspecting cable subscribers, with three episodes back to back between 8 and 9pm, Eastern Time. This is followed by another edition of Million Dollar Critic, specially commissioned by BBC America, featuring Giles Coren, "the bitingly funny and controversial restaurant critic of The London Times".
These two, at least, have some BBC pedigree. 1pm to 7pm is blocked out for the bleeping of Gordon Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares USA, a product of ITV Studios America and Optomen, originally broadcast on the Fox Network. Star Trek remains another staple of the BBC America rotation. Bringing the UK to the world, eh, Rona ?
Tonight they introduce the obscure knowledge quiz, QI, to unsuspecting cable subscribers, with three episodes back to back between 8 and 9pm, Eastern Time. This is followed by another edition of Million Dollar Critic, specially commissioned by BBC America, featuring Giles Coren, "the bitingly funny and controversial restaurant critic of The London Times".
These two, at least, have some BBC pedigree. 1pm to 7pm is blocked out for the bleeping of Gordon Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares USA, a product of ITV Studios America and Optomen, originally broadcast on the Fox Network. Star Trek remains another staple of the BBC America rotation. Bringing the UK to the world, eh, Rona ?
Your turn
It was ITN's year at the Royal Television Society Awards.
They won the best home news coverage gong, for "Jihadi Terror"; the best foreign coverage, for Ukraine; the best daily programme, for News At Ten; best network presenter, for Mark Austin, and best hack for Matt Frei (C4, provided by ITN). C4's Dispatches topped the international current affairs list, for 'Children on The Front Line' - another ITN production. Science correspondent Lawrence McGinty won the lifetime achievement award.
BBC Nations and Regions held up the BBC end, with wins for Harry Gration, as best regional presenter; BBC South East for best daily programme and BBC West Midlands for best current affairs. Scoop of the year went to BBC Northern Ireland's Spotlight, sadly eclipsing the network's use- of-helicopter-in-odd-circumstances-while-Sir-Cliff-was-elsewhere.
Alison Holt, for the BBC, won specialist journalist of the year, and BBC News also picked up the technology award, for use of "the cloud" in covering the World Cup. Panorama won the domestic current affairs honour, thanks to indie Twenty2Vision (prop Paul Woolwich - Mr Sian Williams).
Sky won News Channel of The Year.
They won the best home news coverage gong, for "Jihadi Terror"; the best foreign coverage, for Ukraine; the best daily programme, for News At Ten; best network presenter, for Mark Austin, and best hack for Matt Frei (C4, provided by ITN). C4's Dispatches topped the international current affairs list, for 'Children on The Front Line' - another ITN production. Science correspondent Lawrence McGinty won the lifetime achievement award.
BBC Nations and Regions held up the BBC end, with wins for Harry Gration, as best regional presenter; BBC South East for best daily programme and BBC West Midlands for best current affairs. Scoop of the year went to BBC Northern Ireland's Spotlight, sadly eclipsing the network's use- of-helicopter-in-odd-circumstances-while-Sir-Cliff-was-elsewhere.
Alison Holt, for the BBC, won specialist journalist of the year, and BBC News also picked up the technology award, for use of "the cloud" in covering the World Cup. Panorama won the domestic current affairs honour, thanks to indie Twenty2Vision (prop Paul Woolwich - Mr Sian Williams).
Sky won News Channel of The Year.
Wednesday, February 18, 2015
Come on over, Valerie
BBC HR Director Valerie Hughes D'Aeth will be speaking at this year's HR Can Change The World Conference. An number of tickets, at £795 for the day, are still available for this event, at the Brewery, in Chiswell St, EC1 on 12th March. To drum up business, Valerie has given an interview to HR Grapevine. I think she may have typed the answers. Here are my highlights...
What have been the highlights in your career that have enabled you to sit where you are today?
I decided I wanted a career in HR when I was 16 and working on Saturdays in the Personnel department of my local Sainsbury’s store...
What motivates and drives you?
I enjoy working in organisations with products and services that I can relate to as a user and where people are at the heart of the organisations future success, like at the BBC.
How do you know when you've done a good job, what gives you satisfaction?
I am still new in my role at the BBC... At the BBC the challenges and opportunities are around efficiency. By 2016 we’ll be saving £1.5billion a year to ensure money is focused on what matters most – programmes audiences love.
Why does the BBC matter to you?
The BBC is a world class organisation - one of the great things about Britain and part of the fabric of society. We deliver high quality programmes and services for everyone and bring the nation together, all for £2.80 a week. The BBC - News, TV and Radio has always been a significant part of my family's life providing great education and entertainment. I’m therefore passionate about helping the BBC continue to provide licence fee payers with real value for money and great content.
What have been the highlights in your career that have enabled you to sit where you are today?
I decided I wanted a career in HR when I was 16 and working on Saturdays in the Personnel department of my local Sainsbury’s store...
What motivates and drives you?
I enjoy working in organisations with products and services that I can relate to as a user and where people are at the heart of the organisations future success, like at the BBC.
How do you know when you've done a good job, what gives you satisfaction?
I am still new in my role at the BBC... At the BBC the challenges and opportunities are around efficiency. By 2016 we’ll be saving £1.5billion a year to ensure money is focused on what matters most – programmes audiences love.
Why does the BBC matter to you?
The BBC is a world class organisation - one of the great things about Britain and part of the fabric of society. We deliver high quality programmes and services for everyone and bring the nation together, all for £2.80 a week. The BBC - News, TV and Radio has always been a significant part of my family's life providing great education and entertainment. I’m therefore passionate about helping the BBC continue to provide licence fee payers with real value for money and great content.
Precedents
Maybe the petition to save BBC3 as a broadcast network can work. 271,000 signatures is not bad, but the organisers will need more follow-up work.
In the campaign to save 6Music there were a number of different petitions - the Facebook group opposed to closure grew to 180,000 members, and there were 63,000 signatures on a joint petition on 6Music and The Asian Network.
The Trust was swayed by "significant public support" for 6Music; 78% of nearly 50,000 online responses to a consultation on the BBC's future focused on 6 Music; The Trust also received more than 25,000 emails and nearly 250 letters about the station, most opposed to the axe.
In the campaign to save 6Music there were a number of different petitions - the Facebook group opposed to closure grew to 180,000 members, and there were 63,000 signatures on a joint petition on 6Music and The Asian Network.
The Trust was swayed by "significant public support" for 6Music; 78% of nearly 50,000 online responses to a consultation on the BBC's future focused on 6 Music; The Trust also received more than 25,000 emails and nearly 250 letters about the station, most opposed to the axe.
- The Trust's report on their deliberations makes no mention of a nice cushion received through the post, neatly cross-stitched with the legend "Save 6 Music", though I'm sure it had some impact.
Tuesday, February 17, 2015
Say so
BBC staff occasionally call their in-house website Ariel "Pravda". Recently it's taken on different stances. Today, it offers 1,047 words on why the tv version of World Have Your Say, which runs weekly on BBC World, should not be axed. The unyielding management response takes just 92 words.
Monday, February 16, 2015
Robin Adams
Robin Adams, who was a mainstay of BBC TV News engineering, has died aged 69. He joined when news was still running out of Alexandra Palace, and became part of the project team equipping new studios in "The Spur" of Television Centre, ahead of a move which took place one night in 1969.
One colleague recalls his early enthusiasm "I remember once having to persuade him not to take perfectly serviceable equipment apart just for the fun of it !".
Contacts he made during that move led to more innovation and trials. He worked on improving"Chromakey" or Colour Separation Overlay - the "green screen" technology used then to put entertaining backgrounds behind newsreaders, and the mainstay of many film techniques to this day. The first generation set-up delivered rather unsteady edges, which gave much of the game away, as hairlines flickered; by moving to a system which recognised "excess hue" (i.e. the green) and then hue suppression, it worked much better - as long as newsreaders avoided green ties, etc.
Robin left the BBC in 1990, and went on to work for the newsroom computer system, Basys, and Drake Electronics, which specialist in the intercoms that kept tv news on the air.
Contacts he made during that move led to more innovation and trials. He worked on improving"Chromakey" or Colour Separation Overlay - the "green screen" technology used then to put entertaining backgrounds behind newsreaders, and the mainstay of many film techniques to this day. The first generation set-up delivered rather unsteady edges, which gave much of the game away, as hairlines flickered; by moving to a system which recognised "excess hue" (i.e. the green) and then hue suppression, it worked much better - as long as newsreaders avoided green ties, etc.
Robin left the BBC in 1990, and went on to work for the newsroom computer system, Basys, and Drake Electronics, which specialist in the intercoms that kept tv news on the air.
Anghynhwysol
"In Wales, a lot of the funding council funding [sic. Ed] is now spent on the tuition fee grant and that means there's less money available to invest in the Welsh sector than is the case in England," he told BBC Wales in an exclusive interview.
The interviewee was Dr David Blaney, of the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales, Hefcw. A phalanx of PAs and BBC apparatchiks was stationed outside the room where the recording was made, fending off the remainder of the Welsh media with sharp sticks.
The interviewee was Dr David Blaney, of the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales, Hefcw. A phalanx of PAs and BBC apparatchiks was stationed outside the room where the recording was made, fending off the remainder of the Welsh media with sharp sticks.
Mind your own business
Regular readers will know I occasionally get mileage out of the BBC jobs website. This new opportunity I found this morning may be aimed just at me. It closes in November 2019.
Sunday, February 15, 2015
More nosebleeds
"Showrunner is a writer who is in charge of all aspects of the drama, including writing of course but also casting, sets, finding directors, etc...
"Roban's nosebleeds are not resolved in this season because it's the beginning of something else! You have to wait next season…. :)"
"We are 7 writers and I re-write every episode at the end to harmonize them"
"Police officers love the show because it talks about their daily job. It's normal because I work with them to make the series the more realistic as possible. Even gangsters love the show !!
" I think of my characters as a blended family and their home is their office. The only private space is the loo !"
Saturday, February 14, 2015
Metrics
The Musketeers returned to BBC1 last night after a sporting break, to find that only 2.92 million tuned in, according to overnight figures. This "Original British Drama" is coming back for a third series, thanks to the support of BBC Worldwide.
Big idea
Spare reading time this weekend could be well spent with a piece by the BBC's Controller of Archive Development, Tony Ageh. It's a thought-provoking re-intepretation of the concept of "Digital Public Space" - less of a giant cupboard for worthy mementos, more of a free playground, available to all, yet protected, secure and free from political and commercial pressures. If there were halcyon days of public service broadcasting in this country, this is an attempt to re-create them, worthy of attention - a proper analysis of the history of the licence fee, and a much bigger idea of what to do to in future, rather than just niggling over its size in pounds and pence, and jail sentences versus bailiffs.
Friday, February 13, 2015
Fly away Peter
It may be digital, it may be something else (Murdoch MacLennan ?) that got on his wick. Peter Oborne, styled Chief Political Commentator for the Telegraph, has resigned from the Barclay Brothers' journalistic experiment, after nearly five years with the paper.
One theory is that he may be making his way back to the Daily Mail, where his old chum Tony Gallagher is now ensconced.
One theory is that he may be making his way back to the Daily Mail, where his old chum Tony Gallagher is now ensconced.
Mr Bassman
I was worried that when Alison Hastings left the BBC Trust, the groovy quotient would fall to zero. Alison, who liked Radio 1's Big Weekend, is yet to be replaced.
But now I find that Scottish Trustee Bill Matthews has a musical past, on bass and vocals with OneDay40, whose album, Unfinished Business, is still available on iTunes. Joy of joys, YouTube also boasts two live performances from 2008 on BBC Alba's Ceol Country (Country Music), as well as a video version of "50 miles". In this last piece, Bill sports a tee-shirt with the legend "Bawbag", which I hope isn't on one of this lists of naughty words beloved of The Trust.
There's still time for Bob Shennan to spot all this before finalising the playlist for his pop-up country music station.
Bill, a serial non-exec, gives more details on his new executive coaching website.
But now I find that Scottish Trustee Bill Matthews has a musical past, on bass and vocals with OneDay40, whose album, Unfinished Business, is still available on iTunes. Joy of joys, YouTube also boasts two live performances from 2008 on BBC Alba's Ceol Country (Country Music), as well as a video version of "50 miles". In this last piece, Bill sports a tee-shirt with the legend "Bawbag", which I hope isn't on one of this lists of naughty words beloved of The Trust.
There's still time for Bob Shennan to spot all this before finalising the playlist for his pop-up country music station.
Bill, a serial non-exec, gives more details on his new executive coaching website.
Cough up
If this survey, Youtube video and press release cost anything at all to produce, I think it's a very naive piece of spending by TV Licensing - especially as we head to Charter Renewal. Could it have come from the creative minds of Proximity London ?
Hackneyed
The BBC spent close to £12m on taxis in 2013-4, up from £10.7m in 2011-2.
In a now-familiar piece of sophistry, it refuses to break down details of the spend in News, TV and Radio, because that's information held for the purposes of "journalism, art or literature".
This may offend BBC Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, who have had more details disclosed, along with The Trust, Finance & Operations and Strategy & Digital. They accounted for £1.7m of taxi fares during 2013-4. Charges for waiting time were added to 16% of journeys, and 1.6% were cancelled, incurring payments.
In a now-familiar piece of sophistry, it refuses to break down details of the spend in News, TV and Radio, because that's information held for the purposes of "journalism, art or literature".
This may offend BBC Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, who have had more details disclosed, along with The Trust, Finance & Operations and Strategy & Digital. They accounted for £1.7m of taxi fares during 2013-4. Charges for waiting time were added to 16% of journeys, and 1.6% were cancelled, incurring payments.
Thursday, February 12, 2015
Sharp knife
Continuing our monthly filleting of the BBC Trust minutes, so that you don't have to read them all. I expect many of you can now put your own spin on these...
Members discussed the audience perceptions and usage of the BBC in Scotland both before and after the Referendum. They noted that there seemed no evidence of any impact of the Referendum on usage of the BBC...
So there, Sturgeon.
They discussed the ongoing concerns about coverage of devolved policy within network news, and the issue of ensuring that news coverage remained relevant to audiences across the UK. The Director, News and Current Affairs reported that seminars were being held with senior staff to consider these issues.
Otherwise known as the Byford solution. Based on Getting Your Mind Right c Cool Hand Luke 1967.
Members discussed the performance of BBC Local Radio which had seen a small but steady decline in the number of listeners. They noted that the Trust was scheduled to conduct its second service review of BBC Local Radio before the end of the current charter. This would provide an opportunity for a more in-depth consideration of the performance of local radio.
The Managing Director, Finance and Operations provided a status report on some of the BBC’s current projects and risks. She noted that work was on track to implement the finance and procurement element of Project Smart in January 2015....
But on time and on cost ?
Members discussed the audience perceptions and usage of the BBC in Scotland both before and after the Referendum. They noted that there seemed no evidence of any impact of the Referendum on usage of the BBC...
So there, Sturgeon.
They discussed the ongoing concerns about coverage of devolved policy within network news, and the issue of ensuring that news coverage remained relevant to audiences across the UK. The Director, News and Current Affairs reported that seminars were being held with senior staff to consider these issues.
Otherwise known as the Byford solution. Based on Getting Your Mind Right c Cool Hand Luke 1967.
Members discussed the performance of BBC Local Radio which had seen a small but steady decline in the number of listeners. They noted that the Trust was scheduled to conduct its second service review of BBC Local Radio before the end of the current charter. This would provide an opportunity for a more in-depth consideration of the performance of local radio.
The Managing Director, Finance and Operations provided a status report on some of the BBC’s current projects and risks. She noted that work was on track to implement the finance and procurement element of Project Smart in January 2015....
But on time and on cost ?
Rising
BBC1 in general has been having a good start to 2015, in terms of numbers watching. The first outing for the Comic Relief version of the Great British Bake-off scored 6.4m in the overnights - and I suspect it might add as much as 2m in catch-up, etc through word-of-mouth.
However, the Panorama special on cancer treatment was pretty much a 9pm low, at 1.96m. Viewers went in other directions - Midsomer Murders did ok for ITVwith 4.58m, and even the dark corners of Wolf Hall had more peering into BBC2, 180k up on last week, at 2.79m.
Panorama's HSBC scoop didn't waggle the meters much on Monday night - 2.7m.
However, the Panorama special on cancer treatment was pretty much a 9pm low, at 1.96m. Viewers went in other directions - Midsomer Murders did ok for ITVwith 4.58m, and even the dark corners of Wolf Hall had more peering into BBC2, 180k up on last week, at 2.79m.
Panorama's HSBC scoop didn't waggle the meters much on Monday night - 2.7m.
Wednesday, February 11, 2015
Eye to eye
TV coverage of the Commons - currently resembling random cutting between security cameras at a rowdy gentlemen's club AGM - may soon slightly improve, after this quiet announcement from the House Commission.
"Following the success of a recent trial, the Commission endorsed a proposal to install additional cameras in the House of Commons Chamber."
Next, how about a little close miking, so that the baying hordes can't be heard - and maybe will give up the charmless posh playground practice ?
"Following the success of a recent trial, the Commission endorsed a proposal to install additional cameras in the House of Commons Chamber."
Next, how about a little close miking, so that the baying hordes can't be heard - and maybe will give up the charmless posh playground practice ?
Absorbing game
We wake to a certain nervousness around Sky's outlets other than sport. The deal, for 126 live broadcasts of Premier League games for each of the next three seasons, works out at £11m per match. Sky has 15.8 million subscribers in the UK - 11.7m are private homes, and it's estimated that 8m pay for Sky Sports. The average spend across all subcribers is £564 a year, with domestic customers averaging something over £500.
At £1.4bn a year, the deal commits 16% of the Sky group's current revenues, including Germany and Italy. The Group Director of Corporate Affairs, Graham McWilliam tweeted thus...
Staff at Osterley will be keen to understand the balance between "absorbing" cost and growth.
At £1.4bn a year, the deal commits 16% of the Sky group's current revenues, including Germany and Italy. The Group Director of Corporate Affairs, Graham McWilliam tweeted thus...
PL rights more expensive, but have clear plan to absorb cost and continue to grow in line with expectations
— Graham McWilliam (@grahammcwilliam) February 10, 2015
Staff at Osterley will be keen to understand the balance between "absorbing" cost and growth.
Jape
A footnote to the tale of BBC radio technology wizard Rupert Brun, and his alleged problems finding a working toilet in Broadcasting House, which I repeated in this blog. Rupert has told friends on Facebook. "Sad that a journalist didn't get (or chose not to get) that it was a parody of all the "complaining about the toilets" letters over the last few weeks... Perhaps I should also have included something about somebody stealing my yoghurt to make it obvious even to the hard of understanding."
"I realised i had never had a letter published in Ariel and only had 2 months to remedy this. So i read the last dozen published letters and wrote a sort of parody....The Ariel team came up with the title."
Sadly the parody fooled working journalists as well as this hapless blogger. Perhaps Rupe can use some of his leaving pot to defray the BBC's costs in dealing with the blowback.
"I realised i had never had a letter published in Ariel and only had 2 months to remedy this. So i read the last dozen published letters and wrote a sort of parody....The Ariel team came up with the title."
Sadly the parody fooled working journalists as well as this hapless blogger. Perhaps Rupe can use some of his leaving pot to defray the BBC's costs in dealing with the blowback.
Tuesday, February 10, 2015
Money matters
The BBC Trust's new command and control system for dealing with Auntie's commercial operations is as clear as mud. It basically says everything must be done to make a profit for the licence-fee payer, but it doesn't have to be that big, or, indeed happen every year, as demanded in most of the real world. There may be more clarity when it publishes an indepent review of how the BBC currently operates transfer pricing,
One respondent, having examined the published accounts for BBC
Studios and Post Production, said that it was clearly not contributing to the licence
fee income of the BBC and questioned how the proposed remit could be satisfied.
Another respondent had examined the published accounts for BBC Global News Ltd, and commented that it had been operating for many years without making a viable
return and in a commercial environment would have been closed long ago.
One respondent raised a specific question about whether the arrangements under which two of the BBC’s commercial subsidiaries will lease space at Television Centre once the refurbishment project is complete had been negotiated on an arm’s length basis and whether the subsidiaries would bear the full cost of these arrangements. Another respondent called on the Trust to include a requirement that all codevelopment, co-production, co-funding and first look deals between the BBC public service and commercial parties (including the BBC’s own commercial services) should be competitively tendered.
Some respondents made reference to the BBC’s recently announced ‘compete or compare’ plans and were particularly concerned that any new BBC production business should fully comply with legal and fair trading requirements and the Trust’s framework. One commented that should the BBC wish to proceed with moving inhouse production into a commercial service, it was vitally important that details were published so as to enable the BBC Trust and others to ensure that the commercial service would always pay market rate and that, where a concern was raised, there should be a formal system for issues or concerns to be raised with the Trust.
Let's hope the independent review gets some real prices and answers.
The report is good at reprinting the big questions, but less good at answering them. Here's a few..
One respondent raised a specific question about whether the arrangements under which two of the BBC’s commercial subsidiaries will lease space at Television Centre once the refurbishment project is complete had been negotiated on an arm’s length basis and whether the subsidiaries would bear the full cost of these arrangements. Another respondent called on the Trust to include a requirement that all codevelopment, co-production, co-funding and first look deals between the BBC public service and commercial parties (including the BBC’s own commercial services) should be competitively tendered.
Some respondents made reference to the BBC’s recently announced ‘compete or compare’ plans and were particularly concerned that any new BBC production business should fully comply with legal and fair trading requirements and the Trust’s framework. One commented that should the BBC wish to proceed with moving inhouse production into a commercial service, it was vitally important that details were published so as to enable the BBC Trust and others to ensure that the commercial service would always pay market rate and that, where a concern was raised, there should be a formal system for issues or concerns to be raised with the Trust.
Let's hope the independent review gets some real prices and answers.
Recognition factor
If you missed the BBC1 tea-time quiz yesterday, try looking for a Pointless answer in this lot....
Reports from those close to the bruised ego of "D" this morning say there are claims the photo is 15 years old. Here's a screengrab this morning of Simon McCoy for comparison.
Simon is currently keeping the seat warm for Victoria Derbyshire on the News Channel, as she prepares for her April launch.
P.S. I understand that George Alagiah is making good progress in his treatment for bowel cancer, though there is still a way to go.
Reports from those close to the bruised ego of "D" this morning say there are claims the photo is 15 years old. Here's a screengrab this morning of Simon McCoy for comparison.
Simon is currently keeping the seat warm for Victoria Derbyshire on the News Channel, as she prepares for her April launch.
P.S. I understand that George Alagiah is making good progress in his treatment for bowel cancer, though there is still a way to go.
Monday, February 9, 2015
Pediculous
I've been in some lousy pubs in my time, but I think the Six O'Clock News got this one wrong...
Cheers
Head of BBC Films Christine Langan accepted an Outstanding Contribution BAFTA last night, and expressed thanks for the constant support of Alan Yentob and the wise leadership of Danny Cohen and Tony Hall.
Christine was one of a handful of senior managers who got a salary boost just before Christmas - her package rose from £176,500 to £204,800. Also up in the approach to the festive period - Controller BBC1, Charlotte Moore, from around £240k to £268,800, and Controller Radio 1 and 1Xtra, Ben Cooper, from £170k to £184,900. Most senior managers on more than £150k were told the pay freeze continues.
Christine was one of a handful of senior managers who got a salary boost just before Christmas - her package rose from £176,500 to £204,800. Also up in the approach to the festive period - Controller BBC1, Charlotte Moore, from around £240k to £268,800, and Controller Radio 1 and 1Xtra, Ben Cooper, from £170k to £184,900. Most senior managers on more than £150k were told the pay freeze continues.
Luxury
See what you've done now, Rupert Brun ?
It is a long standing BBC tradition that when staff in London complain about some minor deprivation, those slaving away outside the M25 line-up, a la Monty Python, to better it. The price of coffee, lack of photocopiers, dodgy lifts are all old favourites for this competitive complaining.
So it was pretty inevitable that, when Rupe complained about having to walk some distance to find a working toilet in Broadcasting House, more whinges would follow.
And, yes, the first is from technology again. Andy Jones, Principal Technologist, BBC Academy, Wood Norton, says his block, where 30 people usually work, is served by one urinal and one lavatory for men - and a visit means a trip outside. The cistern is apparently the subject of a long-running-but-not-yet-completed-replacement project.
Andy, if a little cuter, could probably pop into the adjacent Wood Norton Hotel, boasting four stars, once owned by the BBC. It has also long been rumoured that there is a bunker on site, which ought to have more resilient plumbing.
It is a long standing BBC tradition that when staff in London complain about some minor deprivation, those slaving away outside the M25 line-up, a la Monty Python, to better it. The price of coffee, lack of photocopiers, dodgy lifts are all old favourites for this competitive complaining.
So it was pretty inevitable that, when Rupe complained about having to walk some distance to find a working toilet in Broadcasting House, more whinges would follow.
Andy, if a little cuter, could probably pop into the adjacent Wood Norton Hotel, boasting four stars, once owned by the BBC. It has also long been rumoured that there is a bunker on site, which ought to have more resilient plumbing.
Gagmeister
Those cheeky monkeys at Top Gear seemed to be having a laugh with their end titles this week. Let's hope the IMDb Dubious Credits panel disallows it, or we'll have Yentob up for yet another gong.
Sunday, February 8, 2015
Odd one right
Churn
One of the ways you improve your diversity stats is by making sure you hang on to BME staff - provided they're good at the job.
Stats released in response to an FoI inquiry show, thankfully, that the percentage of black/ethnic minority staff made redundant in 2014 was 7% - below the BBC workforce recruitment target of 14.2%. But the number resigning stands at 16% of total leavers, which ain't so good. The symbol s40.2 means the number is withheld because it's small - which means very few women were made redundant. But women outnumber men in the resignation tally.
Stats released in response to an FoI inquiry show, thankfully, that the percentage of black/ethnic minority staff made redundant in 2014 was 7% - below the BBC workforce recruitment target of 14.2%. But the number resigning stands at 16% of total leavers, which ain't so good. The symbol s40.2 means the number is withheld because it's small - which means very few women were made redundant. But women outnumber men in the resignation tally.
Meal tickets
The Sunday Times (paywall) says the BBC paid for 16 people to attend the Media Society dinner in December, when Alan Yentob was presented with the 2014 Media Society Award, at a total cost of £2,400.
Individual tickets for the event cost £125-£150. Standard tables for ten cost £1,500, premium tables £2,000.
The BBC said it had “hosted a small number of guests while staff liaised with the large number of national journalists in attendance. The BBC has clear policies to ensure spending on hospitality is proportionate.” Top story of the night ? That Nigella Lawson's family call him Yum Yum Yentob.
Individual tickets for the event cost £125-£150. Standard tables for ten cost £1,500, premium tables £2,000.
The BBC said it had “hosted a small number of guests while staff liaised with the large number of national journalists in attendance. The BBC has clear policies to ensure spending on hospitality is proportionate.” Top story of the night ? That Nigella Lawson's family call him Yum Yum Yentob.
Linda Alexander
Former Newsnight presenter Linda Alexander has died at the age of 63.
She joined the BBC initially as a secretary in the World Service in the late sixties (when it was still called the External Services), and was occasionally asked to present. She moved to Television Centre as a researcher on CEEFAX (the bicycle of digital media), had a spell as a news trainee and then moved to Newsnight. There she was initially asked to present the "other news", while the main presenters were Peter Snow, John Tusa, Charles Wheeler and Peter Hobday (couldn't happen now, could it ?). David Icke occasionally presented a short sport round-up.
This lead to opportunities to front the main BBC1 bulletins, and occasional narration work on schools programmes. In 1983, she worked alongside a young Newsnight tyro, one Tony Hall.
In 1987 and 1988, she fronted The Education Programme, with Martin Young, a weekly show on BBC2. She presented a couple of editions of File on 4 in 1989, and wrote for The Times Higher Education Supplement.
Her second husband was the BBC's Political Editor, David Holmes (interesting the first editor of Kaleidscope on Radio 4), who later became BBC Secretary. In retirment the couple moved to Cambridge and then Suffolk. They set up a music festival in the village of Cratfield, and Linda developed her interesting in painting, woodcuts and graphic design. David died in February 2014.
She joined the BBC initially as a secretary in the World Service in the late sixties (when it was still called the External Services), and was occasionally asked to present. She moved to Television Centre as a researcher on CEEFAX (the bicycle of digital media), had a spell as a news trainee and then moved to Newsnight. There she was initially asked to present the "other news", while the main presenters were Peter Snow, John Tusa, Charles Wheeler and Peter Hobday (couldn't happen now, could it ?). David Icke occasionally presented a short sport round-up.
In 1987 and 1988, she fronted The Education Programme, with Martin Young, a weekly show on BBC2. She presented a couple of editions of File on 4 in 1989, and wrote for The Times Higher Education Supplement.
Her second husband was the BBC's Political Editor, David Holmes (interesting the first editor of Kaleidscope on Radio 4), who later became BBC Secretary. In retirment the couple moved to Cambridge and then Suffolk. They set up a music festival in the village of Cratfield, and Linda developed her interesting in painting, woodcuts and graphic design. David died in February 2014.
Saturday, February 7, 2015
Smoked egg emulsion
The Guardian has an OTT review of new restaurant, Portland, the latest addition to the foodie corridor of Great Portland Street, W1. The description of the "Game pithivier, black truffle and game sauce" (£19 per person) for 2 people should probably not be read in detail before breakfast.
Although the website makes reference to the "garment area", which is indeed feature of surrounding streets, the business brains behind the venture note proximity to the BBC. It's over the road from Picture, one of the first enterprises to respond to the increased local population of media luvvies. The Television Executive, 27-strong, is based on the 6th floor of Broadcasting House, and, pre-lunch, it's impossible to find a spare seat, as the supplicants gather to touch their hems.
Lower ranks will find cheaper pies a few doors down from Portland, at Greggs, and cheaper drink over the road, at the Horse & Groom. In case the sans-culottes should peer in, Portland boasts a private room.
Although the website makes reference to the "garment area", which is indeed feature of surrounding streets, the business brains behind the venture note proximity to the BBC. It's over the road from Picture, one of the first enterprises to respond to the increased local population of media luvvies. The Television Executive, 27-strong, is based on the 6th floor of Broadcasting House, and, pre-lunch, it's impossible to find a spare seat, as the supplicants gather to touch their hems.
Lower ranks will find cheaper pies a few doors down from Portland, at Greggs, and cheaper drink over the road, at the Horse & Groom. In case the sans-culottes should peer in, Portland boasts a private room.
Friday, February 6, 2015
First aide
Only four days left to apply if you want to be the new PA to BBC Director of Television, Danny Cohen. It's graded Band 4, in theory on a maximum of £33k - but I think the last of the "main duties" means you need to be some form of super-hero.
"Act as a key champion of change within the division, demonstrating a proactive approach including exploring how new technology and ways of working can contribute to team and divisional objectives".
Of course, that may just mean putting the emoticons in Danny's tweets....
"Act as a key champion of change within the division, demonstrating a proactive approach including exploring how new technology and ways of working can contribute to team and divisional objectives".
Of course, that may just mean putting the emoticons in Danny's tweets....
Phew
The BBC has reason to be grateful to Lord Grade, for his parliamentary manoeuvre which should mean that any new way of enforcing licence-fee payment should be part of the next Charter deal (if the licence fee indeed survives).
Since March last year, when Tory MP Andrew Bridgen set the de-criminalisation hare running, Maria Miller, Chris Grayling, David Cameron and Sajid Javid have been setting a different timetable, with a review due in June, and action straightaway after that.
I'm in favour of taking non-payment away from the criminal courts - but believe the impact on the BBC's funds would be much more than £200m a year. The cost of civil action, bailiffs and the rest will be way more the return of £149.50; avoidance will grow and grow over the years ahead. That must be in the mix when a Charter is agreed.
So thanks to Lord Grade and five other Tories who voted to delay any such move until April 2017 - Lord (Norman) Fowler, Lord (Geoffrey) Howe, Lord Inglewood, Lord (Tim) Renton, and Lord (William) Garel-Jones. It scraped through by 178 votes to 175. All Labour peers who voted were with Lord Grade; 47 Libdems voted against - perhaps they didn't understand the issue.
Since March last year, when Tory MP Andrew Bridgen set the de-criminalisation hare running, Maria Miller, Chris Grayling, David Cameron and Sajid Javid have been setting a different timetable, with a review due in June, and action straightaway after that.
I'm in favour of taking non-payment away from the criminal courts - but believe the impact on the BBC's funds would be much more than £200m a year. The cost of civil action, bailiffs and the rest will be way more the return of £149.50; avoidance will grow and grow over the years ahead. That must be in the mix when a Charter is agreed.
So thanks to Lord Grade and five other Tories who voted to delay any such move until April 2017 - Lord (Norman) Fowler, Lord (Geoffrey) Howe, Lord Inglewood, Lord (Tim) Renton, and Lord (William) Garel-Jones. It scraped through by 178 votes to 175. All Labour peers who voted were with Lord Grade; 47 Libdems voted against - perhaps they didn't understand the issue.
Eight wait
Fans of the punctilious former BBC chairman Sir Michael Lyons will enjoy following the developing saga of YourTV Manchester.
Sir Michael's YourTV group won the local tv franchise on 5th February 2013, with an Ofcom stricture that they would be on the air within two years. So far, all we can see is a Twitter account linking to other people's Manchester content, with 412 followers.
If launch was just around the corner, you'd expect a little publicity - the last press release from YourTV came in August 2013. In August 2014, YourTV MD Nick Wheeler, formerly of Radio Solent, LBC, IRN and ITN, talked about the imminent hiring of 50 people, but the only ad I can find is a 2013 general invitation to Manchester University students who think they might be presenters.
Viewers looking forward to the promised schedule of Pet Clinic, The Wedding Show and Pub Quiz Challenge may have to wait a little longer. YourTV have until 1st March to launch their other franchise, for Blackpool/Preston.
In Birmingham, where the first franchise winners BLTV imploded without broadcasting, new holders Big Centre TV say they'll be on air on February 28 - three months after getting their chance.
Sir Michael's YourTV group won the local tv franchise on 5th February 2013, with an Ofcom stricture that they would be on the air within two years. So far, all we can see is a Twitter account linking to other people's Manchester content, with 412 followers.
If launch was just around the corner, you'd expect a little publicity - the last press release from YourTV came in August 2013. In August 2014, YourTV MD Nick Wheeler, formerly of Radio Solent, LBC, IRN and ITN, talked about the imminent hiring of 50 people, but the only ad I can find is a 2013 general invitation to Manchester University students who think they might be presenters.
Viewers looking forward to the promised schedule of Pet Clinic, The Wedding Show and Pub Quiz Challenge may have to wait a little longer. YourTV have until 1st March to launch their other franchise, for Blackpool/Preston.
In Birmingham, where the first franchise winners BLTV imploded without broadcasting, new holders Big Centre TV say they'll be on air on February 28 - three months after getting their chance.
- Sir Michael's business skills have won him a non-executive seat on the board of Redrow the builders.
Thursday, February 5, 2015
That condor moment
While I'm on, some reflections on the BBC losing live tv coverage of The Open to Sky. Sky, under Jeremy Darroch, seem to know what they're about, and will have done their sums. They've promised to limit ads to four, separate, minutes per hour, offer the coverage through NOW tv, to be paid for daily or over the tournament, and "innovate" in camera-work and such.
For the BBC, last year's tv coverage peaked at 5.5m on the final day, Sunday, with an average audience of 2.85m. Over the four days, The Open reached 13m viewers. Cumulatively, a prime-time highlights show each day might deliver half of that figure. The costs avoided, of one of the most complex and labour-intensive outside broadcasts around, will be substantial. And Peter Alliss, rising 84 this month, may have to find his own way out of the commentary booth.
According to YouGov, most golf fans are ABC1, 60+, shop at Marks & Spencer, wear Ralph Lauren and drive BMWs. Oh, and they're already Sky subscribers.
PS. The BBC still has radio rights, on 5Live.
For the BBC, last year's tv coverage peaked at 5.5m on the final day, Sunday, with an average audience of 2.85m. Over the four days, The Open reached 13m viewers. Cumulatively, a prime-time highlights show each day might deliver half of that figure. The costs avoided, of one of the most complex and labour-intensive outside broadcasts around, will be substantial. And Peter Alliss, rising 84 this month, may have to find his own way out of the commentary booth.
According to YouGov, most golf fans are ABC1, 60+, shop at Marks & Spencer, wear Ralph Lauren and drive BMWs. Oh, and they're already Sky subscribers.
PS. The BBC still has radio rights, on 5Live.
Do do
In the week the Information Commissioner was in London bigging up the process, the BBC seems to have engaged in increasingly-typical reverse-ferret activity.
In 2009, in response to an FoI request, it revealed that £11,309 was spent on a leaving 'do' for Dame Jenny Abramsky.
Today, a request for information about costs of a 'do' for Barney Jones has been refused because the data is held for the purposes of "journalism, art or literature". The rejection doesn't say which of the three is being claimed.
The response describes the event as "a joint celebration of the twentieth anniversary of Breakfast with Frost, the Andrew Marr Show and staff leaving parties". Three rooms in One Great George Street were hired - if you took the three cheapest, that's over £600 for a kick off. House wine starts at £18.75. There may have been an anniversary involved, but most of the tweeting guests made their own minds up about what sort of party it was.
In 2009, in response to an FoI request, it revealed that £11,309 was spent on a leaving 'do' for Dame Jenny Abramsky.
Today, a request for information about costs of a 'do' for Barney Jones has been refused because the data is held for the purposes of "journalism, art or literature". The rejection doesn't say which of the three is being claimed.
The response describes the event as "a joint celebration of the twentieth anniversary of Breakfast with Frost, the Andrew Marr Show and staff leaving parties". Three rooms in One Great George Street were hired - if you took the three cheapest, that's over £600 for a kick off. House wine starts at £18.75. There may have been an anniversary involved, but most of the tweeting guests made their own minds up about what sort of party it was.
Charivaria
Here's a selection of odd graphics that have caught my eye, from the latest radio listening figures. Whilst the commercial world naturally focuses on their top dogs in London, a reminder of the capital's favourite station. Roughly 8m to the Beeb, 11m to the ad-funded stations, in the top ten.
Here's a table from Northern Ireland, of stations ranked by hours listened. The World Service outstrips 6Music.
Here's the growth in people who say they listen to radio via their mobiles.
And here's one of my own, on total reach for BBC Local Radio over the past seven years, as measured in the October-December quarter. Declining, but the trend is not as cataclysmic as John Myers would have you believe.
Listen here
The latest quarterly radio listening figures are out. Radio 5Live has lost 680,000 listeners year on year, down to 5.61m, after the schedule change in October, which saw the departure of Victoria Derbyshire, Shelagh Fogarty and Richard Bacon from weekday schedules. Total hours of listening are down by nearly 19%.
Radio 1 lost 540,000 year on year, down to 10.43m. Radio 4 was down 450,000 to 10.76m. Radio 4 Extra is up to 1.72m, with listeners staying longer - the 2m barrier ought to go in 2016.
6Music has already done it - up to 2.08m; Radio 3 nudges back through the barrier, to 2.03m. Classic FM has 5.6m.
Radio Wales and Radio Cymru slide down, Radio Scotland and Radio Ulster nudge up - all year-on-year. In the roller coaster world of BBC Local Radio, things are up for Bristol, Oxford, Hereford and Worcester, and down for Wiltshire, Coventry and Warwickshire, Kent and Nottingham.
Radio 1 lost 540,000 year on year, down to 10.43m. Radio 4 was down 450,000 to 10.76m. Radio 4 Extra is up to 1.72m, with listeners staying longer - the 2m barrier ought to go in 2016.
6Music has already done it - up to 2.08m; Radio 3 nudges back through the barrier, to 2.03m. Classic FM has 5.6m.
Radio Wales and Radio Cymru slide down, Radio Scotland and Radio Ulster nudge up - all year-on-year. In the roller coaster world of BBC Local Radio, things are up for Bristol, Oxford, Hereford and Worcester, and down for Wiltshire, Coventry and Warwickshire, Kent and Nottingham.
Wednesday, February 4, 2015
From soft to off
The World Service is having another go at switching off its medium wave transmitter in Cyprus. It tried in March 2013 - by June 2013, it re-introduced 10 hours a day, at breakfast, drivetime and early evening, after "a huge response" to the closure from listeners in Israel.
The station is just behind Lady's Mile Beach on the eastern side of the Akrotiri peninsula - they were "acquired" from Arab broadcasters in 1957, just after Suez. The transmitters were boosted during the Gulf War of 1990. It worked well: in August 1991 a reception report came in from one Mikhail Gorbachev, detained in the Crimea as part of the abortive coup in the USSR: "We were able to catch some broadcasts and find out what was happening. We got BBC best of all ...".
Perhaps the BBC, soi-disant agent of soft power, thinks the Middle East is a much calmer place now. Nothing much to keep English-speakers engaged in Greece, Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Gaza, Iraq, Israel. We'll see, when the power goes off in April.
The station is just behind Lady's Mile Beach on the eastern side of the Akrotiri peninsula - they were "acquired" from Arab broadcasters in 1957, just after Suez. The transmitters were boosted during the Gulf War of 1990. It worked well: in August 1991 a reception report came in from one Mikhail Gorbachev, detained in the Crimea as part of the abortive coup in the USSR: "We were able to catch some broadcasts and find out what was happening. We got BBC best of all ...".
Perhaps the BBC, soi-disant agent of soft power, thinks the Middle East is a much calmer place now. Nothing much to keep English-speakers engaged in Greece, Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Gaza, Iraq, Israel. We'll see, when the power goes off in April.
Tough love
The speech itself, her first in the job to the Royal Television Society, was 5/10. Licence-fee payer "involvement" in Charter Renewal lacks any real sense of how that might be conducted, other than the usual rather tired surveys (one of which which accompanied the speech) and vague references to social media.
On the positive side, she now sees no issue in pointing out publicly what Tone and Executive are doing wrong. "I hope I’m no one’s idea of a cheerleader. I spent a lot of my working life competing hard against the BBC. I’m not someone to gloss over the BBC’s faults, problems or challenges – I see it as part of my job to identify and pursue them."
In the questions, we moved to 8/10. She revealed that only four million people are registered "in any meaningful way" with the BBC, compared with 13m for Channel 4 and 8 million for ITV. It's a big issue - the BBC values say that "Audiences are at the heart of everything we do". Yes, except when when it comes to real interaction with individuals.
The BBC has all sorts of rolling surveys, panels, and spends heavily on polling and research on specific audience questions; there are individual departmental records of who, say enters Brain of Britain, who requests jazz records, who complains about The One Show, who buys the Countryfile Calendar; you can get a regular email from Radio2, and former staff get the chance of a newsletter; there's a Capita call centre which prides itself on answering the phone quick, and telling you who recorded various tv themes; but there's no holistic "Customer Relation Management" system, and nothing that links back to the 25m licence-fee payers. A proper system might be expensive, but you'd save squillions on other research - and you'd have endless engagement opportunities.
Interestingly, last month BBC Worldwide advertised for a CRM Manager. CEO Tim Davie would still have felt his ears burning the during the evening. Rona pointed out that Worldwide has revenues of £1bn but only returns £170m to the organisation - 'not a significant part of funding". No wonder she endorses Tony Hall's "revisiting the commercial strategy to get the best long-term results for the public".
Rona's irritated some BBC types by visiting competitors as well as BBC departments over recent months - not just newspapers, as she said, but rival broadcasters. They relish the opportunity to say how bloated Auntie is, still strangled by heritage work practices, and pompous as ever. Thus we get this bit in the speech. "There remains a persistent refrain that the BBC is a difficult organisation to deal with: we’ve all heard the saying that partnership is something the BBC does to you rather than with you. It needs to become more agile – simpler to work in and to work with".
Might be time to dust down that McKinsey stuff again, and have a real go at re-structuring.
Tuesday, February 3, 2015
News from the lift lobbies
You'll remember last month we were concerned about the quality of paintwork on the giant numbers that guide grumpy BBC staff around in their hunt for working water closets.
Now it seems they've invested in a bit of quality to sort the issue - laser-cut aluminium.
Now it seems they've invested in a bit of quality to sort the issue - laser-cut aluminium.
No second time around
Reports from New York suggest that former BBC DG Mark Thompson has been trying to re-ignite his relationship with former BBC tech boss Erik Huggers, this time at the New York Times - but the Digital Dutchman has rebuffed his advances.
According to media pundit Ken Doctor, writing for website Capital New York, Thommo wanted Erik to be the Times' new Chief Digital Officer, but he rejected it last month. Erik, formerly of Microsoft, has been through a range of jobs since leaving Auntie in 2011, with Intel, Verizon, and now sits on two much smaller company boards - in Munich and Hilversum - despite living in San Francisco.
Expect more from Thommo this week as the NYT, "a business still in mortal strugggle" says Doctor, reports its annual figures.
According to media pundit Ken Doctor, writing for website Capital New York, Thommo wanted Erik to be the Times' new Chief Digital Officer, but he rejected it last month. Erik, formerly of Microsoft, has been through a range of jobs since leaving Auntie in 2011, with Intel, Verizon, and now sits on two much smaller company boards - in Munich and Hilversum - despite living in San Francisco.
Expect more from Thommo this week as the NYT, "a business still in mortal strugggle" says Doctor, reports its annual figures.
Composed
On a dull transfer deadline day, my chief adviser on matters Evertonian texts that while, in the 90s, we were mildly amused to be able to field Holmes and Watson in the same side, we're now made up that we've got Lennon and McCarthy.
Monday, February 2, 2015
Smarties
Few crumbs for me in the December minutes of the BBC Executive Board, save for a slightly off-piste font selection by the author.
There may be something odd going on with Project Smart, which used to be called "an eighteen-month programme to reimplement SAP across the BBC". SAP is a suite of financial software - "enterprise resource planning" is one of the buzz words - in which the BBC has invested heavily, with nearly 5,000 licenced users reported in 2013. If they're like me, they'll have found it pretty counter-intuitive.
I note that the Project Director of Smart has been in post since November 2012; that the project came back to the Board in November 2013 with "a change in approach to infrastructure provision"; and that this is the December 2014 minute.
There may be something odd going on with Project Smart, which used to be called "an eighteen-month programme to reimplement SAP across the BBC". SAP is a suite of financial software - "enterprise resource planning" is one of the buzz words - in which the BBC has invested heavily, with nearly 5,000 licenced users reported in 2013. If they're like me, they'll have found it pretty counter-intuitive.
I note that the Project Director of Smart has been in post since November 2012; that the project came back to the Board in November 2013 with "a change in approach to infrastructure provision"; and that this is the December 2014 minute.
Sandy Chalmers
Sandra ("Sandy") Chalmers, who worked across the BBC in front of, and behind, the microphone, has died after a short illness. She was in her mid-70s.
Born in Gatley, Stockport, the younger sister of Judith, she first appeared on BBC Radio in a Children's Hour version of The Water Babies, playing posh girl Ellie, at the age of 13. There followed regular bookings reading poems on Rhyme or Reason. Persuaded from a drama career by her parents, she read arts at Manchester University - but still managed to win parts in two tv episodes of Harry Worth (onlie begetter of Count Arthur Strong).
There followed some freelance work, and then, in 1964, a job in BBC presentation in Manchester, announcing concerts for Ronnie Hilton and the Northern Dance Orchestra, and a short spell as "The Answers Girl" in the Ray Alan series for children, Tichpuzzle, alongside dummies Tich and Quackers.
In 1970 she joined the start-up team for Radio Manchester as a senior producer. She was the first female voice on-air, reading the 10am news - and hosted that 'new' phenomenon, phone-ins, on a regular basis. Then in 1976 came a move to Stoke, as the first woman manager of a BBC local radio station. These were testing times - one Aubrey Singer was running BBC radio, and deemed local output "banal"; he wanted to cut hours; Sandy and a group of north-west managers took London on, with a campaign that eventually outlasted Aubrey.
In 1983, she came to London, succeeding Wyn Knowles as Editor of Woman's Hour - running the show her sister had presented in the sixties. She brought a jollier feel and different issues to air - she was then a single mother with two teenage children. It was also a time of presenter transition - Sue MacGregor gradually swapping with Jenni Murray at Today - other presenters under Sandy included Dilly Barlow, Liz Mardall, and, occasionally, Sandy herself.
The Woman's Hour "Unit", as it was known then, also ran Tuesday Call, with Sandy hosting phone-ins with people ranging from Arthur Scargill to Princess Anne. In 1987, she became Head of Radio Publicity and Promotions, working for David Hatch. She left the BBC in 1992 - but it wasn't the end of her interest in radio. She was one of the drivers of Saga Radio, and had a regular record show on their PrimeTime service for a couple of years from 2000.
Born in Gatley, Stockport, the younger sister of Judith, she first appeared on BBC Radio in a Children's Hour version of The Water Babies, playing posh girl Ellie, at the age of 13. There followed regular bookings reading poems on Rhyme or Reason. Persuaded from a drama career by her parents, she read arts at Manchester University - but still managed to win parts in two tv episodes of Harry Worth (onlie begetter of Count Arthur Strong).
In 1970 she joined the start-up team for Radio Manchester as a senior producer. She was the first female voice on-air, reading the 10am news - and hosted that 'new' phenomenon, phone-ins, on a regular basis. Then in 1976 came a move to Stoke, as the first woman manager of a BBC local radio station. These were testing times - one Aubrey Singer was running BBC radio, and deemed local output "banal"; he wanted to cut hours; Sandy and a group of north-west managers took London on, with a campaign that eventually outlasted Aubrey.
In 1983, she came to London, succeeding Wyn Knowles as Editor of Woman's Hour - running the show her sister had presented in the sixties. She brought a jollier feel and different issues to air - she was then a single mother with two teenage children. It was also a time of presenter transition - Sue MacGregor gradually swapping with Jenni Murray at Today - other presenters under Sandy included Dilly Barlow, Liz Mardall, and, occasionally, Sandy herself.
The Woman's Hour "Unit", as it was known then, also ran Tuesday Call, with Sandy hosting phone-ins with people ranging from Arthur Scargill to Princess Anne. In 1987, she became Head of Radio Publicity and Promotions, working for David Hatch. She left the BBC in 1992 - but it wasn't the end of her interest in radio. She was one of the drivers of Saga Radio, and had a regular record show on their PrimeTime service for a couple of years from 2000.
Dissenter sought
I don't want to alarm classical music fans who like things the way they are, but the job spec for the next Director of the Proms is out, and this is the first "personal attribute" the panel will be looking for (my italics).
- Credibility in the music world with a passion for classical music and the ability to articulate a strategic vision for the development of the BBC Proms. Ability to challenge traditional assumptions about the BBC Proms.
Oh dear. More Paloma Faith, Pet Shop Boys-style malarkey to come...
Outside the tent p*ssing outside
The rather public letters page of BBC house organ Ariel is often used for complaints from the lower ranks, who somehow feel invulnerable when they moan about the lack of free tea, thefts from fridges, slow lifts and other daily ordeals that never apparently happen in other organisations. Neither do they seem shamed when their minor gripes are turned into page leads in the Mail and Telegraph.
Now there's a whinge from one of the highest ranking members of staff to break ranks so far. Rupert Brun, who has been Head of Technology for Audio & Music/Radio for over 8 years....
I've just had to try seven toilets across three floors of Broadcasting House before finding one that was actually available for me to use.....
I can only guess that those in charge of such things don't give a shit, but for the rest of us it's getting uncomfortable. It's actually quicker to pop out to the Yorkshire Grey, buy a pint and use their toilet than to find a working one in BH… hang on, what's wrong with that as a plan ?
That's right Rupert. A little project planning, one of the things that litters your CV. But keep it to yourself, eh ?
Now there's a whinge from one of the highest ranking members of staff to break ranks so far. Rupert Brun, who has been Head of Technology for Audio & Music/Radio for over 8 years....
I've just had to try seven toilets across three floors of Broadcasting House before finding one that was actually available for me to use.....
I can only guess that those in charge of such things don't give a shit, but for the rest of us it's getting uncomfortable. It's actually quicker to pop out to the Yorkshire Grey, buy a pint and use their toilet than to find a working one in BH… hang on, what's wrong with that as a plan ?
That's right Rupert. A little project planning, one of the things that litters your CV. But keep it to yourself, eh ?
Gan adael
BBC producer Meirion Jones, the other half of the Never-Run-Newsnight-Savile-Film with reporter Liz McKean, has tweeted that he's leaving Auntie in the next few weeks, "looking forward to new opportunities". He formally left Panorama a year ago, though his work on Mazher Mahmood, the "Fake Sheikh", went out in November; he seems to have been on the books of BBC Worldwide since then.
Meirion studied law and history at Cardiff University, taking a sabbatical in 1980 to become the first-paid editor of weekly student newspaper Gair Rhydd ('Free Word'). He went on to freelance for the New Scientist and Guardian before joining the BBC. After spells on PM and Today, he moved to tv, spending a total of 17 years with Newsnight.
Sunday, February 1, 2015
Beardyman
If we haven't seen much of Alan Yentob for a while, the BBC's James Purnell has also been out of the public eye. Tweets at the end of last week revealed he's been firming up his beard, but still can't get his slideshows to go fullscreen - odd for a Director of Digital.
The event appears to have been a strategy session for NHS policy wonks. Delighted to know the BBC and the NHS are in similar positions...
The event appears to have been a strategy session for NHS policy wonks. Delighted to know the BBC and the NHS are in similar positions...
Great insight from @jimpurnell especially on the analogies between #BBC and #NHS #stratdev
— Anica Parmar (@AParmarDH) January 28, 2015
Bathos
Series creator Adrian Hodges has confirmed that more stories will be concocted, "in new directions", for his version of the Musketeers, which will start filming a third tranche in the Czech Republic in April.
Last Friday's episode only attracted 3.13m viewers, according to overnight figures. One wonders if the greenlighting system is weighted, with Worldwide getting more votes than the myriad heads of BBC Drama and the BBC1 Commissioners.
Meanwhile on Saturday, The Voice was top dog, with 8.49m. An entertaining second place went to the Regional News at 6.20pm, with 5.41m. ITV, which seems to have shot its weekend locker in January, only got one show in the top ten - Take Me Out.
Last Friday's episode only attracted 3.13m viewers, according to overnight figures. One wonders if the greenlighting system is weighted, with Worldwide getting more votes than the myriad heads of BBC Drama and the BBC1 Commissioners.
Meanwhile on Saturday, The Voice was top dog, with 8.49m. An entertaining second place went to the Regional News at 6.20pm, with 5.41m. ITV, which seems to have shot its weekend locker in January, only got one show in the top ten - Take Me Out.
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