"To reflect the United Kingdom, its culture and values to the world" - the fifth of the BBC's public purposes.
BBC America has just begun a 72-hour-marathon showing of The X Files, made by 20th Century Fox Television for the Fox Network from 1993 to 2002.
Saturday, March 31, 2018
How many does it take, etc
When you decide on building a Bond-Villain-Style newsroom, it's a good idea to think ahead about how broken light-bulbs might be replaced...
Newsroom Scaffolding.... pic.twitter.com/yt6dm7zj3M— Chris Cook (@chrisckmedia) March 31, 2018
Homework
Easter is providing a welcome break for the BBC news bods being 'prepared' for the trial hearing in the cae brought against the Corportation by Sir Cliff Richard.
Of course, there is a fundamental rule for barristers: “you must not rehearse, practise with or coach a witness in respect of their evidence”.
It is ok "to familiarise witnesses with the layout of the court, the likely sequence of events when the witness is giving evidence, and a balanced appraisal of the different responsibilities of the various participants"
"Such arrangements prevent witnesses from being disadvantaged by ignorance of the process or taken by surprise at the way in which it works, and so assist witnesses to give their best at the trial or hearing in question without any risk that their evidence may become anything other than the witnesses' own uncontaminated evidence. As such, witness familiarisation arrangements are not only permissible; they are to be welcomed."
"It is also appropriate, as part of a witness familiarisation process, for counsel to advise witnesses as to the basic requirements for giving evidence, e.g. the need to listen to and answer the question put, to speak clearly and slowly in order to ensure that the Court hears what the witness is saying, and to avoid irrelevant comments. This is consistent with the duty to the Court to ensure that one’s client's case is presented clearly and without undue waste of the Court's time."
Of course, there is a fundamental rule for barristers: “you must not rehearse, practise with or coach a witness in respect of their evidence”.
It is ok "to familiarise witnesses with the layout of the court, the likely sequence of events when the witness is giving evidence, and a balanced appraisal of the different responsibilities of the various participants"
"Such arrangements prevent witnesses from being disadvantaged by ignorance of the process or taken by surprise at the way in which it works, and so assist witnesses to give their best at the trial or hearing in question without any risk that their evidence may become anything other than the witnesses' own uncontaminated evidence. As such, witness familiarisation arrangements are not only permissible; they are to be welcomed."
"It is also appropriate, as part of a witness familiarisation process, for counsel to advise witnesses as to the basic requirements for giving evidence, e.g. the need to listen to and answer the question put, to speak clearly and slowly in order to ensure that the Court hears what the witness is saying, and to avoid irrelevant comments. This is consistent with the duty to the Court to ensure that one’s client's case is presented clearly and without undue waste of the Court's time."
Friday, March 30, 2018
Spread
Some odds and ends from the Government portal on pay gaps. In each case, the figure is the difference in the median hourly rate between men and women.
Amazon Video 56%
Goldman Sachs International in the UK 36.4%
WPP in the UK 32.8%
Bloomberg in the UK 21.9%
Global Radio Group 20.5%
STV 17.3%
BBC Worldwide 16.9%
MCC 14.8%
Johnston Press 13.9%
BBC 9.3%
Rugby Football Union 6.6%
Wetherspoons 2.5%
Vauxhall Motors 2.2%
Press Association 0.5%
Trades Union Congress 0.0%
Endemol Shine +4.3% for women
Manchester United +7.4% for women
Amazon Video 56%
Goldman Sachs International in the UK 36.4%
WPP in the UK 32.8%
Bloomberg in the UK 21.9%
Global Radio Group 20.5%
STV 17.3%
BBC Worldwide 16.9%
MCC 14.8%
Johnston Press 13.9%
BBC 9.3%
Rugby Football Union 6.6%
Wetherspoons 2.5%
Vauxhall Motors 2.2%
Press Association 0.5%
Trades Union Congress 0.0%
Endemol Shine +4.3% for women
Manchester United +7.4% for women
Thursday, March 29, 2018
Eggs and basket news
I rather hope Charlotte Moore's Re-imagining Content Board has a sub-group called Alternatives to Masterchef.
The Franc Roddam Pension Scheme has, over the years spread further and further into the spring peak-time schedules. It fills hours at moderate cost and now sits there unyielding, like last night's over-gelatined panna cotta.
If Ofcom don't rule soon that there's TOO MUCH COOKING in peak, the BBC must surely be getting the message from Netflix. Under-35s are looking for alternatives, and it's not Danny Baker playing Portishead on BBC4.
Nibbles
Some stats grim and not-so-grim extracted from the BBC's Annual Plan for 2018/19
"Our most recent estimates suggest that 16-34s spent similar amounts of time with BBC One, ITV and Netflix a week – around two hours a week for each. 16-24s spend more time with Netflix than all of BBC TV (including iPlayer). Similarly, for the first time, in October-December 2017 we estimate 15- 34s listened more to streaming music services than all BBC Radio (5 hrs vs. 4 hrs 30 mins a week)"
"Under-35s especially are spending less time with BBC News and this problem is particularly acute in less affluent socio-demographics. While women consume around 10% less BBC News from traditional sources than men, they consume around 50% less than men on BBC News Online."
"The BBC is the nation’s favourite sports broadcaster. Last year, without some of the biggest-hitting events, we accounted for around 3% of the sport broadcast on TV and delivered 36% of total viewing."
"All in all, in 2017/18 we will have delivered almost £240m of annual recurring savings. This coming year, we are projecting our recurring savings total to rise to around £400m – an increase of more than £160m and another significant step towards our target of £700m by 2021/22."
"Our most recent estimates suggest that 16-34s spent similar amounts of time with BBC One, ITV and Netflix a week – around two hours a week for each. 16-24s spend more time with Netflix than all of BBC TV (including iPlayer). Similarly, for the first time, in October-December 2017 we estimate 15- 34s listened more to streaming music services than all BBC Radio (5 hrs vs. 4 hrs 30 mins a week)"
"Under-35s especially are spending less time with BBC News and this problem is particularly acute in less affluent socio-demographics. While women consume around 10% less BBC News from traditional sources than men, they consume around 50% less than men on BBC News Online."
"The BBC is the nation’s favourite sports broadcaster. Last year, without some of the biggest-hitting events, we accounted for around 3% of the sport broadcast on TV and delivered 36% of total viewing."
"All in all, in 2017/18 we will have delivered almost £240m of annual recurring savings. This coming year, we are projecting our recurring savings total to rise to around £400m – an increase of more than £160m and another significant step towards our target of £700m by 2021/22."
Wednesday, March 28, 2018
Follow the money
The BBC's Annual Plan for 2018/19 includes budget forecasts, which are interesting to compare with 2017/18, the first time Auntie produced this sort of document publicly.
Total service spend on content for tv goes up, from £1,611m to £1,717 - a handy 6.5% rise. £27m has been set aside for the new BBC Scotland channel; BBC1 goes up by £79m; BBC2 down by £15m. Content spend for S4C falls by £3m, to £22m.
Total service spend on content for radio goes down, from £480m to £471m. BBC Local Radio in England, where editors have been set free by the DG to set new styles, falls from £117m to £108m. Radio 1 and 1Xtra are up £7m, to £50m. Radio 2 is down from £52m to £51m; that may just be by re-adjusting a few top salaries.
Spend on online and digital services will fall from £215m in 2017/18, to £196m in 2018/19.
BBC News and Parliament's joint content budget is unchanged at £50m.
The Orchestras and Proms are up £2m, at £28m.
Development spend is up by £10m, to £60m. It looks like Auntie is borrowing more money; financing costs rise from £59m in 2017/18 to £68m in 2018/19.
Total service spend on content for tv goes up, from £1,611m to £1,717 - a handy 6.5% rise. £27m has been set aside for the new BBC Scotland channel; BBC1 goes up by £79m; BBC2 down by £15m. Content spend for S4C falls by £3m, to £22m.
Total service spend on content for radio goes down, from £480m to £471m. BBC Local Radio in England, where editors have been set free by the DG to set new styles, falls from £117m to £108m. Radio 1 and 1Xtra are up £7m, to £50m. Radio 2 is down from £52m to £51m; that may just be by re-adjusting a few top salaries.
Spend on online and digital services will fall from £215m in 2017/18, to £196m in 2018/19.
BBC News and Parliament's joint content budget is unchanged at £50m.
The Orchestras and Proms are up £2m, at £28m.
Development spend is up by £10m, to £60m. It looks like Auntie is borrowing more money; financing costs rise from £59m in 2017/18 to £68m in 2018/19.
Played again
On Monday night it won an average audience of 842k.
Tuesday, March 27, 2018
Jason and the Podnauts
The BBC's first dedicated Commissioner of Podcasts is Jason Phipps. Big boss Bob Shennan wants the BBC to be more creative in this field "thinking beyond [network] brands".
Jason comes from The Guardian, where he has spent 14 years working on podcasts; for nine years before that he produced specialist music and pocasts for BBC Radio London and the World Service.
He brings to the role all the spatial awareness afford by a B.A. first class honours in sculpture from the National College of Art and Design, Dublin, followed by two years at the
Akademie der Munchen.
Very strong
Such fun. The Telegraph's gender pay gap is a stonking 35%. That compares with the BBC's 9.3/9.6%
Yet to report - The Daily Mail group. It boasts 11 male to 2 female directors; eight men at CEO level, compared to six women - and an overall gender balance of 58% male to 42% female. How bad can it be ?
Monday, March 26, 2018
Open
The latest published BBC Board minutes (from December) talk extensively about 'updates', none of which are shared with the licence-fee payers.
The BBC has turned to Ernst &Young to re-baseline licence fee evasion - to set a sort of intractable rump of non-payers, agreed between the BBC and the people it pays to make you stump up. In 2015/6 the estimated evasion rate was between 6.2% and 7.2%, with higher levels in Scotland and Northern Ireland. The target set for collectors Capita was to get that down to 3.95% by 2020. Now the Board have agreed a new target, but we can't be told, apparently. Each percentage point is worth around £40m.
Minutes about plans for Maida Vale, the old roller-skating pavilion that is now the home base of the BBC Symphony Orchestra, are redacted - though we are told, unsurprisingly, that the crumbly shell requires significant short-term and medium-term investment if it is to remain viable. Minutes about sports contract renewals are redacted.
We are given the full works about the role of "a qualified person" who is capable of deciding when BBC data and documents should stay private under Freedom of Information rules which allow an exception to protect free and frank discussion, advice and effective conduct of public affairs. The Board decided that they should all be qualified persons. Hurrah.
In the regular list of broadcasting triumphs, the minutes note: "James Purnell updated the Board on some of the Radio highlights over the period, which included David Jacobi reading from Laurie Lee’s Village Christmas." I think you'll find that's Derek, Jim.
The BBC has turned to Ernst &Young to re-baseline licence fee evasion - to set a sort of intractable rump of non-payers, agreed between the BBC and the people it pays to make you stump up. In 2015/6 the estimated evasion rate was between 6.2% and 7.2%, with higher levels in Scotland and Northern Ireland. The target set for collectors Capita was to get that down to 3.95% by 2020. Now the Board have agreed a new target, but we can't be told, apparently. Each percentage point is worth around £40m.
Minutes about plans for Maida Vale, the old roller-skating pavilion that is now the home base of the BBC Symphony Orchestra, are redacted - though we are told, unsurprisingly, that the crumbly shell requires significant short-term and medium-term investment if it is to remain viable. Minutes about sports contract renewals are redacted.
We are given the full works about the role of "a qualified person" who is capable of deciding when BBC data and documents should stay private under Freedom of Information rules which allow an exception to protect free and frank discussion, advice and effective conduct of public affairs. The Board decided that they should all be qualified persons. Hurrah.
In the regular list of broadcasting triumphs, the minutes note: "James Purnell updated the Board on some of the Radio highlights over the period, which included David Jacobi reading from Laurie Lee’s Village Christmas." I think you'll find that's Derek, Jim.
Will it rise again ?
On BBC1, Hold The Sunset finished with an average audience of 3.75m in the overnight ratings - an audience share of 20.6%. Will Charles McKeown's first stab at a sitcom get a second series ?
The answer is probably yes, if agents acting for John Cleese, Alison Steadman and Jason Watkins are sensible about fees; if more of the action takes place on sets; and if BBC Studios hire a gag-writer to put a few more jokes in...
The answer is probably yes, if agents acting for John Cleese, Alison Steadman and Jason Watkins are sensible about fees; if more of the action takes place on sets; and if BBC Studios hire a gag-writer to put a few more jokes in...
Form
And as Sarah Sands bends the Today programme to her will, we lead with 'adult' actress Stormy Daniels (even Radio 3 bulletins called her a porn star), discredited Trump-supporting conspiracy theorist Sebastian Gorka, and, bien sur, the new French Ambassador...
Sunday, March 25, 2018
Blanc
Overnight tv ratings are apparently delayed because the BARB system had trouble with the entirely unexpected twice-yearly clock change.
I've consoled myself with the knowledge that last Sunday's episode of Top Gear on BBC America was watched by an average of 253,000 viewers, placing the show at 115 in the list of Top 150 Cable Shows that night. That's 0.07% of the US viewing population.
I've consoled myself with the knowledge that last Sunday's episode of Top Gear on BBC America was watched by an average of 253,000 viewers, placing the show at 115 in the list of Top 150 Cable Shows that night. That's 0.07% of the US viewing population.
Upset
I suppose only those who have seen episodes 5 and 6 of Below The Surface can tell whether or not it would have been grossly insensitive to show them on BBC4 last night.
Should McMafia be pulled from the iPlayer while Russians-who-might-have-spied-for-the-UK are critically ill in hospital ? And is Twitter the best way to reach people puzzled as to where the episodes have gone from their recording devices ?
In light of yesterday’s tragic hostage siege in France, this week’s episodes of Below The Surface will be postponed and shown next Saturday. Tonight, @BBCFOUR will be showing the Belgian film Two Days One Night as a replacement.— BBC Four (@BBCFOUR) March 24, 2018
Should McMafia be pulled from the iPlayer while Russians-who-might-have-spied-for-the-UK are critically ill in hospital ? And is Twitter the best way to reach people puzzled as to where the episodes have gone from their recording devices ?
Saturday, March 24, 2018
King-size duvets
You're in danger of being forgotten as a BBC manager if you're not re-imagining things. Cuddly Alan Davey, curvacious Controller of Radio 3, is the latest to have a go. A few schedule tweaks, some old programmes re-named, and voila !
At 10pm each evening, we’re reimagining our evening programming and offering listeners the opportunity to step into Radio 3 After Dark - a world of edgy free thought and mind-expanding ideas, of elegant and provoking essays, of poetry with The Verb, of radical mixes of music - Jazz Now on Mondays, Late Junction Tuesday to Thursday and Music Planet on Friday.
Radio 3 After Dark is no ordinary place - it’s a zone of adventure and discovery. Light a candle and settle down with a cup of tea, or pull the blankets higher and experience a world of inspiring new thoughts and amazing sounds. Coming in April, Radio 3 After Dark will be looking, across its programmes, at the unexpected and counter-cultural side of Japanese music, art and literature. This special series, Night Blossoms, will be a voyage of discovery into this little explored side of Japanese culture. Beauty and darkness lie in wait there.
The helpful corporate twitter machine precedes the announcement with a line from the lyrics to a John Dowland song, without the writer's call for "hellish jarring sounds" to bring on early death.
At 10pm each evening, we’re reimagining our evening programming and offering listeners the opportunity to step into Radio 3 After Dark - a world of edgy free thought and mind-expanding ideas, of elegant and provoking essays, of poetry with The Verb, of radical mixes of music - Jazz Now on Mondays, Late Junction Tuesday to Thursday and Music Planet on Friday.
Radio 3 After Dark is no ordinary place - it’s a zone of adventure and discovery. Light a candle and settle down with a cup of tea, or pull the blankets higher and experience a world of inspiring new thoughts and amazing sounds. Coming in April, Radio 3 After Dark will be looking, across its programmes, at the unexpected and counter-cultural side of Japanese music, art and literature. This special series, Night Blossoms, will be a voyage of discovery into this little explored side of Japanese culture. Beauty and darkness lie in wait there.
The helpful corporate twitter machine precedes the announcement with a line from the lyrics to a John Dowland song, without the writer's call for "hellish jarring sounds" to bring on early death.
🌘 In Darkness (and in Light) let me Dwell. @armslengthal introduces @BBCRadio3's new After Dark zone, plus presenter and schedule changes: https://t.co/VdtvZmsx1v pic.twitter.com/ctdyS6x4sg— BBC (@AboutTheBBC) March 24, 2018
Friday, March 23, 2018
Painting book
Book Number 2 (almost as difficult as the second album) is on the way from former BBC Deputy Director General, Mark Byford. It's called "The Annunciation: A pilgrim's quest", and will be published at the end of this month by Winchester University Press. (Disclosure: Mark is a Director of Winchester University, as well as a lay canon of Winchester Cathedral.)
The book was inspired by a chance viewing of Francois Lemoyne's 1727 oil painting of The Annunciation at the National Gallery, where it is currently on loan from Winchester College. Lemoyne was Court Painter to Louis XV. How such a Catholic image arrived at Winchester College Chapel back in the 18th Century is unclear; the painting was re-discovered in 2011, and sent to the National (who had no Lemoynes) after restoration.
The blurb makes no mentions of Mark's BBC days. "Award-winning journalist Mark Byford searches for the spiritual meaning of the biblical story of the Annunciation through intimate conversations with more than a hundred senior clerics, world-renowned theologians, historians and artists." Just £35 hardback.
The book was inspired by a chance viewing of Francois Lemoyne's 1727 oil painting of The Annunciation at the National Gallery, where it is currently on loan from Winchester College. Lemoyne was Court Painter to Louis XV. How such a Catholic image arrived at Winchester College Chapel back in the 18th Century is unclear; the painting was re-discovered in 2011, and sent to the National (who had no Lemoynes) after restoration.
The blurb makes no mentions of Mark's BBC days. "Award-winning journalist Mark Byford searches for the spiritual meaning of the biblical story of the Annunciation through intimate conversations with more than a hundred senior clerics, world-renowned theologians, historians and artists." Just £35 hardback.
Civil society
You can perhaps see why Channel 5 are shunting Mr and Mrs Eamonn Holmes around the schedule; last night's show, Do the Right Thing, at the old regular slot of 9pm, was watched by an average of 610,000 - picking up a share of 3.4%. Next week, the programme moves to 10pm, to make way for more of Can't Pay ? We'll Take It Away
Even Mary Beard, gazing mistily and entranced at religious art in Civilisations on BBC2, retained an average of 1.07m at 9pm (6% share).
Even Mary Beard, gazing mistily and entranced at religious art in Civilisations on BBC2, retained an average of 1.07m at 9pm (6% share).
It doesn't add up
As we await the unveiling of the BBC's first Podcast Commissioner, we also look forward to an understanding of the funding strategy behind this re-invention of radio.
In the old days, you could only make podcasts by cutting up bits of things that had been already broadcast. Then came the days of announcing a new podcast, and finding odd slots to broadcast them later - like Christmas holidays, or overnight on Radio 1. Now we seem to have BBC podcasts that exist only only to download - but on whose budget ? Remember BBC Radio used to be run so close to the bone that it threatened to close 6Music; Radio 2 is so strapped it can't afford to be 'live' overnight. The old BBC Trust used to set 'service licences' with an agreed sum of money against each network; has this latest re-invention been run past the new BBC Board ?
Clearly there's not much money in podcasting; one critically-acclaimed offering from the Radio 4 stable offers no fees to contributors, which surely isn't a stable way of moving forward. The Podcast Commissioner will apparently have "a budget for podcast innovation"; licence-fee payers should be told how much it is, and what's being cut from radio to raise the money.
In the old days, you could only make podcasts by cutting up bits of things that had been already broadcast. Then came the days of announcing a new podcast, and finding odd slots to broadcast them later - like Christmas holidays, or overnight on Radio 1. Now we seem to have BBC podcasts that exist only only to download - but on whose budget ? Remember BBC Radio used to be run so close to the bone that it threatened to close 6Music; Radio 2 is so strapped it can't afford to be 'live' overnight. The old BBC Trust used to set 'service licences' with an agreed sum of money against each network; has this latest re-invention been run past the new BBC Board ?
Clearly there's not much money in podcasting; one critically-acclaimed offering from the Radio 4 stable offers no fees to contributors, which surely isn't a stable way of moving forward. The Podcast Commissioner will apparently have "a budget for podcast innovation"; licence-fee payers should be told how much it is, and what's being cut from radio to raise the money.
Best value for money
Congratulations to the Builders of BBC Belfast; they seem to have reversed Auntie's property policy, securing a £77m investment over five years to re-shape and re-equip their existing headquarters on Ormeau Avenue. "Freehold" is the key word; all other BBC property moves of the past twenty years have involved lease-back deals, not unlike PFIs, of 30 years or so, with builder/developers/bondholders enjoying rents from the licence-fee. .
"Investing in its existing freehold site provides the best value for money, enabling it to transform the building to meet its audience needs and technology and staff requirements in the most cost-effective manner."
"Investing in its existing freehold site provides the best value for money, enabling it to transform the building to meet its audience needs and technology and staff requirements in the most cost-effective manner."
Thursday, March 22, 2018
Later
Shifting a show around the schedules is usually not a sign of success. Tonight's "Do The Right Thing" on Channel 5 will be the last at 9pm; from next week it moves to 10pm.
The programme, a fairly shameless attempt to re-boot That's Life for a new generation, is hosted by Eamonn Holmes and his wife Ruth Langsford.
The programme, a fairly shameless attempt to re-boot That's Life for a new generation, is hosted by Eamonn Holmes and his wife Ruth Langsford.
Folks Would really appreciate if you could Retweet this.— Eamonn Holmes (@EamonnHolmes) March 14, 2018
Trying to get the word out about #DoTheRightThing - Ep 2 Thursday 9pm Ch5 .
You would be doing me a Big favour. 👍 https://t.co/pMm83MPJVf
Restaurant guide closes
It's possible that Peter Johnston, BBC Director of Northern Ireland, has a new PA. I looked forward to the quarterly publication of his expenses to see where you can still get a decent evening meal for £16 - the subsistence allowed for those staying overnight away from home. Peter's claims would list them out - and indeed, for Quarter 1 of 2017/18, they're still there - Cinnamon, Soho; Thai Sq, SW1; Little India, SW7; Siam Central, W1; Mother India, Glasgow.
But for Quarter 2, it's simply "Dinner with overnight" "£16".
That's all good, then
In yet another example of life mirroring art, I present this from from BBC News boss James Harding's Hugh Cudlipp lecture last night, with a reminder that the BBC series, W1A, was fictional...
"If we want to do valuable journalism, we need to do less, better.”
"If we want to do valuable journalism, we need to do less, better.”
Wednesday, March 21, 2018
You will be deploying
Yep, just time for a quick BBC job ad before lunch. Here's one for a "Data Scientist - BBC News, Audience Engagement". The pitch from the employer has a certain sense of fun about it, if a shaky command of English.
"What is great about working at the BBC?
"Well... Whatever you do, it has a massive impact.
"BBC News is read or watched every day by 80% of the Brits. So deploying any data product, means deploying to an unprecedented scale.
"And you will be deploying.
"This team is all about applied science. We launched first personalised recommender system to 100% of BBC Mundo (one of world service sites) page within 7 months since data scientist number 1 joined.
"This is just a start. Check it out yourself on an example article.
"You will be working with new technologies in terms of digital product, experimentation, machine learning and data infrastructure. We need to stay relevant to all audiences and compete with Netflix. That is the core of the challenge.
"You will be encouraged innovation. I will let hackathons, collaboration with academia and Newslabs speak for themselves.
"You will be working for good. We are facilitating and leading the discussion about public service algorithm, actively designing our machines with reinvented cost function that cares about BBC values.
"Working in a flexible and diverse environment. We respect people, celebrate our diversity and do our best. Hours and place are not the key to our success, it is you and your wellbeing.
"And occasionally you might be asked by an embarrassingly popular journalist do a quick voice over or an interview to practice your inner performer!"
"What is great about working at the BBC?
"Well... Whatever you do, it has a massive impact.
"BBC News is read or watched every day by 80% of the Brits. So deploying any data product, means deploying to an unprecedented scale.
"And you will be deploying.
"This team is all about applied science. We launched first personalised recommender system to 100% of BBC Mundo (one of world service sites) page within 7 months since data scientist number 1 joined.
"This is just a start. Check it out yourself on an example article.
"You will be working with new technologies in terms of digital product, experimentation, machine learning and data infrastructure. We need to stay relevant to all audiences and compete with Netflix. That is the core of the challenge.
"You will be encouraged innovation. I will let hackathons, collaboration with academia and Newslabs speak for themselves.
"You will be working for good. We are facilitating and leading the discussion about public service algorithm, actively designing our machines with reinvented cost function that cares about BBC values.
"Working in a flexible and diverse environment. We respect people, celebrate our diversity and do our best. Hours and place are not the key to our success, it is you and your wellbeing.
"And occasionally you might be asked by an embarrassingly popular journalist do a quick voice over or an interview to practice your inner performer!"
Titbits
Look. BBC expenses are really being driven down. So it's harder to find conspicuous consumption. Still, it's sometimes worth looking through the latest disclosures - we now have two quarters released in one go.
Director of Radio and Education James Purnell managed a night in the four-star Abode Hotel in Manchester, at £175, and two nights in a unnamed hotel in an unnamed place back last April for £458. BBC guidelines of March 2016 set a limit of £138 for bed and breakfast, for all ranks.
We're not all as organised as each other. Mr Robert Shennan, Director of Radio & Music, had to claim £82.10 for a rail ticket a year ago. "Mislaid original ticket".
We're pleased to see Rhodri Talfan Davies, Director BBC Cymru Wales, continue his development with a two night trip to Silicon Valley.
Head of Newsgathering Jonathan Munro spent £755.88 on three nights in the four-star Lexington Hotel, New York.
In declarations of interest, we find that Donalda MacKinnon, Director of BBC Scotland, is UNPAID company secretary of hubby's Café Gandolfi Ltd and Gandolfi Fish Ltd
Director of Radio and Education James Purnell managed a night in the four-star Abode Hotel in Manchester, at £175, and two nights in a unnamed hotel in an unnamed place back last April for £458. BBC guidelines of March 2016 set a limit of £138 for bed and breakfast, for all ranks.
We're not all as organised as each other. Mr Robert Shennan, Director of Radio & Music, had to claim £82.10 for a rail ticket a year ago. "Mislaid original ticket".
We're pleased to see Rhodri Talfan Davies, Director BBC Cymru Wales, continue his development with a two night trip to Silicon Valley.
Head of Newsgathering Jonathan Munro spent £755.88 on three nights in the four-star Lexington Hotel, New York.
In declarations of interest, we find that Donalda MacKinnon, Director of BBC Scotland, is UNPAID company secretary of hubby's Café Gandolfi Ltd and Gandolfi Fish Ltd
Form
Latest BBC salary and expense disclosures show that Sarah Sands did land on £150k as Editor of the Today Programme - which I'm guessing makes her the best paid holder of the post.
Listeners will be delighted to see in her first expenses claims £105.47, for "lunch with [redacted] and an Ambassador".
Listeners will be delighted to see in her first expenses claims £105.47, for "lunch with [redacted] and an Ambassador".
Showbiz news
Those wishing to let their hair down on Saturday night in the Guildford area are too late; the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre says "An Evening with John Simpson" is sold out.
The venue boasts 680 seats, and if they've all been sold at full price, the Theatre and The World's Greatest Living Journalist will be sharing around £17,000.
The venue boasts 680 seats, and if they've all been sold at full price, the Theatre and The World's Greatest Living Journalist will be sharing around £17,000.
Tuesday, March 20, 2018
Last minute
When a sport has to turn to something as complex as the Duckworth-Lewis method to produce a result, there are some fundamental issues with the game. When an organisation has to resort to the Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution to settle issues around presenter pay, it's in a right mess.
The inner conclave of BBC apparatchiks will be gathered around a 55" Samsung in the Harry Gration and Christa Ackroyd conference room at Broadcasting House this morning, twitching in anticipation of Dashing Damian Collins' Culture Select Committee meeting looking at presenter pay and personal service companies.
The BBC late offer of dispute resolution will not stop the relentless disclosure of the obvious; the BBC did force people into Personal Services Companies, with no alternative; and the BBC has been rough on some it dragged back on to staff terms and conditions. Why the management has been denying this is most peculiar.
I'm sure I'm not the only person with redacted emails to hand now. Try this, from a 2009 email to an agent "We are only permitted to offer long term guarantees of regular programming to individuals who provide their services to us via a service company." Signed by someone styling themselves "Lawyer, Legal Affairs, Talent & Rights Negotiation Group". The email says the decision has been taken by the BBC's Head of Tax, "endorsed by the Finance, Rights and Production areas"; so it looks like more than a handful knew, eh ?
The inner conclave of BBC apparatchiks will be gathered around a 55" Samsung in the Harry Gration and Christa Ackroyd conference room at Broadcasting House this morning, twitching in anticipation of Dashing Damian Collins' Culture Select Committee meeting looking at presenter pay and personal service companies.
The BBC late offer of dispute resolution will not stop the relentless disclosure of the obvious; the BBC did force people into Personal Services Companies, with no alternative; and the BBC has been rough on some it dragged back on to staff terms and conditions. Why the management has been denying this is most peculiar.
I'm sure I'm not the only person with redacted emails to hand now. Try this, from a 2009 email to an agent "We are only permitted to offer long term guarantees of regular programming to individuals who provide their services to us via a service company." Signed by someone styling themselves "Lawyer, Legal Affairs, Talent & Rights Negotiation Group". The email says the decision has been taken by the BBC's Head of Tax, "endorsed by the Finance, Rights and Production areas"; so it looks like more than a handful knew, eh ?
Monday, March 19, 2018
That's entertainment
Tonight, BBC1, 2245.
Andy and Al perform a selection of their favourites, including "You Must Have Been A Beautiful Baby", "Hey Good Lookin'", and "Brown-Eyed Handsome Man".
Andy and Al perform a selection of their favourites, including "You Must Have Been A Beautiful Baby", "Hey Good Lookin'", and "Brown-Eyed Handsome Man".
Coverage issues
Chum Gloria Hunniford tells The Mirror that Sir Cliff Richard is preparing to fly back from Barbados for his court battle with the BBC, set for April.
Difficult decisions ahead for BBC Newsgathering; one helicopter (no longer shared with ITV), but who to track on the way to court ? Fair play suggests hovering above the BBC witnesses, rather than the aging popstar.
Difficult decisions ahead for BBC Newsgathering; one helicopter (no longer shared with ITV), but who to track on the way to court ? Fair play suggests hovering above the BBC witnesses, rather than the aging popstar.
Mixed message
No, it's not another Newsnight photoshop, with Bob 'Red' Shennan superimposed against a backdrop from Les Miserables.
It's one half of the BBC Radio management team trying to avoid a Norwegian solution, in a key note speech at Radio Days Europe in Vienna. At the end of last year, Norway switched off its national FM transmitters, leaving listeners to find their way to programmes via DAB and the internet - local stations are still on FM. Most national stations lost 10% of their audience; the big public broadcaster, NRK, lost 21%.
The BBC has been easing its foot off the DAB accelerator pedal for some time, exhorting listeners to "download the BBC Sport app", "catch-up via the Radio iPlayer", "download from the Radio 4 website", and is in the midst of a podcast frenzy. In theory the DCMS can push for a switch-off of radio on FM when 50% of listening is 'digital'. The latest figures say that 62% of the UK population tune in to radio digitally each week - either via DAB, DTV, online or an app. The digital share of radio listening stands at 49.9%. Within that, DAB, which was to be the future of radio, stands at 36.3%.
The DAB conundrum is in cars. It was supposed to be the perfect solution for motorists, getting rid of the ssshh and crackle as drivers moved between FM transmitters. On long drives, DAB has become more of a pain, with the switch between digital multiplexes often requiring too many touchscreen presses if you're on your own in the car. And now there are multiple devices in the front seat; instead of cassettes, phones drive motoring music - either from their music libraries or connected to streaming services.
So Bob has called for a continuation of the current mixed market, a review in years to come, a 're-invention' of radio on 5g smartphones, and more industry wide collaboration.
Collaboration is the buzzword. Except that he's also announced the impending arrival of a new BBC-only Radio App later this year; and the impending arrival of a new Commissioner for Podcasts, a massive BBC growth industry, apparently funded without pain from radio network budgets which are supposed to be cut to the bone. Anne Bulford will, I expect, be asking questions about this economic miracle. I expect commercial rivals to wake up soon and ask sleepy Sir David Clementi for a market impact assessment.
Sunday, March 18, 2018
Review of reviews
Nicholas Hellen in The Sunday Times thinks the BBC is about to announce yet another review of the way it's been paying people. Put that alongside the review to produce a new framework for top presenter pay; the Donalda Mackinnon Culture review looking particularly at women's pay and working practices; the Tim Davie fast-track diversity review; the Naomi Ellenbogen review of the PWC plans to make pay fairer, and you might think BBC senior management hasn't been paying attention to reward issues for a decade or two. The agonisingly slow process of replacing Grades with the ludicrously-named Career Path Framework (=not quite as many Grades) seems to have distracted them into thinking they were on top of things.
Tuesday DCMS Select Committee may not just hear tales of BBC talent being offered no other option than payment through personal service companies; sadder tales of the reverse ferret are surfacing. After Margaret Hodge's outrage at the practice, and with the HMRC playing hardball over IR35, the BBC insisted that freelances who only freelanced for the BBC moved to staff and PAYE and fast. Some say their landing salary on PAYE was reduced to allow the BBC to cover anticipated claims for back tax.
Not much evidence of 'do as you would be done by' from some very well-paid managers of the recent past at Auntie.
Tuesday DCMS Select Committee may not just hear tales of BBC talent being offered no other option than payment through personal service companies; sadder tales of the reverse ferret are surfacing. After Margaret Hodge's outrage at the practice, and with the HMRC playing hardball over IR35, the BBC insisted that freelances who only freelanced for the BBC moved to staff and PAYE and fast. Some say their landing salary on PAYE was reduced to allow the BBC to cover anticipated claims for back tax.
Not much evidence of 'do as you would be done by' from some very well-paid managers of the recent past at Auntie.
Greek tragedy
The Siege of Saturday Night at BBC1 continues, with episode 5 (of 8) of Troy falling to an average audience of just 1.28m (7.1% share). The news bulletin that followed got an average of 2.68m; the ITV bulletin at 10.30pm scored 2.45m.
Desperate
TalkRADIO continues its development as a playground for Rebekah Brooks' favourites at THE SUN. Today toothy showbiz specialist and Kiwi, Dan Wootton, gets a regular show.
So I have a new job! Excited and honoured to become Executive Editor of @TheSun, launch a new Saturday entertainment column, join the editing rota and host a brand new weekend show on @talkRADIO. My podcast and @lorraine continue as normal. Now back to talking about others... https://t.co/gngLF1QYXx— Dan Wootton (@danwootton) March 14, 2018
Join the fab @danwootton and I tomorrow on @talkRADIO between 1:00-4:00 where we’ll be discussing the psychology behind the headlines and taking your calls on Dan’s Dilemmas with Dan Wootton & Dr. Linda https://t.co/SEBfuxGhZ7 pic.twitter.com/ZEOmiaMLk9— Linda Papadopoulos (@DrLinda_P) March 17, 2018
Saturday, March 17, 2018
Go, Jo
The DCMS Select Committee looking at personal service companies and BBC presenters on Tuesday will take evidence from Jolyon Maugham QC, who is already advising both broadcasters and presenters under pressure from HMRC.
He blogs - and most recently, wrote after the Christa Ackroyd case, where HMRC won the day. I'm sure the BBC has read the whole thing, but here's a key extract.
"Alongside the legal question there is a moral one: are the presenters really to blame? Answering that question is altogether more difficult. Some presenters will be financially sophisticated. Some will knowingly have engaged in risky tax behaviour. But a great majority will have relied on their advisers, will have been tacitly encouraged by the attitude of the BBC (‘how could the BBC be involved in tax avoidance?’) or other major broadcasters, and will have been fortified by the many years in which HMRC seemed barely to bother to apply IR35.
Is it really fair that we point the finger only at the presenter? Should the BBC escape moral obloquy? And what of the army of advisers?"
Jo came to the UK from New Zealand in his teens, and worked initially as a clerk, at the BBC where he wrote a play for Radio 4 and a feature for Radio 3, before studying law.
He blogs - and most recently, wrote after the Christa Ackroyd case, where HMRC won the day. I'm sure the BBC has read the whole thing, but here's a key extract.
"Alongside the legal question there is a moral one: are the presenters really to blame? Answering that question is altogether more difficult. Some presenters will be financially sophisticated. Some will knowingly have engaged in risky tax behaviour. But a great majority will have relied on their advisers, will have been tacitly encouraged by the attitude of the BBC (‘how could the BBC be involved in tax avoidance?’) or other major broadcasters, and will have been fortified by the many years in which HMRC seemed barely to bother to apply IR35.
Is it really fair that we point the finger only at the presenter? Should the BBC escape moral obloquy? And what of the army of advisers?"
Jo came to the UK from New Zealand in his teens, and worked initially as a clerk, at the BBC where he wrote a play for Radio 4 and a feature for Radio 3, before studying law.
Taxing times
The BBC will be hoping it doesn't end up with four mini-Carrie-ons next Tuesday, when four employees appear in front of the DCMS Select Committee answering questions about tax and personal service companies.
The four are Stuart Linnell MBE, a big figure in radio broadcasting across the Midlands, currently hosting 1500-1800 weekdays on Radio Northampton; Kirsty Lang (Mrs Misha McMafia Glenny), who's been part of the Radio 4 Front Row presenting team since 2004; Paul 'Money Box' Lewis; and the shy, retiring Liz Kershaw, 30 years with the BBC, currently presenting a Saturday show on Radio 6Music.
The BBC has declined an invitation to attend, according to the Press Gazette. A BBC spokesperson tells the organ “We appeared before the Select Committee very recently, and are doing a huge amount of work to make progress in this area. As we have told the Committee we are open to appearing before them again once we have more to update them on and have had a chance to consider any new evidence presented on Tuesday.”
You'd have thought, with such a talented and efficient HR team, there would be no new evidence that the four might present to their employer.
The four are Stuart Linnell MBE, a big figure in radio broadcasting across the Midlands, currently hosting 1500-1800 weekdays on Radio Northampton; Kirsty Lang (Mrs Misha McMafia Glenny), who's been part of the Radio 4 Front Row presenting team since 2004; Paul 'Money Box' Lewis; and the shy, retiring Liz Kershaw, 30 years with the BBC, currently presenting a Saturday show on Radio 6Music.
The BBC has declined an invitation to attend, according to the Press Gazette. A BBC spokesperson tells the organ “We appeared before the Select Committee very recently, and are doing a huge amount of work to make progress in this area. As we have told the Committee we are open to appearing before them again once we have more to update them on and have had a chance to consider any new evidence presented on Tuesday.”
You'd have thought, with such a talented and efficient HR team, there would be no new evidence that the four might present to their employer.
Friday, March 16, 2018
Stale males
I'm sure that the owners of The Times won't mind me sharing these op-ed thoughts from columnist Sathnam Sanghera
I see that on its website the BBC has advertised the role of director of reward to help it with retention, when what it really needs is a director of employee turnover. Bad people need to leave to make sure that good people get promoted and if the BBC is sincere about employing more women, working-class people, disabled people, etc, so that it reflects those who pay for its services, then it also needs to ensure that some of the stale, male staff who have always been in charge leave. Just the briefest glance at the BBC’s star names reveals that they don’t.
I see that on its website the BBC has advertised the role of director of reward to help it with retention, when what it really needs is a director of employee turnover. Bad people need to leave to make sure that good people get promoted and if the BBC is sincere about employing more women, working-class people, disabled people, etc, so that it reflects those who pay for its services, then it also needs to ensure that some of the stale, male staff who have always been in charge leave. Just the briefest glance at the BBC’s star names reveals that they don’t.
New jockey
Some of the BBC's computer changes take so long that it's hardly a surprise when a project director retires half way through. BBC News is saying farewell to the person in charge of their move to a new production system, OpenMedia, when he's in his mid-fifties (perhaps he couldn't be persuaded to see it through...)
Staff have been told that the "re-start of the roll-out" is underway, and heading towards the teams at Broadcasting House in late June.
Staff have been told that the "re-start of the roll-out" is underway, and heading towards the teams at Broadcasting House in late June.
Thursday, March 15, 2018
Streaming maths
Reuters have found Amazon Prime's calculations for judging their investment in video on-demand programming.
They note what customers watch first when they become subscribers, and assume that was the show that made them sign up. Then they divide the show's production costs by those new members.
The figures seen by Reuters put Grand Tour Season 1 as Amazon's best investment, adding 1.5m new subscribers around the world, at $49 a head. That would put the season's production costs at $73.5m, for 13 episodes - $5.65m each.
Amazon Prime costs around £79 in
the UK, equivalent to 110 dollars.
Knocking on
Anyone seen any plans from the BBC on licence fees for the over-75s ?
The government used to cover the cost, but thrust the sticky end of the stick to the BBC in their well 'ard negotiations for a new Charter. Financial responsibilty moves to the BBC over three years, from 2018/19.
If the BBC has chosen to cough for the benefit, it should be telling us soon. Currently licence fee payers are advised to start the claim process in their 74th year, arranging a shorter licence to take them to their 75th birthday.
Wednesday, March 14, 2018
Bright
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| Kerris and chum |
Kerris left Sussex University with a Ph.D in molecular neuroscience (working on pond snails); however, her 'love of shopping' took her to Unilever, where she 'peddled perfume and pregnancy tests'. Ten years later, she was appointed to market Dulux - a nine-year gig. A short year followed with British Airways, then Ideal Standard, providing 'bathroom solutions' before arriving at Virgin Media three years ago.
Here's Kerris on 'leading with vision and purpose' (and your right hand) from 2014
Tuesday, March 13, 2018
New stuff
Hacks love political and diplomatic deadlines, but may once again be let down by midnight tonight.
Novichok was tested in the 1980s at a Russian centre in Nukus, Uzbekistan. After the break-up of the Soviet Union in 1991, the Russian scientists abandoned the "Chemical Research Institute" in 1992. In 1999 the US agreed to spend $6m helping the Uzbeks dismantle and de-contaminate the site.
Plenty of room for fudging who had access to the stuff.
Novichok was tested in the 1980s at a Russian centre in Nukus, Uzbekistan. After the break-up of the Soviet Union in 1991, the Russian scientists abandoned the "Chemical Research Institute" in 1992. In 1999 the US agreed to spend $6m helping the Uzbeks dismantle and de-contaminate the site.
Plenty of room for fudging who had access to the stuff.
Monday, March 12, 2018
Well I never....
You have to admire the BBC Imagine team for their flexibility. Andrew Lloyd Webber is surprisingly turning 70 in ten days time, and has a new book, Unmasked, to publicise. So next Monday, as a surprise addition to Imagine's Winter Season, Alan Yentob shines his relentless light into the dark corners of the shrinking composer's life, for a generous 90 minutes. Viewers who've never had access to BBC tv and radio since 1970 will undoubtedly learn something new. Monday night, 2245 - the new home of flagship arts coverage on BBC1.
Expert view
Regular readers will be delighted to learn that Ashley Highfield has made it onto another Government advisory panel. The Johnston Press CEO is one of ten members supporting Dame Frances Cairncross in a Matthew Hancock-sponsored review of "press sustainability".
Ashley was an advisor to John Whittingdale during the BBC Charter Review. One of the BBC offers to the Culture Secretary was to fund local reporters covering councils and courts, to be used by local papers. Johnston Press has ended up with 30 under the scheme. When Ashley joined JP, it boasted 4,581 employees - in the last full year it had 2,495. The latest annual report is due in April.
Ashley was an advisor to John Whittingdale during the BBC Charter Review. One of the BBC offers to the Culture Secretary was to fund local reporters covering councils and courts, to be used by local papers. Johnston Press has ended up with 30 under the scheme. When Ashley joined JP, it boasted 4,581 employees - in the last full year it had 2,495. The latest annual report is due in April.
Circular
Pay attention, and see if you can help me out here. In October 2016, BBC America (majority shareholder BBC Worldwide) commissions tv mini-series Killing Eve (made by UK-based Sid Gentle Films, majority shareholder and international distributor BBC Worldwide). In December 2016, IMG join the party to provide finance and international sales for Killing Eve. Last week saw BBC1 and BBC3 strike a deal with Endeavor Content, a new rights and finance wing of IMG, based in Beverly Hills and New York, to buy the series for the UK.
Questions: how much did the BBC pay, and how much goes to Worldwide ?
Questions: how much did the BBC pay, and how much goes to Worldwide ?
Solar
BBC1's big 2018 sitcom investment, Hold The Sunset, is still drifting towards the horizon. The first episode was watched by 6.21m, with a very healthy 29.1% share. Last night it was down to 3.84m (18.7%) - still very healthy for a first-run, and, though the writing is still disjointed, the actors are finding their way into more relaxed ensemble playing which may yet see a second series.
Nonetheless, next week it's up against the return of The Durrells on ITV.
Nonetheless, next week it's up against the return of The Durrells on ITV.
Staying power
The BBC is very pleased with the January figures for iPlayer, with record requests at 328m across the month, and much is made of the pull of drama and box sets.
But the figures show that audiences who use iPlayer to catch-up are no more likely to stay with a drama series than those who watch on live tv. 3,356,000 requests were made to watch the first episode of McMafia. Some will have done that, and then followed the rest of the series on broadcast tv; but by the time you get to episode 5, the iPlayer requests fall to 1,171,000.
Episode 1 of Hard Sun got 2,191,000 requests; by the end of the month, episode 3 had fallen to 1,163,000. Episode 1 of the latest series of Silent Witness, in itself a two parter, was watched by 2,261,000 via the iPlayer; episode 2 got 1,113,000 requests.
But the figures show that audiences who use iPlayer to catch-up are no more likely to stay with a drama series than those who watch on live tv. 3,356,000 requests were made to watch the first episode of McMafia. Some will have done that, and then followed the rest of the series on broadcast tv; but by the time you get to episode 5, the iPlayer requests fall to 1,171,000.
Episode 1 of Hard Sun got 2,191,000 requests; by the end of the month, episode 3 had fallen to 1,163,000. Episode 1 of the latest series of Silent Witness, in itself a two parter, was watched by 2,261,000 via the iPlayer; episode 2 got 1,113,000 requests.
Sunday, March 11, 2018
Middle East News
Troy (spoiler: it sort of falls in the end, you know) dropped to 1.61m, 9.5% share, for last night's fourth episode. There's only four more to go. The BBC1 late news, usually a banker for 4m, was down to 2.66m.
Episode 1 of Troy: Fall of a City has consolidated to 4.06m (original overnight 3.21m).
Episode 1 of Troy: Fall of a City has consolidated to 4.06m (original overnight 3.21m).
Maggie Stredder RIP
The voice of Maggie Stredder, who's died at the age of 82, threads through British pop over 50 years. Born in Birkenhead in 1936, she worked at Vernons, the football pools betting company founded in Liverpool in 1925 (just a year after pioneers Littlewoods). Hundreds of women were hired to check coupons, working at weekends in huge open plan halls, scanning for punters' forms for those that had found the magic eight draws. In the 1950s (and perhaps earlier) there was a works women's choir (as there was at Littlewoods), but the Vernons Girls moved with the times, and in 1958, 16 of them were hired by Jack Good to appear on 'Oh Boy !'
They appeared in all 38 editions, but in 1960 broke up. The Vernons Girls shrunk to three, but others went on their own - The Breakaways, The Pearls, The Redmond Twins. Maggie set up The Two Tones, and then The DeLaine Sisters, before forming The Ladybirds in 1962.
In late 1965 the Ladybirds signed to Decca Records, and in November that year provided backing vocals for Marc Bolan's first single, The Wizard. Maggie was added to the voices of Madeline Bell and Lesley Duncan behind Dusty Springfield for her 1966/67 BBC TV series.
Also in 1966, The Ladybirds were recruited to provide vocal backing for Top of the Pops. They lasted until 10 August 1978, when they were replaced a week later by The Maggie Stredder Singers. They were dropped in 1980, but the Ladybirds by then had a huge portfolio of tv light entertainment shows, including 60 Benny Hill shows. myriad Two Ronnies, and more SingalongaMax Bygraves shows than anyone needs.
They sang on Sandie Shaw's 1967 Eurovision winner Puppet On A String, and on Olivia Newton-John's 1974 entry, Long Live Love.
They appeared in all 38 editions, but in 1960 broke up. The Vernons Girls shrunk to three, but others went on their own - The Breakaways, The Pearls, The Redmond Twins. Maggie set up The Two Tones, and then The DeLaine Sisters, before forming The Ladybirds in 1962.
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| Maggie, far left, in her trademark glasses, with some other singers |
In late 1965 the Ladybirds signed to Decca Records, and in November that year provided backing vocals for Marc Bolan's first single, The Wizard. Maggie was added to the voices of Madeline Bell and Lesley Duncan behind Dusty Springfield for her 1966/67 BBC TV series.
Also in 1966, The Ladybirds were recruited to provide vocal backing for Top of the Pops. They lasted until 10 August 1978, when they were replaced a week later by The Maggie Stredder Singers. They were dropped in 1980, but the Ladybirds by then had a huge portfolio of tv light entertainment shows, including 60 Benny Hill shows. myriad Two Ronnies, and more SingalongaMax Bygraves shows than anyone needs.
They sang on Sandie Shaw's 1967 Eurovision winner Puppet On A String, and on Olivia Newton-John's 1974 entry, Long Live Love.
Saturday, March 10, 2018
Open door
Ofcom says some kind of public service broadcasting rival to Netflix/Amazon would be alright, in its latest report...
"PSBs have sought to join forces in the past. In 2007, they put forward a proposal ‘Kangaroo’ to distribute their on-demand programming together. It was rejected by competition authorities at the time out of a concern that it would weaken the position of other players in the market. Since then the market dynamics have changed significantly. The competition framework would need to take account of those developments were a similar proposal to be put forward today. Part of the broader context would be the importance of preserving public service broadcasting alongside a consideration of market impacts."
"PSBs have sought to join forces in the past. In 2007, they put forward a proposal ‘Kangaroo’ to distribute their on-demand programming together. It was rejected by competition authorities at the time out of a concern that it would weaken the position of other players in the market. Since then the market dynamics have changed significantly. The competition framework would need to take account of those developments were a similar proposal to be put forward today. Part of the broader context would be the importance of preserving public service broadcasting alongside a consideration of market impacts."
The UK's most exciting new speech radio station
How are things going at TalkRADIO ? Around drivetime ?
16 replies. Someone else can do the work to find out if this one was actually read out: "Blimey. Talk about desperate. Is that supposed to be content? Do you actually get paid for this?"Here 's the deal ......— Eamonn Holmes (@EamonnHolmes) March 7, 2018
Tweet me or @IamSairaKhan between now and 7pm and we'll read it out on @talkRADIO - Simples.
Your time starts now. 👍 😃
- I'm not sure if Radio 4 now discusses its own shows formally on a regular basis (there used to be a big intimidating thing called the Radio Review Board). The editor, commissioner and Controller involved its creation should be made to listen to Only Artists: Toyah Wilcox and Alice Lowe at least once all the way through. Hard to believe anyone, 'cept maybe the producer, did.
Friday, March 9, 2018
Wiggy wiggy
They're still limbering up ahead of April's High Court Blockbuster, Sir Cliff v The BBC.
There was yet another pre-hearing session in front of Mr Justice Mann on Thursday. Sir Cliff's team, led by Justin Rushbrooke QC, argued that five passages from witness statements gathered by the BBC should be kept 'private'; the BBC, fronted by Gavin Millar QC, said the information was 'important and significant'. Justice Mann said it should stay under wraps for the time being, but he would review arguments during the full trial.
The BBC's lawyers also said Mr Justice Mann should be made aware of the full figure paid out when South Yorkshire Police agreed to pay the singer 'substantial damages'. Sir Cliff's team says no, because that might influence the judge's assessment of damages the BBC might have to pay. Mr Justice Mann long-grassed that one, too; he would make a decision on whether or not he should be told at a later date.
There was yet another pre-hearing session in front of Mr Justice Mann on Thursday. Sir Cliff's team, led by Justin Rushbrooke QC, argued that five passages from witness statements gathered by the BBC should be kept 'private'; the BBC, fronted by Gavin Millar QC, said the information was 'important and significant'. Justice Mann said it should stay under wraps for the time being, but he would review arguments during the full trial.
The BBC's lawyers also said Mr Justice Mann should be made aware of the full figure paid out when South Yorkshire Police agreed to pay the singer 'substantial damages'. Sir Cliff's team says no, because that might influence the judge's assessment of damages the BBC might have to pay. Mr Justice Mann long-grassed that one, too; he would make a decision on whether or not he should be told at a later date.
New for old
Overnights shouldn't be the true measure of the success or failure of Civilisations, but I thought I'd share them anyway. Episode 1 was watched by an average of 1.94m (9.7% share). This week it was down to 1.30m (7.3%).
Kenneth Clarke's suit and dodgy teeth version of the globe's cultural history back in 1969 started with around 1m on BBC2 - remember not everyone had a tv with three buttons then. Eventually it was shown in 60 countries; it took off in the States after a lunchtime screening at the National Gallery of Arts in Washington DC attracted a queue of over 20,000 for a theatre that seated 300.
Kenneth Clarke's suit and dodgy teeth version of the globe's cultural history back in 1969 started with around 1m on BBC2 - remember not everyone had a tv with three buttons then. Eventually it was shown in 60 countries; it took off in the States after a lunchtime screening at the National Gallery of Arts in Washington DC attracted a queue of over 20,000 for a theatre that seated 300.
Learning
It is a skill shared between Government and parts of the BBC: an occasionally-brazen ability to announce initiatives without identified funding.
BBC Education yesterday offered a new four-pronged Strategy. Baldly, Auntie will partner with the National Literacy Trust to find ways of improving the vocabulary of under-5s; partner with the CBI and the National Careers Service to find ways of preparing pupils for a working environment and giving them better careers advice; partner with the Open University on adult re-training; and do something about children's mental health.
Key element: "Over the next 12 months the BBC will work at pace with partners to explore these priorities in detail, build proposals and identify resources. We will update on our progress later this year."
BBC Education yesterday offered a new four-pronged Strategy. Baldly, Auntie will partner with the National Literacy Trust to find ways of improving the vocabulary of under-5s; partner with the CBI and the National Careers Service to find ways of preparing pupils for a working environment and giving them better careers advice; partner with the Open University on adult re-training; and do something about children's mental health.
Key element: "Over the next 12 months the BBC will work at pace with partners to explore these priorities in detail, build proposals and identify resources. We will update on our progress later this year."
Chapeau
Hats off to the beleaguered strategists of Channel 4 - their cunning plan, unveiled yesterday, has seen off Whittingdale, Bradley and Hancock and protected the Horseferry Road Lifestyle with only slight bruising. 300 out of 800 staff face life in new 'Creative Hubs' outside London, but there's no commitment that they'll be big commissioners. Horseferry Road is not for sale.
The big mover is the Channel 4 News provider, ITN - and even they get to keep their London newsroom, plus appoint some 200 new staff around the UK, in three new bureaux, enabling regional co-presentation. It's a hell of a spend on a bulletin hovering around 700k viewers a night....and there's no obvious new income in this manoeuvre.
C4 promises to spend 50% of its programme budget outside London by 2023. On current figures, that would see £169m rise to £350m.
The big mover is the Channel 4 News provider, ITN - and even they get to keep their London newsroom, plus appoint some 200 new staff around the UK, in three new bureaux, enabling regional co-presentation. It's a hell of a spend on a bulletin hovering around 700k viewers a night....and there's no obvious new income in this manoeuvre.
C4 promises to spend 50% of its programme budget outside London by 2023. On current figures, that would see £169m rise to £350m.
Thursday, March 8, 2018
Opera Buffa
I'm sure Stuart Murphy (St Mary's RC School Ilkley and Clare College, Cambridge) is highly qualified for his new role as Chief Executive of the English National Opera. He did, after all, commission two 'Flashmob' opera performances whilst at the BBC - one at Paddington Station and one at Meadowhall Shopping Centre in Sheffield.
Stuart left Sky in 2015, and a number of days in this interim period have been taken up running marathons and half-marathons with his partner, tv producer David Clews, with the pair dressed as Batman and Robin.
Director of Sky Arts, Phil Edgar-Jones has been a member of the ENO Board since September 2016. Phil was appointed Head of Entertainment at Sky by Stuartin 2011, and to the Arts job by Stuart in 2014.
Stuart left Sky in 2015, and a number of days in this interim period have been taken up running marathons and half-marathons with his partner, tv producer David Clews, with the pair dressed as Batman and Robin.
Director of Sky Arts, Phil Edgar-Jones has been a member of the ENO Board since September 2016. Phil was appointed Head of Entertainment at Sky by Stuartin 2011, and to the Arts job by Stuart in 2014.
Lenders
Yesterday's NAO report on the BBC's commercial operations reminded us of the existence of BBC Commercial Holdings. This body decides what to do with Auntie's non-licence fee income, sometimes agreeing to loan back contributions from BBC Worldwide, particularly when (at present) that's a cheaper way of borrowing money than going to market.
It seems to have had a shake-up at the end of last year - somehow, it had developed 125,789,934 £1 shares - I can't find who held them. Now that's been reduced to £50,000 in authorised share capital. The company also has two new non-executive directors - step forward old BBC trusties Sir Howard Stringer and Dharmash Mistry.
According to the NAO, BBC Commercial Holdings has borrowings of £201 million, against a DCMS limit of £350m. It has loaned £198m back to BBC Worldwide and £53m back to BBC Global News.
It seems to have had a shake-up at the end of last year - somehow, it had developed 125,789,934 £1 shares - I can't find who held them. Now that's been reduced to £50,000 in authorised share capital. The company also has two new non-executive directors - step forward old BBC trusties Sir Howard Stringer and Dharmash Mistry.
According to the NAO, BBC Commercial Holdings has borrowings of £201 million, against a DCMS limit of £350m. It has loaned £198m back to BBC Worldwide and £53m back to BBC Global News.
Wednesday, March 7, 2018
Closer co-operation between editorial and advertising teams....
The National Audit Office has published a review of the BBC's commercial operations, and offers a view of the risks and challenges ahead. I offer this section on BBC Global News, which includes the tv news channel BBC World and the news bits of bbc.com, in profit (£400k after tax) for the first time in five years. (Global News borrowing from BBC Commercial Holdings has increased by 54% over the same five years....)
BBC Global News
3.24 In line with other commercial providers of international news, Global News faces a significant challenge to achieve sustainable profitability in the coming years. It expects that structural changes to the TV advertising and distribution sales markets will continue to exert downward pressure on its revenue (paragraph 3.3). Also, from 2017-18, it is fully incorporating the BBC’s TV and digital advertising sales operations. Previously, Worldwide sold such advertising on behalf of the World News channel, in return for a commission. Given the decline in sales in recent years, this commission no longer fully covered Worldwide’s costs. Assuming direct responsibility for TV and digital advertising sales will require Global News to make economies, but the subsidiary also believes that it will allow for closer cooperation between editorial and advertising teams.
3.25 In response to these challenges, Global News plans to reduce costs or increase revenue across its operations by over £12 million a year by 2019-20. The BBC has also approached the government to discuss alternative sources of income for some of Global News’ operations.
BBC Global News
3.24 In line with other commercial providers of international news, Global News faces a significant challenge to achieve sustainable profitability in the coming years. It expects that structural changes to the TV advertising and distribution sales markets will continue to exert downward pressure on its revenue (paragraph 3.3). Also, from 2017-18, it is fully incorporating the BBC’s TV and digital advertising sales operations. Previously, Worldwide sold such advertising on behalf of the World News channel, in return for a commission. Given the decline in sales in recent years, this commission no longer fully covered Worldwide’s costs. Assuming direct responsibility for TV and digital advertising sales will require Global News to make economies, but the subsidiary also believes that it will allow for closer cooperation between editorial and advertising teams.
3.25 In response to these challenges, Global News plans to reduce costs or increase revenue across its operations by over £12 million a year by 2019-20. The BBC has also approached the government to discuss alternative sources of income for some of Global News’ operations.
It's a feeling thing
You'd hardly expected the leading BBC channel for yoof to be up itself. It was already a tad pretentious when it moved online. It said it would have two 'editorial pillars' - 'Make Me Think' and 'Make Me Laugh'. These turned out to be factual programmes and comedy programmes.
Today, BBC Three gets an extra £10m for a third 'editorial pillar', but I'm blowed if I can work out what it's about. Here's the relevant section of press release, starting with the words of Controller Damian Kavanagh, 48 ( Presentation College, Glasthule; University College, Dublin).
"Our aim is to bring a new spirit to our content which celebrates young people and their passions by commissioning new, innovative, contemporary takes on Fact-Ent, Formats and Entertainment which will unite and inspire our young audience.”
Under the new pillar, BBC Three will extend its focus and will be on the look-out for ideas with feel-good, entertaining propositions at their heart that celebrate and unite young people and get them talking. The new pillar will inject a different tone to BBC Three and provide more creative opportunities for programme makers to connect with young audiences in addition to the original pillars.
Charlotte Moore, Director BBC Content, says: "We are reinventing the BBC for a new generation and BBC Three's role in that is more important than ever. I'm really proud of what Damian and the team have achieved over the last two years and this extra investment is a clear signal of our commitment to entertaining young audiences into the future."
Today, BBC Three gets an extra £10m for a third 'editorial pillar', but I'm blowed if I can work out what it's about. Here's the relevant section of press release, starting with the words of Controller Damian Kavanagh, 48 ( Presentation College, Glasthule; University College, Dublin).
"Our aim is to bring a new spirit to our content which celebrates young people and their passions by commissioning new, innovative, contemporary takes on Fact-Ent, Formats and Entertainment which will unite and inspire our young audience.”
Under the new pillar, BBC Three will extend its focus and will be on the look-out for ideas with feel-good, entertaining propositions at their heart that celebrate and unite young people and get them talking. The new pillar will inject a different tone to BBC Three and provide more creative opportunities for programme makers to connect with young audiences in addition to the original pillars.
Charlotte Moore, Director BBC Content, says: "We are reinventing the BBC for a new generation and BBC Three's role in that is more important than ever. I'm really proud of what Damian and the team have achieved over the last two years and this extra investment is a clear signal of our commitment to entertaining young audiences into the future."
All quiet
If you're clocking in for more on Lord Hall's big speech to staff, you may have a wait. The BBC DG has a chest infection and won't be intoning today.
Tuesday, March 6, 2018
See through
And while we're on about transparency, there's a page on "Inside The BBC" with just that word. Clicking on it takes you to a page with the title 'Accountability' - 'We are committed to being open and transparent.' My commentary inserted....
Salaries and Expenses
Every quarter we release reports on salaries, expenses and other claims by senior management
Salaries last updated July last year, expenses stuck at Q4 2016/7
Statements of Programme Policy
Every spring the we publish a statement of commitments for each of its services
Last published 2014/5
Freedom of Information
This act gives the public a right of access to all types of recorded information held by public authorities
Disclosure logs last updated 2014
Audience measurement
Quarterly reports on how audiences use BBC programmes and services
Last updated June 2015
Salaries and Expenses
Every quarter we release reports on salaries, expenses and other claims by senior management
Salaries last updated July last year, expenses stuck at Q4 2016/7
Statements of Programme Policy
Every spring the we publish a statement of commitments for each of its services
Last published 2014/5
Freedom of Information
This act gives the public a right of access to all types of recorded information held by public authorities
Disclosure logs last updated 2014
Audience measurement
Quarterly reports on how audiences use BBC programmes and services
Last updated June 2015
Billet-doux
Frustrating times for BBC DG Lord Hall. His not-inconsiderable internal comms team is failing to persuade large numbers of staff that, despite the expensive application of external consultants, accountants, barristers and judges, and a move from GRADES (old-fashioned) to CAREER PATH FRAMEWORKS (très moderne), they're likely to be fairly rewarded.
Once again, they've come up with a LETTER, this time to the Guardian, calling for full pay transparency. "Full publication of individual salaries and benefits (and other payments through BBC Studios and all commercial arms) would have a lasting positive impact on the culture of the BBC and beyond." There are 200 signatories (86 have witheld their names from publication), and it seems the greatest preponderance feed the BBC News machine.
Now Tone will have re-write part of his widely-trailed speech to staff tomorrow.
Once again, they've come up with a LETTER, this time to the Guardian, calling for full pay transparency. "Full publication of individual salaries and benefits (and other payments through BBC Studios and all commercial arms) would have a lasting positive impact on the culture of the BBC and beyond." There are 200 signatories (86 have witheld their names from publication), and it seems the greatest preponderance feed the BBC News machine.
Now Tone will have re-write part of his widely-trailed speech to staff tomorrow.
Monday, March 5, 2018
Amazonian
BBC DG Lord Hall will use a speech to staff this week take aim at the "West Coast Giants" - the so-called "Fang" companies, Facebook, Amazon, Netflix and Google.
Entertainingly, in a current job ad for a Senior Architect, Audience Platform, the blurb helpfully explains that candidates must be familiar with S3 (Amazon Cloud Storage), Redshift (an Amazon data-warehouse), AWS (Amazon Web Services cloud computing), Lambda (An Amazon event-driven, serverless computing platform) and Kinesis (an Amazon tool to work with real-time streaming data).
Entertainingly, in a current job ad for a Senior Architect, Audience Platform, the blurb helpfully explains that candidates must be familiar with S3 (Amazon Cloud Storage), Redshift (an Amazon data-warehouse), AWS (Amazon Web Services cloud computing), Lambda (An Amazon event-driven, serverless computing platform) and Kinesis (an Amazon tool to work with real-time streaming data).
Drain
I reckon whatever contingency BBC News built in to its budget for this year (not a habit with James Harding, I surmise) has gone.
At the weekend, Carrie Gracie revealed to the Sunday Telegraph that she'd been offered £105k in back pay (not accepted) in a bid to resolve her equal pay grievance as China Editor. That's just for three years. Lord knows how much Sarah Montague is due, and there'll be dozens more doing their own calculations on the basis of the Gracie offer.
Also in The Telegraph, a letter from 170 anonymous BBC presenters, trying to call the BBC's bluster over personal service companies, adamant that the managers forced them to work that way, and therefore must take some of the financial responsibility for the HMRC's claims for back tax.
‘Presenters were told that if they did not form a PSC, the BBC would no longer give them any work. Many of them did not want to set up a PSC but felt they had no choice To suggest that working through a PSC was a free choice is simply nonsense – and the BBC knows it is untrue.' 170 times.
Are we going to get 170 denials ? The BBC refers back to a Deloitte report it commissioned in 2012, which, it says, found no evidence of tax avoidance, or individuals being forced to move from staff contracts onto PSCs. Note that leaves out the question of 'freelances', of which there were many.
The Deloitte report sampled just 108 contracts, out of 3272 already on PSCs; the BBC's freelance on-air population at the time was over 45,000. The Deloitte report says the BBC had, at that time, a clear policy of engaging on-air talent through PSCs "where contracts are likely to exceed six months in duration or over £10k in value, rather than engaging them as employed or self-employed following the application of employment status tests".
Is a 'clear policy' enough of an arm-twister ?
At the weekend, Carrie Gracie revealed to the Sunday Telegraph that she'd been offered £105k in back pay (not accepted) in a bid to resolve her equal pay grievance as China Editor. That's just for three years. Lord knows how much Sarah Montague is due, and there'll be dozens more doing their own calculations on the basis of the Gracie offer.
Also in The Telegraph, a letter from 170 anonymous BBC presenters, trying to call the BBC's bluster over personal service companies, adamant that the managers forced them to work that way, and therefore must take some of the financial responsibility for the HMRC's claims for back tax.
‘Presenters were told that if they did not form a PSC, the BBC would no longer give them any work. Many of them did not want to set up a PSC but felt they had no choice To suggest that working through a PSC was a free choice is simply nonsense – and the BBC knows it is untrue.' 170 times.
Are we going to get 170 denials ? The BBC refers back to a Deloitte report it commissioned in 2012, which, it says, found no evidence of tax avoidance, or individuals being forced to move from staff contracts onto PSCs. Note that leaves out the question of 'freelances', of which there were many.
The Deloitte report sampled just 108 contracts, out of 3272 already on PSCs; the BBC's freelance on-air population at the time was over 45,000. The Deloitte report says the BBC had, at that time, a clear policy of engaging on-air talent through PSCs "where contracts are likely to exceed six months in duration or over £10k in value, rather than engaging them as employed or self-employed following the application of employment status tests".
Is a 'clear policy' enough of an arm-twister ?
Dongled
Lord Hall seems to be trying to put legs back on Project Kangaroo, hobbled by the UK Competition Commission back in 2009.
According to The Sunday Times, he will use a speech to his troops on Wednesday to 'propose unprecedented collaboration between the BBC and Channel 4 and ITV, two other broadcasters who have public service duties. Their previous attempt to co-operate, on a precursor to Netflix, was blocked in 2009 by regulators on competition grounds, a decision described by a BBC source as “shortsighted” and “naive”.'
It's clear BBC strategists are spooked by the way we turn on our televisions these days, opening landing pages much more sexy than the old EPGs, with films, box sets and exclusive expensive content much more interesting than The One Show and the fourteenth semi-final of Masterchef.
Maybe the DG's been warned that just 're-inventing iPlayer' won't hack it, and, if it's the only ace in his hand, will inevitably lead to a subscription-based BBC tv. A groovy new platform, with seamless switching between iPlayer, the ITV Hub and All4, plus loads of British back-catalogue, perhaps even delivered through a dongle, may be the best bet. He needs to move fast.
According to The Sunday Times, he will use a speech to his troops on Wednesday to 'propose unprecedented collaboration between the BBC and Channel 4 and ITV, two other broadcasters who have public service duties. Their previous attempt to co-operate, on a precursor to Netflix, was blocked in 2009 by regulators on competition grounds, a decision described by a BBC source as “shortsighted” and “naive”.'
It's clear BBC strategists are spooked by the way we turn on our televisions these days, opening landing pages much more sexy than the old EPGs, with films, box sets and exclusive expensive content much more interesting than The One Show and the fourteenth semi-final of Masterchef.
Maybe the DG's been warned that just 're-inventing iPlayer' won't hack it, and, if it's the only ace in his hand, will inevitably lead to a subscription-based BBC tv. A groovy new platform, with seamless switching between iPlayer, the ITV Hub and All4, plus loads of British back-catalogue, perhaps even delivered through a dongle, may be the best bet. He needs to move fast.
Sunday, March 4, 2018
Decline
Troy: Fall Of A Series dropped below the 2m mark for its third episode. An average of 1.92m were watching - 10.1% of the available audience.
Timing
There's probably a long piece to be written about the parallel declines of Arsene Wenger and Alan Yentob - but not by me.
The latest edition of the BBC1 flagship arts programme Imagine goes out after Newsnight on Monday on BBC2. It's Al in conversation with Philip Pullman. Filming began in November; Philip's La Belle Sauvage came out in October.
The following Monday, Imagine offers a remake of a 2015 Swedish documentary about Ingmar Bergman.
The latest edition of the BBC1 flagship arts programme Imagine goes out after Newsnight on Monday on BBC2. It's Al in conversation with Philip Pullman. Filming began in November; Philip's La Belle Sauvage came out in October.
The following Monday, Imagine offers a remake of a 2015 Swedish documentary about Ingmar Bergman.
Saturday, March 3, 2018
Birthday boy
BBC DG Lord Hall celebrates his 67th birthday today with a column in The Times, reflecting on social mobility.
"As someone who grew up on Merseyside in a household where neither parent was university educated, and who was lucky enough to be awarded a council-funded place at an independent school, it’s something I have always been passionate about."
He lays out his track record at the Royal Opera House and the BBC, and heralds two new pre-employment training schemes from Auntie.
"The first, based in London and Salford, is designed to level the playing field for 50 school leavers from socially diverse backgrounds. Developed with the Sutton Trust, it will support disadvantaged students to apply for sought-after apprenticeships both in the BBC and across the wider creative sector.
"The second, based in Cardiff, will offer ten full-time paid traineeships to high-potential raw talent. Each trainee will receive intensive BBC training in journalism and all the support they need to give them a fair shot at ten brand new BBC Wales journalism apprenticeships."
"As someone who grew up on Merseyside in a household where neither parent was university educated, and who was lucky enough to be awarded a council-funded place at an independent school, it’s something I have always been passionate about."
He lays out his track record at the Royal Opera House and the BBC, and heralds two new pre-employment training schemes from Auntie.
"The first, based in London and Salford, is designed to level the playing field for 50 school leavers from socially diverse backgrounds. Developed with the Sutton Trust, it will support disadvantaged students to apply for sought-after apprenticeships both in the BBC and across the wider creative sector.
"The second, based in Cardiff, will offer ten full-time paid traineeships to high-potential raw talent. Each trainee will receive intensive BBC training in journalism and all the support they need to give them a fair shot at ten brand new BBC Wales journalism apprenticeships."
Liability
Culture Select Committee chair Damian Collins used Twitter to re-inforce his remarks to the Broadcasting Press Guild, that there were questions to be asked about the BBC's tax liabilities in making news presenters work via personal service companies.
The BBC response was cool. "Until last year it was the responsibility of individuals engaged through personal service companies to ensure they paid the correct tax, and it was made clear they should take advice from a professional financial adviser to confirm their self-employed status."
If Damian really launches a full evidence-gathering session, it will be an opportunity for some former finance and HR bosses at News to enjoy a visit to Parliament. And provide us with some fun.
Read my comments in - BBC should be liable for 'scandal' of presenters' tax bills, says DCMS chairman' | via @telegraph https://t.co/c6VEd3Yq4x— Damian Collins (@DamianCollins) March 2, 2018
The BBC response was cool. "Until last year it was the responsibility of individuals engaged through personal service companies to ensure they paid the correct tax, and it was made clear they should take advice from a professional financial adviser to confirm their self-employed status."
If Damian really launches a full evidence-gathering session, it will be an opportunity for some former finance and HR bosses at News to enjoy a visit to Parliament. And provide us with some fun.
Carrie's World
In case you're wondering, Carrie Gracie, who apparently re-appointed herself to the role of BBC-jobbing presenter from China Editor, has re-surfaced as the regular host of an hour-long discussion on the World Service. Formerly known as Newshour Extra (and often presented by Ritula Shah), it has been re-branded The Real Story, and so far, Carrie has led editions on Russia's Information Wars and, playing to Carrie's strengths, 'Xi Who Would Be King'.
Ritula's last edition was amusingly titled "Should Your Pay Be Private ?"
Ritula's last edition was amusingly titled "Should Your Pay Be Private ?"
Friday, March 2, 2018
Flaky
Snowmageddon is still driving viewers to the BBC1 regional and national news optouts. At 6.30pm yesterday, they averaged a total 8.56m viewers, beating everything else all night by more than a million. At lunchtime, the regional BBC1 bulletins doubled their total audience from Thursday last week, to stand at 4.67m.
Egg timer
A difficult financial year for computer projects in BBC News. First there was the still-unexplained delay to the new MeteoGroup weather system, which meant an extension to the existing contract with the Met Office - and presumably, some double-spend. Now I hear that the roll-out of the replacement for the old warhorse newsroom computer system ENPS has ground to a halt.
The new system, Annova's Open Media, is in operation on Salford and the West Midlands. The anxiety with delays to this sort of implementation is that, when the time comes for switchover, the hacks will have forgotten all their training and have to be put through it again.
The new system, Annova's Open Media, is in operation on Salford and the West Midlands. The anxiety with delays to this sort of implementation is that, when the time comes for switchover, the hacks will have forgotten all their training and have to be put through it again.
Sense of place
Three hours of Radio Scotland yesterday came from Salford, with presenter Calum Macdonald broadcasting from a borrowed 5 Live back-up studio at MediaCityUK.
Not my cup of tea, and rather odd that he didn't mention his circumstances, at least in the first 15 minutes, while barking out for callers to tell him what it was like 'out there'. Out there being the central Scotland belt, rather than Ordsall, Swinton and Eccles.
Not my cup of tea, and rather odd that he didn't mention his circumstances, at least in the first 15 minutes, while barking out for callers to tell him what it was like 'out there'. Out there being the central Scotland belt, rather than Ordsall, Swinton and Eccles.
The Beast from the East means this Mouth Living Down South is on @BBCRadioScot from 9am tomorrow.— Calum Macdonald (@CalumAM) February 28, 2018
(Literally everyone else is snowed in and can’t get to a studio)
How’s the snow with you? Lemme know and let’s be a snow day family tomorrow at 9am! pic.twitter.com/cxztxM5vbz
Thursday, March 1, 2018
Canapes
Odds and ends from last night's RTS Awards at the Hilton on Park Lane. Those bored with proceedings could spend time counting the number of Sky News employees who went on stage when the beleagured operation won News Channel of the Year. Two dozen ? Thirty ? A full day shift ? Not like controlling John Ryley to stand for that sort of behaviour - though some say it was because he said it would be alright.
Not enough awards to keep you from sleep ? Fergal Keane, up for news coverage of Yemen, called for a Producer of the Year category. Victoria Derbyshire, about to lose Louisa Compton to Dispatches, called for Editor of the Year.
Gabriel Gatehouse paid tribute to his former Newsnight editor Ian Katz; Emily Maitlis was brasher, with a shout-out to 'Comrade Katz' - 'We miss you'. Mr Katz was not present, but incoming Newsnight editor Esme Wren was watching her new charges from a Sky News table.
On the #metoo front, C4's Dorothy Byrne was revealing and upbeat. After telling the audience of a sexual assault when she was a young producer, she had a message. "To any men here who are considering that some woman they see tonight could be their victim - she could be your boss tomorrow".
Not enough awards to keep you from sleep ? Fergal Keane, up for news coverage of Yemen, called for a Producer of the Year category. Victoria Derbyshire, about to lose Louisa Compton to Dispatches, called for Editor of the Year.
Gabriel Gatehouse paid tribute to his former Newsnight editor Ian Katz; Emily Maitlis was brasher, with a shout-out to 'Comrade Katz' - 'We miss you'. Mr Katz was not present, but incoming Newsnight editor Esme Wren was watching her new charges from a Sky News table.
On the #metoo front, C4's Dorothy Byrne was revealing and upbeat. After telling the audience of a sexual assault when she was a young producer, she had a message. "To any men here who are considering that some woman they see tonight could be their victim - she could be your boss tomorrow".
Stay at home
The weather wins it for TV News. Yesterday's Breakfast on BBC1 got an average of 2.15m - a whopping 45.1% of the available audience. Good Morning Britain will be pleased with 828k - 19.3% share.
BBC1's cluster of regional opt-outs at 6.30pm were big winners, totalling 7.48m/37%, the channel's biggest rating of the day. ITV's rival efforts scored 5.14m/27.4%.
Award-winning BBC News At Ten was watched by an average of 4.81m/28.8%. And the ITV version picked up 2.47m/15.4%.
BBC1's cluster of regional opt-outs at 6.30pm were big winners, totalling 7.48m/37%, the channel's biggest rating of the day. ITV's rival efforts scored 5.14m/27.4%.
Award-winning BBC News At Ten was watched by an average of 4.81m/28.8%. And the ITV version picked up 2.47m/15.4%.
As it should be...
There was reassurance for what you might call the old order of TV News last night at the RTS Awards, with something for most of the big beasts to take home from hostess Reeta Chakrabarti.
Sky News picked up the breaking news award, for coverage of the Manchester Arena bomb, and News Channel of The Year. Will this natural order of things next year feature Sky Fox News, Sky ABC News, or Sky NBC News ?
Panorama picked up the Home Current Affairs Award, for former G4S custody officer Callum Tulley going back undercover at an immigration detention centre. Newnight got the international award, for The Rohingya Crisis: The Tula Toli Massacre, with Gabriel Gatehouse.
Big money news show BBC News at Ten - next year much cheaper - won Daily News Programme of the Year. Victoria Derbyshire, on BBC2 and the News Channel, won Interview of the Year with their handling of football abuse revelations, and the title Network Presenter of The Year. Victoria pointed out her pride in the team, just three years old; "'in BBC HR terms, 'in development'".
ITV's London news operation picked up awards for coverage of the Grenfell Tower fire, and for presenter Nina Hossain. BBC North East & Cumbria won the Nations & Regions Current Affairs gong, for Operation Sanctuary, Chris Jackson's report on an Asian grooming gang in Newcastle.
BBC News won the international news coverage awards for Yemen, which also brought a Young Talent award for Nawal Al-Maghafi - and Orla Guerin won TV Journalist of the Year. Specialist Journalist of the Year was Michael Crick at C4 News. BBC News' Visual Journalism team won the technology prize for their NHS tracker.
Scoop of the Year went to CNN International for their work on slave markets in Libya.
The Judges' Awards went to "Exit Polls led by Sir John Curtice". The Outstanding Contribution Award went to Dorothy Byrne, who minds news and current affairs for C4 - next year, from Birmingham ?
Sky News picked up the breaking news award, for coverage of the Manchester Arena bomb, and News Channel of The Year. Will this natural order of things next year feature Sky Fox News, Sky ABC News, or Sky NBC News ?
Panorama picked up the Home Current Affairs Award, for former G4S custody officer Callum Tulley going back undercover at an immigration detention centre. Newnight got the international award, for The Rohingya Crisis: The Tula Toli Massacre, with Gabriel Gatehouse.
Big money news show BBC News at Ten - next year much cheaper - won Daily News Programme of the Year. Victoria Derbyshire, on BBC2 and the News Channel, won Interview of the Year with their handling of football abuse revelations, and the title Network Presenter of The Year. Victoria pointed out her pride in the team, just three years old; "'in BBC HR terms, 'in development'".
ITV's London news operation picked up awards for coverage of the Grenfell Tower fire, and for presenter Nina Hossain. BBC North East & Cumbria won the Nations & Regions Current Affairs gong, for Operation Sanctuary, Chris Jackson's report on an Asian grooming gang in Newcastle.
BBC News won the international news coverage awards for Yemen, which also brought a Young Talent award for Nawal Al-Maghafi - and Orla Guerin won TV Journalist of the Year. Specialist Journalist of the Year was Michael Crick at C4 News. BBC News' Visual Journalism team won the technology prize for their NHS tracker.
Scoop of the Year went to CNN International for their work on slave markets in Libya.
The Judges' Awards went to "Exit Polls led by Sir John Curtice". The Outstanding Contribution Award went to Dorothy Byrne, who minds news and current affairs for C4 - next year, from Birmingham ?
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