Wednesday, August 31, 2016
In the box
The Prime Minister was a guest of the BBC at the Proms last night. That's at least three freebies in three years. In 2014, she was with Lord Hall for the Last Night; last year she was in a group with Professor Brian Cox.
Art for art's sake
Is it possible the nascent BBC Studios have gone off message so early in their young life ? Lisa Opie has just re-structured her factual teams - and there is no longer a department called 'Arts'. Instead there are 'business units' bringing together a range of genres across various far-flung sites. (In the normal way of restructuring, this means existing bosses compete against each other for a diminishing number of jobs - by my rough reckoning, nine people chasing five jobs.) So, if you want to be in overall charge of programmes like, say, Imagine, with its formidable editor/presenter Alan Yentob at the helm, you'll be applying to run BBC Studios Scotland Factual. Or will Al end up in Documentaries ? Clear as mud, Ms Opie.
Here's the full run-down of the new units - language and punctuation brought to you by the ever-distinctive BBC.
Scotland Factual: A cross genre creative business unit with proven skills to deliver a wide range of factual content. BBC Studios Scotland Factual will produce local and network Arts, Daytime, Docs, and History. This is an exciting business, founded on the reputation of recent titles such as the award winning Handmade, What Artists Do All Day and the highly successful Landward produced out of Aberdeen.
Popular Factual (working title): Based across Bristol, Northern Ireland and Wales, this unit will focus on building new returning lifestyle and features series, spanning the genres and offering an opportunity to work differently with talent on screen and off, bringing teams together from different genres and bases, to encourage collaboration and creativity.
Natural History Unit: With a global reputation and rich heritage, it is our ambition to build on that reputation, driving innovation, broadening our offer and deepening our storytelling skills.
Documentaries: Bringing together Arts, History and Documentaries and building on the success of the existing London team, this unit will supply reputational, popular, and critically acclaimed factual television, from observational access series through to history, arts, factual drama and feature length singles. At the heart of this unit will be a commitment to brilliant story-telling and high production values.
Science: We will look to build on the success of programmes such as Forces of Nature with Brian Cox and Trust Me I’m A Doctor. With our global reputation and important co-production partnerships we are confident that we can continue to excel.
Topical and Live: Based across London and Salford, BBC Studios Topical and Live is a new creative business unit that encompasses The One Show, Consumer and Live and the topical unit based in Salford. Our aim is to make this unit a powerhouse in it's field, with credibility and expertise unmatched elsewhere in the market.
Here's the full run-down of the new units - language and punctuation brought to you by the ever-distinctive BBC.
Scotland Factual: A cross genre creative business unit with proven skills to deliver a wide range of factual content. BBC Studios Scotland Factual will produce local and network Arts, Daytime, Docs, and History. This is an exciting business, founded on the reputation of recent titles such as the award winning Handmade, What Artists Do All Day and the highly successful Landward produced out of Aberdeen.
Popular Factual (working title): Based across Bristol, Northern Ireland and Wales, this unit will focus on building new returning lifestyle and features series, spanning the genres and offering an opportunity to work differently with talent on screen and off, bringing teams together from different genres and bases, to encourage collaboration and creativity.
Natural History Unit: With a global reputation and rich heritage, it is our ambition to build on that reputation, driving innovation, broadening our offer and deepening our storytelling skills.
Documentaries: Bringing together Arts, History and Documentaries and building on the success of the existing London team, this unit will supply reputational, popular, and critically acclaimed factual television, from observational access series through to history, arts, factual drama and feature length singles. At the heart of this unit will be a commitment to brilliant story-telling and high production values.
Science: We will look to build on the success of programmes such as Forces of Nature with Brian Cox and Trust Me I’m A Doctor. With our global reputation and important co-production partnerships we are confident that we can continue to excel.
Topical and Live: Based across London and Salford, BBC Studios Topical and Live is a new creative business unit that encompasses The One Show, Consumer and Live and the topical unit based in Salford. Our aim is to make this unit a powerhouse in it's field, with credibility and expertise unmatched elsewhere in the market.
Where you are
Top-rated BBC tv show last night ? Oh yes, it's the BBC's Regional News and Weather at 6.30pm. 4.692 million viewers - a 31% share.
Tuesday, August 30, 2016
Pending
"Bring together the different elements of the spectrum of activity under one umbrella leadership".
Just one of many daft lines in a depressing new job advert from the BBC. In the Thompson/Byford period, many elements of BBC training were run by former practitioners. Now, it's back in the hands of HR, and HR supremo Valerie Hughes D'Aeth. She's looking for a Director of Learning & Development.
"The ongoing development of a highly effective leadership cadre within the BBC is vital to enable the BBC's continued development as it enters a new period in its history with new governance structures, regulators and changes from economic pressures and new media....This role is also key to build on the recent re-organisation the BBC has undertaken and put in place formal succession planning for senior leadership roles.
"With the Academy now under the accountability of the BBC HR Director there is a desire to bring these different elements under one cohesive group so that solutions can be more easily identified, designed and delivered to the business in a targeted and joined up way. The postholder will undertake the creation of this team and immediately deliver solutions pending the identification of a longer term organisational structure, a short term role has been identified to lead this work."
What ? Pending the identification of a longer term organisational structure ? Are we funking that again ?
Just one of many daft lines in a depressing new job advert from the BBC. In the Thompson/Byford period, many elements of BBC training were run by former practitioners. Now, it's back in the hands of HR, and HR supremo Valerie Hughes D'Aeth. She's looking for a Director of Learning & Development.
"The ongoing development of a highly effective leadership cadre within the BBC is vital to enable the BBC's continued development as it enters a new period in its history with new governance structures, regulators and changes from economic pressures and new media....This role is also key to build on the recent re-organisation the BBC has undertaken and put in place formal succession planning for senior leadership roles.
"With the Academy now under the accountability of the BBC HR Director there is a desire to bring these different elements under one cohesive group so that solutions can be more easily identified, designed and delivered to the business in a targeted and joined up way. The postholder will undertake the creation of this team and immediately deliver solutions pending the identification of a longer term organisational structure, a short term role has been identified to lead this work."
What ? Pending the identification of a longer term organisational structure ? Are we funking that again ?
Monday, August 29, 2016
French leave
A nice break from the rigours of W12 is not far away for BBC Worldwide Director Tim Davie and ten, yes ten, of his colleagues. They are heading to La Rochelle on September 14 for the French Festival of TV Fiction.
Tim will make a special keynote on the Friday. Enjoy this Google translation.
"We are all aware of the dramatic growth in TV fiction. Viewers do not have enough time to watch all the great dramas performed today, and for the writers and producers, this is a golden age. But where are we going ? Industry sees more opportunities, but the risk of failure seem more formidable than ever. Join Tim Davie, CEO, BBC Worldwide and Director, Global, for a speech about his thoughts on the market and its views on the key elements to perpetuate the creative and financial success of the genre."
"We are all aware of the dramatic growth in TV fiction. Viewers do not have enough time to watch all the great dramas performed today, and for the writers and producers, this is a golden age. But where are we going ? Industry sees more opportunities, but the risk of failure seem more formidable than ever. Join Tim Davie, CEO, BBC Worldwide and Director, Global, for a speech about his thoughts on the market and its views on the key elements to perpetuate the creative and financial success of the genre."
Cultured ?
Plenty of job opportunities at the DCMS, if you move fast. They're looking for 10 people to be either Executive PAs or Policy Advisers (Band C - max £26k-ish) on two year contracts. Applications close tomorrow.
Sunday, August 28, 2016
Bargain
Only eight flats in the redeveloped Television Centre have so far been sold to buyers from the Gulf; five to clients from Dubai, two from Saudi and one from Jordan. So next month, the developers are heading to Dubai, marketing apartments priced between £700k and £8m - which will work out 10% cheaper for purchasers from the Middle East post-Brexit.
Sync
 |
Now Fiona can get down to business running news on mobile and online. And perhaps change her twitter handle from @tvfiona.
Saturday, August 27, 2016
Previous
Stephen Glover is the weekend-duty columnist at the Mail with special responsibility for being grumpy about the BBC.
He's frothing about James Purnell emerging as Director of Radio (not yet confirmed) without appropriate experience. I'm afraid it's happened in the past. Ian Trethowan arrived as Managing Director of Radio in 1970 from a tv presenting background, en route to the Director General's chair. He sacked Kenny Everett, made Radio 1 and Radio 2 share an afternoon show to save money, pushed forward with stereo broadcasts on FM, and saw the set-up of Radio Ulster.
Aubrey Singer came from tv in 1978, and set up banks of televisions in the Council Chamber for a party to watch the 1979 election results (which annoyed radio folk). He got into trouble with the BBC Orchestras - who doesn't ?
Brian Wenham came from tv in 1986, talked about 'the wireless', and retired early after two years.
Liz Forgan came from the Guardian in 1993, after experience as arts editor of the Tehran Journal, and reporting for the Ham and High and Evening Standard. She argued for, and got a Radio 5Live with a populist approach.
Marketing man Tim Davie emerged as Mark Thompson's man running 'wireless' in 2008. He had to handle the Russell Brand/Jonathan Ross nonsense, and offered 6Music as a saving.
He's frothing about James Purnell emerging as Director of Radio (not yet confirmed) without appropriate experience. I'm afraid it's happened in the past. Ian Trethowan arrived as Managing Director of Radio in 1970 from a tv presenting background, en route to the Director General's chair. He sacked Kenny Everett, made Radio 1 and Radio 2 share an afternoon show to save money, pushed forward with stereo broadcasts on FM, and saw the set-up of Radio Ulster.
Aubrey Singer came from tv in 1978, and set up banks of televisions in the Council Chamber for a party to watch the 1979 election results (which annoyed radio folk). He got into trouble with the BBC Orchestras - who doesn't ?
Brian Wenham came from tv in 1986, talked about 'the wireless', and retired early after two years.
Liz Forgan came from the Guardian in 1993, after experience as arts editor of the Tehran Journal, and reporting for the Ham and High and Evening Standard. She argued for, and got a Radio 5Live with a populist approach.
Marketing man Tim Davie emerged as Mark Thompson's man running 'wireless' in 2008. He had to handle the Russell Brand/Jonathan Ross nonsense, and offered 6Music as a saving.
Friday, August 26, 2016
All the data you can eat
It must be a bit like the feeling when digital tills first let supermarkets know which customers were buying cat food and cheddar cheese. Interesting, perhaps, but what can you actually do with that sort of data ? Supermarkets have tried all sorts of loyalty schemes - points, vouchers, direct mail offers - trying to interest the cat food and cheese segment into purchases of crispy cod balls, cava and carnaroli rice - but how on earth does that work at the BBC ? Sorry, that should read 'myBBC'.
The myBBC project is supposed to be complete - but, hey, now the BBC wants to hire two 'data scientists'. The blurb suggests they've got the same sort of problems as Tesco. Yes, we know you're going online for comedy and current affairs - now what do we do ?
Imagine if Netflix, The Huffington Post, ESPN, and Spotify were all rolled into one - you’re starting to get close to what the BBC does online. The BBC’s world-class online products (iPlayer, News, Sport, Music, Learning, and many others) reach millions of audience members every week, and create around 1 Billion rows of data per day, but our work doesn’t stop there. We’re also working with other, “offline” parts of the BBC to help them gain an even better understanding of their audiences and aid their decision-making. We’re now looking for someone to join our team in these early stages and help shape and deliver our goals.....
You will be part of the myBBC Insights proposition supporting the development and implementation of data analytics, segmentation, direct marketing analytics and visualisation. You will use your experience in data analytics/data science to contribute towards designing and developing analytical assets, such as segmentations, to drive direct marketing campaigns and product decisions, reports on audience behaviour, and interactive dashboards. You will play a vital role in enabling large and complex data sets to be presented and accessed in a simple and intuitive format for all users, supporting interpretation and utilisation of the findings.
The myBBC project is supposed to be complete - but, hey, now the BBC wants to hire two 'data scientists'. The blurb suggests they've got the same sort of problems as Tesco. Yes, we know you're going online for comedy and current affairs - now what do we do ?
Imagine if Netflix, The Huffington Post, ESPN, and Spotify were all rolled into one - you’re starting to get close to what the BBC does online. The BBC’s world-class online products (iPlayer, News, Sport, Music, Learning, and many others) reach millions of audience members every week, and create around 1 Billion rows of data per day, but our work doesn’t stop there. We’re also working with other, “offline” parts of the BBC to help them gain an even better understanding of their audiences and aid their decision-making. We’re now looking for someone to join our team in these early stages and help shape and deliver our goals.....
You will be part of the myBBC Insights proposition supporting the development and implementation of data analytics, segmentation, direct marketing analytics and visualisation. You will use your experience in data analytics/data science to contribute towards designing and developing analytical assets, such as segmentations, to drive direct marketing campaigns and product decisions, reports on audience behaviour, and interactive dashboards. You will play a vital role in enabling large and complex data sets to be presented and accessed in a simple and intuitive format for all users, supporting interpretation and utilisation of the findings.
Sky pilot
ITN apparently needs someone on an interim basis to run their home news operation, and they have turned to the ever-ebullient Simon Cole, sixteen years with Sky News, and a good number of years before then with ITN.
Simon offers "creative flair and an innovative approach to TV production". He confessed to an industrial tribunal back in 2005 that booking guests for Sky News was not always that rigorous. "Sometimes anything will do, especially on a first hit on a story ... on the first hit sometimes we will take anybody. You can go back later and refine it."In the greatest comeback since Lazarus I am returning to ITN for 6 months to help run home news. 22 years ago they said I'd be back!— Simon Cole (@ColonelCole) August 23, 2016
Growth
In the past, lions of BBC news presentation have taunted senior managers with beards on return from holiday, but most have taken to the razor in the dressing room before going to air. Paxman and Buerk both braved it for a while; now smaller fish Jon Kay has turned up on the Breakfast sofa with bristle. 10p says it'll be gone next time he appears.
Maybe I haven't fully woken up yet, but I genuinely thought Rylan was hosting BBC Breakfast. Turns out it's just Jon Kay with a beard.— Al Fox (@MrAlFox) August 26, 2016
Factored in ?
The latest six-monthly circulation figures for local and regional papers are out - and Johnston Press’s stable is all down, save for the Leicester Mercury. It's up 2% on the previous six months, but still down 4% year on year.
Sticking with year on year, the Wigan Evening Post was down 30%, the Shields Gazette 24.8%, the Sunderland Echo 16.9%, the Sheffield Star 15.5%, the Scotsman 14.6%, the Yorkshire Post 5%.
On the other hand, JP's total digital users, in terms of unique daily browsers, was up 22.3% year on year, to 1,189,674. Within that, the Belfast Newsletter online was up 73%, Peterborough Today was up 69%, the Yorkshire Post grew by 48%, but the Scotsman fell by 5%.
Johnston Press share closed last night at 8.60p, before the figures came out.
Sticking with year on year, the Wigan Evening Post was down 30%, the Shields Gazette 24.8%, the Sunderland Echo 16.9%, the Sheffield Star 15.5%, the Scotsman 14.6%, the Yorkshire Post 5%.
On the other hand, JP's total digital users, in terms of unique daily browsers, was up 22.3% year on year, to 1,189,674. Within that, the Belfast Newsletter online was up 73%, Peterborough Today was up 69%, the Yorkshire Post grew by 48%, but the Scotsman fell by 5%.
Johnston Press share closed last night at 8.60p, before the figures came out.
Thursday, August 25, 2016
Hic
The BBC tells us that its spend on drink, supplied centrally rather than claimed on expenses, is down 40% in calendar year 2015, at £27,640. Unhelpfully, this figure doesn't include drinking for the purposes of 'journalism, art or literature', which, outside looking for love, must surely be the three of the biggest drivers of toping. Here's the excuse...
BBC expenditure on alcoholic refreshments can be classified as non-production related ‘spend’ and production related ‘spend’. Where the ‘spend’ is for production related purposes (e.g. in the case of an end of series , party) the information requested falls outside of the scope of the Act because it is held for the purposes of ‘journalism, art or literature.’
If you want to be on trend with BBC staff here's their top purchases..
Lager
PERONI NASTRO AZZURRO NRB 2,664 £3,201.60
Top ten white wines, dominated by sauvignon blanc...
OYSTER BAY SAUVIGNON 42 £341.57
BRANCOTT SAUV' BLANC 51 £356.49
MUD HOUSE SAUVIGNON BLANC 54 £363.97
CUVEE DE RICHARD BLANC 74 £441.90
VILLA BERTA GAVI 90 £601.20
PINOT GRIGIO BREGANZE 96 £611.04
BOURG CHARD CHENAUDIERES 92 £647.31
MARLBOROUGH RIDGE SAUV 145 £959.86
THE NED BLACK LABEL SAUV' 136 £964.53
SILVER GHOST SAUVIGNON BLANC 206 £1,023.97
And no champagne, but still plenty of prosecco
UNDURRAGA ROSE 3 £19.98
PROSECCO LA MARCA TREVISO 4 £31.96
SOFFIO NO.3 ROSE 6 £37.96
PROSECCO ROMEO & JULIET 5 £43.25
CODORNIU BRUT NV 7 £47.45
PROSECCO RIVAMONTE 7 £47.45
DEFINITION PROSECCO BRUT 6 £58.44
PROSECCO ZONIN 9 £75.91
LINDAUER BLANC DE BLANCS 12 £127.80
UNDURRAGA BRUT 25 £171.45
PROSECCO SALATIN TREVISO 23 £198.95
PROSECCO FRIZZANTE MARCA 37 £232.32
PROSECCO SOFFIO NO.3 34 £234.74
PROSECCO LA GIOIOSA TREVISO 90 £657.51
NYETIMBER CLASSIC CUVEE 42 £1,007.16
FRENCH SPARKLING WINE 60 £1,139.13
BBC expenditure on alcoholic refreshments can be classified as non-production related ‘spend’ and production related ‘spend’. Where the ‘spend’ is for production related purposes (e.g. in the case of an end of series , party) the information requested falls outside of the scope of the Act because it is held for the purposes of ‘journalism, art or literature.’
If you want to be on trend with BBC staff here's their top purchases..
Lager
PERONI NASTRO AZZURRO NRB 2,664 £3,201.60
Top ten white wines, dominated by sauvignon blanc...
OYSTER BAY SAUVIGNON 42 £341.57
BRANCOTT SAUV' BLANC 51 £356.49
MUD HOUSE SAUVIGNON BLANC 54 £363.97
CUVEE DE RICHARD BLANC 74 £441.90
VILLA BERTA GAVI 90 £601.20
PINOT GRIGIO BREGANZE 96 £611.04
BOURG CHARD CHENAUDIERES 92 £647.31
MARLBOROUGH RIDGE SAUV 145 £959.86
THE NED BLACK LABEL SAUV' 136 £964.53
SILVER GHOST SAUVIGNON BLANC 206 £1,023.97
And no champagne, but still plenty of prosecco
UNDURRAGA ROSE 3 £19.98
PROSECCO LA MARCA TREVISO 4 £31.96
SOFFIO NO.3 ROSE 6 £37.96
PROSECCO ROMEO & JULIET 5 £43.25
CODORNIU BRUT NV 7 £47.45
PROSECCO RIVAMONTE 7 £47.45
DEFINITION PROSECCO BRUT 6 £58.44
PROSECCO ZONIN 9 £75.91
LINDAUER BLANC DE BLANCS 12 £127.80
UNDURRAGA BRUT 25 £171.45
PROSECCO SALATIN TREVISO 23 £198.95
PROSECCO FRIZZANTE MARCA 37 £232.32
PROSECCO SOFFIO NO.3 34 £234.74
PROSECCO LA GIOIOSA TREVISO 90 £657.51
NYETIMBER CLASSIC CUVEE 42 £1,007.16
FRENCH SPARKLING WINE 60 £1,139.13
Derek Smith RIP
I didn't know of British-born pianist Derek Smith until a transatlantic flight offered this cd which I found, enjoyed, and listened to on repeat for the best part of eight hours. Particularly this track.
Wednesday, August 24, 2016
Shine on
Project Diamond, launched today formally at the Edinburgh TV Festival by the broadcasters' Creative Diversity Network (CDN), aims to capture the ethnic groupings of those working on programmes commissioned by the BBC, ITV, Channel Four and Sky.
They've promised to publish first data in 2017, as a benchmark, but already one of the unions is unhappy about lack of transparency. BECTU want to see figures published for programmes, by series, broadcast in peaktime with more than 50 employees. They say the Arts Council of England already does something similar, and unless the union hears from the CDN soon-ish, there's unfortunate talk of a boycott.
They've promised to publish first data in 2017, as a benchmark, but already one of the unions is unhappy about lack of transparency. BECTU want to see figures published for programmes, by series, broadcast in peaktime with more than 50 employees. They say the Arts Council of England already does something similar, and unless the union hears from the CDN soon-ish, there's unfortunate talk of a boycott.
Top Ten
When it's generally a nice warm day, the BBC's News at Huw Ten, this week minded so far by Sophie Raworth, does ok for figures. It was the third most popular show in the overnights, behind Emmerdale and the BBC's agglomerated figures for regional bulletins at 6.30pm. 4,556,000 watched, and Big Huw's not even back from his summer break. At ITV, Tom Bradby is back, though I can't find figures.
Credible
Support for James Purnell's BBC career development was gathered, presumably unprompted, by The Guardian by 2pm yesterday. Cynics might say it's shortened the odds on him being successful in whatever interview might take place for running network radio.
First, former BBC Chairman Lord Grade. “James is a very serious and smart guy and he understands as much as anybody that impartiality and independence are at the heart of the BBC. I would have 100% faith in him to carry out the job in accordance with the royal charter.”
“The question is: does the person have the ability to understand their role and what the imperatives of the BBC are ? I have no fear he would in any way allow his political history to interfere with his obligations to uphold the BBC’s impartiality and independence. And I speak as a Tory backbench peer. It makes me very uncomfortable politicians making party politics out of people’s careers in this way.”
Then, former deputy chair of the BBC Trust, Diane Coyle. "The idea that one individual in a senior role can bias the whole organisation is ludicrous. The head of radio doesn’t set editorial policy. Each radio station has its own controller. The idea [he] would be picking over the editorial agenda of the Today programme or PM can only be a charge of people who don’t understand how these structures work.”
"It is a managerial job … giving someone a range of experience as a credible contender for the DG role when that next comes up. It is great relevant experience for if that job comes up. You want a wide range of candidates for that role. The more diverse the better.”
First, former BBC Chairman Lord Grade. “James is a very serious and smart guy and he understands as much as anybody that impartiality and independence are at the heart of the BBC. I would have 100% faith in him to carry out the job in accordance with the royal charter.”
“The question is: does the person have the ability to understand their role and what the imperatives of the BBC are ? I have no fear he would in any way allow his political history to interfere with his obligations to uphold the BBC’s impartiality and independence. And I speak as a Tory backbench peer. It makes me very uncomfortable politicians making party politics out of people’s careers in this way.”
Then, former deputy chair of the BBC Trust, Diane Coyle. "The idea that one individual in a senior role can bias the whole organisation is ludicrous. The head of radio doesn’t set editorial policy. Each radio station has its own controller. The idea [he] would be picking over the editorial agenda of the Today programme or PM can only be a charge of people who don’t understand how these structures work.”
"It is a managerial job … giving someone a range of experience as a credible contender for the DG role when that next comes up. It is great relevant experience for if that job comes up. You want a wide range of candidates for that role. The more diverse the better.”
Continuing
Perhaps the best leader Labour never had (© Fraser Nelson in The Spectator), James Purnell, is still getting press flak over his career development.
Downing Street (under Boris or Theresa ?) has indicated that his latest role, overseeing education output at the BBC, is a matter for the BBC. That seems to apply as well to rumours that he's lined up to manage network radio from the autumn.
This morning, The Times (paywalled) has found former Culture Secretary John Whittingdale, presumably now back from clubbing in Ibiza, who opines on the matter thus: "I do have concerns about somebody who has played a very prominent role in a political party then going on to have an editorial job in the BBC . . . to become head of BBC radio puts him even closer to determining content and taking editorial decisions.”
"I have a lot of time for James Purnell and think he is an able man and has done a good job, but you can’t escape the fact that he is a lifelong Labour politician who served in the last Labour government.”
Few former Culture Secretaries have made a career in broadcasting, save for the first Minister for Fun/National Heritage, David Mellor, still building his CD collection by hanging on to a Sunday review show on Classic FM. Imagine the hoo-ha if we were now talking about a former Tory minister running BBC Radio....
Downing Street (under Boris or Theresa ?) has indicated that his latest role, overseeing education output at the BBC, is a matter for the BBC. That seems to apply as well to rumours that he's lined up to manage network radio from the autumn.
This morning, The Times (paywalled) has found former Culture Secretary John Whittingdale, presumably now back from clubbing in Ibiza, who opines on the matter thus: "I do have concerns about somebody who has played a very prominent role in a political party then going on to have an editorial job in the BBC . . . to become head of BBC radio puts him even closer to determining content and taking editorial decisions.”
"I have a lot of time for James Purnell and think he is an able man and has done a good job, but you can’t escape the fact that he is a lifelong Labour politician who served in the last Labour government.”
Few former Culture Secretaries have made a career in broadcasting, save for the first Minister for Fun/National Heritage, David Mellor, still building his CD collection by hanging on to a Sunday review show on Classic FM. Imagine the hoo-ha if we were now talking about a former Tory minister running BBC Radio....
Tuesday, August 23, 2016
Explainer
A 'friend' of Times restaurant critic, Giles Coren, has been in touch with The Daily Mail, explaining how BBC News boss (and former Times editor) James Harding came into the view finder of Jeremy Clarkson's mobile phone in a convivial way in the Mediterranean this week.
Apparently, Mr Coren and family are on a shore-based holiday somewhere in the Ionian Sea with Mr Harding, and it was Mr Coren who called up bad boy Jeremy, on his passing hired yacht, to arrange the get-together. The 'friend' tells the Mail ‘It was very unfair of Clarkson to act like a paparazzo and take a sneaky picture of James’.
Apparently, Mr Coren and family are on a shore-based holiday somewhere in the Ionian Sea with Mr Harding, and it was Mr Coren who called up bad boy Jeremy, on his passing hired yacht, to arrange the get-together. The 'friend' tells the Mail ‘It was very unfair of Clarkson to act like a paparazzo and take a sneaky picture of James’.
- Whilst the boys are growing stubble, recorded Giles is playing quizmaster on ITV's bizarre new show, 500 Questions, stripped across four days of primetime this week. The show was taped in Cologne, in front of a German audience (it was cheaper than moving the set to the UK). First responses in the Twittersphere liken the format to that of incomprehensible fictional gameshow Bamboozled in 'Friends', for which Joey auditions as host.
Monday, August 22, 2016
Down time
It looks like there was quite a lot of logging on at work for BBC coverage of the Olympics. Auntie reports 68.3m unique browers from the UK for Olympic content over the two weeks.
BARB puts the 16-and-over population at 59,210,000, and 4-15 years at 8,931. Ofcom figures say 81% of the UK population has fixed or mobile broadband.
So either many more people have more than one 'device', or occasionally use somebody else's connection.
BARB puts the 16-and-over population at 59,210,000, and 4-15 years at 8,931. Ofcom figures say 81% of the UK population has fixed or mobile broadband.
So either many more people have more than one 'device', or occasionally use somebody else's connection.
Toots Thielemans RIP
This version of his composition, Bluesette, is from his 1964 LP, The Whistler and His Guitar, recorded at Bell Sound Studios, New York, featuring Dick Hyman on Lowrey Organ. I can't find the original 1962 single recording, in which it was paired with "The Mountain Whistler", recorded for Swedish label Metronome, and apparently big in Flanders.
Drift
The Guardian uses stats from the commercial tv research team, Thinkbox, to suggest that the BBC has lost 18% of tv viewers aged 16 to 34 in moving BBC3 online.
The BBC counters, saying BBC3 programmes available on demand now make up 11% of all catch-up requests, compared with 4% before the broadcast channel closed.
This percentage may stand still for a while. There are some 14.5m 16-34 year-olds in the UK. The student population is around 2.5m. From 1st September, those living away from home will need a full tv licence to watch BBC3 on demand. They can catch up with ITV2 and various C4 yoof offerings for nowt; they just have to remember - no live stuff.
The BBC counters, saying BBC3 programmes available on demand now make up 11% of all catch-up requests, compared with 4% before the broadcast channel closed.
This percentage may stand still for a while. There are some 14.5m 16-34 year-olds in the UK. The student population is around 2.5m. From 1st September, those living away from home will need a full tv licence to watch BBC3 on demand. They can catch up with ITV2 and various C4 yoof offerings for nowt; they just have to remember - no live stuff.
Eck
It's a matter of days before the law will attempt to prevent UK citizens watching live tv or BBCiPlayer recordings on any sort of device without a TV Licence.
Former BBC new media guru James Cridland has attempted to explore further how the BBC might know when you're being naughty, but sadly has written his piece without reference to the process known as "Van Eck Phreaking".
Dutch computer scientist Wim Van Eck worked with the BBC in 1985, and produced a paper showing that video screens produce radio frequency electro-magnetic radiation which can be 'eavesdropped' from several hundred metres, and reproduced on another screen. Even the BBC reported on the phenomenon, on Tomorrow's World.
Old hat ? Preventable now by astute use of tin foil ? Well, the experiment was repeated in 2006 by a scientist working on computer security at Cambridge University - in the middle of the CeBIT 2006 in Hanover. In the middle of the world's biggest computer exhibition, he picked out one pc amongst hundreds, and reproduced a powerpoint from that (Russian) screen.
Now we need to know if Van Eck phreaking can pick up screens on smartphones and tablets.
Former BBC new media guru James Cridland has attempted to explore further how the BBC might know when you're being naughty, but sadly has written his piece without reference to the process known as "Van Eck Phreaking".
Dutch computer scientist Wim Van Eck worked with the BBC in 1985, and produced a paper showing that video screens produce radio frequency electro-magnetic radiation which can be 'eavesdropped' from several hundred metres, and reproduced on another screen. Even the BBC reported on the phenomenon, on Tomorrow's World.
Old hat ? Preventable now by astute use of tin foil ? Well, the experiment was repeated in 2006 by a scientist working on computer security at Cambridge University - in the middle of the CeBIT 2006 in Hanover. In the middle of the world's biggest computer exhibition, he picked out one pc amongst hundreds, and reproduced a powerpoint from that (Russian) screen.
Now we need to know if Van Eck phreaking can pick up screens on smartphones and tablets.
Snap
This, from Mediterranean-holidaying-Jeremy Clarkson's Instagram account, may be under discussion at this morning's BBC Executive conference call.
Jimmy riddle
The FT has noticed the peculiar rise to content management of James Purnell at the BBC. Correspondent David Bond (once BBC Sports Editor) has BBC sources saying that the former Labour Cabinet minister was given responsibility for education programmes following an interview by BBC non-executive directors Dame Fiona Reynolds and Alice Perkins. Ms Perkins is Mrs Jack Straw. (Mr Purnell is far right - visually)
David sought comment from Tory MP Damian Collins, in the running to be Chairman of the Culture Select Committee. "There have to be big questions about the process the BBC has run here,” said Mr Collins. “It seems odd that such a senior appointment would be made without a proper, formal process and it begs the question was there special consideration of his political background?”
The BBC says there was a process, which is entertaining. “There were interview processes that resulted in the range of changes announced in July to the key leadership team at the BBC. They included, as appropriate, some of the BBC’s non-executive directors who have careers and independent professional stature separate to whatever roles their husbands may have performed in the past.”
But how did James know how to apply for the unadvertised role of Director of Strategy and Education ? Was there a role spec ? Were there other candidates ? A short-list of any sort ? Psychometric testing ? Role-playing workshops ? And if, as many believe, James emerges with custody of network radio in the autumn, was that considered at the same interview ? How on earth can that be fair, transparent, open ?
David sought comment from Tory MP Damian Collins, in the running to be Chairman of the Culture Select Committee. "There have to be big questions about the process the BBC has run here,” said Mr Collins. “It seems odd that such a senior appointment would be made without a proper, formal process and it begs the question was there special consideration of his political background?”
The BBC says there was a process, which is entertaining. “There were interview processes that resulted in the range of changes announced in July to the key leadership team at the BBC. They included, as appropriate, some of the BBC’s non-executive directors who have careers and independent professional stature separate to whatever roles their husbands may have performed in the past.”
But how did James know how to apply for the unadvertised role of Director of Strategy and Education ? Was there a role spec ? Were there other candidates ? A short-list of any sort ? Psychometric testing ? Role-playing workshops ? And if, as many believe, James emerges with custody of network radio in the autumn, was that considered at the same interview ? How on earth can that be fair, transparent, open ?
Colleagues have written asking if I'm supporting someone as @CommonsCMS chair. I am; @DamianCollins Industrious, informed, independent.— JOHN NICOLSON M.P. (@MrJohnNicolson) August 16, 2016
- Alan Davey, Controller of Radio 3, was the civil servant in charge of the culture bit of the DCMS when James Purnell was Culture Secretary. The Spectator believes James 'helped' Alan into his next job, as CEO of the Arts Council.
Sunday, August 21, 2016
Brainy
It's good to know that when you're a polymath like Mark Thompson, you can be President and CEO of The New York Times Company, and still find time to rattle off a 350-page book on political rhetoric.
His successor as BBC DG, Lord Hall will be more than pleased to read a (paywalled) Sunday Times supplement interview with Mark plugging the new volume, in which he indicates that he might have tried harder to keep Jeremy Clarkson; he would have produced Chris Evans in a different way at Top Gear; and he feels his NYT's pay is justified - at around 16 times that afforded to Lord Hall.
His successor as BBC DG, Lord Hall will be more than pleased to read a (paywalled) Sunday Times supplement interview with Mark plugging the new volume, in which he indicates that he might have tried harder to keep Jeremy Clarkson; he would have produced Chris Evans in a different way at Top Gear; and he feels his NYT's pay is justified - at around 16 times that afforded to Lord Hall.
Timing
Thursday could be critical for investors in beleaguered Johnston Press. With a share price hovering just over 10p, the company is putting a brave face on a downgrade by credit rating firm Moody's, prompted by the company's debt and write-down of asset values. CEO Ashley Highfield told the FT: “The downgrade doesn’t effect our day-to-day trading or our plans for the short or medium term”.
The Audit Bureau of Circulation's figures for regional press (and their digital offerings) for first six months of 2016 are due for publication on 25th August. Last financial year, JP total print circulation fell by 7%.
The Audit Bureau of Circulation's figures for regional press (and their digital offerings) for first six months of 2016 are due for publication on 25th August. Last financial year, JP total print circulation fell by 7%.
TV times
This week sees the Edinburgh Television Festival, with its regular thread of "Meet The Controller" sessions. Of course, at BBC TV, it's a passé title (and salary).
So you'll get to meet Charlotte Moore, Director of Content, but there are still outings for Cassian Harrison, Channel Editor, BBC4 (who's had plenty of thinking time during the Olympics) and Patrick Holland, Channel Editor, BBC2. There's also a session with Damian Kavanagh, who keeps the title Controller despite BBC3 having no broadcast channel of its own.
There is no formal session for BBC Controller Daytime (and Early Peak), Dan McGolpin. He could, if minded,make some headlines by taking a lead from Jay Hunt's decision to bring Deal or No Deal to an end at C4. It's been running since 2005.
Mr McGolpin still has Homes Under The Hammer on his books, distinctive in some unknowable way since 2003, and Bargain Hunt, quality broadcasting at a knockdown price since 2000.
So you'll get to meet Charlotte Moore, Director of Content, but there are still outings for Cassian Harrison, Channel Editor, BBC4 (who's had plenty of thinking time during the Olympics) and Patrick Holland, Channel Editor, BBC2. There's also a session with Damian Kavanagh, who keeps the title Controller despite BBC3 having no broadcast channel of its own.
There is no formal session for BBC Controller Daytime (and Early Peak), Dan McGolpin. He could, if minded,make some headlines by taking a lead from Jay Hunt's decision to bring Deal or No Deal to an end at C4. It's been running since 2005.
Mr McGolpin still has Homes Under The Hammer on his books, distinctive in some unknowable way since 2003, and Bargain Hunt, quality broadcasting at a knockdown price since 2000.
Saturday, August 20, 2016
Opportunity
There's a job going for a researcher on Alan Yentob's Imagine. You should be able to contribute ideas, but I'm guessing it's not easy to get them to air. And you'll be based in Pacific Quay, Glasgow, so I'm not sure how often you'll see Al in person.
At a max of around £33k, it's hoped that you'll bring self-shooting skills, experience of production of long-form television programmes and the ability to assist in the creation of Internet web sites [are there other sorts of web sites ? Ed] and other on-line activities.
It's offered as a three-month contract/attachment.
At a max of around £33k, it's hoped that you'll bring self-shooting skills, experience of production of long-form television programmes and the ability to assist in the creation of Internet web sites [are there other sorts of web sites ? Ed] and other on-line activities.
It's offered as a three-month contract/attachment.
Friday, August 19, 2016
Sagging
Some companies use sickness records of staff as an indicator of how happy and productive a team or department might be. Generally, you don't want to be top of the league for days off.
A Freedom of Information request to the BBC has revealed the average days lost calculated per employee, for 2015/15. Here's my table.
Wales 8.2
Northern Ireland 7.9
A Freedom of Information request to the BBC has revealed the average days lost calculated per employee, for 2015/15. Here's my table.
Wales 8.2
Northern Ireland 7.9
Global News/World Service 7.8
Scotland 6.8
News English Regions 6.7
Network News 5.7
Radio 3.8
Finance & Operations 3.8
Strategy & Digital 3.4
BBC Trust 2.6
Television 2.6
North 2.1
Bowing out
The exodus continues. Emma Swain, stalwart of BBC tv production for 20 years, “has decided to leave the BBC to take up new challenges.” In many circumstances, this is code for 'has cut a deal", probably capped at £150k. Emma took a year off from her day job (£220k pa) at factual to think five years into the future. This culminated in a cull of executives in factual in January.
Emma's partner is drama producer Laurence Bowen, who has just set up a new company, Dancing Ledge. Fremantle Media have taken a 25% stake, and Larry has a development deal with actor Martin Freeman.
Emma's partner is drama producer Laurence Bowen, who has just set up a new company, Dancing Ledge. Fremantle Media have taken a 25% stake, and Larry has a development deal with actor Martin Freeman.
Jack it in
Met Eric ?
@metoffice I wish to carry on using your app when you lose the BBC contract— peter richmond (@peterrichmond83) August 18, 2016
@peterrichmond83 @Schafernaker @BBC Thank you for your support. Our official weather warnings will still feature on BBC channels. ^Eric— Met Office (@metoffice) August 18, 2016
— peter richmond (@peterrichmond83) August 18, 2016
— Met Office (@metoffice) August 18, 2016
Thursday, August 18, 2016
Divide and conquer
Here's a rather bizarre idea, floated in yesterday's BBC Trust review of Auntie's performance in the Nations.
BBC Scotland is considering trialling a split frequency for Radio Scotland. This would offer news, current affairs and sport on one service (available on FM, DAB and online), and arts, music and culture on a second service (available only on DAB and online). BBC Scotland believes this would enable it to improve its coverage of the Scottish news agenda, while giving greater flexibility for non-news programming. RadioCentre has expressed concern at this idea due to its potential competitive impact. At this stage, no formal proposal has been received by the BBC Trust, but if it were to do so, the regulatory procedures for running a trial and subsequently any approvals process would be followed.
The (commercial) Radio Centre wants all music taken away from weekday Radio Scotland, in its friendly, teeth-baring way. It says Radio Scotland should be all speech, and yet, when an idea is floated that might do that, it harrumphs.
This idea of splitting services is clearly fashionable - next month a 15-week DAB pop-up station run by BBC Radio Cymru starts, offering an alternative breakfast show with "more music and laughter". Unfortunately the DAB frequency only reaches south-east Wales, so Welsh-speaking fun seekers in the rest of the country will have to find it online.
BBC Scotland is considering trialling a split frequency for Radio Scotland. This would offer news, current affairs and sport on one service (available on FM, DAB and online), and arts, music and culture on a second service (available only on DAB and online). BBC Scotland believes this would enable it to improve its coverage of the Scottish news agenda, while giving greater flexibility for non-news programming. RadioCentre has expressed concern at this idea due to its potential competitive impact. At this stage, no formal proposal has been received by the BBC Trust, but if it were to do so, the regulatory procedures for running a trial and subsequently any approvals process would be followed.
The (commercial) Radio Centre wants all music taken away from weekday Radio Scotland, in its friendly, teeth-baring way. It says Radio Scotland should be all speech, and yet, when an idea is floated that might do that, it harrumphs.
This idea of splitting services is clearly fashionable - next month a 15-week DAB pop-up station run by BBC Radio Cymru starts, offering an alternative breakfast show with "more music and laughter". Unfortunately the DAB frequency only reaches south-east Wales, so Welsh-speaking fun seekers in the rest of the country will have to find it online.
Agreed statements - not
Going in opposite directions: that's about the best you can say about BBC HR chief Valerie Hughes D'Aeth and her predecessor Lucy Adams.
Val is increasingly getting the strength of 'process' around her. Each new task seems to require new dedicated staff - so many that it's hard to imagine what the 'business-as-usual' team are actually doing. Her man from the Post Office, Dale Haddon, has commissioned research to 'prove' that BBC hacks are overpaid. Dale is paid £190k a year. Val is paid more than the Chief Executive of the NHS. Val has been heard to cite experience from her former company, road and rail builders Amey as a useful indicator of what to do next. This is not a good strategy.
Meanwhile Lucy, who's been shedding faith in various processes she espoused at Auntie faster than a nematode worm, has found a few more she now doesn't like. First it was appraisals and all-staff emails; now she's not sure about bonuses, performance-related pay and a few more shibboleths.
Canyons of your mind
The London-based toilers of BBC Studios, getting ready to make the trek back from W1 to W12 under leader Mark Linsey, should have plenty of accommodation options nearby soon. The old Marks and Spencer warehouse site, across Wood Lane from TVC, and stretching behind the unloved and crumbling Centre House, is to be redeveloped as a series of tower blocks, producing close to 1,500 units.
The architects are Patel Taylor, and the developers are St James/Berkeley; the first "White City Living" flats should come to the market in spring next year.
The train you can see in the picture is a Hammersmith and City Line train, leaving the Wood Lane station.
The architects are Patel Taylor, and the developers are St James/Berkeley; the first "White City Living" flats should come to the market in spring next year.
The train you can see in the picture is a Hammersmith and City Line train, leaving the Wood Lane station.
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Wednesday, August 17, 2016
Going Dutch
BBC weather forecasts from Spring next year will come courtesy of the Meteo Group, which started in the Netherlands, but now has its HQ in the UK, with 450 staff in offices around the world. It's owned by an American investment group. General Atlantic, who bought it from the Press Association in 2014.
After a protracted tender process, with the Met Office falling at an earlier hurdle, Meteo are thought to have beaten New Zealand firm, Metra, in final negotiations. The Met Office will still supply the Shipping Forecast and severe weather warnings.
Meteo won the Sky News contract in 2011. They also supply Channel 4, the National Grid and Network Rail with forecasts.
The BBC Weather app has been downloaded more than 15 million times; the Met Office relaunched their mobile app two months ago - it's ad supported. and has so far clocked up 500,000 downloads.
After a protracted tender process, with the Met Office falling at an earlier hurdle, Meteo are thought to have beaten New Zealand firm, Metra, in final negotiations. The Met Office will still supply the Shipping Forecast and severe weather warnings.
Meteo won the Sky News contract in 2011. They also supply Channel 4, the National Grid and Network Rail with forecasts.
The BBC Weather app has been downloaded more than 15 million times; the Met Office relaunched their mobile app two months ago - it's ad supported. and has so far clocked up 500,000 downloads.
Few
A survey of 502 viewers in Scotland by ICM for the BBC Trust could only find 24 who had watched BBC Alba. They put that down as 5% of the total potential audience in Scotland, which would be something over 250,000. That compares with BBC Alba's own research putting reach above 600,000.
ICM say the sample is too small to make sense of perceptions of Alba, though they do say that 13 of those interviewed were 'neutral', 12 'favourable' and one didn't know. And the message on the amount of Gaelic was mixed...
ICM say the sample is too small to make sense of perceptions of Alba, though they do say that 13 of those interviewed were 'neutral', 12 'favourable' and one didn't know. And the message on the amount of Gaelic was mixed...
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Investigating investigators
The Times (paywalled) reports claims made by author Frederick Forsyth speaking at the Edinburgh Book Festival. He alleges the BBC broke into his London flat when he was freelancing in Biafra. He'd just been sacked by Auntie after filing reports which were deemed biased to the secessionists.
He says the intruders told neighbours they were concerned for his health and the 'door was duly beaten in'.
'It was the BBC. I was told there is a very secretive fellow in the BBC called the Investigator.”
A spokesman for the BBC told The Times 'We’ve no knowledge of the events in this story or anyone called the Investigator.' This is a little odd. The BBC has had an Investigations Unit for years, and advertised for an Investigator as recently as July this year.
He says the intruders told neighbours they were concerned for his health and the 'door was duly beaten in'.
'It was the BBC. I was told there is a very secretive fellow in the BBC called the Investigator.”
A spokesman for the BBC told The Times 'We’ve no knowledge of the events in this story or anyone called the Investigator.' This is a little odd. The BBC has had an Investigations Unit for years, and advertised for an Investigator as recently as July this year.
Who's in charge of what ?
There's confirmation this morning that the BBC is a worrying state of flux. A Freedom of Information enquiry seeking diagrams of the current organisational structure by division has been stonewalled - it would take too long to produce them.
"Due to the size and changing nature of the BBC workforce we do not have visual diagrams representing the structure BBC [sic], therefore in order to respond in full to your request we estimate that to carry out this search would take BBC Staff more than two and a half days."
"Due to the size and changing nature of the BBC workforce we do not have visual diagrams representing the structure BBC [sic], therefore in order to respond in full to your request we estimate that to carry out this search would take BBC Staff more than two and a half days."
Sticking with it
Be careful what you wish for. The BBC News at Ten was shoved close to an hour and a half late last night, to accommodate continuing coverage of British success at Olympic cycling. Newsnight, apparently shackled in some technical way, just snuck on at midnight. "Newsmorning", said Evan. Two editions coming in one day, said Editor Ian Katz. I'll try to get the audience figures later - but I think it was probably the right thing to do. If you search for BBC News at Ten on the iPlayer, you get a very accomplished bulletin presently exactly on time on the News Channel, by Julian Worricker.
Has @BBCNews ever been delayed 50+ minutes because of man driving his ma shopping bike? #Rio2016 pic.twitter.com/O224XXeZeZ— Spence (@ITSpencer) August 16, 2016
- Update: The ratings are great. The average for BBC1 between 7pm and 11.25pm (when the news bulletin finally appeared) was 8.6m (44.2% share), with a peak of 10.89m for the 15 minutes from 10.45pm. No sign of a big flight to ITV's News At Ten - 1.5m average.
How much ?
It was perhaps inevitable. Former No 10 communications boss Craig Oliver has signed with Kruger Cowne as agent for speaking engagements - and the Sun says he's priced at £50k a pop.
BBC World Affairs editor John Simpson was in at the start of Kruger Cowne, run by his sister-in-law. He recently hosted a Kruger Cowne breakfast event with Oliver, who, prior to Downing Street, worked for the BBC. John's view ? “He was undoubtedly the best editor I ever worked for".
Editor, perhaps, but maybe not sub-editor. Take this ungainly par from the puff for Oliver on Kruger Cowne's website.
"His knowledge and expertise range from helping deliver a successful General Election campaign to dealing with a number of difficult situations the government had to face over the years."
BBC World Affairs editor John Simpson was in at the start of Kruger Cowne, run by his sister-in-law. He recently hosted a Kruger Cowne breakfast event with Oliver, who, prior to Downing Street, worked for the BBC. John's view ? “He was undoubtedly the best editor I ever worked for".
Editor, perhaps, but maybe not sub-editor. Take this ungainly par from the puff for Oliver on Kruger Cowne's website.
"His knowledge and expertise range from helping deliver a successful General Election campaign to dealing with a number of difficult situations the government had to face over the years."
Tuesday, August 16, 2016
CV details
The order in which former BBC producer Owen Smith and his father, Professor Dai Smith, quondam Editor, BBC Wales, arrived in Auntie's employment is something of a mystery, according to Welsh blog, Press Gang.
Maybe the answer will be provided by Rhodri Talfan Davies, third in a dynasty that has run BBC output in Wales.
Maybe the answer will be provided by Rhodri Talfan Davies, third in a dynasty that has run BBC output in Wales.
Learning point
Here's a suggestion for a little training module the BBC might like to implement before the Tokyo Games - teams from Sport and Presentation simulate changeovers between live Olympic events and news bulletins, much as relay racers practise baton changes. (Except relay runners seldom insist on playing trailers before they let go to the next in the team - it's the sort of thing that spectators wouldn't understand, and tends to lose races).
Monday, August 15, 2016
Job done
BBC staff will be delighted to learn that HR boss Valerie Hughes D'Aeth has transformed the organisation and will be sharing lessons on how she did it at the annual conference of Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development in November. The BBC unions will note she's not yet home and dry on this year's pay offer, and talks on modernising terms and conditions are timetabled way into 2107.
Valerie is in a joint session with the HR chief from Selfridges, billed thus...
"70% of businesses fail at implementing change. This is by far one of the hottest topics in HR at the moment and we have prepared two great examples of large scale transformation you can learn from. As well as highlighting the underlying principles and successes of these change programmes, this session will focus on:
• managing the uncertainty and emotional complexities during M&A activity
• workforce planning to ensure customer and business delivery during transformation
• understanding the impact of change programmes on HR teams and the skills and support needed
• developing a clear engagement and communications strategy to sustain commitment across the organisation
Valerie is in a joint session with the HR chief from Selfridges, billed thus...
"70% of businesses fail at implementing change. This is by far one of the hottest topics in HR at the moment and we have prepared two great examples of large scale transformation you can learn from. As well as highlighting the underlying principles and successes of these change programmes, this session will focus on:
• managing the uncertainty and emotional complexities during M&A activity
• workforce planning to ensure customer and business delivery during transformation
• understanding the impact of change programmes on HR teams and the skills and support needed
• developing a clear engagement and communications strategy to sustain commitment across the organisation
Podiumming
Sooper-dooper Sunday brought great ratings to BBC1. An average of 8.2m (38.3% of the available audience) watched Olympic coverage from 6.30pm to 10.00pm. 5.13m stayed with the channel for News Without Huw. And 3.2m were still watching at 1am when Andy Murray won his gold.
Scheme
Johnston Press (CEO ex-BBC technology boss Ashley Highfield) briefed the Telegraph this weekend about moves to ease pressure on the company. The Telegraph says it plans to buy back some of its own debt at a discount. Obviously, it hopes not to use debt to buy debt, so it is auctioning off more titles to rivals, with the aim of raising £40m by the Autumn.
This auction is being run with the help of Ingenious Media. They, you might not remember, advised JP and AH on buying the 'i' newspaper from the Lebvedevs for £24m in February. They've also been tangling with HMRC in tax tribunals about film investment schemes, and backed the BBC tv series Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell.
Ashley's CFO is David King, who has 14 years experience with the BBC on his CV.
Johnston Press shares shaded down 0.38p this morning, to the straight 10p.
This auction is being run with the help of Ingenious Media. They, you might not remember, advised JP and AH on buying the 'i' newspaper from the Lebvedevs for £24m in February. They've also been tangling with HMRC in tax tribunals about film investment schemes, and backed the BBC tv series Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell.
Ashley's CFO is David King, who has 14 years experience with the BBC on his CV.
Johnston Press shares shaded down 0.38p this morning, to the straight 10p.
Sunday, August 14, 2016
Staying on ?
James Corden and his producer Ben Winston are on a roll with spin-offs from The Late Late Show. The TBS Network has ordered 17 full episodes of Drop The Mic, based on the Corden mini-rap-battles on the chat show. Corden won't feature in the new celebrity series, but is billed as executive producer alongside Winston.
And Apple have bought a 16-episode series based on the runaway success of Corden's Carpool Karoake videos. Corden's fee for the Late Late Show has increased twice since it's slightly tentative start with the US viewing public, and in tv ratings he's still some way behind Jimmy Fallon, Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Kimmel. Corden is committed to the States til 2020 - might that change ?
And Apple have bought a 16-episode series based on the runaway success of Corden's Carpool Karoake videos. Corden's fee for the Late Late Show has increased twice since it's slightly tentative start with the US viewing public, and in tv ratings he's still some way behind Jimmy Fallon, Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Kimmel. Corden is committed to the States til 2020 - might that change ?
Spaghetti
Shame there's no credits on this short video...
Get ready for a wild season as the Premier League returns! @bbcsport https://t.co/S6XDqwzzqq— BBC Three (@bbcthree) August 13, 2016
Meddling
I've tried to lay off Olympic coverage, through gritted teeth. The audience figures are better than the BBC dared to hope, given the Rio time difference.
But the limited vocabulary of most of our commentators and summarisers, prompted by fatuous questions from presenters in the UK and Rio is really getting to me. Matthew Engel in the Financial Times nails it.
Readers point me to other daftness. BBC sports editor Dan Roan, previewing the climax of the women's heptathlon last night on the late evening news, said Jessica Ennis-Hill might become "only the third woman in Olympic history to retain a title having become a mother".
And a good reader suggestion: why not put a feed of continuous hosted Olympic coverage on a red button channel, to allow Olympic couch potatoes an easier life, and stop complaints about switching between BBC1, 2 and 4 during key moments ?
But the limited vocabulary of most of our commentators and summarisers, prompted by fatuous questions from presenters in the UK and Rio is really getting to me. Matthew Engel in the Financial Times nails it.
Readers point me to other daftness. BBC sports editor Dan Roan, previewing the climax of the women's heptathlon last night on the late evening news, said Jessica Ennis-Hill might become "only the third woman in Olympic history to retain a title having become a mother".
And a good reader suggestion: why not put a feed of continuous hosted Olympic coverage on a red button channel, to allow Olympic couch potatoes an easier life, and stop complaints about switching between BBC1, 2 and 4 during key moments ?
Saturday, August 13, 2016
Costume drama
John Whittingdale would have had a fit. The former Culture Secretary thought the BBC should schedule its big weekend stuff only after ITV had chosen its preferred slots, to avoid clashes.
Lo, with big John missing in Ibiza, ITV are planning to run their Downton successor 'Victoria' at 9pm on Sunday nights, from August 28th. And BBC1 will run Poldark at 9pm, starting the following Sunday.
Who wins ? Probably ITV. They own Mammoth Screen, the 'indie' that makes both shows.
Lo, with big John missing in Ibiza, ITV are planning to run their Downton successor 'Victoria' at 9pm on Sunday nights, from August 28th. And BBC1 will run Poldark at 9pm, starting the following Sunday.
Who wins ? Probably ITV. They own Mammoth Screen, the 'indie' that makes both shows.
Friday, August 12, 2016
We've got quizzes, too
The FT has a feature looking at perfect summer holidays. I wonder if you can guess the subject of this interview before the end....
How are you spending the summer?
As we have every summer for the past 20 years — in a stunningly beautiful valley in southern Italy with close friends and extended family nearby, and under the watchful gaze of a dormant volcano.
Who would be your ideal travel companion (real or fictional, dead or alive)?
Honestly? It’s a toss-up between my family and my iPhone. If obliged to choose right now, post-Brexit, The Donald and Isis, no contest! Google wins.
What makes a dream holiday?
Swimming with Philippa, Ruthie Rogers’ cooking, and a Brompton bike.
If you could go to any place at any time, where would you go and why?
A hideaway in Somerset near the Quantocks . . . a passion shared with Coleridge (and Wordsworth, when he found the time).
Yes, it's documentary maker Alan Yentob.
How are you spending the summer?
As we have every summer for the past 20 years — in a stunningly beautiful valley in southern Italy with close friends and extended family nearby, and under the watchful gaze of a dormant volcano.
Who would be your ideal travel companion (real or fictional, dead or alive)?
Honestly? It’s a toss-up between my family and my iPhone. If obliged to choose right now, post-Brexit, The Donald and Isis, no contest! Google wins.
What makes a dream holiday?
Swimming with Philippa, Ruthie Rogers’ cooking, and a Brompton bike.
If you could go to any place at any time, where would you go and why?
A hideaway in Somerset near the Quantocks . . . a passion shared with Coleridge (and Wordsworth, when he found the time).
Yes, it's documentary maker Alan Yentob.
Tune ?
Regular readers will be familiar with the trendsetting powers of this blog. Let's try something a little different, and see if we can give a young popular music combo a leg up.
Giving it large at a nearby table in a W1 hostelry last night were members of Lincoln's own Alexis Kings. They're soon moving to Brighton, They have a single they think you'd like, Squire, available on EP. It's the story of a young man's brief relationship with an older woman. It's "summery", has a "mellow vibe", and much more such stuff. I haven't yet heard it, as I am currently in a quiet coach.
That doesn't usually stop pluggers. Nice lads, if a little loud. Remember, it all started here.
Giving it large at a nearby table in a W1 hostelry last night were members of Lincoln's own Alexis Kings. They're soon moving to Brighton, They have a single they think you'd like, Squire, available on EP. It's the story of a young man's brief relationship with an older woman. It's "summery", has a "mellow vibe", and much more such stuff. I haven't yet heard it, as I am currently in a quiet coach.
That doesn't usually stop pluggers. Nice lads, if a little loud. Remember, it all started here.
Less is more
BBC hacks were pleased to see boss James Harding sauntering out last night with his new bezzie, Charlotte Moore, Director of Content (Television). A formal concordat seems to have been reached that the 10pm BBC1 bulletin will be shorter next week from Monday to Friday. This is because the nation apparently can't get enough Olympics (cynics note that the Ten has covered the Olympics in some depth, despite being surrounded by it).
It's a grand job there's not much happening in Syria, Thailand, the USA, the Labour Party, the railways, etc, etc...
It's a grand job there's not much happening in Syria, Thailand, the USA, the Labour Party, the railways, etc, etc...
Thursday, August 11, 2016
Motoring
In a ritual dance most recently seen with Paul Pogba's return to Manchester United, Matt Le Blanc has said he's keen to be part of the second run of the all-new Top Gear. Speaking in LA, the loveable rogue said "There's nothing officially happening yet. Follow the BBC." Filming is due to start in September.
One can only imagine that Mr Le Blanc's agent has noted that Chris Evans' fee for the first run was at least £150k per episode. Mr Le Blanc will be aiming above the DG's presenter declaration threshold of £450k p.a., and I'm sure the NAO will make sure BBC Worldwide and BBC Studios are fully transparent in the matter.
One can only imagine that Mr Le Blanc's agent has noted that Chris Evans' fee for the first run was at least £150k per episode. Mr Le Blanc will be aiming above the DG's presenter declaration threshold of £450k p.a., and I'm sure the NAO will make sure BBC Worldwide and BBC Studios are fully transparent in the matter.
Business as usual
It's nowt to do with Brexit - but the BBC is looking for a Senior HR Advisor, Immigration.
Having steadily dismantled World Service capabilities in a wide range of support skills, the BBC now has Foreign Office money burning a hole in its pocket as it scales up to recruit bi-lingual staff providing new services to Africa, Russia, the Middle East and North Korea. For a task that will be entirely managed in London, the succesful candidate will, of course, be based in Birmingham.
Meanwhile, James "Sonny Boy" Harding, insouciant Director of News, is back from hols, and still moving at a snail's pace to make the cuts required of him by Lord Hall. He has to keep two news channels going, and, at the same time, deliver the much-vaunted Newstream. So he's hiring two "Resourcing Advisors", to keep an eye on the revolving door of staff in and out. Which might help balance the books. Or not.
And HR chief Valerie Hughes D'Aeth's headcount will soon come under scrutiny, as successive job ads make it pretty plain her department requires more and more staff to preside over fewer and fewer people.
Having steadily dismantled World Service capabilities in a wide range of support skills, the BBC now has Foreign Office money burning a hole in its pocket as it scales up to recruit bi-lingual staff providing new services to Africa, Russia, the Middle East and North Korea. For a task that will be entirely managed in London, the succesful candidate will, of course, be based in Birmingham.
Meanwhile, James "Sonny Boy" Harding, insouciant Director of News, is back from hols, and still moving at a snail's pace to make the cuts required of him by Lord Hall. He has to keep two news channels going, and, at the same time, deliver the much-vaunted Newstream. So he's hiring two "Resourcing Advisors", to keep an eye on the revolving door of staff in and out. Which might help balance the books. Or not.
And HR chief Valerie Hughes D'Aeth's headcount will soon come under scrutiny, as successive job ads make it pretty plain her department requires more and more staff to preside over fewer and fewer people.
Wednesday, August 10, 2016
Catching up
I was mildly chastised yesterday for not marking the granting of planning permission for a statue of George Orwell in the Entwistle Piazza of Broadcasting House.
Orwell worked hard at the BBC from 1941 to 1943, as a talks producer in the Eastern Service, broadcasting to India. But overall, he wasn't ever sure about Auntie as an organisation, as his diaries show.
"I have now been in the BBC about 6 months. Shall remain in it if the political changes I foresee come off, otherwise probably not. Its atmosphere is something halfway between a girls’ school and a lunatic asylum and all we are doing at present is useless, or slightly worse than useless. Our radio strategy is even more hopeless than our military strategy. Nevertheless one rapidly becomes propaganda-minded and develops a cunning one did not previously have".
Four months later...
"The thing that strikes one in the BBC – and it is evidently the same in various of the other departments – is not so much the moral squalor and the ultimate futility of what we are doing, as the feeling of frustration, the impossibility of getting anything done, even any successful piece of scoundrelism. Our policy is so ill-defined, the disorganisation so great, there are so many changes of plan, and the fear and hatred of intelligence are so all-pervading, that one cannot plan any sort of wireless campaign whatsoever. . . . One is constantly putting sheer rubbish on the air because of having talks which sounded too intelligent cancelled at the last moment. In addition the organisation is so overstaffed that numbers of people have almost literally nothing to do."
From 1942, Orwell wasn't based at Broadcasting House, but at 200 Oxford Street, formerly a wing of the Peter Robinson department store, and now home to Urban Outfitters. It was requisitioned in 1941 as a wartime home to the Empire Service. This probably why Orwell, a pub connoisseur, used the Argyll, across Oxford Street, and his willingness to stroll to an old favourite, The Wheatsheaf, in Rathbone Place.
At the end of the war, Orwell had rented in Canonbury Square, Islington, and is said to have written most of 1984 in the garden of The Canonbury Tavern. The naming of Charrington in the novel - a shopkeeper who's also a member of the Thought Police - is believed to have been prompted by the prominent name of the brewery above the doorway to The Hen and Chickens, on Highbury Corner.
Orwell worked hard at the BBC from 1941 to 1943, as a talks producer in the Eastern Service, broadcasting to India. But overall, he wasn't ever sure about Auntie as an organisation, as his diaries show.
"I have now been in the BBC about 6 months. Shall remain in it if the political changes I foresee come off, otherwise probably not. Its atmosphere is something halfway between a girls’ school and a lunatic asylum and all we are doing at present is useless, or slightly worse than useless. Our radio strategy is even more hopeless than our military strategy. Nevertheless one rapidly becomes propaganda-minded and develops a cunning one did not previously have".
Four months later...
"The thing that strikes one in the BBC – and it is evidently the same in various of the other departments – is not so much the moral squalor and the ultimate futility of what we are doing, as the feeling of frustration, the impossibility of getting anything done, even any successful piece of scoundrelism. Our policy is so ill-defined, the disorganisation so great, there are so many changes of plan, and the fear and hatred of intelligence are so all-pervading, that one cannot plan any sort of wireless campaign whatsoever. . . . One is constantly putting sheer rubbish on the air because of having talks which sounded too intelligent cancelled at the last moment. In addition the organisation is so overstaffed that numbers of people have almost literally nothing to do."
From 1942, Orwell wasn't based at Broadcasting House, but at 200 Oxford Street, formerly a wing of the Peter Robinson department store, and now home to Urban Outfitters. It was requisitioned in 1941 as a wartime home to the Empire Service. This probably why Orwell, a pub connoisseur, used the Argyll, across Oxford Street, and his willingness to stroll to an old favourite, The Wheatsheaf, in Rathbone Place.
At the end of the war, Orwell had rented in Canonbury Square, Islington, and is said to have written most of 1984 in the garden of The Canonbury Tavern. The naming of Charrington in the novel - a shopkeeper who's also a member of the Thought Police - is believed to have been prompted by the prominent name of the brewery above the doorway to The Hen and Chickens, on Highbury Corner.
Packaging
In the whacky world of online stats, Channel 4 News is claiming that its Facebook page, now devoted just to short videos, is beating BBC News. It boasts more than 200 million views a month, and says the main BBC News Facebook offering gets 165m, Sky News 126m, and ITV 62 million, according to stats produced by Tubular Labs.
All slightly pale into insignificance compared with the Daily Mail's claimed Facebook views, at 623m a month. Top of the charts is US food offering, Tasty, at 1.7 billion ('Food that'll make you close your eyes, lean back, and whisper "yessss." Snack-sized videos and recipes you'll want to try'). If only Auntie hadn't given in to Osborne, eh ?
All slightly pale into insignificance compared with the Daily Mail's claimed Facebook views, at 623m a month. Top of the charts is US food offering, Tasty, at 1.7 billion ('Food that'll make you close your eyes, lean back, and whisper "yessss." Snack-sized videos and recipes you'll want to try'). If only Auntie hadn't given in to Osborne, eh ?
- Where, oh where is the BBC's Newstream ? Not quite ready, methinks. This new service, which proposes a rotating jukebox of ten vertical videos (C4 has opted for 'square') was supposed to start in March. The latest ad (for 'trainee broadcast assistants digital video' - 12 month internships, on a bursary of just over £20k) closed yesterday, promising a start date in September.
Red top
Guido Fawkes is pretty certain that Sun political correspondent Craig Woodhouse is going to be the first Special Adviser appointed at Karen Bradley's reformed Culture ministry.
Craig (Worksop College, Bristol University and post-grad journalism at Cardiff) is in his mid-thirties, so will be hoping to be the senior SPAD (following Whittingdale's Ray Gallagher, also from a Murdoch stable). He's a Sheffield Wednesday fan. His most recent front page spash ? David Cameron in his swimming trunks.
At Bristol, Craig edited the student paper Epigram. His biggest story was about an 18-year-old lesbian science student who was selling her virginity on the internet to clear her student debts.
Craig (Worksop College, Bristol University and post-grad journalism at Cardiff) is in his mid-thirties, so will be hoping to be the senior SPAD (following Whittingdale's Ray Gallagher, also from a Murdoch stable). He's a Sheffield Wednesday fan. His most recent front page spash ? David Cameron in his swimming trunks.
At Bristol, Craig edited the student paper Epigram. His biggest story was about an 18-year-old lesbian science student who was selling her virginity on the internet to clear her student debts.
Fascinating
For those of you too late to fete the legendary John Simpson on his 72nd birthday yesterday, why not catch up with the great man on a Telegraph tour this autumn ? He'll be in Moscow on the 30th September and 1st October, and Bucharest on the 29th October and 3rd November.
Here's the itinerary for the close-to-£4,000 Russian tour for 1st October. (For that money, I'd expect a Zil, not the metro...)
Today you will marvel at the city’s wonderful metro, and eat in a local restaurant. In the evening John Simpson will deliver a fascinating lecture on the highlights of his journalistic career.
Here's the itinerary for the close-to-£4,000 Russian tour for 1st October. (For that money, I'd expect a Zil, not the metro...)
Today you will marvel at the city’s wonderful metro, and eat in a local restaurant. In the evening John Simpson will deliver a fascinating lecture on the highlights of his journalistic career.
Tuesday, August 9, 2016
Calm down
Maybe Radio 4 does need the firm hand of digital thought-leader James Purnell, now tweeting more and more about radio in general. The Twitter feed of Radio 4, with just 371k followers, is in the throes of a dangerous and apparently deliberate mission creep.
Links to actual programmes and past content aside, in the last 24 hours we've had Tweets about three online quizzes that seem to have been specially written by someone.
We've had a misspelt link to a Radio 6 Music listicle feature...
Links to actual programmes and past content aside, in the last 24 hours we've had Tweets about three online quizzes that seem to have been specially written by someone.
What's that coming over the hill? Is it a MONSTER QUIZ? https://t.co/EO7FdYNAEC pic.twitter.com/UD581zSa5Q— BBC Radio 4 (@BBCRadio4) August 8, 2016
Take our Summer Survivor quiz ONLY if you think you can handle the heat! 😎 ☀ 🍹 https://t.co/i4BhzvZQDk pic.twitter.com/Zyq8zB4UeU— BBC Radio 4 (@BBCRadio4) August 9, 2016
A third quiz seems to have been specially written for the Edinburgh Fringe.Surviving hero or the first to go? How long would you last in a horror film? https://t.co/Yh31wkk7KL pic.twitter.com/NnqwELc9Vx— BBC Radio 4 (@BBCRadio4) August 8, 2016
Also from the fringe, a whole series of wittering podcasts, and a fatuous photo-feature from the Front Row team ("My advice for surviving the Edinburgh Fringe: Don't stop drinking beer")Are these ludicrous things actual Edinburgh Fringe shows? Or did we make them up: https://t.co/h63JQiGN5z pic.twitter.com/SMTsCsfyPC— BBC Radio 4 (@BBCRadio4) August 8, 2016
We've had a misspelt link to a Radio 6 Music listicle feature...
And a call for pictures of cats listening to the radio.Some surprsing inclusions here. 10 bands that started out as tribue or covers acts: https://t.co/ZPetRUG5R2 pic.twitter.com/QW2ksh4Ek7— BBC Radio 4 (@BBCRadio4) August 8, 2016
We'll just leave this here. (WARNING: THIS PAGE CONTAINS LOTS OF CATS!) https://t.co/NCYEKbkMZW #InternationalCatDay pic.twitter.com/TdFG45Lmlb— BBC Radio 4 (@BBCRadio4) August 8, 2016
Froth
2014 Daily Mail headline
ANGER AS BBC HANDS OUT HUNDREDS OF FREE WIMBLEDON TICKETS TO WEALTHY BUSINESSMEN
Authors Miles Goslett and Martin Beckford
2016 Heat St headline
BBC GAVE AWAY 421 WIMBLEDON TICKETS TO CRONIES
Author Miles Goslett
In 2014, as part of its coverage deal, the BBC had 382 complimentary Centre Court and Court No 1 tickets across the two week tournament. 147 went to staff, either as a reward for good work, or, at a senior level, for a donation to charity.
In 2016, as part of the continuing coverage deal, the BBC had 421 complimentary tickets. 224 went to staff, either as a reward for good work, or, at a senior level, for a donation to charity. Both classes of employees are now apparently deemed 'cronies'.
Any journalists interest in yachting news ?
ANGER AS BBC HANDS OUT HUNDREDS OF FREE WIMBLEDON TICKETS TO WEALTHY BUSINESSMEN
Authors Miles Goslett and Martin Beckford
2016 Heat St headline
BBC GAVE AWAY 421 WIMBLEDON TICKETS TO CRONIES
Author Miles Goslett
In 2014, as part of its coverage deal, the BBC had 382 complimentary Centre Court and Court No 1 tickets across the two week tournament. 147 went to staff, either as a reward for good work, or, at a senior level, for a donation to charity.
In 2016, as part of the continuing coverage deal, the BBC had 421 complimentary tickets. 224 went to staff, either as a reward for good work, or, at a senior level, for a donation to charity. Both classes of employees are now apparently deemed 'cronies'.
Any journalists interest in yachting news ?
Monday, August 8, 2016
Wot next ?
With a share price now hovering just over 10p, there are three things that might happen to the beleaguered Johnston Press. 1) a takeover 2) some affirmation from major shareholders that the company is worth much more than its current market capitalisation of just under £11m or 3) a director, typically the CEO (in this case former BBC technology chief Ashley Highfield) demonstrating his faith in the future by buying a whole pile of shares at this knockdown price.
We'll let you know.
We'll let you know.
Harmonics
In the days when the BBC used to tell us what it was up to, the engineers of BBC Research & Development were pretty clear they had developed shirt-pocket devices capable of identifying licence fee avoiders. This is a section from their Annual Report in 2001.
PROTECTING THE BBC’S INCOME
Licence fee evasion in Britain continues to fall due to improvements in detection methods, combined with media publicity to ensure that evaders recognise the risk of being caught. Evaders are tracked down with the help of handheld detectors and a fleet of detector vans, using a national database of licence holders.
We are just completing a project to develop and document to production standard a new generation of van-based detection equipment. We have investigated a wide range of methods and chosen for development those which proved quickest and most accurate, with a view to minimising the time spent by a detector van at each target site. The new equipment is controlled by a computer, which presents a very user-friendly interface to the operator. The detection results and all relevant data are recorded automatically. We have added a satellitebased live map navigation system which helps minimise the time spent travelling between sites, as well as an automated database showing receivable transmitters at the van’s location. The equipment can show which transmitter is being received, and which channel is being viewed. The van will be in frequent contact with TV Licensing Unit’s database to check whether the viewer has a current licence. All of the equipment is contained within the van without exterior aerials. This offers the choice of covert operation, or alternately of high-profile operation simply by emblazoning the van with an appropriate logo.
We are working with BBC Technology to produce a fleet of vans with the new equipment; meanwhile, the development and testing of a further detection method nears completion. Portable detection equipment includes a handheld magnetic detector designed for use where van access is impracticable, and a shirt-pocket equivalent for covert operation.
PROTECTING THE BBC’S INCOME
Licence fee evasion in Britain continues to fall due to improvements in detection methods, combined with media publicity to ensure that evaders recognise the risk of being caught. Evaders are tracked down with the help of handheld detectors and a fleet of detector vans, using a national database of licence holders.
We are just completing a project to develop and document to production standard a new generation of van-based detection equipment. We have investigated a wide range of methods and chosen for development those which proved quickest and most accurate, with a view to minimising the time spent by a detector van at each target site. The new equipment is controlled by a computer, which presents a very user-friendly interface to the operator. The detection results and all relevant data are recorded automatically. We have added a satellitebased live map navigation system which helps minimise the time spent travelling between sites, as well as an automated database showing receivable transmitters at the van’s location. The equipment can show which transmitter is being received, and which channel is being viewed. The van will be in frequent contact with TV Licensing Unit’s database to check whether the viewer has a current licence. All of the equipment is contained within the van without exterior aerials. This offers the choice of covert operation, or alternately of high-profile operation simply by emblazoning the van with an appropriate logo.
We are working with BBC Technology to produce a fleet of vans with the new equipment; meanwhile, the development and testing of a further detection method nears completion. Portable detection equipment includes a handheld magnetic detector designed for use where van access is impracticable, and a shirt-pocket equivalent for covert operation.
 |
| "Detection display screen. The graph shows TV line frequency and its first two harmonics." |
Dealer
Three months after joining Len Blavatknik's Access group to lead investment in entertainment formats, former BBC tv boss Danny Cohen has brokered a deal - and one partner is the BBC.
BBC Worldwide has taken a 25% stake in a new indie, House Productions, and will get distribution rights. House has two CEOs: Tessa Ross, formerly of C4 Films, and Juliette Howell, formerly of Working Title TV, who supplied Danny with London Spy when still at the Beeb. Access will get first-look deals on developing and financing House projects.
BBC Worldwide has taken a 25% stake in a new indie, House Productions, and will get distribution rights. House has two CEOs: Tessa Ross, formerly of C4 Films, and Juliette Howell, formerly of Working Title TV, who supplied Danny with London Spy when still at the Beeb. Access will get first-look deals on developing and financing House projects.
Wiffy
The weekend photos of Boris Johnson on holiday in Greece may puzzle students of our principled yet pragmatic Foreign Secretary.
Daddy had a villa built not far away, in the village of Horto, in the foothills of Mount Pelion (cf 'Pelion upon Ossa'). It's available for rent, but, at least until recently, wifi was required a 3km stroll through the olive groves, to the internet cafe of Milina. A modern British Foreign Secretary must surely be better connected to the outside world. And protected from the thinking of the Greeks in the internet cafe.
Daddy had a villa built not far away, in the village of Horto, in the foothills of Mount Pelion (cf 'Pelion upon Ossa'). It's available for rent, but, at least until recently, wifi was required a 3km stroll through the olive groves, to the internet cafe of Milina. A modern British Foreign Secretary must surely be better connected to the outside world. And protected from the thinking of the Greeks in the internet cafe.
Sunday, August 7, 2016
No need for tin foil
The BBC's Faraday Cage has been rattled by reports that its vans might soon be packet sniffing your wifi.... So what DID they demonstrate to the NAO ?
Statement in response to reports about TV Licensing and watching BBC iPlayer pic.twitter.com/yMHNBUgROs— BBC Press Office (@bbcpress) August 7, 2016
Handy
Readers who take refreshment in the Yorkshire Grey, Langham St, W1, may like to note a development of the large red-brick building three doors closer to Broadcasting House. The Grade II block is being made into 17 nice flats, probably at nice prices, with a ground floor retail/restaurant unit.,
Our share of 3 billion ?
The overnight figures for the Rio Olympics opening ceremony, or at least two hours and twenty minutes of it, produced an average audience of 2.73m, 50% of those still up and watching tv at the time. The peak, 3.78m at 00.10, was just ten minutes in to the ceremony proper. 1.50m were still watching at 01.55.
The London Olympics overnights, for a four hour programme, averaged 22.4m, with a share of 82%, and a peak of 26.9m.
The London Olympics overnights, for a four hour programme, averaged 22.4m, with a share of 82%, and a peak of 26.9m.
Saturday, August 6, 2016
Biteback
While we wait for Sir Craig Oliver's first book, publisher, broadcaster and former Conservative candidate Iain Dale is less than agog.
"You may have seen I’ve signed a deal with Hodder. Hope all well.” That was a text message I received from Craig Oliver, David Cameron’s former Director of Communications, earlier this week. I hadn’t actually seen that news, so it came as a bit of a surprise to say the least. Two or three weeks ago I had texted Craig to ask if he was thinking of writing a book and we subsequently met for an hour to discuss it. The meeting seemed to go well and I liked his approach. We agreed to talk again soon. I texted him a week later to ask if he had had further thoughts. “Let’s talk more when things settle,” came the reply. Ten days later he had signed up with a literary agent and done a deal with Hodder & Stoughton. Quick work and the best of luck to him with what I am sure will be an excellent book. But this experience has taught me several lessons. I will leave it to you to decide what they are.
"You may have seen I’ve signed a deal with Hodder. Hope all well.” That was a text message I received from Craig Oliver, David Cameron’s former Director of Communications, earlier this week. I hadn’t actually seen that news, so it came as a bit of a surprise to say the least. Two or three weeks ago I had texted Craig to ask if he was thinking of writing a book and we subsequently met for an hour to discuss it. The meeting seemed to go well and I liked his approach. We agreed to talk again soon. I texted him a week later to ask if he had had further thoughts. “Let’s talk more when things settle,” came the reply. Ten days later he had signed up with a literary agent and done a deal with Hodder & Stoughton. Quick work and the best of luck to him with what I am sure will be an excellent book. But this experience has taught me several lessons. I will leave it to you to decide what they are.
Hocus pocus ?
The National Audit Office staff are good on money and sums, but are they science experts ? There's a new hoo-ha about the policing of online viewing of a) live tv b) iPlayer stuff without a TV licence from September 1st. The BBC apparently have ways of finding miscreants, says NAO boss Sir Anyas Morse....
"TVL detection vans can identify viewing on a non‐TV device in the same way that they can detect viewing on a television set. BBC staff were able to demonstrate this to my staff in controlled conditions sufficient for us to be confident that they could detect viewing on a range of non‐TV devices."
There's a good dissection of what might be going on in The Register, written by Chris Williams. What I can't find is any modification of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers legislation to allow the BBC to scan wifi networks - maybe readers can help. One regular has reminded me that Google got into real trouble over picking up bits of data when they sent cars round the UK to create Google Street View.
Meanwhile, according to the BBC view of life, you also need to think about 'plugging in' devices if you're away from your tv-licenced home. Presumably they have detector vans for that, too..
Will I be covered to use BBC iPlayer when I’m on the go or abroad?
If you already have a TV Licence for your address, you will be covered to download or watch iPlayer when you’re on the go, provided the device you’re using to watch or download programmes isn’t plugged into the electricity mains at a separate address. If the device is plugged in at a separate address, you will need to be covered by a licence at that address. At the moment, you aren’t able to stream or download programmes on iPlayer while abroad. But you should be able to access programmes that you’ve downloaded before going overseas (available for 30 days after they’re shown on live TV).
There's a good dissection of what might be going on in The Register, written by Chris Williams. What I can't find is any modification of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers legislation to allow the BBC to scan wifi networks - maybe readers can help. One regular has reminded me that Google got into real trouble over picking up bits of data when they sent cars round the UK to create Google Street View.
Meanwhile, according to the BBC view of life, you also need to think about 'plugging in' devices if you're away from your tv-licenced home. Presumably they have detector vans for that, too..
Will I be covered to use BBC iPlayer when I’m on the go or abroad?
If you already have a TV Licence for your address, you will be covered to download or watch iPlayer when you’re on the go, provided the device you’re using to watch or download programmes isn’t plugged into the electricity mains at a separate address. If the device is plugged in at a separate address, you will need to be covered by a licence at that address. At the moment, you aren’t able to stream or download programmes on iPlayer while abroad. But you should be able to access programmes that you’ve downloaded before going overseas (available for 30 days after they’re shown on live TV).
Glowstick
Three weeks of Twitter silence, and now former Culture Secretary John Whittingdale turns up clubbing in Ibiza....
— John Whittingdale (@JWhittingdale) August 5, 2016He has previous.
Fustian
"An estimated three billion people will watch the ceremony". This lazy assumption has peppered BBC output (and others worldwide) for the last three days.
Let's go back to the stats for the London Olympics, published by the Olympic movement itself with a view to keeping sponsors happy. That calculated that coverage of the games was available in 4.8 billion households, and then says that "A projected 3.6 billion viewers saw at least one minute of London 2012 coverage on television". The italics are mine; note again, this is one minute of the total coverage of the whole event, not just the opening, which added up to 99, 982 hours of broadcasting - stretched out that would last for eleven years.
The UN estimate of current total world population is 7.4 billion. Let's guess that one third might have been asleep at the time. To hit the BBC News estimate, 3 out of every 4 people awake would be required to watch some of the ceremony.
Let's go back to the stats for the London Olympics, published by the Olympic movement itself with a view to keeping sponsors happy. That calculated that coverage of the games was available in 4.8 billion households, and then says that "A projected 3.6 billion viewers saw at least one minute of London 2012 coverage on television". The italics are mine; note again, this is one minute of the total coverage of the whole event, not just the opening, which added up to 99, 982 hours of broadcasting - stretched out that would last for eleven years.
The UN estimate of current total world population is 7.4 billion. Let's guess that one third might have been asleep at the time. To hit the BBC News estimate, 3 out of every 4 people awake would be required to watch some of the ceremony.
Friday, August 5, 2016
Uniform
Kirsty Young and pocket rocket Matthew Amroliwala move on. Matthew famously got chased for a window-cleaning bill when he first joined the team.
Who did what ?
We may have to re-evaluate the contribution of former BBC producer Thea Rogers to the Osborne project. Many have lept to defend her entitlement to an OBE for 'political and public service' since it was formally announced yesterday.
They include James Forsyth of The Spectator, Gabby Hinsliff of The Guardian, Dan Hodges of the Mail on Sunday and Tom Newton Dunn of The Sun. Perhaps most interesting were supportive Tweets from Osborne's previous Chief of Staff, Rupert Harrison.
Twitter cynics suggested the National Living Wage was just a rebrand on an increase in the National Minimum Wage, and the Northern Powerhouse was a marketing concept already fading from the pages of political history.
Perhaps we'll judge Thea's role in public life more by her next job.
They include James Forsyth of The Spectator, Gabby Hinsliff of The Guardian, Dan Hodges of the Mail on Sunday and Tom Newton Dunn of The Sun. Perhaps most interesting were supportive Tweets from Osborne's previous Chief of Staff, Rupert Harrison.
Congrats to Thea Rogers for her OBE. The driving force behind the national living wage & originator of the Northern Powerhouse concept (1/2)— Rupert Harrison (@rbrharrison) 4 August 2016
(2/2) some revolting sexism on display by those labelling her a stylist. She has the best political and comms judgement I have come across— Rupert Harrison (@rbrharrison) August 4, 2016
 |
| Thea ignores Pesto's shoelaces at Spectator party - their picture |
Perhaps we'll judge Thea's role in public life more by her next job.
Impairment
Former BBC technology boss Ashley Highfield is having a torrid time running Johnston Press. The company's half year results revealed a move to write down its assets (titles and printing presses) by almost half, and that sent the share price further down - to 11.62p before this morning's trading. In April, when Ashley sold 6,802 shares, they were worth 41p. In May last year, Ashley sold 171,000 shares at 151p each.
The market now values the company at £12.2m - just over half the price Ashley paid to the Lebvedevs for the tabloid 'i' in February.
The market now values the company at £12.2m - just over half the price Ashley paid to the Lebvedevs for the tabloid 'i' in February.
Thursday, August 4, 2016
Gearing
An interview with BBC Worldwide boss Tim Davie for Bloomberg clarifies the current relative international performance of old and new Top Gear...
The new “Top Gear” has been sold in more than 130 territories, Davie said. That’s up from 89 for last year’s series at the same stage, the BBC said, though short of the 236 countries and regions the last Clarkson-led episodes eventually reached.
The new “Top Gear” has been sold in more than 130 territories, Davie said. That’s up from 89 for last year’s series at the same stage, the BBC said, though short of the 236 countries and regions the last Clarkson-led episodes eventually reached.
Speak up
Producers of speech radio probably wouldn't mind another referendum on Europe, after this year's campaign boosted network figures quite nicely. LBC nationally was up nearly 17% year on year; Radio 5Live, perhaps also helped by the Premier League run-in, was up 10%, and Radio 4 up 9%, to its best figures since methodology changed in 1999.
The new TalkRADIO debuted to 224k listeners, TalkSPORT2 picked up 285k and the main TalkSPORT was up 8%. All will do better with the extra publicity that new owner News International can easily generate.
At the local level, BBC Local Radio in England was down 5.5% overall. Radio Wales was down 18% to its lowest weekly reach for seventeen years; Radio Cymru, about to launch a pop-up station for summer, was down 11%.
Musically, Radio 3 was up 16% (Classic FM can't moan much - they were up 4.5%). 6Music was up 10%, to another record, at close to 2.3m. Radio 1 hit its lowest figures since 2003, when Sara Cox was your breakfast host. Jazz FM, now available nationally, was up 6.6%. The all new Virgin Radio started with 409k.
For more analysis, try Matt Deegan and Adam Bowie. Paul Easton has great London charts.
The new TalkRADIO debuted to 224k listeners, TalkSPORT2 picked up 285k and the main TalkSPORT was up 8%. All will do better with the extra publicity that new owner News International can easily generate.
At the local level, BBC Local Radio in England was down 5.5% overall. Radio Wales was down 18% to its lowest weekly reach for seventeen years; Radio Cymru, about to launch a pop-up station for summer, was down 11%.
Musically, Radio 3 was up 16% (Classic FM can't moan much - they were up 4.5%). 6Music was up 10%, to another record, at close to 2.3m. Radio 1 hit its lowest figures since 2003, when Sara Cox was your breakfast host. Jazz FM, now available nationally, was up 6.6%. The all new Virgin Radio started with 409k.
For more analysis, try Matt Deegan and Adam Bowie. Paul Easton has great London charts.
Wednesday, August 3, 2016
Your starter for....quite a lot
He may have trimmed his barnet by then; for a mere £3,995 per person, you too can join Jeremy Paxman for dinner and lunch at the Victoria Falls Hotel (before taking a train ride to Pretoria).
It's a Telegraph Tour, this September, organised in conjunction with Cazenove + Loyd, purveyors of tailor-made luxury vacations to the most exclusive destinations, of Fulham Broadway.
It's a Telegraph Tour, this September, organised in conjunction with Cazenove + Loyd, purveyors of tailor-made luxury vacations to the most exclusive destinations, of Fulham Broadway.
Peachy
US media gossip says that CNN is planning a further retreat from its central Atlanta operations, which opened for business in 1987.
We already known that owner Turner Broadcasting plans to sell its 50% stake in the Omni Hotel that is linked to the CNN Center. Much of CNN's 'talent' is now based in New York; more and more of CNN International has moved to London.
The Center is the gateway for many fans to Philips Arena, home to the Atlanta Hawks and Thrashers; next door the new Mercedes-Benz Stadium is under construction for the Falcons, and will host the SuperBowl in 2019. The city wants the whole area to be known as an "entertainment" district, and maybe CNN can sell to to more profitable tenants, who might provide more fun than 24-hour news largely hosted elsewhere...
We already known that owner Turner Broadcasting plans to sell its 50% stake in the Omni Hotel that is linked to the CNN Center. Much of CNN's 'talent' is now based in New York; more and more of CNN International has moved to London.
The Center is the gateway for many fans to Philips Arena, home to the Atlanta Hawks and Thrashers; next door the new Mercedes-Benz Stadium is under construction for the Falcons, and will host the SuperBowl in 2019. The city wants the whole area to be known as an "entertainment" district, and maybe CNN can sell to to more profitable tenants, who might provide more fun than 24-hour news largely hosted elsewhere...
Percentages
Credit where due: BBC America adds a BBC programme tonight to the rotating roster that passes for a schedule. AMC Networks have bought the rights to re-broadcast the three most recent series of Dragon's Den, and six episodes run tonight, from 6pm Eastern Time.
The Den follows nine back-to-back episodes of foul-mouth Gordon Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares US.
Dragon's Den is a Japanese format, and Sony Pictures, not BBC Worldwide, are the distributors.
The Den follows nine back-to-back episodes of foul-mouth Gordon Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares US.
Dragon's Den is a Japanese format, and Sony Pictures, not BBC Worldwide, are the distributors.
Tuesday, August 2, 2016
One who tames
Damian Collins is the acting chairman of the DCMS Select Committee who is so keen to publish salary details of BBC staff and talent earning more than the Prime Minister.
Damian (Belmont Abbey and St Benet's Hall, Oxford) earns £375 an hour from The Author's Licensing and Collecting Society; and extracted a £6,000 advance from Harper Collins for a just-published book on Philip Sassoon. His register notes the hours of writing required "would be impossible to calculate". (Much like well-paid BBC writers, eh ?). He has a flat in London valued at more than £100,000, generating rent of more than £10,000 p.a., yet still claims rental on a London flat.
His wife, former education hackette Sarah Richardson, was a Westminster Conservative Councillor for 12 years, culminating in a year as Lord Mayor. She worked in parallel for Edelman PR for five of those years, and had a secondment to spin for Starbucks "during its high profile corporation tax controversy". Then there was a year working for Centrica "leading on public affairs and thought leadership for Centrica’s international upstream business".
Since January this year, she's been Communications Director for the not-entirely-successful Conservative IN group, salary undisclosed.
Local political opponents of Mr Collins in his Folkestone and Hythe constituency describe him as an "absentee MP" - "He pretends to live in Elham. You live where your children go to school and that is not Elham."
Damian (Belmont Abbey and St Benet's Hall, Oxford) earns £375 an hour from The Author's Licensing and Collecting Society; and extracted a £6,000 advance from Harper Collins for a just-published book on Philip Sassoon. His register notes the hours of writing required "would be impossible to calculate". (Much like well-paid BBC writers, eh ?). He has a flat in London valued at more than £100,000, generating rent of more than £10,000 p.a., yet still claims rental on a London flat.
His wife, former education hackette Sarah Richardson, was a Westminster Conservative Councillor for 12 years, culminating in a year as Lord Mayor. She worked in parallel for Edelman PR for five of those years, and had a secondment to spin for Starbucks "during its high profile corporation tax controversy". Then there was a year working for Centrica "leading on public affairs and thought leadership for Centrica’s international upstream business".
Since January this year, she's been Communications Director for the not-entirely-successful Conservative IN group, salary undisclosed.
Local political opponents of Mr Collins in his Folkestone and Hythe constituency describe him as an "absentee MP" - "He pretends to live in Elham. You live where your children go to school and that is not Elham."
Whiff
There are some other bits in the Culture Select Committee's latest blast of grapeshot at the BBC.
The papers have taken the Committee's steer that publishing the names of BBC staff and talent who get paid more than the Prime Minister is, in some unexplained way, helpful scrutiny. They also believe talent working for indies providing programmes to Auntie should be subject to the same transparency; I'd like to see them make that work.
The MPs are more supportive of Lord Hall on the arcane matter of the composition of the new Unitary Board..
A board of twelve comprising five government-nominated non-executives (the Chair and four representatives of the nations), together with three non-executive and four executive Board members appointed by the BBC would give a better balance.
The Director General indicated his support for the idea that the Board should collectively choose a Senior Independent Director from amongst its number. We agree, and believe this arrangement would be superior to the Government also nominating a Deputy Chair.
On using the National Audit Office to scrutinise the BBC accounts, they are less helpful...
While we understand the need for BBC Worldwide—and, in due course, BBC Studios—to operate on a commercial basis, the inescapable facts are that the products they are selling have been created from licence fee funds, paid for by the public, and that the public are, therefore, entitled to hold all parts of the BBC to account for what their money has funded.
On using the licence fee to pay for reporters who will supply copy to both the BBC and local papers, there are real doubts.
We are unconvinced that the Local Public Sector Reporting Service can be made to work in such a way that it neither subsidises companies that are profitable, nor benefits those that have cut back on local journalism while their competitors have chosen to continue to cover court hearings and local council meetings, but look forward to detailed future proposals.
The MPs back MG Alba's call for more spending on new Gaelic programmes for BBC Alba, up to the 10 hours a week of fresh product they say is afforded to S4C.
John Nicholson, MP, is a self-proclaimed broadcasting expert who has learned little about news production since 2005, if he understood much at all before that. He is behind the Committee's call for a full 'Scottish Six' - 'a news programme anchored in Scotland, with a running order of Scottish, UK and international stories based on news merit, drawing on all the BBC’s facilities and broadcast from Scotland.'
If he spent some time in the 6 O'Clock gallery, he would see that it is simply the busiest tv bulletin there is, with live injects, late packages, and breaking news. 'News merit' is often partially sidelined because of technical issues. Synchronising live injects to different running orders in London and Glasgow is impossible - unless you build a complete parallel operation, which makes no sense in terms of cost-per-viewer. Maybe some sums would help John see this.
The papers have taken the Committee's steer that publishing the names of BBC staff and talent who get paid more than the Prime Minister is, in some unexplained way, helpful scrutiny. They also believe talent working for indies providing programmes to Auntie should be subject to the same transparency; I'd like to see them make that work.
The MPs are more supportive of Lord Hall on the arcane matter of the composition of the new Unitary Board..
A board of twelve comprising five government-nominated non-executives (the Chair and four representatives of the nations), together with three non-executive and four executive Board members appointed by the BBC would give a better balance.
The Director General indicated his support for the idea that the Board should collectively choose a Senior Independent Director from amongst its number. We agree, and believe this arrangement would be superior to the Government also nominating a Deputy Chair.
On using the National Audit Office to scrutinise the BBC accounts, they are less helpful...
While we understand the need for BBC Worldwide—and, in due course, BBC Studios—to operate on a commercial basis, the inescapable facts are that the products they are selling have been created from licence fee funds, paid for by the public, and that the public are, therefore, entitled to hold all parts of the BBC to account for what their money has funded.
On using the licence fee to pay for reporters who will supply copy to both the BBC and local papers, there are real doubts.
We are unconvinced that the Local Public Sector Reporting Service can be made to work in such a way that it neither subsidises companies that are profitable, nor benefits those that have cut back on local journalism while their competitors have chosen to continue to cover court hearings and local council meetings, but look forward to detailed future proposals.
The MPs back MG Alba's call for more spending on new Gaelic programmes for BBC Alba, up to the 10 hours a week of fresh product they say is afforded to S4C.
John Nicholson, MP, is a self-proclaimed broadcasting expert who has learned little about news production since 2005, if he understood much at all before that. He is behind the Committee's call for a full 'Scottish Six' - 'a news programme anchored in Scotland, with a running order of Scottish, UK and international stories based on news merit, drawing on all the BBC’s facilities and broadcast from Scotland.'
If he spent some time in the 6 O'Clock gallery, he would see that it is simply the busiest tv bulletin there is, with live injects, late packages, and breaking news. 'News merit' is often partially sidelined because of technical issues. Synchronising live injects to different running orders in London and Glasgow is impossible - unless you build a complete parallel operation, which makes no sense in terms of cost-per-viewer. Maybe some sums would help John see this.
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