Some more news on James Purnell's Ideas service at the BBC. It's now being described as a mobile-first, online product trial. The project is looking for an Editor (Commissioning) at Band 10 (clearly not yet mapped to a new broad band job family), on a fixed term contract - no word on duration.
The ad introduction (at time of writing), in the online version, is repeated, and favours "surfacing" and ampersands....a sort of grammatical shedding of the tie.
"BBC Ideas will focus on surfacing ‘short-form’ factual content on mobile & digital platforms, in tune with busy users who are on the move, but who want to spend their time finding out more about the world and their place within it. BBC Ideas will make you stop, think & enjoy factual content and ideas, surfaced by a trusted & friendly BBC service."
The new Editor (Commissioning) will report to an Executive Editor, Bethan Jinkinson, who's been with the World Service since 1996, rising to Digital Editor.
Friday, June 30, 2017
Backing singers
As BBC HR boss Valerie Hughes D'Aeth storms the organisation with her Terms & Conditions Roadshow (think Adele with a little less swearing and no songs), observers have noted a gap at her side.
Orla Tierney, Val's Head of Employee Relations and Reward for the past two years, is now on a "sabbatical" until August, according to her Linkedin page. Presumably she's exhausted after delivering the BBC six market-aligned broad bands with market-focussed job pay ranges across 25 job families. (Cynics, however, suggest the scheme looks very much like the old "MyPay" project, put in the too-difficult box by former Director General Mark Thompson, as he ducked anything that might look bad on his CV til he secured the New York Times gig.)
Orla's absence might mean we'll never know where her salary landed in the new structure. Her consulting company, Mind The Gap, has last-reported assets of £300k. Will she feature in the forthcoming Annual Report on the list of talent-paid-more-than-£150k ?
In the world of HR silver linings, Orla's absence seems to mean further preferment for Dale Haddon, formerly of the Post Office and BBC News, already on £191k.
Orla Tierney, Val's Head of Employee Relations and Reward for the past two years, is now on a "sabbatical" until August, according to her Linkedin page. Presumably she's exhausted after delivering the BBC six market-aligned broad bands with market-focussed job pay ranges across 25 job families. (Cynics, however, suggest the scheme looks very much like the old "MyPay" project, put in the too-difficult box by former Director General Mark Thompson, as he ducked anything that might look bad on his CV til he secured the New York Times gig.)
Orla's absence might mean we'll never know where her salary landed in the new structure. Her consulting company, Mind The Gap, has last-reported assets of £300k. Will she feature in the forthcoming Annual Report on the list of talent-paid-more-than-£150k ?
In the world of HR silver linings, Orla's absence seems to mean further preferment for Dale Haddon, formerly of the Post Office and BBC News, already on £191k.
Not Yewtree, but close
The Mirror leads the way on the Sir Cliff v The BBC case this morning. The judge has ordered the BBC to reveal more about its source for the news that the popster was under investigation by South Yorkshire Police, specifically, if it was someone within Operation Yewtree. The paper, which says it has seen court papers, reports thus "The BBC’s source for the story was not part of Operation Yewtree but the tipster did get the details from the Met sex abuse inquiry." It would be good to have the exact words.
The Mirror also lays out some of Sir Cliff's justifications for special costs he's seeking from Auntie, totalling £279,261. £70,000 was spent on PR and solicitors to deal with online defamation and trolling, including posts on the Christians Against Cliff Facebook page. Sir Cliff also spent £15,000 on legal fees over a suspected blackmail plot after a man demanded money in return for not spreading false sex claims about him; £105,000 on handling media inquiries after the BBC "scoop"; and £37,000 on providing media interviews......
The Mirror also lays out some of Sir Cliff's justifications for special costs he's seeking from Auntie, totalling £279,261. £70,000 was spent on PR and solicitors to deal with online defamation and trolling, including posts on the Christians Against Cliff Facebook page. Sir Cliff also spent £15,000 on legal fees over a suspected blackmail plot after a man demanded money in return for not spreading false sex claims about him; £105,000 on handling media inquiries after the BBC "scoop"; and £37,000 on providing media interviews......
Thursday, June 29, 2017
Simples
The Ofcom papers on the Fox/Sky deal talk tough, in language that smacks of expensive legal counsel, but the way forward presented to Culture Secretary Karen Bradley is clear.
Ofcom thinks everything ought to be alright, plurality wise, if the Head of Sky News is appointed by a largely independent Editorial Board - to whom said Head of News can whinge, if he or she feels the hand of the Murdoch Family Trust on their collar. And, it suggests, Karen may wish to secure some further guarantees about maintenance of long-term funding for Sky News.
A beezer guarantee would be to appoint specific members to this Board - how about Alan Rusbridger, Baroness Chakrabarti, Jon Snow, Kevin Maguire and Owen Jones ?
Ofcom thinks everything ought to be alright, plurality wise, if the Head of Sky News is appointed by a largely independent Editorial Board - to whom said Head of News can whinge, if he or she feels the hand of the Murdoch Family Trust on their collar. And, it suggests, Karen may wish to secure some further guarantees about maintenance of long-term funding for Sky News.
A beezer guarantee would be to appoint specific members to this Board - how about Alan Rusbridger, Baroness Chakrabarti, Jon Snow, Kevin Maguire and Owen Jones ?
Crystal clear
In the new BBC World of Pay, as proposed by HR thought-leader Valerie Hughes D'Aeth, each employee currently graded 2 to 11, will be lifted carefully, and placed, gingerly, in a shiny, new, transparent yet robust Career Path Framework.
2 to 11 are replaced by broad bands (not broadbands) A to F. Within each of these five "market-aligned" bands, there will be "market-informed" job pay ranges, assigned to job titles. They run from £18k to £110k. Still with me ? Mapped across this will be c25 "job families". (I'm not sure I'm still with me, never mind you).
How do you get a pay rise beyond the annual review ? Well, Valerie believes around 3,000 staff will immediately benefit from an additional 1.5% because they've landed below, or very low, in the new market-informed job pay ranges. If you've landed at the top, or beyond it, any increases will be paid as one-offs, not added to pensionable salary.
Beyond that, the old "annual increments", "growth in job" or "fully-effective salary" are gone, and it's pretty unclear how you prove you're worth more than a standard annual increase, other than getting a job in the next broad band. Then you get moved to the bottom of the new job pay range, or a 5% lift, whichever is greater.
2 to 11 are replaced by broad bands (not broadbands) A to F. Within each of these five "market-aligned" bands, there will be "market-informed" job pay ranges, assigned to job titles. They run from £18k to £110k. Still with me ? Mapped across this will be c25 "job families". (I'm not sure I'm still with me, never mind you).
How do you get a pay rise beyond the annual review ? Well, Valerie believes around 3,000 staff will immediately benefit from an additional 1.5% because they've landed below, or very low, in the new market-informed job pay ranges. If you've landed at the top, or beyond it, any increases will be paid as one-offs, not added to pensionable salary.
Beyond that, the old "annual increments", "growth in job" or "fully-effective salary" are gone, and it's pretty unclear how you prove you're worth more than a standard annual increase, other than getting a job in the next broad band. Then you get moved to the bottom of the new job pay range, or a 5% lift, whichever is greater.
Egalité
BBC HR chief Valerie Hughes D'Aeth has issued her constitutional plan for the New Republic, tearing down the terms and conditions of the Ancien Regime, and embarking on a country-wide roadshow to take the sans-culottes with her, culminating in a London rally on Bastille Day.
The personnel firebrand has also proposed a few extra sous, to encourage the staff to come with her on a journey to simplicity and transparency, across the marshlands of Conservative public sector pay policy. If they provide Val with the acclamation she seeks, theirs will be 1% this year, from August 1st (backdated if the acclamation is prolonged) and 1.75% the following year.
It's powerful stuff.
BBC Sick Pay becomes BBC Health Absence Pay. No paid time to see the doctor or dentist.
Rotas and schedules become "Working Patterns" - and you'll be classed as either Fixed, Shift or Variable. Lower ranks only, of course.
"Overtime" is dead, and the principle is time off in return, rather than money in your pay packet. Shift workers are the exception; under the "Managing Additional Hours Policy", there's no dosh, ever, ever, ever, for the first 30 minutes. If you get to 15% on top of your basic in salary in "Additional Hours" payments, you will be called in for a "Wellbeing Review", because, I assume, it's your fault if your manager keeps asking you to do overtime additional hours.
People currently in receipt of "Unpredictability Allowances" will still get them, but they'll be frozen. Your manager will be entitled to muck around with your "working pattern" up to two weeks in advance, and after that, can still change your shift start time by up to three hours.
No expenses claims for alcohol.
Flying: premium economy ok for flights longer than six hours, if you're working on touch down; business class for flights longer than eight hours, again, if you can show you're working when you land.
Gone are grades; in comes a Career Path Framework, and you'll all be mapped into new 'market-informed Job Pay Ranges'. This deserves a separate post....
The personnel firebrand has also proposed a few extra sous, to encourage the staff to come with her on a journey to simplicity and transparency, across the marshlands of Conservative public sector pay policy. If they provide Val with the acclamation she seeks, theirs will be 1% this year, from August 1st (backdated if the acclamation is prolonged) and 1.75% the following year.
It's powerful stuff.
BBC Sick Pay becomes BBC Health Absence Pay. No paid time to see the doctor or dentist.
Rotas and schedules become "Working Patterns" - and you'll be classed as either Fixed, Shift or Variable. Lower ranks only, of course.
People currently in receipt of "Unpredictability Allowances" will still get them, but they'll be frozen. Your manager will be entitled to muck around with your "working pattern" up to two weeks in advance, and after that, can still change your shift start time by up to three hours.
No expenses claims for alcohol.
Flying: premium economy ok for flights longer than six hours, if you're working on touch down; business class for flights longer than eight hours, again, if you can show you're working when you land.
Gone are grades; in comes a Career Path Framework, and you'll all be mapped into new 'market-informed Job Pay Ranges'. This deserves a separate post....
Wednesday, June 28, 2017
Ex-chimp
Remember Nemley Jr ? The baby chimpanzee was freed from wildlife traffickers in Ivory Coast following a BBC investigation, fronted by David Shukman, at a not inconsiderable cost to Newsgathering budgets.
It's not all bad news; David's still getting mileage out of it.
No numbers
An entertaining series of Ali-shuffles by three BBC suits left Welsh Assembly members data free this morning.
Lord Hall, Rhodri Talfan-Davies and Ken MacQuarrie gave not an inch on KPIs, measurable objectives or plain old broadcast hours in helping the politicians decide whether or not 'Welsh portrayal' was improving or not. "Judge us by what you see on screen" was the BBC's strong and stable answer, followed up regularly by "This is not a science".
It also turns out that current science can't bi-furcate FM transmitters along the Welsh border, so the cunning plan of inserting news bulletins written and read in Cardiff into Radio 1 and Radio 2 is now a non-runner.
Slugfest
Tuesday, while the Alpha Males were twitter-spatting...
Good Morning Britain - 794k (21.1%)
Breakfast - 1.54m (38.1%)
Playground
Yesterday's Twitter spat between Piers Morgan at Good Morning Britain and Dan Walker at BBC Breakfast seemed to start over ITV losing an interview with Michael Fallon - and then spread to interviewing styles and ratings. I think Mr Walker may be sent for social media re-training soon. Even under plain-talking comms thought-leader John Shield. the BBC house style is not to be spotted as an aggressor.
Choices...— Dan Walker (@mrdanwalker) June 27, 2017
a) watch a bloke moaning about not getting an interview
b) watch the interview on @BBCBreakfast 🤔😂 https://t.co/UZrPFkCe0q
I think we all know why Govt. ministers prefer to be interviewed by a football presenter... https://t.co/UIBQLAQZtn— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) June 27, 2017
👜— Dan Walker (@mrdanwalker) June 27, 2017
Here's a tip, from a football presenter... let the interviewee (or your fellow presenter) speak and they might come on 👍🏻#ItsNotAboutYou https://t.co/sCmkNHebk9
he's not wrong, Piers. You can't just shout over your guests, even (especially) when you think they are completely wrong.— Stephen Tennant (@HarvardLOL) June 27, 2017
No, I can...and I will. If you want tedious interviews, watch @BBCBreakfast. https://t.co/axwArKu2kd— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) June 27, 2017
BREAKING: Ratings gap between @GMB & @BBCBreakfast last week was closest for 2yrs. Thanks for switching over & welcome! 👍
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) June 27, 2017
Still trailing, Tubs? Are you the Arsenal of morning telly? https://t.co/CR2eyPiGZX— Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) June 27, 2017
Monday's overnights: Breakfast - 1.44m (39.1%) Good Morning Britain - 691k (20.2%)No, because our performance is rapidly improving. @BBCBreakfast is the Man Utd of morning telly... once great, now on the ropes. https://t.co/9OGXCNYMCA— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) June 27, 2017
Tuesday, June 27, 2017
Economical
Former BBC economics editor Stephanie Flanders will be returning to UK screens shortly - at least, if you have Sky, Virgin or Freesat. She's heading up a new unit at Bloomberg in London, bringing the on-screen economics reporters of Bloomberg TV together with the research economists at Bloomberg Intelligence. The new team will be 120-strong (not clear if that's an increase or decrease on the current combined total), will be called Bloomberg Economics and starts operations in October.
Stephanie left the BBC in 2013 for JP Morgan Asset Management.
Stephanie left the BBC in 2013 for JP Morgan Asset Management.
Radio rules
Radio reaches more Americans each week than any other platform. Latest stats from the Nielsen research organisation says 93% of the population tune in; tv reaches 89%; the Smartphone comes next at 83%, then PCs at 50%, tv-connected devices at 44%, and tablets at 37%.
One over the eight
After all that hoo-ha about a Scottish Six, BBC Wales have come up with a cute manouevre - The Welsh Eight.
This BBC1 mini-bulletin from a broom cupboard - a straight read with CSO backgrounds - usually features 50 seconds on the main national stories from a spare London presenter, then 30 seconds, plus a weather line from a presenter the Nations and Regions. The Welsh idea is to do the whole lot from Cardiff. They'll all want it soon....
This BBC1 mini-bulletin from a broom cupboard - a straight read with CSO backgrounds - usually features 50 seconds on the main national stories from a spare London presenter, then 30 seconds, plus a weather line from a presenter the Nations and Regions. The Welsh idea is to do the whole lot from Cardiff. They'll all want it soon....
Monday, June 26, 2017
Notes
Ed Sheeran did well for BBC2 last night. The three-hour Glastonbury slot averaged 2.87m viewers, up from just over 2m for last year's closers, Coldplay, and Adele, who had the same average for Saturday night 2016.
The scheduling of Pitch Battle - time of year, availability of better music - drove it down below 2m on Saturday night, way behind The Voice Kids. The BBC has more music shows up its sleeve for Saturday nights. Oh dear.
The scheduling of Pitch Battle - time of year, availability of better music - drove it down below 2m on Saturday night, way behind The Voice Kids. The BBC has more music shows up its sleeve for Saturday nights. Oh dear.
Software
It's not an entirely scientific way of examining a changing organisation, but looking at current job vacancies indicates the direction of travel.
On the BBC jobs website there's currently just one vacancy categorised as "Editorial, Production and Programming" - for an Assistant Content Producer based in Salford. There are more than 90 in the category called "Information Technology". There are 40 jobs in "Journalism", most of them created by Foreign Office funding of new language services.
On the BBC jobs website there's currently just one vacancy categorised as "Editorial, Production and Programming" - for an Assistant Content Producer based in Salford. There are more than 90 in the category called "Information Technology". There are 40 jobs in "Journalism", most of them created by Foreign Office funding of new language services.
Sunday, June 25, 2017
Losing a third
The world as seen through BBC press releases is lovely. It's a world where Eastenders executive producer announces his decision to leave the programme. It's a world where the Science wing of BBC Studios now has to share production of Horizon with two indies - and that's a triumph. Last year, the BBC team made 12 editions of Horizon. Now they'll make 16 over the next two years, with three each being made by Wingspan Productions and Windfall Films.
No 6
Condition No 6 sought by the Gulf States from Qatar in order to get back into the Golf/Gulf Club is to close down the Al Jazeera network.
It's a network that might not have started without the BBC. In March 1994, the BBC signed a deal to produce an Arab-language tv news channel, funded by a Saudi-conglomerate called Mawarid. It was a deal that brought in money via BBC Worldwide; some 150 staff, mostly blokes in suits, appeared on the upper floors of TV Centre, and brought exotic tobacco to the BBC Club bar. Sadly, it wasn't overly long before Saudi rulers found the impartiality agreed in writing with the BBC too uncomfortable, and the plug was pulled in April 1996. The BBC tried and failed to find alternative backers. Tiny Qatar set up Al Jazeera employing many of the 150, and went on air in November 1996.
It's now the No 1 Arabic news channel. But it has two operations. The original, with around 2,000 staff worldwide, famed for bringing you Bin Laden videos, and the English language version, set up in 2006, with just over 1,000 employees. Al Jazeera America launched in 2013, and closed in 2016. BBC Arabic TV, live from London, came back in 2008, driven by the World Service, and funded by additional grant-in-aid from the Foreign Office. Since 2014, you and I, dear licence-payer, have been funding it.
It's a network that might not have started without the BBC. In March 1994, the BBC signed a deal to produce an Arab-language tv news channel, funded by a Saudi-conglomerate called Mawarid. It was a deal that brought in money via BBC Worldwide; some 150 staff, mostly blokes in suits, appeared on the upper floors of TV Centre, and brought exotic tobacco to the BBC Club bar. Sadly, it wasn't overly long before Saudi rulers found the impartiality agreed in writing with the BBC too uncomfortable, and the plug was pulled in April 1996. The BBC tried and failed to find alternative backers. Tiny Qatar set up Al Jazeera employing many of the 150, and went on air in November 1996.
It's now the No 1 Arabic news channel. But it has two operations. The original, with around 2,000 staff worldwide, famed for bringing you Bin Laden videos, and the English language version, set up in 2006, with just over 1,000 employees. Al Jazeera America launched in 2013, and closed in 2016. BBC Arabic TV, live from London, came back in 2008, driven by the World Service, and funded by additional grant-in-aid from the Foreign Office. Since 2014, you and I, dear licence-payer, have been funding it.
Saturday, June 24, 2017
More videos
James' digital deliverer Lloyd Shepherd puts a little more flesh on the bare bones here.
Medium.com is an American website set up by Twitter co-founder Evan Williams, which encourages you to become a 'member' for $5 a month thus:"Today, the precariousness of our media ecosystem has never been more obvious—nor has our need for depth, truth-seeking, and understanding. Together, we can build a new model where contributors are rewarded based on value rather than clicks. Upgrade today to become a member, and 100% of your contributions will fund new ideas from independent writers and publishers."
Midday Saturday update: Here's another BBC idea - a short video about how to apply glitter to your breasts, from those fearless folk at BBC Social. As they say, something for everyone, eh, Jim ?
Axed
Dull and dreary Eastenders has this year been dropping to third place in the ratings, behind Coronation Street and Emmerdale, and it's become all too apparent that manager Sean O'Connor, has, in football parlance, lost the dressing room. His squad rotation saw John Terry/Danny Dyer off the our screens, John Barton/Dean Gaffney back in the cast, and Diego Costa/Steve McFadden unwilling to re-sign.
Now Sean has been written out, after a Broadcasting House 'showdown'. He's emerged with a frankly unrealistic plotline suggesting he has film projects coming to fruition that need his attention.
Harry Redknapp/John Yorke, who left the BBC's direct employment in 2012, has been brought in as interim coach.
Now Sean has been written out, after a Broadcasting House 'showdown'. He's emerged with a frankly unrealistic plotline suggesting he has film projects coming to fruition that need his attention.
Harry Redknapp/John Yorke, who left the BBC's direct employment in 2012, has been brought in as interim coach.
Friday, June 23, 2017
Daaling
A little side bet on Aasmah Mir for Celebrity Masterchef might repay the investment. She has a website called Cracking Curries, with videos showing you how to make the recipes.
News need
Tuesday night's glitches at the start of the BBC bulletin at 10pm (someone/thing boshed the Bash Box) don't seem to have damaged the audience figures - 3.68m tuned in, a 23.7% share of the audience. The ITV News at Ten didn't do badly though - 2.34m, 15% share - exceeding their average 1.8m.
The mini-heatwave boosted ITV's Good Morning Britain on the same day - 861k watched, a 21.8% share, above their 17/18% target. But BBC Breakfast also did well - an average of 1.58m, 38.1% share. Both got good figures on Wednesday, too - GMB 831k (21.7%), Breakfast 1.61m, 39.7%.
The mini-heatwave boosted ITV's Good Morning Britain on the same day - 861k watched, a 21.8% share, above their 17/18% target. But BBC Breakfast also did well - an average of 1.58m, 38.1% share. Both got good figures on Wednesday, too - GMB 831k (21.7%), Breakfast 1.61m, 39.7%.
I'm LOVING my new xkeys bash box #colourful pic.twitter.com/bYNqfH4ZQs— Chris Cook (@chrisckmedia) April 19, 2016
Thursday, June 22, 2017
Where were you when you got the news ?
A survey of 40,000 people across 36 countries has uncovered one nose-wrinkling trend in the consumption of digital news and information....
All part of Nic Newman's annual review of technology trends in news, now nested within the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism.
All part of Nic Newman's annual review of technology trends in news, now nested within the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism.
Golygydd
Congratulations to Garmon Rhys, selected as Head of News for BBC Wales, from the tricky position of Deputy Head of News. The departure of current news boss Mark O'Callaghan (great Welsh name) was announced in April.
Garmon has a law degree from Cardiff, lives in Pontcanna, and has been with the BBC since 2000, mostly in news but with a three year-spell as Public Policy and Strategy Manager. He's married to Lowri, who used to be editor of general programmes for Radio Cymru. He is not to be confused with Garmon Rhys, the Welsh actor who's been playing the role of bassist Peter Quaife in the touring version of Kinks' musical, Sunny Afternoon.
Garmon has a law degree from Cardiff, lives in Pontcanna, and has been with the BBC since 2000, mostly in news but with a three year-spell as Public Policy and Strategy Manager. He's married to Lowri, who used to be editor of general programmes for Radio Cymru. He is not to be confused with Garmon Rhys, the Welsh actor who's been playing the role of bassist Peter Quaife in the touring version of Kinks' musical, Sunny Afternoon.
Very different
As the heatwave breaks into thunder and rain, the Daily Mail storms at The Guardian in a leader.
“Earlier this week, a Guardian writer attacked the Daily Mail for carrying comments by the controversialist Katie Hopkins. That was a lie.”
“The Guardian and its writer know that Ms Hopkins has nothing to do with the Daily Mail, but works for Mail Online – a totally separate entity that has its own publisher, its own readership, different content and a very different world view.”
Katie Hopkins and Piers Morgan are currently billed as columnists for Mail Online. Which has such a different world view from the printed paper that it also carries the columns of Andrew Pierce, Stephen Glover, Sebastian Shakespeare, Ephraim Hardcastle, Quentin Letts, Richard Littlejohn, Dominic Lawson, Amanda Platell, Sarah Vine, Max Hastings, Jan Moir, Bel Mooney, Tom Utley and Peter McKay. The differentiation is clearly vast.
“Earlier this week, a Guardian writer attacked the Daily Mail for carrying comments by the controversialist Katie Hopkins. That was a lie.”
“The Guardian and its writer know that Ms Hopkins has nothing to do with the Daily Mail, but works for Mail Online – a totally separate entity that has its own publisher, its own readership, different content and a very different world view.”
Katie Hopkins and Piers Morgan are currently billed as columnists for Mail Online. Which has such a different world view from the printed paper that it also carries the columns of Andrew Pierce, Stephen Glover, Sebastian Shakespeare, Ephraim Hardcastle, Quentin Letts, Richard Littlejohn, Dominic Lawson, Amanda Platell, Sarah Vine, Max Hastings, Jan Moir, Bel Mooney, Tom Utley and Peter McKay. The differentiation is clearly vast.
Dawnsio
In a triumphant response to Lord Hall's pledges on portrayal, the producers of Strictly Come Dancing have found a Welsh professional to join the programme.
Amy Dowden is from Caerphilly. In 2004, Caerphilly Borough Council donated her £75 for her work in dance-sport. On Tuesday this week she was running a Zumba class at St Bernadette's Primary, Wombourne; on Wednesday, it was St Paul's, Great Barr. Amy's dance partners have included Tom Parkes and Gino Gabriele, but since 2012 she's been with Dudley's Ben Jones, who has previous Strictly experience - on the the Mexican version.
Amy Dowden is from Caerphilly. In 2004, Caerphilly Borough Council donated her £75 for her work in dance-sport. On Tuesday this week she was running a Zumba class at St Bernadette's Primary, Wombourne; on Wednesday, it was St Paul's, Great Barr. Amy's dance partners have included Tom Parkes and Gino Gabriele, but since 2012 she's been with Dudley's Ben Jones, who has previous Strictly experience - on the the Mexican version.
Wednesday, June 21, 2017
Dynamic driver
Just as you continue to hope that the docu-drama series W1A might make the BBC more aware of how daft it often sounds, you turn to the job ads, and pow!
Children In Need is looking for a Director of Impact.
"Over the past 30 years, BBC Children in Need has raised over £840 million to help disadvantaged children and young people in the UK to be safe, happy, secure and to reach their potential. This role directly supports the above strategy and therefore is critical in dynamically driving forward the aims of the Charity. As Director of Impact you will provide strategic impact and funding leadership and guidance to the Executive Team, Board and the wider organisation."
Children In Need is looking for a Director of Impact.
"Over the past 30 years, BBC Children in Need has raised over £840 million to help disadvantaged children and young people in the UK to be safe, happy, secure and to reach their potential. This role directly supports the above strategy and therefore is critical in dynamically driving forward the aims of the Charity. As Director of Impact you will provide strategic impact and funding leadership and guidance to the Executive Team, Board and the wider organisation."
Miracle on Great Titchfield St
In continuing micro-coverage of Meraki, the major new Greek restaurant opening of our time, here's a photo from noon yesterday. I know shopfitters are famed for cutting it fine and still delivering, but there's a way to go if it's to open to customers on Friday....
What a scorcher !
The BBC News automated playout system had a nervous breakdown in the one-minute run up to last night's 10pm bulletin. Viewers on BBC1 got a flash frame of Huw, before the continuity announcer cut in with an apology card. Viewers on the News Channel got the full random twitches of the machines, matched with a marvellously-stony-faced Huw, as the robot cameras trance-danced around. Hard to imagine what was going on in his earpiece.
Apparently both the main and back-up control system, which drives playout from prompts embedded in the scripts and running orders, failed. The team had to "go to manual", controlling vision and audio, graphics and video play-in direct from the studio desk.
Apparently both the main and back-up control system, which drives playout from prompts embedded in the scripts and running orders, failed. The team had to "go to manual", controlling vision and audio, graphics and video play-in direct from the studio desk.
No word on the cause of the breakdown. Good Morning Britain has had some technical glitches, which trained boffin Piers Morgan is putting down to overheating.I think I'm going to enjoy this little beauty after that Ten. Iechyd da! #bbcnewsten @BBCNews pic.twitter.com/FuU8zN6r5M— Huw Edwards (@huwbbc) June 20, 2017
Tuesday, June 20, 2017
Popular ?
How's STV2's News Tonight doing ? The programme, an hour-long mix of Scottish, UK and international news, was a pre-emptive strike against the possibility of a BBC Scottish Six. On air for almost eight weeks, the bulletin only occasionally makes the network's top ten viewing figures. One edition recorded an overnight average of 17,000 - about half what a Taggart repeat gets on the same channel.
Law of averages
Tom Rudkin of solicitors Farrer & Co has written an interesting blog on Sir Cliff v The BBC. The case seems to have gone into hibernation since the settlement with South Yorkshire Police (they admitted they'd done wrong), and Mr Justice Mann's order that the BBC disclose whether or not their source was from within Operation Yewtree.
Mr Rudkin's conclusion: "Time will tell whether Sir Cliff reaches a settlement with the BBC after this interim hearing. The lawyers among us are (naturally) hopeful that the case proceeds to a trial and the Court provides more guidance on the relationship between an individual's privacy rights and media coverage of a criminal investigation. But the law of averages suggests otherwise. There is also the concern within media organisations about judicial precedent-setting. A Court ruling that enhances privacy rights in relation to criminal investigations (which seems very plausible in this case) is unlikely to be something the BBC or any other outlet will be willing to risk unless it is very confident in its case."
The BBC may be desperate to protect a source - but it has already narrowed the field, and clearly executives know the full story....
Mr Rudkin's conclusion: "Time will tell whether Sir Cliff reaches a settlement with the BBC after this interim hearing. The lawyers among us are (naturally) hopeful that the case proceeds to a trial and the Court provides more guidance on the relationship between an individual's privacy rights and media coverage of a criminal investigation. But the law of averages suggests otherwise. There is also the concern within media organisations about judicial precedent-setting. A Court ruling that enhances privacy rights in relation to criminal investigations (which seems very plausible in this case) is unlikely to be something the BBC or any other outlet will be willing to risk unless it is very confident in its case."
The BBC may be desperate to protect a source - but it has already narrowed the field, and clearly executives know the full story....
Lots of q's re original source of @BBCNews story on Cliff Richard. We won't say who, but can confirm it was not South Yorks Police.— Jonathan Munro (@jonathancmunro) August 15, 2014
γεια σας
I am apparently way behind the curve on mastic. It is happening, as groovy as last year's hygge.
Mastic is the resin of a small, dome-shaped Mediterranean evergreen tree - it was prized as a pre-cursor of chewing gum. It is used to flavour various alcoholic drinks. The current buzz comes from the Greek Island of Chios - and there are two main products, an Ouzo-like drink called Mastika, and a brandy liqueur called Mastiha. Both go cloudy over ice, and you can make cocktails. Read much more in the May edition of Vogue.
Whatever next ? Retsina in Sam Smith pubs ?
Mastic is the resin of a small, dome-shaped Mediterranean evergreen tree - it was prized as a pre-cursor of chewing gum. It is used to flavour various alcoholic drinks. The current buzz comes from the Greek Island of Chios - and there are two main products, an Ouzo-like drink called Mastika, and a brandy liqueur called Mastiha. Both go cloudy over ice, and you can make cocktails. Read much more in the May edition of Vogue.
Whatever next ? Retsina in Sam Smith pubs ?
Blame game
Normally after a terrorist attack on the streets of Britain, family, friends, known associates, potential members of a "support network" are lifted by the police. This semi-habitual show of strength sometimes extends to the evil preachers who might have radicalised the perpetrator - was he or she 'a lone wolf' or the simple, duped victim of twisted manipulators ?
Today in the Daily Mail, Katie Hopkins introduces her latest thinking thus: "Britain is at boiling point and if we want to step back from the brink we need to stop screaming at each other like kids and start talking together like adults." This may have been written by a sub, as the full column is full of type-written screams. Richard Littlejohn also has an intro: "There is madness in the air - democracy is hanging by a thread: After the election, Grenfell Tower and Finsbury Park, RICHARD LITTLEJOHN says it is time the Tories unite and grow up because the alternative is too horrible to contemplate. "
And, whilst Mail free-thinkers apparently want us to calm down, their occasional columnist Piers Morgan invited Tommy Robinson onto Good Morning Britain. Guess whether this move was designed to expose racism or show what a tough guy Piers is....
Today in the Daily Mail, Katie Hopkins introduces her latest thinking thus: "Britain is at boiling point and if we want to step back from the brink we need to stop screaming at each other like kids and start talking together like adults." This may have been written by a sub, as the full column is full of type-written screams. Richard Littlejohn also has an intro: "There is madness in the air - democracy is hanging by a thread: After the election, Grenfell Tower and Finsbury Park, RICHARD LITTLEJOHN says it is time the Tories unite and grow up because the alternative is too horrible to contemplate. "
And, whilst Mail free-thinkers apparently want us to calm down, their occasional columnist Piers Morgan invited Tommy Robinson onto Good Morning Britain. Guess whether this move was designed to expose racism or show what a tough guy Piers is....
Monday, June 19, 2017
Mastic
Just a matter of days before the Efes replacement, Meraki, opens on Great Titchfield Street. Those piling in for a kebab after pints of lager in the Crown & Sceptre will be surprised by elements of the menu: dishes will include slow-cooked ox cheek with hilopites from Trikala with artichokes and graviera; and baked cod wrapped in vine leaves with artichokes and broad beans in a mussel broth.
There'll be cocktails made with herbs, including kritamo, mastic [sic] and marjoram.
There'll be cocktails made with herbs, including kritamo, mastic [sic] and marjoram.
Huw News
Will there be more News at Huw from July ? Huw is quite often unavailable for the 10 O'clock News on BBC1 on Wednesdays, to record The Wales Report for BBC1 Wales, which goes out at 10.40pm.
Now in its sixth annual run of 26 shows, the programme has been produced by indie Wales & Co since 2012. The slot went out to tender earlier this year, and it's understood Wales & Co weren't among the bidders - which is odd. And the new, unnamed weekly politics show will now be produced in-house by BBC Wales.
The man making the call is BBC Wales Commissioning Editor Nick Andrews, who has also ordered a monthly tv debate for Welsh edification at peak-time. This will be produced by indie Avanti, now part owners of Songs Of Praise.
Now in its sixth annual run of 26 shows, the programme has been produced by indie Wales & Co since 2012. The slot went out to tender earlier this year, and it's understood Wales & Co weren't among the bidders - which is odd. And the new, unnamed weekly politics show will now be produced in-house by BBC Wales.
The man making the call is BBC Wales Commissioning Editor Nick Andrews, who has also ordered a monthly tv debate for Welsh edification at peak-time. This will be produced by indie Avanti, now part owners of Songs Of Praise.
Sunday, June 18, 2017
Dock labour scheme
And so, within months of BBC Studios going 'commercial', the new way of working in tv production becomes evident in the job ads...
"We are looking for a pool of Development Assistant Producers. Joining our pool of successful candidates will enable you to be offered work as and when those opportunities arise during peak periods...."
"We are looking for a pool of Production Management Assistants to work across our output. Joining our pool of successful candidates will enable you to be offered work as and when those opportunities arise during peak periods..."
And they're trying it at Radio Oxford, in a Broadcast Journalist Talent Pool
"If you are selected to become part of the pool, you will be part of a group of individuals who could be called up for work at any time – the period of work could range from one day up to 12 weeks...."
No wonder BBC HR need a Resourcing Administrator (Contingency Labour) to make sure none of these 'employees' bring the BBC's tax position into trouble....
"The Resourcing & Talent Contingent Workforce team is a new team and an integral part of the overall HR function, providing specialist Resourcing & Talent services to the BBC with a focus on ensuring that all engagements are compliant with HMRC Tax Regulations and employment law."
"We are looking for a pool of Development Assistant Producers. Joining our pool of successful candidates will enable you to be offered work as and when those opportunities arise during peak periods...."
"We are looking for a pool of Production Management Assistants to work across our output. Joining our pool of successful candidates will enable you to be offered work as and when those opportunities arise during peak periods..."
And they're trying it at Radio Oxford, in a Broadcast Journalist Talent Pool
"If you are selected to become part of the pool, you will be part of a group of individuals who could be called up for work at any time – the period of work could range from one day up to 12 weeks...."
No wonder BBC HR need a Resourcing Administrator (Contingency Labour) to make sure none of these 'employees' bring the BBC's tax position into trouble....
"The Resourcing & Talent Contingent Workforce team is a new team and an integral part of the overall HR function, providing specialist Resourcing & Talent services to the BBC with a focus on ensuring that all engagements are compliant with HMRC Tax Regulations and employment law."
Timing
The Most Distinguished Foreign Correspondent of Our Time has to keep across many stories. Yesterday the BBC World Affairs Editor John Simpson tweeted thus...
Lyse was made an OBE in the 2014 Birthday Honours List, issued on June 13 2014.
Congrats to my colleague Lyse Doucet for her OBE in the Honours List. Brave, thoroughly honest & deeply honourable, it's greatly deserved.— John Simpson (@JohnSimpsonNews) June 17, 2017
Lyse was made an OBE in the 2014 Birthday Honours List, issued on June 13 2014.
Saturday, June 17, 2017
Tim Time
How could I have missed Tim Sayer OBE from a list of Birthday Honours with a BBC spin ?
The amateur modern art collector has bequeathed a Highbury houseful of works to The Hepworth Wakefield. The paintings and prints were amassed over 50 years, many funded as a sub in the BBC Radio Newsroom, boosted by UPA II and countless night and half night shift payments.
Letters
Birthday honours to a range of people with the BBC in their CVs - Sean Rafferty at Radio 3, actresses Julie Walters. Patricia Hodge and June Whitfield, Gloria Hunniford and Natasha Kaplinsky.
Model and actress Eunice Olumide, who's being tried on a range of BBC output in London and Glasgow is on the list. Ashley Tabor at Global Radio is also young but honoured. Len Blavatnik, minder of Danny Cohen, gets a knighthood.
Bold Patten
The Telegraph has an interview with former BBC Chairman Lord Patten, ahead of the publication of his latest volume of memoirs.
Only seven of the book’s 298 pages are devoted to his time with Auntie: “It wasn’t the happiest period of my life. The people who told me the job was impossible were probably right.”
The Telegraph asked for his current thoughts on BBC survival.
“Given the squeeze on funding, it can’t afford to go on doing all the things it’s doing at the moment, while spreading the marg more thinly. The identity of BBC Two and BBC Four, for instance, is increasingly confused. BBC Four – which, like a lot of middle-class people, I watch more than almost any other channel – is financed on a shoestring.”
The Telegraph interprets this as urging the merger of the two as a cost saving. Clearly no fan of old Top of The Pops....
Friday, June 16, 2017
We don't need no stinkin' org charts....
Back in May, I reported on this Freedom of Information exchange...about the new divisional groups at the BBC, and the way they are organised.
"Can you provide me a current organisational chart of each group in diagram format?"
"We can confirm that the BBC does not hold this information; due to the size and changing nature of the BBC workforce we do not have visual diagrams representing the structure of the BBC. The Act does not require us to create new information in order to satisfy a request."
I thought that extraordinary, but, faced with a second enquiry, the BBC is sticking to its guns - there are no organisational charts. None. Aucun. Ninguna.
"Since you do not have visual diagrams representing the entire structure of the BBC, would be possible to have the diagrams for the division listed in your reply (DDG, Content, Nations and Regions, News, Radio & Education) ?"
"Under section 1(1) of the Act, we can confirm that the BBC does not hold this information. The Act does not require us to create new information in order to satisfy a request."
"Can you provide me a current organisational chart of each group in diagram format?"
"We can confirm that the BBC does not hold this information; due to the size and changing nature of the BBC workforce we do not have visual diagrams representing the structure of the BBC. The Act does not require us to create new information in order to satisfy a request."
I thought that extraordinary, but, faced with a second enquiry, the BBC is sticking to its guns - there are no organisational charts. None. Aucun. Ninguna.
"Since you do not have visual diagrams representing the entire structure of the BBC, would be possible to have the diagrams for the division listed in your reply (DDG, Content, Nations and Regions, News, Radio & Education) ?"
"Under section 1(1) of the Act, we can confirm that the BBC does not hold this information. The Act does not require us to create new information in order to satisfy a request."
Trimming
How Compete and Compare works at Radio 2: BBC radio production loses eight and an half hours of broadcasting a week in this round of re-commissioning - 5% in terms of clock time (if you count the overnight playlists as proper broadcasting).
Wisebuddah won the ineffable joy of producing Vanessa Feltz' Early Breakfast Show from the BBC team, and Somethin' Else take over the Monday Blues Show from in-house - Paul Jones' show was produced by Paul Long for seven years to 2012, and Mark Hagen and Bob McDowall since then. Hagen managed to retain The Country Show with Bob Harris, and in-house keep Jo Whiley's weekday evening show. More details at Radio Today.
Wisebuddah won the ineffable joy of producing Vanessa Feltz' Early Breakfast Show from the BBC team, and Somethin' Else take over the Monday Blues Show from in-house - Paul Jones' show was produced by Paul Long for seven years to 2012, and Mark Hagen and Bob McDowall since then. Hagen managed to retain The Country Show with Bob Harris, and in-house keep Jo Whiley's weekday evening show. More details at Radio Today.
Thursday, June 15, 2017
Brmm brmm
In the year to 31 March 2017, the BBC paid £1,014,572 in car allowances to 165 individuals. 151 were Senior Managers and 14 were non-SM staff who have retained an entitlement to an allowance.
The total amount paid reduced by £157,294 (13.4%) from the previous year.
Wednesday, June 14, 2017
Cumulus
Former BBC thought leader Peter Horrocks, OBE, has launched Radical Reinvention intiative at the Open University.
"We want to transform the ‘university of the air’ envisaged by Harold Wilson in the 1960s to a ‘university of the cloud’ – a world-leading institution which is digital by design and has a unique ability to teach and support our students in a way that is responsive both to their needs and those of the economy."
The annual budget of the OU is £420m - £35-40m will go in straight cuts, £65-70m will come from budgets to be "re-invested" in technology, re-designing courses, and re-training. Horrocks' targets: ending duplication and inefficiency resulting from piecemeal development; courses on the curriculum which were once popular but which now struggle to cover costs and others which have never attracted many students; research costs which outstrip grant income.
There isn't unanimous joy on the OU's Facebook page: one student commenter notes "My impression is that the OU was very much in the clouds and forgot it had students living on earth still. Never mind where it's coming from, the Air or the Cloud, the 'new' OU has quite a way to go before it can bring again to students the level of human support and response it used to provide."
"We want to transform the ‘university of the air’ envisaged by Harold Wilson in the 1960s to a ‘university of the cloud’ – a world-leading institution which is digital by design and has a unique ability to teach and support our students in a way that is responsive both to their needs and those of the economy."
The annual budget of the OU is £420m - £35-40m will go in straight cuts, £65-70m will come from budgets to be "re-invested" in technology, re-designing courses, and re-training. Horrocks' targets: ending duplication and inefficiency resulting from piecemeal development; courses on the curriculum which were once popular but which now struggle to cover costs and others which have never attracted many students; research costs which outstrip grant income.
There isn't unanimous joy on the OU's Facebook page: one student commenter notes "My impression is that the OU was very much in the clouds and forgot it had students living on earth still. Never mind where it's coming from, the Air or the Cloud, the 'new' OU has quite a way to go before it can bring again to students the level of human support and response it used to provide."
Disruptive vision
Phil Fearnley, previously showrunner of "myBBC", has moved on twice since leaving the bosom of Auntie at the end of last year.
His first landing was as Global Head of Strategic Alignment and Operations, Digital, HSBC Retail Banking and Weath Management. They barely had time to get the Letraset on the door before departure in April. Now he's Chief Technology Officer for CPA Global, set up by a group of lawyers in 1969 to manage the process of renewing patents. According to The Times, the Jersey-based company is up for sale for around £2bn.
"Digital innovation through design is my passion.” says Phil. “When I spoke with CPA Global about the way IP professionals’ roles could be impacted by platform technology, I really bought into the company’s disruptive vision. I am looking forward to executing the technical and operational leadership that will support the design and development of The IP Platform. CPA Global’s vision to empower IP professionals with breakthrough digital services will transform the IP industry and I welcome the chance to be part of this next-generation technology.” I'm pretty sure that, in this case, IP is Intellectual Property, rather than Internet Protocol.
Meanwhile consultancy group Accenture have published a handy case study demonstrating their key role in the delivery of myBBC.
His first landing was as Global Head of Strategic Alignment and Operations, Digital, HSBC Retail Banking and Weath Management. They barely had time to get the Letraset on the door before departure in April. Now he's Chief Technology Officer for CPA Global, set up by a group of lawyers in 1969 to manage the process of renewing patents. According to The Times, the Jersey-based company is up for sale for around £2bn.
"Digital innovation through design is my passion.” says Phil. “When I spoke with CPA Global about the way IP professionals’ roles could be impacted by platform technology, I really bought into the company’s disruptive vision. I am looking forward to executing the technical and operational leadership that will support the design and development of The IP Platform. CPA Global’s vision to empower IP professionals with breakthrough digital services will transform the IP industry and I welcome the chance to be part of this next-generation technology.” I'm pretty sure that, in this case, IP is Intellectual Property, rather than Internet Protocol.
Meanwhile consultancy group Accenture have published a handy case study demonstrating their key role in the delivery of myBBC.
Tuesday, June 13, 2017
Piers Morgan turns left
In a bizarre property merry-go-round, 350 ITV production staff, largely working on daytime shows, are heading to White City in 2018. Their rental payments, for 27,000 square foot of the Westworks building (formerly the unloved White City 1 - a building John Birt refused to work in) goes not to the BBC, but developers Stanhope.
ITV has also sub-let studio space from BBC Studioworks (Who says there's a paucity of creative ideas in branding ?) at Television Centre, where Good Morning Britain, Lorraine, This Morning and Loose Women will be made. All this while ITV redevelops its South Bank site.
Piers Morgan may be pleased - Television Centre is less than two miles from his family pad in Edwardes Square, W8, halving his early morning journey time.
ITV has also sub-let studio space from BBC Studioworks (Who says there's a paucity of creative ideas in branding ?) at Television Centre, where Good Morning Britain, Lorraine, This Morning and Loose Women will be made. All this while ITV redevelops its South Bank site.
Piers Morgan may be pleased - Television Centre is less than two miles from his family pad in Edwardes Square, W8, halving his early morning journey time.
Crunching
My back-of-envelope calculations on BBC HR numbers have made a Freedom Of Information enquiry - and answer.
The BBC HR department did boast just over 758 full-time posts at the end of April. But that figure included "approximately 300 trainees and apprentices across the BBC", and staff working for The Academy (training, to you and me). The response doesn't give the exact figure used to benchmark HR to staff ratios as supplied to the National Audit Office, which are targeted at 1:72 for 2017/18. It reminds us that "HR has achieved a significant reduction over the last three years as part of the HR transformation programme which has resulted in 30% reduction in HR costs to the organisation."
Would that summary of cost reductions also include "re-structuring costs", or are they held centrally ?
The BBC HR department did boast just over 758 full-time posts at the end of April. But that figure included "approximately 300 trainees and apprentices across the BBC", and staff working for The Academy (training, to you and me). The response doesn't give the exact figure used to benchmark HR to staff ratios as supplied to the National Audit Office, which are targeted at 1:72 for 2017/18. It reminds us that "HR has achieved a significant reduction over the last three years as part of the HR transformation programme which has resulted in 30% reduction in HR costs to the organisation."
Would that summary of cost reductions also include "re-structuring costs", or are they held centrally ?
Bendy
The Sun reports that Fiona Bruce, 53, was up til 0300 Saturday into Sunday at the Isle of Wight Festival. Their source says "“She spent Saturday chugging wine and cocktails out of plastic cups. She surprised on-lookers at disco yoga where she tried out all of the moves and was singing along to the tunes."
Here's Fi (in daylight) with Sharleen Spiteri of Texas and Isle of Wight Radio's Glyn Taylor, regular drive time host, owner of Tailored Entertainment, and a director of WeDoPR.
Disco Yoga is run by Sarah Hunt and DJ Darlo, limbering up left. Participants are offered superfood cocktails after a session, including Kale and The Gang, Blame it on the Blueberry, and Going Coco Down in Acapulco.
Here's Fi (in daylight) with Sharleen Spiteri of Texas and Isle of Wight Radio's Glyn Taylor, regular drive time host, owner of Tailored Entertainment, and a director of WeDoPR.
Monday, June 12, 2017
The Dave Channel
It is one of the quietest starts to a BBC Chairman's tenure that anyone can remember. Sir David Clementi was appointed six months ago, and hasn't yet given a major interview. Previous incumbents quite liked sessions with Andrew Marr, and were chased by the broadsheets for profiles and features.
Both Clementi and Lord Hall have managed to keep their heads down during the election campaign; the only high-profile public complaint from the parties came from Fiona Hill about audience balance - so there's no rush on answering that one.
But is anything going on at Broadcasting House ? We've had no minutes from the new Board (indeed no minutes from any BBC meeting) since February. Proximity talks are underway on the new BBC "Operating Licences" which Ofcom are committed to delivering by Q3 this year, and, if commonsense prevails at Riverside House, they'll be pretty light touch - less prescriptive than those confected by the BBC Trust.
The BBC Annual Report will be going to the printers shortly - but Sir David will be able to handle any uncomfortable questions by talking about transition. He is in the programme for a speech at the Royal Television Society's Cambridge convention in September, but there's no early guide as to his chosen topic.
Maybe he's made a strategic decision to keep a low profile, and let the BBC's programmes do the talking. That would be both sensible and very welcome.
Both Clementi and Lord Hall have managed to keep their heads down during the election campaign; the only high-profile public complaint from the parties came from Fiona Hill about audience balance - so there's no rush on answering that one.
But is anything going on at Broadcasting House ? We've had no minutes from the new Board (indeed no minutes from any BBC meeting) since February. Proximity talks are underway on the new BBC "Operating Licences" which Ofcom are committed to delivering by Q3 this year, and, if commonsense prevails at Riverside House, they'll be pretty light touch - less prescriptive than those confected by the BBC Trust.
The BBC Annual Report will be going to the printers shortly - but Sir David will be able to handle any uncomfortable questions by talking about transition. He is in the programme for a speech at the Royal Television Society's Cambridge convention in September, but there's no early guide as to his chosen topic.
Maybe he's made a strategic decision to keep a low profile, and let the BBC's programmes do the talking. That would be both sensible and very welcome.
Sunday, June 11, 2017
Autumnal feelings
When do the seasons of the year begin and end ? A perennial hot topic for weather nerds, but it's probably right to say that, ten days away from the summer solstice, spring is probably over.
Spring was when we were promised a new look for BBC weather forecasts, through the new seven-year contract with Meteo Group. One BBC forescaster, Paul Hudson, was heard by listeners to Radio Lincolnshire this week saying the new system would be in operation "in the next couple of months".
Spring was when we were promised a new look for BBC weather forecasts, through the new seven-year contract with Meteo Group. One BBC forescaster, Paul Hudson, was heard by listeners to Radio Lincolnshire this week saying the new system would be in operation "in the next couple of months".
Question time
The BBC has gone out to tender to find a supplier of "Audience Services", handling the myriad ways people contact Auntie and expect fast answers.
The current contract, with Capita, started way back in 1999, and runs til 2019. The tender is for a five-year deal, with a two year extension option, and an estimated top value of £7m a year.
The current contract, with Capita, started way back in 1999, and runs til 2019. The tender is for a five-year deal, with a two year extension option, and an estimated top value of £7m a year.
Saturday, June 10, 2017
Selective
Back at the BBC, HR boss Valerie Hughes D'Aeth is pleased to have delivered 30% savings in her department, exceeding a 20% target.
It's the sort of figure any HR professional would expect to have at their fingertips. However, it seems she doesn't have some other stats ready to hand. An FOI request for churn figures in her department over the past three years has been rejected because it would take someone more than two and a half days to work out....
It's the sort of figure any HR professional would expect to have at their fingertips. However, it seems she doesn't have some other stats ready to hand. An FOI request for churn figures in her department over the past three years has been rejected because it would take someone more than two and a half days to work out....
Top Marx
If these are tricky times for the Conservative Party - governing means never having to say you're sorry - spare a thought for the raddled in-house columnists of the country's top-selling newspapers.
Seven weeks of cheer-leading for May, seven weeks of picking away at Corbyn, seven weeks of column after column warning of the lunacy of voting Labour - ignored by many of the next generation. Now, these same writers relish telling us where it all went wrong; that May's mistakes were obvious, it's just that they didn't want to tell us at the time.
Today's Mail editorial is unswerving as ever: "Labour also owes much to the blatant bias of the country’s chief source of news, the BBC. During last year’s referendum, the Corporation showed commendable balance. In this election, it reverted to Left-leaning type, letting Mr Corbyn off the hook time and time again.
"Not only did it fail to hold him properly to account over the madness of his spending plans, it even imposed a virtual news blackout on his links with terrorist groups.
"Distastefully, the BBC also appeared to side with Labour in blaming the Manchester and London Bridge outrages on cuts in police numbers, while casting a veil over the fact that Mrs May had increased anti-terrorist manpower. "
Over at the Sun, the editorial, presumably read through by Rebekah Brooks and Tony Gallagher, urges a seat at the top table for the Democratic Unionists: "The pact is vital for the country’s stability, to deliver Brexit and keep Jeremy Corbyn’s Marxists out of power. Why not cement it with a DUP Cabinet post ?"
The writer presumably hasn't read the item "Ten Things You Should Know About The DUP", elsewhere in the paper.
Seven weeks of cheer-leading for May, seven weeks of picking away at Corbyn, seven weeks of column after column warning of the lunacy of voting Labour - ignored by many of the next generation. Now, these same writers relish telling us where it all went wrong; that May's mistakes were obvious, it's just that they didn't want to tell us at the time.
Today's Mail editorial is unswerving as ever: "Labour also owes much to the blatant bias of the country’s chief source of news, the BBC. During last year’s referendum, the Corporation showed commendable balance. In this election, it reverted to Left-leaning type, letting Mr Corbyn off the hook time and time again.
"Not only did it fail to hold him properly to account over the madness of his spending plans, it even imposed a virtual news blackout on his links with terrorist groups.
"Distastefully, the BBC also appeared to side with Labour in blaming the Manchester and London Bridge outrages on cuts in police numbers, while casting a veil over the fact that Mrs May had increased anti-terrorist manpower. "
Over at the Sun, the editorial, presumably read through by Rebekah Brooks and Tony Gallagher, urges a seat at the top table for the Democratic Unionists: "The pact is vital for the country’s stability, to deliver Brexit and keep Jeremy Corbyn’s Marxists out of power. Why not cement it with a DUP Cabinet post ?"
The writer presumably hasn't read the item "Ten Things You Should Know About The DUP", elsewhere in the paper.
Friday, June 9, 2017
Game shows
A peak of 6.76m (34.0% share) turned on to BBC1 last night at ten, to hear Dimbleby deliver the exit poll. 1.93m (9.7%) preferred the whippersnapper Bradby with the same figures on ITV.
An average of 4.47m stayed with BBC1 until 2.00am; 1.07m repaid ITV's investment in Osborne and Balls.
An average of 4.47m stayed with BBC1 until 2.00am; 1.07m repaid ITV's investment in Osborne and Balls.
Job seekers
Among those polishing their Linkedin CVs this morning... Former members of the Culture Select Committee, Andrew Bingham, Jason McCartney and the languid tv presenter John Nicolson. Culture Secretary Karen Bradley, accused of robotic May-like performances in interviews, got back in Leek with 4,000 extra votes.
It's likely that No 10 special advisers Fiona Hill and Nick Timothy will be back on the market, as will manifesto-writer Ben Gummer, who lost his seat in Ipswich. Damian Green, who was put out to front the manifesto, was re-elected in Ashford with 5,000 more votes than last time.
Hopelessly under-used in last night's BBC1 coverage - John Curtice, whose constituency-modelling turned the exit polls into a spot-on seat prediction. George Osborne proved the hire of the night for ITV.
It's likely that No 10 special advisers Fiona Hill and Nick Timothy will be back on the market, as will manifesto-writer Ben Gummer, who lost his seat in Ipswich. Damian Green, who was put out to front the manifesto, was re-elected in Ashford with 5,000 more votes than last time.
Hopelessly under-used in last night's BBC1 coverage - John Curtice, whose constituency-modelling turned the exit polls into a spot-on seat prediction. George Osborne proved the hire of the night for ITV.
Thursday, June 8, 2017
Sporting types
As you might have expected, there's quite a lot of blokes in BBC Sport.... (FOI response, figures from March).
Countryside tales
Mrs Rogers and I entered the polling station at the local village hall for the first time since our move. "Has there been a rush ?" I enquired of the clerks. "You're it", they said.
Wednesday, June 7, 2017
Papa don't...
Former BBC Deputy DG and Gold Commander Mark Byford has given his first sermon, from the pulpit of St Paul's, Winchester. It has a capacity of 250, but we have no word on how many were present.
"I’m not here to preach today. I don’t feel I have the authority or the training to do so. But what I am happy to offer is my thoughts on today’s readings and the Ascension. Take them for what they are. My own thoughts and insights, rooted in due humility. I hope they are interesting and coherent but I apologise now if they are neither."
Click for the full 2270 words - at three words per second, it would have detained the congregation for a modest 12 minutes.
"I’m not here to preach today. I don’t feel I have the authority or the training to do so. But what I am happy to offer is my thoughts on today’s readings and the Ascension. Take them for what they are. My own thoughts and insights, rooted in due humility. I hope they are interesting and coherent but I apologise now if they are neither."
Click for the full 2270 words - at three words per second, it would have detained the congregation for a modest 12 minutes.
Maxed out
BBC HR boss Valerie Hughes D'Aeth tells People Management she's become news-sensitive.
“Since I joined, we’ve had the Scottish [independence] referendum, the general election of 2015, the Brexit vote last year and now another election. Our journalists are focused and maxed out on providing the content that’s needed. You can’t just move ahead [with plans] as you’d like to – you have to stop and say it’s not pragmatic to do something at the same time that the newsroom is coping with Brexit. That’s something I probably haven’t had to deal with in the same way in other organisations, but it’s paramount that we factor those things in here.”
“Since I joined, we’ve had the Scottish [independence] referendum, the general election of 2015, the Brexit vote last year and now another election. Our journalists are focused and maxed out on providing the content that’s needed. You can’t just move ahead [with plans] as you’d like to – you have to stop and say it’s not pragmatic to do something at the same time that the newsroom is coping with Brexit. That’s something I probably haven’t had to deal with in the same way in other organisations, but it’s paramount that we factor those things in here.”
Packet
The wage bill for BBC News last year was £370m. That includes pension and national insurance costs as well as overtime payments, continuing allowances such as unpredictability allowance and any other payments made in addition to basic salary. Divided by the number of fulltime equivalent posts, it averages £55k, on a par with the group led by Deputy Director General Anne Bulford. Radio & Education stands at £51k, and Nations and Regions at £50k. All fall behind Charlotte Moore's Content Group, largely tv commissioners, where the average is £61k.
Big call
Latest minutes from Ofcom reveal that the "fit and proper" assessment and public interest test underway on the proposed 21st Fox/Sky deal has been delegated to CEO Sharon White and Content Group Director Kevin Bakhurst.
Kev's spent 27 years in public service broadcasting, 23 with the BBC and 4 with RTE. His financial grounding comes from a spell with Price Waterhouse after Cambridge (Modern languages) and a year in the BBC News' Business and Economics Unit.
Kev's spent 27 years in public service broadcasting, 23 with the BBC and 4 with RTE. His financial grounding comes from a spell with Price Waterhouse after Cambridge (Modern languages) and a year in the BBC News' Business and Economics Unit.
Tuesday, June 6, 2017
Fatal attraction
Only dinosaurs place job ads and hire people. Top organisations have talent strategies, and require Resourcing Specialists. The BBC has an old-fashioned ad for just such a specialist, whose job will be to put an end to such antiquated forms of recruitment. It's all about attraction and on-boarding....
This role to [sic] key to the success of organisation's new talent strategy. You’ll lead and manage the end to end resourcing process from attraction to on-boarding. You’ll have the scope to innovate and explore new talent acquisition techniques, tools and methodologies to ensure that the BBC attracts diverse and talented individuals.
You will create and implement first class and creative end to end resourcing solutions, ensuring a high-touch candidate and hiring manager experience that continually exceeds expectations and attracts the best talent to the BBC.
We’re looking for a talented individual who is a true consultant [No making things up - Ed] and business partner, with a proven background and depth of experience in entry level/graduate resourcing.
This role to [sic] key to the success of organisation's new talent strategy. You’ll lead and manage the end to end resourcing process from attraction to on-boarding. You’ll have the scope to innovate and explore new talent acquisition techniques, tools and methodologies to ensure that the BBC attracts diverse and talented individuals.
You will create and implement first class and creative end to end resourcing solutions, ensuring a high-touch candidate and hiring manager experience that continually exceeds expectations and attracts the best talent to the BBC.
We’re looking for a talented individual who is a true consultant [No making things up - Ed] and business partner, with a proven background and depth of experience in entry level/graduate resourcing.
Perspective
The BBC's News at Ten normally likes to offer world views. Last night, in a 45 minute bulletin, it found two minutes thirty-five seconds for the Qatar story. (The Six didn't mention it). The big risk of the crisis, according to the report, was the threat to the 2022 World Cup. Might there have been an opportunity to look at how Gulf oil money funds jihadis, and supports the web activities that bring terror to the streets of the UK ? And how the UK relies on Gulf oil money to fund its arms programme ?
Monday, June 5, 2017
Timetables
I'm not sure it was the clincher, but Alex Mahon, 43, the new Chief Executive of Channel 4, lives in Paddington - handier for Euston and Birmingham than the Clapham home of Jay Hunt, 50.
Alex was one of John Whittingdale's eight outriders on BBC Charter Review, and she's a friend of DCMS minister Baroness "Hurricane" Shields of Maida Vale. Big question - will she wear jeans at Horseferry Road ?
Alex was one of John Whittingdale's eight outriders on BBC Charter Review, and she's a friend of DCMS minister Baroness "Hurricane" Shields of Maida Vale. Big question - will she wear jeans at Horseferry Road ?
Alex Mahon opens our presentation talking about what 2017 already is for Foundry.#NABShow #FoundryNAB pic.twitter.com/v64yQHuRKB— Foundry (@TheFoundryTeam) April 24, 2017
Highly rated
An average of 10.87m watched the three-and-a-quarter hours of One Love Manchester, on the BBC last night - a 49.3% share of the available audience.
8.37m stayed with BBC1 for the delayed News at Huw, at 10.10pm.
8.37m stayed with BBC1 for the delayed News at Huw, at 10.10pm.
Moo
I very much hope that new BBC Board non-exec Tom Ilube, a tech guru, is also added to the Finance and Audit sub-committee. He's been spending some time counting cows on Petersham Meadow.
Not telling
No comment...
Freedom of Information request – RFI20170824
Thank you for your request to the BBC of 31st May 2017 seeking the following information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000:
Please could you tell me, in the last full financial year, how much the BBC spent on advertising-
(1) on Facebook, and
(2) on Twitter.
Please note that the information you have requested is excluded from the Act because it is held for the purposes of ‘journalism, art or literature.’
Freedom of Information request – RFI20170824
Thank you for your request to the BBC of 31st May 2017 seeking the following information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000:
Please could you tell me, in the last full financial year, how much the BBC spent on advertising-
(1) on Facebook, and
(2) on Twitter.
Please note that the information you have requested is excluded from the Act because it is held for the purposes of ‘journalism, art or literature.’
Wrong lead ?
Not sure playing Karen Bradley this morning from the hand of cards available to the May Strategy Team was the best media option three days away from the vote. Tottering from breakfast interview to interview....
Saturday, June 3, 2017
Go for a dip
The future starts next month in BBC Radio. Faced with the hard realities of the Compete and Compare mantra, coming down from the top in the shape of James Purnell, Radio Production will lose out to indies more and more over the next five years, and will find it difficult to plan the number of staff it needs. So they're setting up a talent pool of freelance producers, which has a whiff of zero hours contracts about it.
You have till June 7th to apply.
"If you are selected to become part of the pool, you will be part of a list of individuals who could be called up the period of work could range from one day up to 12 weeks. The pool will be operational from July 2017 to July 2018.
"Appointment to the pool will not entitle candidates to permanent contract in the BBC, those will have to be applied for in the normal way, and neither does it guarantee work.
"Salary: Daily rate based on a grade 7-9 salary for London."
You have till June 7th to apply.
"If you are selected to become part of the pool, you will be part of a list of individuals who could be called up the period of work could range from one day up to 12 weeks. The pool will be operational from July 2017 to July 2018.
"Appointment to the pool will not entitle candidates to permanent contract in the BBC, those will have to be applied for in the normal way, and neither does it guarantee work.
"Salary: Daily rate based on a grade 7-9 salary for London."
Blue Jay
One can imagine a tricky conversation or two as you tell Jay Hunt she hasn't got a job she wants. And then some tricky negotiations over an exit strategy. She's leaving C4 as Chief Creative Officer, having failed to convince she's the best choice as Chief Executive. Extremely galling when your late father was a leading expert on leadership and business management, the inside story will probably be more galling when we find out who the panel have preferred to put forward to our current/next Culture Secretary.
“I will continue in post till the end of September and am looking forward to Channel 4 delivering not just an exciting summer of sport but the richest autumn schedule we've ever had with big shows from the Great British Bake Off to Electric Dreams. It'll be business as usual till October.
"Channel 4 is a unique and special place. I've really enjoyed leading this phase of its creative renewal and I'll be cheering the new leadership team on from afar." Yes indeed.
“I will continue in post till the end of September and am looking forward to Channel 4 delivering not just an exciting summer of sport but the richest autumn schedule we've ever had with big shows from the Great British Bake Off to Electric Dreams. It'll be business as usual till October.
"Channel 4 is a unique and special place. I've really enjoyed leading this phase of its creative renewal and I'll be cheering the new leadership team on from afar." Yes indeed.
Friday, June 2, 2017
Nescio
Controller Radio 3 Alan Davey has yet to write about the station's most recent quarterly audience figures.
He was quicker off the mark a year ago, with an intro thus: Radio 3’s latest listening figures (RAJAR) reveal that the network has performed strongly during Controller Alan Davey’s first year in post, recording its highest audience total in three years, with the highest Breakfast figures since 2013, the highest morning figures on record (Essential Classics) and the second highest drivetime (In Tune) figures in the shows’ history.
And again, in August last year, in a piece headlined "Radio 3 reach soars with the birds", he wrote "I'm delighted to say that our reach has now increased to 2.20m, the highest in 5 years, and a record for Quarter 2."
Last quarter, Radio 3's reach was 1.884m, the lowest figure since June 2014, down 11% year on year, with average hours per listener down 4.7%.
Folk guitarist and man of the people Al is consoling himself with the elegiac poems of Catullus, on a trip to Finland.
He was quicker off the mark a year ago, with an intro thus: Radio 3’s latest listening figures (RAJAR) reveal that the network has performed strongly during Controller Alan Davey’s first year in post, recording its highest audience total in three years, with the highest Breakfast figures since 2013, the highest morning figures on record (Essential Classics) and the second highest drivetime (In Tune) figures in the shows’ history.
And again, in August last year, in a piece headlined "Radio 3 reach soars with the birds", he wrote "I'm delighted to say that our reach has now increased to 2.20m, the highest in 5 years, and a record for Quarter 2."
Last quarter, Radio 3's reach was 1.884m, the lowest figure since June 2014, down 11% year on year, with average hours per listener down 4.7%.
Folk guitarist and man of the people Al is consoling himself with the elegiac poems of Catullus, on a trip to Finland.
'multas per gentes et multa per aequora vectus, advenio...' finally I am at Sibelius' house Ainola. Catullus came into my head. ? nescio. pic.twitter.com/5mboxlRTE2— Alan Davey (@armslengthal) June 2, 2017
Joyous passions
BBC press releases are of variable quality, but, since the departure of drama boss Ben Stephenson for the wide-open spaces of LA, I've largely been able to keep my breakfast down. Ben's rhodomontade when announcing new commissions was special.
Now Alison Kirkham, Factual Commissioner, is giving me and Ben the runs for our money....
“My vision in the years ahead is to offer the variety, breadth and unrivalled commitment to quality that has always been our trademark but also to engage with audiences more than ever, on their own terms, on what matters most to them today. No subject should be taboo. We can’t and won’t shy away from ambitious, complicated programmes.
"Count on us to provide a place for difficult issues and joyous passions to sit beside each other; to embrace complexity and authorship; and to take creative risks and back specialism. From history to science, religion to natural history, specialisms have always been a fundamental part of the story of BBC Factual and will continue to thrive on the BBC.
"Today we are announcing a range of new commissions that illustrate the way forward. There are programmes that open our eyes to the world, that show us what has never been seen and take us to places we have never been - and that entertain and inspire us. But there are also commissions that interrogate some of the big issues facing our society today - programmes which will be bold enough to ask challenging questions, spark tough debate and target real change.”
Claudia Winkleman hosts a makeover show, Miriam Margolyes becomes the nth celeb to make a journey from Chicago to New Orleans, The Real Marigold Hotel returns, documentary series follows vicars...
Now Alison Kirkham, Factual Commissioner, is giving me and Ben the runs for our money....
“My vision in the years ahead is to offer the variety, breadth and unrivalled commitment to quality that has always been our trademark but also to engage with audiences more than ever, on their own terms, on what matters most to them today. No subject should be taboo. We can’t and won’t shy away from ambitious, complicated programmes.
"Count on us to provide a place for difficult issues and joyous passions to sit beside each other; to embrace complexity and authorship; and to take creative risks and back specialism. From history to science, religion to natural history, specialisms have always been a fundamental part of the story of BBC Factual and will continue to thrive on the BBC.
"Today we are announcing a range of new commissions that illustrate the way forward. There are programmes that open our eyes to the world, that show us what has never been seen and take us to places we have never been - and that entertain and inspire us. But there are also commissions that interrogate some of the big issues facing our society today - programmes which will be bold enough to ask challenging questions, spark tough debate and target real change.”
Claudia Winkleman hosts a makeover show, Miriam Margolyes becomes the nth celeb to make a journey from Chicago to New Orleans, The Real Marigold Hotel returns, documentary series follows vicars...
Big Al
Six gongs for Al Jazeera English at the Online Media Awards last night.
Best Website of The Year; Breaking News Story of the Year and Chairman's Award, for coverage of the attempted coup in Turkey last July; Best Photographer; Best Twitter Feed; and Best Brand Development, for #Hacked: Syria's Electronic Armies.
Online Editor of the Year was Jon Laurence at C4 News/ITN, who also picked up Outstanding Digital Team of the Year. The BBC's Visual Journalism Team won for Technical Innovation, with work on the US Election and the EU Referendum bot; and BBC World Service Arabic won for investigative journalism, with its strand called "Shame", the use of sexually explicit images for blackmail.
The Guardian won Best Designed Site and Best Site for News-led Journalism; the Independent was judged Best National News Site, ahead of the BBC.
Best Website of The Year; Breaking News Story of the Year and Chairman's Award, for coverage of the attempted coup in Turkey last July; Best Photographer; Best Twitter Feed; and Best Brand Development, for #Hacked: Syria's Electronic Armies.
Online Editor of the Year was Jon Laurence at C4 News/ITN, who also picked up Outstanding Digital Team of the Year. The BBC's Visual Journalism Team won for Technical Innovation, with work on the US Election and the EU Referendum bot; and BBC World Service Arabic won for investigative journalism, with its strand called "Shame", the use of sexually explicit images for blackmail.
The Guardian won Best Designed Site and Best Site for News-led Journalism; the Independent was judged Best National News Site, ahead of the BBC.
Power
The Sun says BA's computer crash followed routine maintenance on the company's power systems, handled by contractors from CBRE Global Workplace Solutions. Power at one of BA's data centres at Heathrow was switched from grid to back-up, but, says the Sun, procedures to get back to the grid weren't followed, and the resulting power surge took out services.
CBRE GWS website boasts "We provide advice to occupiers, operators and developers of data centres. We have a complete understanding of how data centre Mechanical and Electrical (M&E) services, IT platform requirements and property interact for data mission critical businesses. Only CBRE's Data Centre Solutions can provide full peace of mind that when it comes to property decisions relating to data centres, nothing is left to chance."
CBRE GWS website boasts "We provide advice to occupiers, operators and developers of data centres. We have a complete understanding of how data centre Mechanical and Electrical (M&E) services, IT platform requirements and property interact for data mission critical businesses. Only CBRE's Data Centre Solutions can provide full peace of mind that when it comes to property decisions relating to data centres, nothing is left to chance."
Thursday, June 1, 2017
Blaming the audience
An average of 3.51m (17.8%) watched last night's election debate on BBC1, according to overnight ratings. The audience had George Eaton, Political Editor of The Spectator, Carrie Symonds (former Special Adviser to Culture Secretary), the Daily Mail and Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson frothing.
Westmonster, the UKIP blog, got their retaliation in first, predicting that the audience would be biased to the left back on May 11.
The audience was selected for political balance with the help of polling company Comres. Founder Andrew Hawkins told the BBC "If you have a panel of people - one from the governing party (Conservatives) - one from what's regarded as a right wing party (UKIP) and five from broadly left-wing parties, and you give those speakers equal airtime, it means you're giving five slots of airtime to the left-wing parties for every two slots to the not so left-wing parties.
"Therefore it's inevitable that the cheering is going to be skewed in one direction.
"What I can say is that the recruitment for this was more complex and more rigorously executed than any I've ever witnessed." The audience response was "a reflection of the fact that the Conservatives were on the back foot because Theresa May didn't turn up - and therefore it's a bit of an easy target".
Since my tweet has become Mail splash, should say it was casual observation ("feels like"), not allegation of bias. pic.twitter.com/D5V5reGhcz— George Eaton (@georgeeaton) May 31, 2017
Boris said "It was seven people speaking to probably the most left-wing studio audience the BBC has ever brought together."The audience on #BBCdebate tonight was ridiculous. It could hardly have been more left-wing. Despite that, Amber was bloody brilliant— Carrie Symonds (@carrie_symonds1) May 31, 2017
Westmonster, the UKIP blog, got their retaliation in first, predicting that the audience would be biased to the left back on May 11.
The audience was selected for political balance with the help of polling company Comres. Founder Andrew Hawkins told the BBC "If you have a panel of people - one from the governing party (Conservatives) - one from what's regarded as a right wing party (UKIP) and five from broadly left-wing parties, and you give those speakers equal airtime, it means you're giving five slots of airtime to the left-wing parties for every two slots to the not so left-wing parties.
"Therefore it's inevitable that the cheering is going to be skewed in one direction.
"What I can say is that the recruitment for this was more complex and more rigorously executed than any I've ever witnessed." The audience response was "a reflection of the fact that the Conservatives were on the back foot because Theresa May didn't turn up - and therefore it's a bit of an easy target".
Exchange
Johnston Press, led by former BBC technology boss Ashley Highfield, has sold Telegraph House in York Street, Sheffield, home to around 400 hacks and sales staff working on the Sheffield Star and the Sheffield Telegraph. The first Sheffield Daily Telegraph was published on the site, though not in the same building, in 1855.
It's been on the market since February - the deal is for £3.6 million in cash, with completion at the end of the month. We are told JP staff "will remain in the building for a short transitional period before moving to new fit-for-purpose premises", as yet unnamed.
£3.6m is equivalent to 25% of the company's market capitalisation, at today's share price of 13.5p.
It's been on the market since February - the deal is for £3.6 million in cash, with completion at the end of the month. We are told JP staff "will remain in the building for a short transitional period before moving to new fit-for-purpose premises", as yet unnamed.
£3.6m is equivalent to 25% of the company's market capitalisation, at today's share price of 13.5p.
Don't you know who I am ?
That fearless organ The Tatler reports on this year's Hay Festival Dinner, sponsored by GQ in association with Land Rover, held at Cabalva House, where guests dined on smoked salmon, shepherd's pie and strawberries and meringue.
It alleges "poor Alan Yentob spent over an hour trying to get his name on the guest list (it paid off)."
Alan has fallen out of Tatler's Top 500, to stand at 605. Their potted bio says "He is obsessed with staying au courant and tends to watch television during dinner and house parties. Prefers trainers to smart shoes."
It alleges "poor Alan Yentob spent over an hour trying to get his name on the guest list (it paid off)."
Alan has fallen out of Tatler's Top 500, to stand at 605. Their potted bio says "He is obsessed with staying au courant and tends to watch television during dinner and house parties. Prefers trainers to smart shoes."
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