Artistic

Whilst I disagree with most of the analysis of BBC output in Ofcom's first performance review, it does offer one or two important statistics.

"BBC Three is aimed at 16-34 year-olds and moved from being a scheduled channel to an online service in 2016. But it does not yet appear to have succeeded in attracting a significant proportion of young viewers; only 8% of young people watch it each week. Our qualitative research found that some viewers of BBC Three, including young people, said they watched BBC Three less, or not at all, following its move online, and some expressed regret at this move."

 "There were 17 hours of new UK arts and classical music programming shown on BBC One at peak time in 2017." (There's a total of 1642 hours and 30 minutes in peak-time in a 365-day year, by Ofcom's definition.)

One problem here is that the "Arts" on BBC1 is owned by Alan Yentob. He's 71. This year, he's brought us new programmes about David Hockney, 81, Tracey Emin, 55, Cary Grant (dead), George Benjamin, 58, Rose Wylie, 84, Tacita Dean, 53, Orhan Pamuk, 66 and Rupert Everett, 59. No sign of big artistic breakthroughs in the 16-34 age group there. The films are all over an hour, presumably to attracted a better tariff, yet,  because they're variable length, get slotted at the end of the night.

When ITV's South Bank Show was in its pomp in the late 70s and 80s, it snuck into weekend prime. At the start, presenter Melvyn Bragg was 38 and didn't talk with a whistle. There were features on Paul McCartney, Talking Heads, Rough Trade Records, Peter Gabriel, The Smiths and myriad more  - all when they were under 40.  Pop artists on BBC1 doing 'specials' now get sofa conversations with Graham Norton (Adele), Nick Grimshaw (Harry Styles), Fearne Cotton (Sam Smith) and Davina McCall (Ariana Grande) leading into performances of tracks from new albums and greatest hits.

Maybe Editor Al should have a discussion with Presenter Al. Or somebody should see the gap here and ride majestically into it.

Meanwhile, in the 5pm to 7pm slots on BBC1 and BBC2, the alternatives presented to 'yoof' returning to the family fold, kicking off their Reeboks for slippers, are cardigan quizzes, antiques shows, and news. This is where braver controllers used to experiment with popular culture. This is where the current Content team seems really risk averse.

Another way to get more artsy stuff into peaktime would be to try some day-time commissions that might be worth a summer evening repeat. Alternatives, say, to the cheap "24 hour" documentaries on police, doctors, nurses, bailiffs, pest controllers etc. What about "24 hours" backstage at The Royal Albert Hall, or Glastonbury, or the O2, or on the set of Eastenders, or The Assembly Rooms ?  See me for more.