Nothing is straightforward at the BBC. Big Cheeses at Salford Quays sanctioned Meat Free Mondays in the corporation's eateries there earlier this year: "You’ll be surprised how much a simple act like removing meat from our menus can help reduce water use, land use and greenhouse
gas emissions."
But from emails released in response to a Freedom of Information enquiry, the hard line wavered when it came to MEETINGS.
"Can I just check – does this include Hospitality as well? So when you have a meeting with sandwiches – meat free?"
"I think let’s leave hospitality out of scope for now. It’s a good point to raise and of course it might seem odd if you can get meat via room service and not in the canteen, but I’m guessing it’d be easier to just focus on the restaurant at this stage? Particularly if people have already ordered food for the 5th and would need an explanation. Don’t mind either way though TBH."
Thursday, October 31, 2019
Home team
Defending the BBC against charges of unequal pay from Samira Ahmed is QC Rachel Crasnow, of Cloisters Chambers and Stoke Newington.
Rachel (centre) was the 2018 "Diversity Champion" in the UK Diversity Legal Awards, and has written many tomes on equality and discrimination law.
A working parent, she also finds time to chair police disciplinary panels, making headlines in the case of two senior policewoman arguing about breast implants in the Hilton Hotel, Manchester.
A working parent, she also finds time to chair police disciplinary panels, making headlines in the case of two senior policewoman arguing about breast implants in the Hilton Hotel, Manchester.
Wednesday, October 30, 2019
Titbits
Some more factoids from the Samira Ahmed v BBC equal pay case...
Samira calculates that she's owed £693,245 in back pay for her tenure as Newswatch presenter, if the tribunal rules the work is equivalent to presenting Points of View.
Did the BBC waste its money on Jeremy Vine as the presenter to revitalise Points Of View ? When he started, in 2008, on some £3k a show, the ratings, inherited from Sir Terry Wogan, were in the region of 2m. By 2015, one rating was down to 1.3m. The NUJ claims that the final Vine ratings were around 800k.
Anne Robinson, who presented Points of View for ten years from 1987, was in her final year paid £1,250 a show. Carol Vorderman, one of a string of "guest presenters", who took over when Anne left, was paid £1,400 a show in 1998. Des Lynam's agent missed a trick - he got £1,250.
Samira calculates that she's owed £693,245 in back pay for her tenure as Newswatch presenter, if the tribunal rules the work is equivalent to presenting Points of View.
Did the BBC waste its money on Jeremy Vine as the presenter to revitalise Points Of View ? When he started, in 2008, on some £3k a show, the ratings, inherited from Sir Terry Wogan, were in the region of 2m. By 2015, one rating was down to 1.3m. The NUJ claims that the final Vine ratings were around 800k.
Anne Robinson, who presented Points of View for ten years from 1987, was in her final year paid £1,250 a show. Carol Vorderman, one of a string of "guest presenters", who took over when Anne left, was paid £1,400 a show in 1998. Des Lynam's agent missed a trick - he got £1,250.
Even more equal
More broadcasters alongside Samira Ahmed this morning, as she headed to her equal pay tribunal against the BBC in Holborn: Jane Garvey, Charlotte Smith, Jane Corbin, the Rev Richard Coles, Aasmah Mir, Matthew Sweet and Katie Puckrick.
Evidence from the BBC side reveals there have been 1308 pay queries from staff; 1235 have been closed, and only 36 of those were deemed to be issues of equal pay requiring a pay adjustment. That figure presumably includes Samira, who got back pay for work for R4's Front Row and R3's Nightwaves.
The BBC's case is that Newswatch, Ms Ahmed's News Channel show, is a niche, serious news programme, used as 'filler' when it is repeated on the Saturday morning edition of BBC1 Breakfast. It argues, in essence, that it catches viewers by surprise in the Breakfast running order, rather than driving an audience. Points of View, it says, is an entertainment show, fronted by high-profile presenters who deal with a topics in a “light-hearted way”.
The BBC says Jeremy Vine's salary for Points of View reflected his status across the organisation at the time. He got a major pay rise in 2008, when it's claimed a commercial broadcaster was offering £1m to leave the BBC.
Vine left Points of View last year, to be replaced by Tina Daheley, off-screen rather than in vision, who gets £400 a programme. Ahmed's legal team will argue that the move was related to her equal pay claim.
Evidence from the BBC side reveals there have been 1308 pay queries from staff; 1235 have been closed, and only 36 of those were deemed to be issues of equal pay requiring a pay adjustment. That figure presumably includes Samira, who got back pay for work for R4's Front Row and R3's Nightwaves.
The BBC's case is that Newswatch, Ms Ahmed's News Channel show, is a niche, serious news programme, used as 'filler' when it is repeated on the Saturday morning edition of BBC1 Breakfast. It argues, in essence, that it catches viewers by surprise in the Breakfast running order, rather than driving an audience. Points of View, it says, is an entertainment show, fronted by high-profile presenters who deal with a topics in a “light-hearted way”.
The BBC says Jeremy Vine's salary for Points of View reflected his status across the organisation at the time. He got a major pay rise in 2008, when it's claimed a commercial broadcaster was offering £1m to leave the BBC.
Vine left Points of View last year, to be replaced by Tina Daheley, off-screen rather than in vision, who gets £400 a programme. Ahmed's legal team will argue that the move was related to her equal pay claim.
Question Time
Next, we look forward to news of the BBC's plans for election coverage. It comes at a good time for News; they will claim, as ever, extra dosh from central funds, and shove plans for cuts onto the back burner.
Where will the election night show come from ? In 2017, it was Studio D in Elstree, which is also used by Children In Need for their big night, this year scheduled for 15th November. Huw will do the overnight; who gets the morning after ?
Newsgathering boss Jonathan Munro likes to be involved in the announcement of 'special' coverage. Will he be big-footed by Kamal Ahmed ? Last time there were debate-hosting duties for Emily Maitlis and Mishal Husain; will Emily be freed from Newsnight ? How hard can Mishal work ? Where does Andrew Neil fit in ? Has Professor John Curtice had a flu jab ? Will the shouty Question Time get as many specials under tyro Fiona as it did under patrician Dimblebore ? And how long will the Ten O'Clock News go on, and on, and on ? All VERY BIG QUESTIONS.
Where will the election night show come from ? In 2017, it was Studio D in Elstree, which is also used by Children In Need for their big night, this year scheduled for 15th November. Huw will do the overnight; who gets the morning after ?
Newsgathering boss Jonathan Munro likes to be involved in the announcement of 'special' coverage. Will he be big-footed by Kamal Ahmed ? Last time there were debate-hosting duties for Emily Maitlis and Mishal Husain; will Emily be freed from Newsnight ? How hard can Mishal work ? Where does Andrew Neil fit in ? Has Professor John Curtice had a flu jab ? Will the shouty Question Time get as many specials under tyro Fiona as it did under patrician Dimblebore ? And how long will the Ten O'Clock News go on, and on, and on ? All VERY BIG QUESTIONS.
Now I understand
This is an event many toilers at the BBC News Temple of Doom would like time off to attend, to shine a light on the mysterious responsibilities of Mr Ahmed.
🚨 TWO WEEKS TO GO 🚨 #SoE20— Society of Editors UK (@EditorsUK) October 29, 2019
Kamal Ahmed @bbckamal is Editorial Director of @BBCNews and will be chairing the 'Role of the Editor' panel at the Society Conference on November 12.
Meet more of our speakers here - https://t.co/B98BsHk6PV pic.twitter.com/bm5REksB5d
Man of letters
Interesting to see a letter in the Evening Standard from BBC Group Managing Director Bob Shennan, debating stuff like The Arts with Evening Standard columnist (and BBC radio presenter) Anne McElvoy. One presumes regular Arts Figureheads Jonty and Alan are on half-term. And Bob's remit clearly now extends beyond diversity, HR and the general upkeep of the Corporation's fabric.
We welcome and agree with Anne McElvoy on the notion that “Now more than ever, the BBC must stand by its core impartiality ” [October 23]. However, we don’t support all of Ms McElvoy’s assessments on the BBC.
Our commitment to the arts remains as strong as ever and only this month we announced a range of new programmes across TV, radio and online. BBC Arts also recently confirmed one of the biggest commitments to new arts talent in a generation through partnerships with arts councils and organisations across the UK.
The suggestion that “the undergrowth of bureaucracy goes unpruned” isn’t the case. An independent report found the BBC is among the most efficient international telecoms and media organisations and our focus has been on cutting the number of back office roles to invest more in programmes.
We all want a BBC that everyone can be proud of and we’re committed to that for the arts alongside everything else we do.
Bob Shennan,
BBC group managing director
We welcome and agree with Anne McElvoy on the notion that “Now more than ever, the BBC must stand by its core impartiality ” [October 23]. However, we don’t support all of Ms McElvoy’s assessments on the BBC.
Our commitment to the arts remains as strong as ever and only this month we announced a range of new programmes across TV, radio and online. BBC Arts also recently confirmed one of the biggest commitments to new arts talent in a generation through partnerships with arts councils and organisations across the UK.
The suggestion that “the undergrowth of bureaucracy goes unpruned” isn’t the case. An independent report found the BBC is among the most efficient international telecoms and media organisations and our focus has been on cutting the number of back office roles to invest more in programmes.
We all want a BBC that everyone can be proud of and we’re committed to that for the arts alongside everything else we do.
Bob Shennan,
BBC group managing director
Tuesday, October 29, 2019
Answerable
Best ever ratings for #HouseOfGames again last night. So happy. And so much love for the new ‘Win When They’re Singing’ round. Loved all your stopwatch screenshots!
An upbeat tweet from presenter Richard Osman this morning. Mr Osman's other quiz Pointless is now being regularly beaten in the ratings by ITV's The Chase. The ITV show, hosted by Bradley Walsh, is running at around 3.7m a night, with shares of 30%, giving a boost to the ITV regional/national news hour that follows.
Paintings
Maybe the broadcasting world looked a less turbulent place when he applied back in May....
BBC DG Lord Hall has been appointed as a Trustee of The National Gallery. There's no pay. It requires attendance at 6 board meetings a year, plus a 'strategy day'. And Trustees are expected to sit on at least one sub-Committee.
Highland games
Game on between the BBC and STV in Scotland. Last night Laura Miller hosted her first 6.30 Reporting Scotland show as a long-term replacement for Jackie Bird; no new set, but new titles.
Just up the river road, STV are in bullish mood with their 6pm offering, with this tweet last week from self-proclaimed "Cronkite of the Clyde", presenter John MacKay.First #ReportingScotland calls for a video... pic.twitter.com/GIyf1MJZL0— Laura Miller (@BBCLauraMiller) October 28, 2019
— John MacKay (@RealMacKaySTV) October 25, 2019
Chasing pavements
No action at the Employment Tribunal today for lawyers representing Samira Ahmed and the BBC. The first session was arguing about what documents should be disclosed before the hearing proper, starting on Wednesday. Local bobbies may like to note this appeal from Samira...
There is no hearing tomorrow in my employment tribunal against the BBC for equal pay. However It will resume from Wednesday. Any friends &colleagues who would like to walk with me and support me do DM me or email me.
— Samira Ahmed (@SamiraAhmedUK) October 28, 2019 >
Disguised employment
It looks like the end of an expensive legal battle for former BBC Look North presenter, Christa Ackroyd, 62. She's lost her tax tribunal appeal against an HMRC demand that she pay some £420k in back income tax and National Insurance. The court ruled that she was effectively an employee at Look North between 2001 and 2013, and couldn't avoid the liability.
In the first hearing, the tribunal accepted her evidence "that it was the BBC who suggested that Ms Ackroyd should work using a personal service company". Now it remains to be seen how generous the BBC will be with the £12m it has set aside to help in such cases. In September, Joanna Gosling, Tim Willcox and David Eades lost a similar case of 'disguised employment'; their combined liability is some £920k. The BBC said then "We want to help presenters resolve any historic tax issues they face because of the way their employment status is now being assessed. ... We understand and regret the stress this has put people under, and have set out the principle."
In the first hearing, the tribunal accepted her evidence "that it was the BBC who suggested that Ms Ackroyd should work using a personal service company". Now it remains to be seen how generous the BBC will be with the £12m it has set aside to help in such cases. In September, Joanna Gosling, Tim Willcox and David Eades lost a similar case of 'disguised employment'; their combined liability is some £920k. The BBC said then "We want to help presenters resolve any historic tax issues they face because of the way their employment status is now being assessed. ... We understand and regret the stress this has put people under, and have set out the principle."
Monday, October 28, 2019
Comparators
Audience figures don't always set BBC salaries. Huw Edwards does very nicely for his main job of presenting the 10 O'Clock News on BBC1. BBC1 reaches around 42m viewers a week. BBC World News reaches over 100m a week - and there's a whole roster of news presenters working nearly as hard as Huw for much much less.
Career paths
Over the last five years, the Jeremy Vine Show on Radio 2 has produced, on average, the same weekly reach as the Today Programme on Radio 4 - close to 13% of all adults aged 15 and over. Jeremy, now 54, took over full time from Jimmy Young in 2002, with the help of his agent, Alex Armitage of the Noel Gay organisation.
So in 2008, when Sir Terry Wogan stepped down from Points of View, Jeremy was pleased to take over, calling it "a prime slice of BBC real estate". We don't know what Sir Terry was paid, but he got £800k a year for Wake Up to Wogan - a daily rate of around £4k, with good holidays.
It was probably reasonable to think that Jeremy would bring a little sparkle to PoV; the producers were so keen they were ready to make the show in London, from their Birmingham base. In 2008, the DG was Mark Thompson. It was peak salary time for senior managers and presenters, and clearly, at £3k a show, Mr Armitage struck a very good deal for his client for PoV (though it may have been less than Wogan got); the BBC1 channel controller was Jay Hunt.
In 2008, Samira Ahmed, now 51, was presenting Channel 4 News, largely fronting the 'rest of the news' with a more senior co-host, Jon Snow. How did she miss out ?
So in 2008, when Sir Terry Wogan stepped down from Points of View, Jeremy was pleased to take over, calling it "a prime slice of BBC real estate". We don't know what Sir Terry was paid, but he got £800k a year for Wake Up to Wogan - a daily rate of around £4k, with good holidays.
It was probably reasonable to think that Jeremy would bring a little sparkle to PoV; the producers were so keen they were ready to make the show in London, from their Birmingham base. In 2008, the DG was Mark Thompson. It was peak salary time for senior managers and presenters, and clearly, at £3k a show, Mr Armitage struck a very good deal for his client for PoV (though it may have been less than Wogan got); the BBC1 channel controller was Jay Hunt.
In 2008, Samira Ahmed, now 51, was presenting Channel 4 News, largely fronting the 'rest of the news' with a more senior co-host, Jon Snow. How did she miss out ?
On her feet
Samira Ahmed is being represented in her equal pay claim against the BBC by barrister Claire Darwin, from Matrix Chambers. Claire is working with the National Union of Journalists on behalf of 121 women who have issues with the BBC.
Claire studied history at St Catharine's College, Cambridge and Heidelberg, then took the Common Professional Examination in law at City University. She was called to the bar in 2005, and joined Matrix in 2008. Chambers 2020 guide to the UK Bar describes her as "A really strong junior who is absolutely exceptional on her feet."
Claire studied history at St Catharine's College, Cambridge and Heidelberg, then took the Common Professional Examination in law at City University. She was called to the bar in 2005, and joined Matrix in 2008. Chambers 2020 guide to the UK Bar describes her as "A really strong junior who is absolutely exceptional on her feet."
Compared to what ?
The employment tribunal hearing, at Kingsway, Holborn, starting today, could have widespread implications for professional football, live theatre, classical music performances and more.
Samira Ahmed v The BBC is about equal pay for equal work. According to Samira's union, the NUJ, her case will focus on her contract to present Newswatch, a 15-minute show largely dealing with audience complaints about news coverage, which she has presented since 2012.
Samira, presumably guided by intelligent lawyers, says her equal pay comparator should be Jeremy Vine, in relation to his work on Points of View between 2008 and July 2018. He was paid £3,000 per episode, later reduced to £1,300 in January 2018. He left the programme in July 2018. By way of contrast, Samira Ahmed was paid £440 per Newswatch from 2012. Although this was increased in 2015 to £465 per programme, it was then reduced again when the BBC moved presenters onto employment contracts.
The problem is that Points of View is/was a BBC1 show. It's hard to get figures, but perhaps a typical edition could be Sunday 1st November 2015, when, at 4pm, the programme was watched by 1.31m, a 10.9% share of the available audience. If you go back to September 2018 for Newswatch, in the week of September 24, the programme doesn't make the News Channel's Top 15 shows, meaning it was watched by fewer than 150,000.
1130 Update: The NUJ say the BBC1 audience for Newswatch is 1.5-1.9 million (that must be the overnight average of the Saturday edition of Breakfast, which repeats Newswatch). There are also another 100,000 Newswatch viewers on the News Channel. They say Points of View has 800,000.
So while equal work may have been involved, there wasn't equal exposure, and an equal requirement to attract an audience. Equal work may have been extended by the players in Southport FC's weekend 3-0 win over Bradford (Park Avenue), when compared with Manchester City's 3-0 win over Aston Villa. 54,000 paid to watch Manchester City. Fewer than 500 watched the game at Park Avenue. Lord knows what the differential in match payments really was.
I expect the BBC to call the previous presenter of Newswatch, Ray Snoddy, in evidence. An experienced freelance and more experienced media watcher, even he would never have expected a rate on the Vine scale.
For the record, the NUJ says Samira has won her argument in BBC Radio, using more credible comparators. They gave her full backdated pay with male comparators for her work on Front Row on Radio 4 and Night Waves/ Free Thinking on Radio 3. On Front Row her male comparator was being paid 50 per cent more than her. On Night Waves her male comparator was being paid 33 per cent more.
Samira Ahmed v The BBC is about equal pay for equal work. According to Samira's union, the NUJ, her case will focus on her contract to present Newswatch, a 15-minute show largely dealing with audience complaints about news coverage, which she has presented since 2012.
Samira, presumably guided by intelligent lawyers, says her equal pay comparator should be Jeremy Vine, in relation to his work on Points of View between 2008 and July 2018. He was paid £3,000 per episode, later reduced to £1,300 in January 2018. He left the programme in July 2018. By way of contrast, Samira Ahmed was paid £440 per Newswatch from 2012. Although this was increased in 2015 to £465 per programme, it was then reduced again when the BBC moved presenters onto employment contracts.
The problem is that Points of View is/was a BBC1 show. It's hard to get figures, but perhaps a typical edition could be Sunday 1st November 2015, when, at 4pm, the programme was watched by 1.31m, a 10.9% share of the available audience. If you go back to September 2018 for Newswatch, in the week of September 24, the programme doesn't make the News Channel's Top 15 shows, meaning it was watched by fewer than 150,000.
1130 Update: The NUJ say the BBC1 audience for Newswatch is 1.5-1.9 million (that must be the overnight average of the Saturday edition of Breakfast, which repeats Newswatch). There are also another 100,000 Newswatch viewers on the News Channel. They say Points of View has 800,000.
So while equal work may have been involved, there wasn't equal exposure, and an equal requirement to attract an audience. Equal work may have been extended by the players in Southport FC's weekend 3-0 win over Bradford (Park Avenue), when compared with Manchester City's 3-0 win over Aston Villa. 54,000 paid to watch Manchester City. Fewer than 500 watched the game at Park Avenue. Lord knows what the differential in match payments really was.
I expect the BBC to call the previous presenter of Newswatch, Ray Snoddy, in evidence. An experienced freelance and more experienced media watcher, even he would never have expected a rate on the Vine scale.
For the record, the NUJ says Samira has won her argument in BBC Radio, using more credible comparators. They gave her full backdated pay with male comparators for her work on Front Row on Radio 4 and Night Waves/ Free Thinking on Radio 3. On Front Row her male comparator was being paid 50 per cent more than her. On Night Waves her male comparator was being paid 33 per cent more.
Sunday, October 27, 2019
In our name
Last night saw the awarding of the Britannias, the BAFTA offshoot in Los Angeles, celebrating actors and directors with British connections.
Today's schedule on BBC America ?
All American films on rotation...
GRAVEYARD SHIFT (1990)
In a very old textile mill with a serious rat infestation, the workers discover a horrifying secret deep in the basement.
THE DEAD ZONE (1983)
A man awakens from a coma to discover he has a psychic ability.
SLEEPWALKERS (1992)
A mother-and-son team of strange supernatural creatures move to a small town to seek out a young virgin to feed on.
CUJO (1983)
Cujo, a friendly St. Bernard, contracts rabies and conducts a reign of terror on a small American town.
PET SEMATARY (1989)
After tragedy strikes, a grieving father discovers an ancient burial ground behind his home with the power to raise the dead.
PET SEMATARY II (1992)
A teenage boy and his father move to his recently-deceased mother's hometown, where they encounter the ancient Native American cemetery with the power to raise the dead.
Today's schedule on BBC America ?
All American films on rotation...
GRAVEYARD SHIFT (1990)
In a very old textile mill with a serious rat infestation, the workers discover a horrifying secret deep in the basement.
THE DEAD ZONE (1983)
A man awakens from a coma to discover he has a psychic ability.
SLEEPWALKERS (1992)
A mother-and-son team of strange supernatural creatures move to a small town to seek out a young virgin to feed on.
CUJO (1983)
Cujo, a friendly St. Bernard, contracts rabies and conducts a reign of terror on a small American town.
PET SEMATARY (1989)
After tragedy strikes, a grieving father discovers an ancient burial ground behind his home with the power to raise the dead.
PET SEMATARY II (1992)
A teenage boy and his father move to his recently-deceased mother's hometown, where they encounter the ancient Native American cemetery with the power to raise the dead.
Saturday, October 26, 2019
Hoots
The cheeky monkeys at BBC Scotland have been playing around with their schedules. We were told that the channel would re-broadcast BBC2 from 1200 to 1900 weekdays, then the real stuff would start from Pacific Quay. In the past couple of months, more and more Scottish shows from the archive have been appearing in the afternoons.
BARB are measuring the lot. So in the most recent week of Top 15 Programmes on Four Screens, BBC Scotland boasts three editions of Strictly: It Takes Two.
BARB are measuring the lot. So in the most recent week of Top 15 Programmes on Four Screens, BBC Scotland boasts three editions of Strictly: It Takes Two.
Any similarity ?
Is a podcast drama series that much different to a radio drama series ? Well at the BBC it is, if only in terms of the publicity support. There were extensive TV ads for Forest 404; an expensive launch for Intrigue:Tunnel 29 ("irritatingly predictable" The Times), and gushing press releases for the commissioning of new 'Hopepunk' drama, The Cipher, aimed at summer 2020. And yet, Radio 4 makes over 500 hours of new drama each and every year, all available to 'catch-up' much like a podcast....
Friday, October 25, 2019
Missing in action
Too many commitments ?
Sorry about this everyone! pic.twitter.com/ISecvV4tHs— Adam Fleming (@adamfleming) October 25, 2019
Retreat
The fake news seems to have started in The Sun.
"BBC newsreader Huw Edwards chased a burglar out of his home and into the street — in his pyjamas. Brave Huw, 58, was woken by the intruder at 5.30am and dashed downstairs to confront him."
This morning, Huw says it's tosh.
So it looks like his car was stolen, and later recovered. Many of the articles relating to this story are illustrated with shots of buff Huw on various holidays taken from his own Instagram account. Spookily, that account is unavailable this morning. Perhaps on police advice.
"BBC newsreader Huw Edwards chased a burglar out of his home and into the street — in his pyjamas. Brave Huw, 58, was woken by the intruder at 5.30am and dashed downstairs to confront him."
This morning, Huw says it's tosh.
Just for the record — following some misleading (shock!) press reports. Yes we had a burglary. No, I didn’t chase the burglar. The police are dealing with it. It happened a month ago. We’re all fine. Now back to more important things. Like Wales winning the Rugby World Cup. 🏴 pic.twitter.com/s3d7hgwjEh— Huw Edwards (@huwbbc) October 25, 2019
So it looks like his car was stolen, and later recovered. Many of the articles relating to this story are illustrated with shots of buff Huw on various holidays taken from his own Instagram account. Spookily, that account is unavailable this morning. Perhaps on police advice.
Bugs
From the BBC Sounds Frequently Asked Questions page:
You might find some programmes on the BBC Sounds app that only have options to Bookmark or Subscribe, with no option to Download. Although some programmes won't be available to download for rights reasons, we're aware that this is happening with programmes which are available to download either from the BBC Sounds website or the BBC iPlayer Radio app. We're looking into this and we'll update this page with any new information.
We're aware of an issue where the play button won't appear for some people who are using the BBC Sounds website on an iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch running iOS 9. We're looking into this and we'll update this page with any further information.
We're aware that some people are not able to sign in to the BBC Sounds app on their iPhone or iPad. Several people have reported this issue on iOS devices running iOS 13.1.2. We're looking into this and we'll update this page with any further information.
You might find some programmes on the BBC Sounds app that only have options to Bookmark or Subscribe, with no option to Download. Although some programmes won't be available to download for rights reasons, we're aware that this is happening with programmes which are available to download either from the BBC Sounds website or the BBC iPlayer Radio app. We're looking into this and we'll update this page with any new information.
We're aware of an issue where the play button won't appear for some people who are using the BBC Sounds website on an iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch running iOS 9. We're looking into this and we'll update this page with any further information.
We're aware that some people are not able to sign in to the BBC Sounds app on their iPhone or iPad. Several people have reported this issue on iOS devices running iOS 13.1.2. We're looking into this and we'll update this page with any further information.
For completeness
Welcome news from The World Tonight, R4
Thanks to everyone who listens to the World Tonight on @BBCRadio4. It’s a competitive radio world and our listening figures have nudged up slightly. #RAJAR Thank you.— ritula shah (@ritula) October 24, 2019
Thursday, October 24, 2019
Overt bullying
From Hansard, PMsQs, Wednesday
Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South) (Lab)
When is the Prime Minister going to sort out the difference between the BBC and the Government in relation to his party’s manifesto commitment at the last general election to maintain free television licences for the over-75s? When is something going to be done about this?
The Prime Minister
The BBC has the funds, as the hon. Gentleman knows full well, and it should be funding those free TV licences. We continue to make that argument vigorously with the BBC. The hon. Gentleman asks me to put the screws on the BBC. Believe me, we certainly will.
From the Oxford English Dictionary: "to put the screws on" "to exert strong psychological pressure on (someone) so as to intimidate them into doing something."
Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South) (Lab)
When is the Prime Minister going to sort out the difference between the BBC and the Government in relation to his party’s manifesto commitment at the last general election to maintain free television licences for the over-75s? When is something going to be done about this?
The Prime Minister
The BBC has the funds, as the hon. Gentleman knows full well, and it should be funding those free TV licences. We continue to make that argument vigorously with the BBC. The hon. Gentleman asks me to put the screws on the BBC. Believe me, we certainly will.
From the Oxford English Dictionary: "to put the screws on" "to exert strong psychological pressure on (someone) so as to intimidate them into doing something."
Looking for the Devil's Mark
Ofcom's Annual Report on the BBC has a now-familiar snarky tone in its preamble. Here's a typical threat: "If we do not see transparent signs of progress, we will step in and place additional conditions on the BBC." And later: "The consequence of a lack of engagement is likely to be a more intrusive role for Ofcom".
Yet there's little emphasis on this part of report: "Through our performance measurement,
we have found that the BBC continues generally to deliver its remit for audiences. It has also met nearly all of its Operating Licence conditions. "
An understatement: it missed out on two.
Annex 1 sets out 180 requirements for compliance by the BBC (5 of them required responses from 40 local stations, so that's a grand total of 375). Two were missed. The BBC under-delivered 3 hours (out of a target 260) of live music on Radio 2; and Ofcom set a dud condition on Gaelic output.
Yet there's little emphasis on this part of report: "Through our performance measurement,
we have found that the BBC continues generally to deliver its remit for audiences. It has also met nearly all of its Operating Licence conditions. "
An understatement: it missed out on two.
Annex 1 sets out 180 requirements for compliance by the BBC (5 of them required responses from 40 local stations, so that's a grand total of 375). Two were missed. The BBC under-delivered 3 hours (out of a target 260) of live music on Radio 2; and Ofcom set a dud condition on Gaelic output.
Carry On
Here's the recommendations, extracted so you don't have to read 31 pages.
"Accurate news provision must continue to be the main priority for the BBC. Maintaining an intense focus on this is the best way for the BBC to retain and strengthen its reputation. As long as people continue to turn to the BBC at important moments, it has the opportunity to attract and serve the broadest range of audiences."
"Broadcasting rules do not require the BBC or other broadcasters to be absolutely neutral on every
issue within news and current affairs, but they must be duly impartial. This means journalists
should take context into account when considering how to achieve due impartiality. They should
feel able to challenge controversial viewpoints that have little support or are not backed up by
facts, making this clear to viewers, listeners and readers.
Our research shows that audiences have respect for the calibre of the BBC’s journalism and expect
its reporters to investigate, analyse and explain events. This should give the BBC confidence to be
bolder in its approach."
"The BBC should better represent the whole of the UK with authentic news and current affairs
content that feels relevant and engaging to all audiences.
The BBC's Director General has spoken of the need for it to better reflect the diversity of UK
society. Audiences told us they want to see more news about their communities, reported by
people with a deeper understanding of the area. People outside London thought the BBC could
improve how it reflected and reported on their lives. People from minority ethnic groups told us
they want to feel their voice is represented.
With its unparalleled local and regional newsgathering resources, the BBC should be able to
represent the whole country authentically through a variety of style, tone and subject matter. "
"Although the BBC's online news services currently reach a broad audience, our work suggests that
its heavier online users are generally those in older age groups who are already well served by BBC
television and radio, rather than the younger audiences who are turning away from those
platforms.
As more people rely on social media and aggregator platforms for news, the BBC's online content
needs to do more to stand out – or risk losing its reputation and status as a trusted voice. We
believe that transparency about its approach will aid trust in the BBC. The BBC should publish the
steps it is taking to help all audiences – especially younger people – to understand and engage
with the world around them. "
"Following the publication of this report we will gather evidence, including formally requesting
information from the BBC, to establish if it should do more to link to outside sources. As part of
this, we will look at the BBC’s performance in this area, as well as the wording of the current
licence condition, to determine whether it remains appropriate, given changes in news
consumption."
Listening post
A year-on-year look at the latest quarterly listening figures shows a small swing away from BBC national and local stations in favour of the national commercial stations.
Radios 1, 2, and 4 are down 3% in weekly reach, compared with a year ago. BBC Local Radio in England, currently being re-imagined by Chris Burns, is down 6%. All BBC radio is down 2.43%. Combined national commercial stations are up 6%.
Director of Radio James Purnell points us to Radio 5Live Sports Extra, up 31% on the previous year; big brother 5Live was largely stable, despite breakfast output dipping below 2m.
The BBC press release also highlights podcasting penetration: "now at 8.4 million (from 7.1m last quarter and 6m last year), with almost a quarter of young people (15-34) now listening to podcasts." It doesn't say what the BBC share of that audience is; RAJAR's summer survey asks respondents to list podcast listening under three labels, "BBC", "Other Radio" or "Other", so somebody knows.
BBC Radio Wales is up 16%, but Radio Cymru is down 14%. BBC Radio Scotland is down 9%. Radio Ulster is down 5%. The LBC group is up 23%.
Radios 1, 2, and 4 are down 3% in weekly reach, compared with a year ago. BBC Local Radio in England, currently being re-imagined by Chris Burns, is down 6%. All BBC radio is down 2.43%. Combined national commercial stations are up 6%.
Director of Radio James Purnell points us to Radio 5Live Sports Extra, up 31% on the previous year; big brother 5Live was largely stable, despite breakfast output dipping below 2m.
The BBC press release also highlights podcasting penetration: "now at 8.4 million (from 7.1m last quarter and 6m last year), with almost a quarter of young people (15-34) now listening to podcasts." It doesn't say what the BBC share of that audience is; RAJAR's summer survey asks respondents to list podcast listening under three labels, "BBC", "Other Radio" or "Other", so somebody knows.
BBC Radio Wales is up 16%, but Radio Cymru is down 14%. BBC Radio Scotland is down 9%. Radio Ulster is down 5%. The LBC group is up 23%.
Wednesday, October 23, 2019
Save my furniture
If I see another edition of the BBC Ten O'Clock News starting with Huw Edwards introducing a lead package from Laura Kuenssberg, then asking Laura live about what happens next, then cueing John Pienaar's package about what happens next, there will be living room damage....
In tray
For the immediate attention of BBC Group HR
Dear Wendy/Rachel,
You may remember all that palaver about simplifying the BBC, cutting down the number of job titles, layers and grades, etc; Lord Hall was, I think, keen. I'd like to draw your attention to signs that BBC Studios (nee Worldwide) has gone rogue.
There, the Global Senior Vice President, Business Development and Innovation, one Errol Baran, has advertised for a Vice President, Global Programmatic Strategy and Commercial Development, BBC Global News.
Sort it out, would you ?
Cheers
Bill
Dear Wendy/Rachel,
You may remember all that palaver about simplifying the BBC, cutting down the number of job titles, layers and grades, etc; Lord Hall was, I think, keen. I'd like to draw your attention to signs that BBC Studios (nee Worldwide) has gone rogue.
There, the Global Senior Vice President, Business Development and Innovation, one Errol Baran, has advertised for a Vice President, Global Programmatic Strategy and Commercial Development, BBC Global News.
Sort it out, would you ?
Cheers
Bill
Tuesday, October 22, 2019
Audience focus
Unfortunate, perhaps, for the BBC to announce the departure of Controller Radio 1(and So Much More) Ben Cooper in the week of quarterly audience figures.
Ben missed out on Controller Music to Lorna Clarke, and perhaps even tried for Controller Sounds, which went to Jonathan Wall. Ben's recent minder, Bob Shennan, has been kicked upstairs into Management, and groovy James Purnell now gets to choose someone funky for his core team. Ben hasn't shared any details of a new berth.
And now, Bolivia
It's RAJAR week, and I'm wondering if, this quarter, bosses can be persuaded to release listening figures for R4's The World Tonight, rather than just Today.
Slowly, the effective merger with teams producing Newshour for the World Service has shifted the agenda, now balanced in favour of stuff made earlier for an international audience. The contrast with the sharp and bouncy Westminster Hour on Sunday nights is stark. And it's a shame.
News must be saving money here, on the back of a World Service blessed with ring fenced funding and buoyed by FCO investment. New Controller R4 Mohit Bakaya might like to review whether or not he and his audience are getting the best bang for their bucks weeknights at 10pm.
Equal ?
Most cases that are heard in an Employment Tribunal only get that far because of intransigence on one side or the other.
Samira Ahmed v The BBC is set down for three days in Kingsway, Central London, from Monday of next week. If it goes ahead, it's an embarrassment for Valerie Hughes D'Aeth, outgoing HR Director, and not brilliant for the two lieutenants who are taking over her job. The DG, sensitive and squeamish on such matters, won't like it either. Ms Ahmed's case has been noted by Carrie Gracie, Jane Garvey and other BBC Women on social media. The BBC brief and Group General Counsel Sarah Jones must think their position is defensible to let it get this far - but Sarah backed defending the Sir Cliff Richard case....
Samira, 51, (Wimbeldon High and St Edmund Hall, Oxford) is a trustee of the Centre for Women's Justice. Husband Brian is a digital advertising consultant.
Who will be questioned as her 'employer' ? She presumably has a contract with News to present Newswatch (where she succeeded freelance Raymond Snoddy - how much was he on ?), and another with Radio 4 programmes to present Front Row (where she shares duties with John Wilson, presenting since 1998, and Kirsty Lang, there since 2004).
Samira Ahmed v The BBC is set down for three days in Kingsway, Central London, from Monday of next week. If it goes ahead, it's an embarrassment for Valerie Hughes D'Aeth, outgoing HR Director, and not brilliant for the two lieutenants who are taking over her job. The DG, sensitive and squeamish on such matters, won't like it either. Ms Ahmed's case has been noted by Carrie Gracie, Jane Garvey and other BBC Women on social media. The BBC brief and Group General Counsel Sarah Jones must think their position is defensible to let it get this far - but Sarah backed defending the Sir Cliff Richard case....
Samira, 51, (Wimbeldon High and St Edmund Hall, Oxford) is a trustee of the Centre for Women's Justice. Husband Brian is a digital advertising consultant.
Who will be questioned as her 'employer' ? She presumably has a contract with News to present Newswatch (where she succeeded freelance Raymond Snoddy - how much was he on ?), and another with Radio 4 programmes to present Front Row (where she shares duties with John Wilson, presenting since 1998, and Kirsty Lang, there since 2004).
Later start
Congratulations to Steph McGovern, off to a new daily, daytime show of her very own at C4, after nearly nine years getting up for Breakfast. With the planning skills of a financial journalist, she's secured the deal while on maternity leave from the BBC, and starts in Leeds when that's done, presumably sharing childcare duties with her tv executive partner.
Monday, October 21, 2019
Count me in
The BBC has appointed Anne Foster as Head of Workforce Diversity & Inclusion. She's most recently been Director of Diversity, Leadership and Organisational Development (EMEA) at Sony Pictures Entertainment. Her entry on business network Linkedin reads "Anne Foster (she, her)", so expect the BBC internal phone-book to brought into line with that best practice within days.
Anne led on diversity and inclusion at the House of Commons for close to ten years, and, just as she moved on in 2017, it appeared at No 28 in Stonewall's annual list of Top 100 employers. Neither the Commons nor the BBC feature in the 2019 list.
Anne led on diversity and inclusion at the House of Commons for close to ten years, and, just as she moved on in 2017, it appeared at No 28 in Stonewall's annual list of Top 100 employers. Neither the Commons nor the BBC feature in the 2019 list.
And repeat
The LBC News channel, previously confined to Greater London on DAB and 1152 AM, is following big sister LBC onto national DAB from next Monday.
Started back in 1994, tt follows a strict news wheel of 20 minute slots, and up until this change, carries LBC's news and conversation outside core hours. Presenters include Ian Payne, Martin Stanford, Lisa Aziz and Jim Diamond. Listening figures are on a slight up at the moment, reaching 598k a week in the most recent quarter.
Started back in 1994, tt follows a strict news wheel of 20 minute slots, and up until this change, carries LBC's news and conversation outside core hours. Presenters include Ian Payne, Martin Stanford, Lisa Aziz and Jim Diamond. Listening figures are on a slight up at the moment, reaching 598k a week in the most recent quarter.
Take care
The BBC reports that staff have today started moving into their new HQ in central Cardiff. The news release ends "The new building will be thoroughly accessible for people with a range of neurodivergent conditions."
A checklist provided by ACAS suggests some design considerations, which I sure BBC Wales staff will be looking out for as they inspect their new surroundings...
Employers can reduce many of the distractions and obstacles in the workplace by:
A checklist provided by ACAS suggests some design considerations, which I sure BBC Wales staff will be looking out for as they inspect their new surroundings...
Employers can reduce many of the distractions and obstacles in the workplace by:
- redesigning the workplace to take account of the different sensory needs of staff (for example, limiting the amount of information/bright artwork displayed on walls)
- putting up dividers in appropriate areas to block and reduce noise
- having dedicated quiet areas
- allowing staff to book meeting rooms for tasks that require a lot of concentration
- providing visible instructions next to office equipment and machinery, such as photocopiers
- allocating work areas with more natural light to staff that struggle with office lighting or allowing daylight lamps
- offering flexible working arrangements such as homeworking for part of the week or allowing staff to start earlier or finish later
- providing staff with organisers, lockers, cabinets and name labels to help them organise and retain their work and equipment
- regularly reminding staff to be mindful of their colleagues and keeping noise to a minimum
- allowing employees (when appropriate) to use equipment such as noise cancelling headphones
Mark making
Super-excited that the soaraway Times (prop Rupert Murdoch) has found space for a ringing endorsement of a recent Institute of Economic Affairs paper on ending the BBC Licence Fee, written unsurprisingly by the Director General of the Institute of Economic Affairs, Mark Littlewood.
Mark is not a recent convert to this thinking:
May 2015: "Most television programmes should be paid for by carrying adverts, charging subscriptions or on a pay-per view basis."
September 2010 "I think they should be obliged to package up their product and try and convince me to buy it, rather than forcing me to."
October 2007 "An enforced annual subscription of £135 is anachronism."
Mark, 47, (The Forest School, PPE Balliol College, Oxford) is a Southampton FC fan. His September piece for The Times ? “The early evidence suggests that the wide availability of nicotine substitutes, which are genuinely attractive to smokers, is a key ingredient of improving public health.” I wonder who makes most of these substitutes...
Mark is not a recent convert to this thinking:
May 2015: "Most television programmes should be paid for by carrying adverts, charging subscriptions or on a pay-per view basis."
September 2010 "I think they should be obliged to package up their product and try and convince me to buy it, rather than forcing me to."
October 2007 "An enforced annual subscription of £135 is anachronism."
Mark, 47, (The Forest School, PPE Balliol College, Oxford) is a Southampton FC fan. His September piece for The Times ? “The early evidence suggests that the wide availability of nicotine substitutes, which are genuinely attractive to smokers, is a key ingredient of improving public health.” I wonder who makes most of these substitutes...
Sunday, October 20, 2019
Herder
BBC Controller of Sounds Jonathan Wall has a new helper.
Lloyd Shepherd, lately driving BBC Ideas forward, started as Head of Product in September. He presumably sits somewhere between the Director of Product, iPlayer and Sounds, the Executive Product Manager BBC Sounds, the Senior Product Manager BBC Sounds and who knows who else.
Lloyd, 52, (Sevenoaks School and 1st in English Lit from Peterhouse, Cambridge) was born in Kent to Welsh and Mancunian parents. He started in journalism with his own free mag for South West London, then on to film, tv and media industry newsletters for various employers. In 1998 he became Production Director for Yahoo! UK and Ireland.
There followed jobs with The Guardian, C4 and a first gig at the BBC in 2009. Then he turned his attention to writing historical crime thrillers set in Regency London. There's four so far - The English Monster, The Poisoned Island, Savage Magic and The Detective and the Devil. He gives masterclasses in how to do it.
Now he says he's "one of the most experienced product managers in Britain." He's a Manchester United fan. Below, literature and technology in harmony.
Lloyd Shepherd, lately driving BBC Ideas forward, started as Head of Product in September. He presumably sits somewhere between the Director of Product, iPlayer and Sounds, the Executive Product Manager BBC Sounds, the Senior Product Manager BBC Sounds and who knows who else.
Lloyd, 52, (Sevenoaks School and 1st in English Lit from Peterhouse, Cambridge) was born in Kent to Welsh and Mancunian parents. He started in journalism with his own free mag for South West London, then on to film, tv and media industry newsletters for various employers. In 1998 he became Production Director for Yahoo! UK and Ireland.
There followed jobs with The Guardian, C4 and a first gig at the BBC in 2009. Then he turned his attention to writing historical crime thrillers set in Regency London. There's four so far - The English Monster, The Poisoned Island, Savage Magic and The Detective and the Devil. He gives masterclasses in how to do it.
Now he says he's "one of the most experienced product managers in Britain." He's a Manchester United fan. Below, literature and technology in harmony.
A POEM COMPOSED ON A QUAY IN SALFORD— Lloyd Shepherd (@lloydshep) October 11, 2019
My umbrella is in London
But I am here
The rain the rain the rain
Tears
Cultural insight from a Sunday Times piece by Fiona Campbell, who was appointed Head of Current Affairs at News under James Harding. (She's since moved on to Controller, BBC3)
"There was lots of ranting, swearing and tears — with my coach, with my team leaders, with James Harding. I’ve learnt to stay on top of emails by replying the same day with a “yes, we’ll make that” or “no, we can’t”. Nobody should write a long email or send emails on the weekend. I also started to walk out of meetings early — an hour is too long"
"There was lots of ranting, swearing and tears — with my coach, with my team leaders, with James Harding. I’ve learnt to stay on top of emails by replying the same day with a “yes, we’ll make that” or “no, we can’t”. Nobody should write a long email or send emails on the weekend. I also started to walk out of meetings early — an hour is too long"
Socratic dialogue
Whilst most of us have been obsessed with Brexit and rugby, the new Controller of BBC Sounds has been engaging with his critics on Twitter. Jonathan Wall has adopted the style of a new manager parachuted in to save a Premier League club from relegation, with such vigour that some readers thought they might be following a parody account. Mr Wall's self-proclaimed mission is bigger than all that - to save UK radio/audio from extermination by US-based audio platforms, with a mere handful of software engineers. Thrilling.
9 weeks in @BBCSounds and intense but exhilarating. Weekly reach up from 1.3 million to 2.5 million. We haven’t even scratched the surface yet. @lloydshep and me are determined to give the uk something no other US tech giant can do - the ultimate audio one stop shop.
No messing about. This is happening. Thats why every single word digital company is in the door wanting to talk to us. 97 years making audio and still the best!
9 weeks in @BBCSounds and intense but exhilarating. Weekly reach up from 1.3 million to 2.5 million. We haven’t even scratched the surface yet. @lloydshep and me are determined to give the uk something no other US tech giant can do - the ultimate audio one stop shop.
No messing about. This is happening. Thats why every single word digital company is in the door wanting to talk to us. 97 years making audio and still the best!
Bring the wheel back from iPlayer Radio. Such a pain you killed it off and we lost a great feature.
Nonsense. Why is on line listening to bbc audio up 10 percent already then mate. Stick with us pal. Dont let the US giants dictate future of UK audio
It's a pity the navigation is shit, it's barely usable. Haven't been able to easily find any of my usual podcasts since you launched this crap. Being up 10% is merely awareness, sort the app out and stop patting yourself on the back, it's a crock of shit.
Happy to dm about that..bbc is only asking others for minimal shared data info. Up to you if u really want uk audio story set by overseas companies. Happy to talk more. And i’m not patting myself on back for anything mate! I know i have a lot to do.
Can you give us the audience numbers broken down by radio station and podcasts separately, or tell me where they are now? Then a proper comparison can be made.
I havent got that level of detail to hand but We have over ten percent more listeners now to Sounds on daily basis than listened to Sounds and IPR combined 3 months ago. Still mostly driven by live listening but with steady growth in on demand consumption.
Please at least bring some of the features from iPlayer radio - like “greyed out” subscribed programmes with no current episodes - before it was easy, now I have to guess....
Thanks dave. On the case. Stick with us. One fiftieth of the tech resource of the Tech giants but we are going to make this better week after week.
Saturday, October 19, 2019
Further scanning
BBC Newsgathering boss Jonathan Munro picked up a couple of two-centre flights in the latest expenses disclosures - South Korea and Japan, for £2837.02, and New York and Washington for £2574.22. Director of News Fran Unsworth made the same New York/Washington flight for the same price. Group Managing Director Bob Shennan took in Washington, Austin and Chicago for £1359.82.
Sky scanner
Foreign travel doesn't feature quite as much in the latest release of expenses from BBC senior managers.
Controller Radio 3 Alan Davey visited Tokyo, to watch the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra in a series of concerts called the BBC Proms Japan. Flight £1747.72. Head of News Output Gavin Allen flew to Boston for £1120.22. BBC World Service group director Jamie Angus went to Rio for £2295.32.
No flight details for leader comedy man Shane Allen, but he did claim for 4 nights in the 4-star Shangri-La Hotel, Santa Monica for £922.16. Chief (data) Architect Jayton Aythora headed to San Francisco for £1355.58, plus three nights in the 4-star Hotel Spero for a tasty £1140.
Kieran Clifton, Director of Distribution, flew to Austin, Texas for £2455.22, and spent £1419.80 on six nights in a hotel. Steerage for Controller Radio 1 Ben Cooper, knees tucked up all the way to LA for just £781.69. BBC2 boss Patrick Holland spent £1048.26 on four nights at the Beverly Hills Plaza. Alison Kirkham, Factual Commissioner, flew to Washington for £1829.52
DG Lord Hall flew to Tel Aviv for £1478.72, accompanied by Director of Nations and Regions Ken MacQuarrie, and spent 3 nights in the Hotel Rothschild at £816.09; slightly pricier was a stay in Davos - six nights in the Bergotal Schatzalp, at £2328.59.
More later, when my eyes recover...
Controller Radio 3 Alan Davey visited Tokyo, to watch the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra in a series of concerts called the BBC Proms Japan. Flight £1747.72. Head of News Output Gavin Allen flew to Boston for £1120.22. BBC World Service group director Jamie Angus went to Rio for £2295.32.
No flight details for leader comedy man Shane Allen, but he did claim for 4 nights in the 4-star Shangri-La Hotel, Santa Monica for £922.16. Chief (data) Architect Jayton Aythora headed to San Francisco for £1355.58, plus three nights in the 4-star Hotel Spero for a tasty £1140.
Kieran Clifton, Director of Distribution, flew to Austin, Texas for £2455.22, and spent £1419.80 on six nights in a hotel. Steerage for Controller Radio 1 Ben Cooper, knees tucked up all the way to LA for just £781.69. BBC2 boss Patrick Holland spent £1048.26 on four nights at the Beverly Hills Plaza. Alison Kirkham, Factual Commissioner, flew to Washington for £1829.52
DG Lord Hall flew to Tel Aviv for £1478.72, accompanied by Director of Nations and Regions Ken MacQuarrie, and spent 3 nights in the Hotel Rothschild at £816.09; slightly pricier was a stay in Davos - six nights in the Bergotal Schatzalp, at £2328.59.
More later, when my eyes recover...
What matters...
The Mail calls it a Day of Destiny; the FT 'High Noon'; the Today programme wheels out James Naughtie for his thoughts from Westminster.
BBC1, the channel that brings the nation together in times of crisis, sticks with Pointless Celebrities from 1750 to 1840. BBC2 offers a Newsnight special from 1750 to 1830.
BBC1, the channel that brings the nation together in times of crisis, sticks with Pointless Celebrities from 1750 to 1840. BBC2 offers a Newsnight special from 1750 to 1830.
Friday, October 18, 2019
Mixed up
I'm sure the commissioning process is entirely transparent.
Popular music combo Little Mix will be presenting a new Saturday night show for BBC1 next year, "The Search", in which they hunt for a support act for the UK leg of their 2020 tour. The seven part series will be made by Modest TV, formed in 2016 by the Little Mix management company, Modest Management. Their executive producer will be their Chief Creative Officer Andrea Hamilton, whose cv includes Strictly and The Voice.
Modest Management are essentially record industry veterans Harry Magee and Richard Griffiths, who came together in 2003, and broke through with One Direction in 2010. They also manage Niall Horan, Olly Murs, Rak-Su, Katherine Jenkins, Diana Vickers and Paul Potts.
Popular music combo Little Mix will be presenting a new Saturday night show for BBC1 next year, "The Search", in which they hunt for a support act for the UK leg of their 2020 tour. The seven part series will be made by Modest TV, formed in 2016 by the Little Mix management company, Modest Management. Their executive producer will be their Chief Creative Officer Andrea Hamilton, whose cv includes Strictly and The Voice.
Modest Management are essentially record industry veterans Harry Magee and Richard Griffiths, who came together in 2003, and broke through with One Direction in 2010. They also manage Niall Horan, Olly Murs, Rak-Su, Katherine Jenkins, Diana Vickers and Paul Potts.
Brussels
A three-strong live Brexitcast last night on BBC1, with fourth Buck's Fizz member Chris Mason allowed the night off to prepare for presentation of Any Questions ? on Radio 4.
Brussels-based Adam Fleming gave us a look round the Justus Lipsius building, where the atrium base houses up to 600 hacks, and the Balcony of Fame, where the big presenters play....
Brussels-based Adam Fleming gave us a look round the Justus Lipsius building, where the atrium base houses up to 600 hacks, and the Balcony of Fame, where the big presenters play....
Morning meeting
All very breathless and exciting on the BBC1 bulletins at 6 and 10 last night, but today they must do better on some facts about the differences between this deal and the May deal. It is not enough to have one graphic about moving 'cars' from GB to NI, and then on to the Irish Republic. It is not enough to point people to the website.
Let's do a piece on the 'all-Ireland regulatory zone', the restrictions on changing VAT in NI; the composition of the committee who will set levels of financial support to NI farmers; the 'points of entry', that will be supervised by UK and EU officials; the definition of 'cross community support' required for the system to continue, and more.
After that, you can have your normal breathless pieces on trying to guess how the vote will go. Thank you.
Let's do a piece on the 'all-Ireland regulatory zone', the restrictions on changing VAT in NI; the composition of the committee who will set levels of financial support to NI farmers; the 'points of entry', that will be supervised by UK and EU officials; the definition of 'cross community support' required for the system to continue, and more.
After that, you can have your normal breathless pieces on trying to guess how the vote will go. Thank you.
Thursday, October 17, 2019
Cold
Radio 4's You and Yours, from the advanced BBC technology hub that is MediaCityUK, Salford, suffered crossed wires yesterday. For 1 minute 40 seconds - an inordinately long time to stop this sort of fault - a live microphone from someone perhaps preparing to read a news bulletin bled across the dulcet tones of Winifred Robinson. Includes fruity language about temperature.
Full story ?
"BBC Sounds is growing. We now have over two and a half million weekly users, up around 50% since July, with listeners having come across from iPlayer Radio, which we closed last week." BBC Director of Radio & Education James Purnell today.
Do you dislike partial discloures ? I very much hope the BBC Board will be provided with a fuller analysis of, for example, the numbers that HAVEN'T come across from iPlayer Radio; the full costs of marketing BBC Sounds so far; and the future of the BBC's offer to radio listeners around the world.
Do you dislike partial discloures ? I very much hope the BBC Board will be provided with a fuller analysis of, for example, the numbers that HAVEN'T come across from iPlayer Radio; the full costs of marketing BBC Sounds so far; and the future of the BBC's offer to radio listeners around the world.
Taxi !
The BBC has reinvented its taxi contract. The previous deal was with 'One Transport', who've now re-branded themselves "Gett Business Solutions" - and won another go, which should turnover close to £11m a year for the next seven years.
Gett, an upmarket taxi hailing app, took over many of London's black cabs in 2016, buying out Mountview. They've promised to introduce Addison Lee drivers to the new BBC deal.
Gett, an upmarket taxi hailing app, took over many of London's black cabs in 2016, buying out Mountview. They've promised to introduce Addison Lee drivers to the new BBC deal.
Virtual hits reality
"After that project though, the VR Hub will be wrapping up its commissioning and production work..."
Thus the BBC's Zillah Watson (Nottingham High School, BA Law University College, Oxford and qualified barrister) announces a pretty firm pause in making new BBC material for those funny headsets. Zillah is billed as Commissioning Editor for Virtual Reality & Head of BBC VR Hub, a Research and Development job she's held for two and a half years.
Thus the BBC's Zillah Watson (Nottingham High School, BA Law University College, Oxford and qualified barrister) announces a pretty firm pause in making new BBC material for those funny headsets. Zillah is billed as Commissioning Editor for Virtual Reality & Head of BBC VR Hub, a Research and Development job she's held for two and a half years.
Extra duties
Either the BBC or the Clementi family seems to have fallen on hard times.
Below, BBC chairman Sir David Clementi, 70, is seen providing security amongst the live audience of The One Show last night...
Below, BBC chairman Sir David Clementi, 70, is seen providing security amongst the live audience of The One Show last night...
Wednesday, October 16, 2019
Up
Promotion for Jonny Crawford, a 5Live original from way back in 1994, confirmed in post after acting as Head of News for 5 Live, post the departure of Rozina Breen to Nations & Regions in the summer.
Jonny (Bradford Grammar, BSc Industrial Economics, Nottingham and postgrad at City University) has an unenviable first task, sorting out how to do more for less in the next financial year - as will everybody across BBC News.
Jonny (Bradford Grammar, BSc Industrial Economics, Nottingham and postgrad at City University) has an unenviable first task, sorting out how to do more for less in the next financial year - as will everybody across BBC News.
Chocolate teapot
New Culture Secretary Nicky Morgan isn't going to do anything much about tv licences for the Over-75s. She revealed to the DCMS Select Committee that she's met both BBC Chairman Sir David Clementi and DG Lord Hall, and discussed 'helping' the BBC with its efforts to get more Pension Credit take-up (and thus help more over-75s avoid coughing up for a licence for the first time from 2020).
And, unhelpfully, she said she hasn't yet 'probed' how this mess came about in 2015.
And, unhelpfully, she said she hasn't yet 'probed' how this mess came about in 2015.
2 for 1
The BBC could have saved a little on the fees to headhunters Odgers Berndtson in the quest for an HR Director to fill the Carvelas of Valerie Hughes D'Aeth. The position has gone to a job-share of established insiders - Wendy Aslett and Rachel Currie.
Wendy (BA French and Spanish, Durham, MBA Bradford) has been with Auntie since 1991. Rachel (MA Philosophy and English Lit, Glasgow) has over 30 years under her belt.
Val was on £330k, Rachel £170k+ and Wendy £165+. The new girls won't lose much by going part-time; will they replace themselves at Radio, Content & Education and Nations & Regions respectively, or re-structure ?
Wendy (BA French and Spanish, Durham, MBA Bradford) has been with Auntie since 1991. Rachel (MA Philosophy and English Lit, Glasgow) has over 30 years under her belt.
Val was on £330k, Rachel £170k+ and Wendy £165+. The new girls won't lose much by going part-time; will they replace themselves at Radio, Content & Education and Nations & Regions respectively, or re-structure ?
Oscar winners
BBC ..imagine... Editor and Presenter Alan Yentob (72) was out taking sparkling wine with the Oscar Wilde Society at the Grosvenor House yesterday. Society President Gyles Brandreth (71) welcomed guest of honour, The Duchess of Cornwall (72) a day ahead of what would have been Oscar's 165th birthday.
Other guests included Nicholas Parsons (96), Dame Maggie Smith and Barry Cryer (both 84), Geffrey Archer (79) and Tim Rice (74). How Fiona Bruce (55) got in, isn't clear.
Other guests included Nicholas Parsons (96), Dame Maggie Smith and Barry Cryer (both 84), Geffrey Archer (79) and Tim Rice (74). How Fiona Bruce (55) got in, isn't clear.
Tuesday, October 15, 2019
Balance
The latest survey of audio listening habits (2,000 people took part) puts the weekly reach of podcasts at 17% of UK adults, compared with 13% a year ago.
The podcasting weekly share of audio listening is 4%, up from 3% last year. Live radio accounts for 73%, compared with 74% last year. I wonder if that balance is reflected in BBC Radio's content and marketing spend.
Data crazy
Next week sees the release of the latest radio audience figures. In the last reported quarter, 26% of adults claimed to own a voice-activated speaker, and 94% of those used them to listen to live radio. This boosted online listening in home, which is now the fastest growing platform and location, increasing by 27.7 million hours (or by 44%) year on year to account for 15% of all in home listening.
The survey period ended on 15th September. The BBC pulled its live radio from the TuneIn platform in the UK on 30th September, though not its podcasts. TuneIn is/was an established platform already set-up on many Alexa/Amazon devices. Alexa is thought to have just over half of the UK market. The UK is the world's third largest market for smart speakers - Deloitte have forecast sales of 13m units over 20219. They're still going to be Christmas presents for many.
Unless the BBC sort this out, it's commercial radio that will benefit from consequences of an unbelievably stubborn hunt for 'meaningful data'. Was radio really rubbish when we just had LW, MW and FM, James ?
The survey period ended on 15th September. The BBC pulled its live radio from the TuneIn platform in the UK on 30th September, though not its podcasts. TuneIn is/was an established platform already set-up on many Alexa/Amazon devices. Alexa is thought to have just over half of the UK market. The UK is the world's third largest market for smart speakers - Deloitte have forecast sales of 13m units over 20219. They're still going to be Christmas presents for many.
Unless the BBC sort this out, it's commercial radio that will benefit from consequences of an unbelievably stubborn hunt for 'meaningful data'. Was radio really rubbish when we just had LW, MW and FM, James ?
Monday, October 14, 2019
New faces
Only one new edition of ...imagine... coming up, as part of today's 'ambitious' BBC Arts launch.
It is to feature the self-proclaimed 'grandmother of performance art', Marina Abramovic, approaching, like ..imagine...editor Alan Yentob, her 73rd birthday.
Alan, barefoot, was in an audience of 100 VIPs who watched a short performance by Marina at the opening of the 2009 Manchester International Festival. She drank water, stared at a stranger for 10 minutes and made the audience walk around, focusing on the foot 'touching' the ground.
Marina stared at Newsnight's Katie Razzall for a 5 minute report on Newsnight in 2014. In that same year BBC Arts Editor Will Gompertz devoted half an hour of Radio 4 to Marina. In 2012, BBC Four carried 'The Artist is Present', a one-hour 45-minute documentary on Marina, which they re-named Goddess of Performance.
The Royal Academy will devote three months of 2020 to Marina's work. Lord knows how long ...imagine... will be, devoted to "a series of encounters with Alan Yentob in New York, London, Munich and her native Belgrade".
It is to feature the self-proclaimed 'grandmother of performance art', Marina Abramovic, approaching, like ..imagine...editor Alan Yentob, her 73rd birthday.
Alan, barefoot, was in an audience of 100 VIPs who watched a short performance by Marina at the opening of the 2009 Manchester International Festival. She drank water, stared at a stranger for 10 minutes and made the audience walk around, focusing on the foot 'touching' the ground.
Marina stared at Newsnight's Katie Razzall for a 5 minute report on Newsnight in 2014. In that same year BBC Arts Editor Will Gompertz devoted half an hour of Radio 4 to Marina. In 2012, BBC Four carried 'The Artist is Present', a one-hour 45-minute documentary on Marina, which they re-named Goddess of Performance.
The Royal Academy will devote three months of 2020 to Marina's work. Lord knows how long ...imagine... will be, devoted to "a series of encounters with Alan Yentob in New York, London, Munich and her native Belgrade".
New perspective
As if to compete with the gritty reality of Kay Burley as a new competitor, BBC Breakfast has today re-invented the view through its pretend windows. The previous images, emanating from a laser disc, were created by an Italian graphic artist back in 2012.
New Breakfast editor Richard Frediani has moved quickly (in BBC terms) to change them. If you believe them, the studio has moved somewhere around the first floor of The Lowry Theatre, looking north to the piazza of MediaCityUK, where flocks of birds fly on rotation. No sign of rain clouds, nor detritus in the glistening dock. I suspect the Italian is still involved.
New Breakfast editor Richard Frediani has moved quickly (in BBC terms) to change them. If you believe them, the studio has moved somewhere around the first floor of The Lowry Theatre, looking north to the piazza of MediaCityUK, where flocks of birds fly on rotation. No sign of rain clouds, nor detritus in the glistening dock. I suspect the Italian is still involved.
Get used to it
Dan 'So' Taylor-Watt is Director of Product for the BBC iPlayer and BBC Sounds. He told R4's Feedback on Friday "An app is never done, it's never totally perfect, but we will be constantly improving it and I do think in six months' time then, some of those users who aren't yet happy with it will have got familiar and feel much, much happier".
Wasn't there a BBC senior manager who said that about the Jo (Whiley) and Simon (Mayo) Show on Radio 2 ?
Wasn't there a BBC senior manager who said that about the Jo (Whiley) and Simon (Mayo) Show on Radio 2 ?
Sunday, October 13, 2019
Up the wall
Not much of a contest between our two Saturday night dinosaurs last night. Strictly Come Dancing on BBC1 claimed an average of 8.6m in the overnights, whereas The (Celebrity) XFactor managed 4.8m. Proportionately, XFactor did better with the elusive 16-34 year-olds, scoring 1m; Strictly got 800k.
Spoiler: Expect Strictly to dip further with under 34s (and BAME audiences) after tonight's expulsion.
No figures to hand for Danny Dyer's new BBC1 quiz show, The Wall, which has a pre-festive smell of turkey. Though more people may tune if he keeps calling Angela Rippon (75) 'baby'.
Spoiler: Expect Strictly to dip further with under 34s (and BAME audiences) after tonight's expulsion.
No figures to hand for Danny Dyer's new BBC1 quiz show, The Wall, which has a pre-festive smell of turkey. Though more people may tune if he keeps calling Angela Rippon (75) 'baby'.
Br-radio
It seems Kieran Clifton, the Dominic Cummings of Take Back Control for BBC Sounds, has entered the Tunnel of Negotiations with the un-elected technocrats of Amazon. Kieran has pulled BBC live streams from an international audio platform called TuneIn, which is used by many as the system to deliver radio to their trendy new wifi speakers like Alexa, often as a soothing alarm - or to speakers right across a house.
"We know it’s annoying that features such as the alarm and multi-room for instance don’t work anymore. We have been talking to Amazon about adding these features to our skill for many months - but we were told they wouldn’t enable them. And, since we don’t have access to usage stats, it was difficult to understand how many of you were using those features.
We didn’t get anywhere, at some point we had to make the change - and now we can demonstrate to them how important the features are to some of you.
And happily, there is now hope. Amazon has, in the last few days (after we made these changes), blogged about enabling these features. And we sat down with the team from Amazon yesterday to look at how we can get to a good place - so we’re really encouraged by progress so far."
Will a deal come in time for Kieran ? There are some 180 comments on his BBC article already, many pointing out that the removal of BBC programmes from TuneIn hits much wider than just Amazon devices. And the ceaseless hunt for data is derided "Time to reverse: you don’t need my data to know what’s relevant. I’m telling you!"
"We know it’s annoying that features such as the alarm and multi-room for instance don’t work anymore. We have been talking to Amazon about adding these features to our skill for many months - but we were told they wouldn’t enable them. And, since we don’t have access to usage stats, it was difficult to understand how many of you were using those features.
We didn’t get anywhere, at some point we had to make the change - and now we can demonstrate to them how important the features are to some of you.
And happily, there is now hope. Amazon has, in the last few days (after we made these changes), blogged about enabling these features. And we sat down with the team from Amazon yesterday to look at how we can get to a good place - so we’re really encouraged by progress so far."
Will a deal come in time for Kieran ? There are some 180 comments on his BBC article already, many pointing out that the removal of BBC programmes from TuneIn hits much wider than just Amazon devices. And the ceaseless hunt for data is derided "Time to reverse: you don’t need my data to know what’s relevant. I’m telling you!"
Saturday, October 12, 2019
Somebody loves me...
Sir David Clementi, the BBC Chairman with the imperceptible profile, is to be lauded by the Institute of Directors....India. He will be awarded a Distinguished Fellowship when the Institute hosts its 19th Annual Global Convention, in London in mid-November.
Dr Johnson
Somebody in VT at Newsnight had too much time on their hands yesterday; perhaps they were locked in by XR.
Friday, October 11, 2019
Stamina
A remarkable 19 events in just 90 days from April to June for Mims Davies MP, as she glided towards the end of her times at the DCMS. Admire, in particular, the cross-cultural triumph of getting Spice Girls tickets off The Premier League....
British Horse Racing Authority Lunch and 2 x tickets to Grand National
V&A Museum: 4 x Tickets to Dior Exhibition
London Marathon: 3 x Tickets to Virgin London Marathon
Football Association: Lunch and 2 x Royal Box Tickets to Women's FA Cup Final
UK Sport: Dinner and Ticket to Taekwondo World Championships
England Netball: Lunch and 3 x Tickets to Vitality Netball Superleague Final
The Ageas Bowl: Lunch and 2x Tickets to RL50 Cricket Final
ECB: Lunch and Ticket to Cricket World Cup Opening Match
FA: 5 x Tickets to England v New Zealand Women's Football
InHouse Communications: 1 x ticket to Hugh Jackman Show
UEFA: 1 x ticket to UEFA Nations League Semi-Final
Glamorgan CC: Lunch and Ticket to England v Bangladesh Cricket World Cup match
Global: 3 x Tickets to Capital Summertime Ball
FA: Tickets to England v Scotland Women's World Cup match
Premier League: 2 x tickets to the Spice Girls
The Ageas Bowl: 1 x ticket to Cricket World Cup England v West Indies
British Horse Racing Authority: Lunch and 2 x Royal Box Tickets to Royal Ascot
England Hockey: 2 x Tickets to Hockey Pro League Final
The Prince's Foundation: Tour, Dinner and Hotel
British Horse Racing Authority Lunch and 2 x tickets to Grand National
V&A Museum: 4 x Tickets to Dior Exhibition
London Marathon: 3 x Tickets to Virgin London Marathon
Football Association: Lunch and 2 x Royal Box Tickets to Women's FA Cup Final
UK Sport: Dinner and Ticket to Taekwondo World Championships
England Netball: Lunch and 3 x Tickets to Vitality Netball Superleague Final
The Ageas Bowl: Lunch and 2x Tickets to RL50 Cricket Final
ECB: Lunch and Ticket to Cricket World Cup Opening Match
FA: 5 x Tickets to England v New Zealand Women's Football
InHouse Communications: 1 x ticket to Hugh Jackman Show
UEFA: 1 x ticket to UEFA Nations League Semi-Final
Glamorgan CC: Lunch and Ticket to England v Bangladesh Cricket World Cup match
Global: 3 x Tickets to Capital Summertime Ball
FA: Tickets to England v Scotland Women's World Cup match
Premier League: 2 x tickets to the Spice Girls
The Ageas Bowl: 1 x ticket to Cricket World Cup England v West Indies
British Horse Racing Authority: Lunch and 2 x Royal Box Tickets to Royal Ascot
England Hockey: 2 x Tickets to Hockey Pro League Final
The Prince's Foundation: Tour, Dinner and Hotel
Wrong end
I bet you thought those 7,000 BBC News employees just do 'news'. No. Some of them are apparently using 'Telescope'.
"We are looking for an enthusiastic senior software engineer to join the Data Solutions team working on Telescope. Telescope is an in-house analytics tool born in the BBC newsroom and growing to serve the rest of the organisation thanks to its friendly language and bespoke charting for easy to understand visual data.
The tool is helping to deliver strategic organisational goals around engaging young audiences and expanding our global reach. We hope to support our content creators in their efforts by ensuring that as many of them as possible have the relevant audience data to hand in order to make better, quicker decisions about commissioning, optimisation and distribution."
"We are looking for an enthusiastic senior software engineer to join the Data Solutions team working on Telescope. Telescope is an in-house analytics tool born in the BBC newsroom and growing to serve the rest of the organisation thanks to its friendly language and bespoke charting for easy to understand visual data.
The tool is helping to deliver strategic organisational goals around engaging young audiences and expanding our global reach. We hope to support our content creators in their efforts by ensuring that as many of them as possible have the relevant audience data to hand in order to make better, quicker decisions about commissioning, optimisation and distribution."
Val-halla
Spookily the awards are sponsored by LifeSight, a subsidiary of Willis Towers Watson, external advisers to the BBC in the Hughes-D'Aeth re-imagination of pay grades.
Hughes D’Aeth tells HR Magazine: "It's been a fantastic experience, and I hope that it [the BBC] is in a better place than it was when I joined. It's time that I spent a bit more time with my family. I'm sure I'll still be up to a lot of different things, but for me the focus is now to have some more balance. It's a real privilege and I'm thrilled."
Looking for clues
Media historians will find the latest report from the Culture Select Committee a useful bundle of documents about the Great 2015 Licence Fee Stitch Up. Committee chair Damian Collins tries his best to find out who's to blame for the Over 75s mess, but misses a couple of key interviews even Dixon of Dock Green would have conducted.
BBC DG Lord Hall says the decision to accept the 'policy' of free licences for the elderly (but with un-minuted agreement that the 'policy' might not continue forever) was taken between the BBC Trust and the Government. And notes that the minutes of his meeting with the BBC Trust on 6 July 2015 were 'inadequate' (you don't say, Tony - my criticism of all published BBC minutes). Damian Collins' reading of the documents from 2015 says the BBC side 'requested the responsibility' of covering the free licences (an odd take).
Mr Collins has failed to interview two key actors - BBC Trust chair at the time, Rona Fairhead, and the then Chancellor, George Osborne. They're both Tories, like Mr Collins.
Two other Tories have been more frank about what happened. Ed Vaizey has noted "I was in the DCMS when this policy was imposed on the BBC by the Treasury to meet its £12bn welfare target, a target which I doubt we have met and has long been forgotten."
And former Culture Secretary John Whittingdale said that when the decision was taken to transfer responsibility for free TV licences to the BBC "it was understood that this [cutting or narrowing the concession] would be a possible outcome".
BBC DG Lord Hall says the decision to accept the 'policy' of free licences for the elderly (but with un-minuted agreement that the 'policy' might not continue forever) was taken between the BBC Trust and the Government. And notes that the minutes of his meeting with the BBC Trust on 6 July 2015 were 'inadequate' (you don't say, Tony - my criticism of all published BBC minutes). Damian Collins' reading of the documents from 2015 says the BBC side 'requested the responsibility' of covering the free licences (an odd take).
Mr Collins has failed to interview two key actors - BBC Trust chair at the time, Rona Fairhead, and the then Chancellor, George Osborne. They're both Tories, like Mr Collins.
Two other Tories have been more frank about what happened. Ed Vaizey has noted "I was in the DCMS when this policy was imposed on the BBC by the Treasury to meet its £12bn welfare target, a target which I doubt we have met and has long been forgotten."
And former Culture Secretary John Whittingdale said that when the decision was taken to transfer responsibility for free TV licences to the BBC "it was understood that this [cutting or narrowing the concession] would be a possible outcome".
Thursday, October 10, 2019
Talent will out
This could be, er, interesting, and is certainly an innovative way to populate those difficult-to-fill slots in Radio 1's Christmas schedule. Alex Hadyn-Jones is Head of Radio 1 Programmes
Jones started his radio career at the age of 14 when he presented a slot on Radio Bronglais at Bronglais General Hospital in Aberystwyth.
This is exciting... and daunting... If you do any kind of radio (hospital, local, community, student) and think you’re @BBCR1 ready we‘ve made some room on our schedule between Christmas and NYE.— Aled Haydn Jones (@ahj) October 10, 2019
Good luck! https://t.co/Pyvcl9S6dm
Jones started his radio career at the age of 14 when he presented a slot on Radio Bronglais at Bronglais General Hospital in Aberystwyth.
Persistent Philip
More than a handful of bright young things are currently writing manifestos.
The ever-helpful entirely-charitable secretly-funded free-market Institute of Economic Affairs today suggests turning the BBC into a subscription-based organisation like The National Trust, under a management elected by subscribers. The paper is written by Philip Booth.
In April 2016, the IEA published "The Case for Privatising the BBC". The booklet was edited by Philip Booth. It contained a long chapter on alleged BBC bias (particularly against the IEA) by Ryan Bourne, now Chair in Public Understanding of Economics at the Cato Institute, and a Telegraph columnist. The free-market Institute has published entertaining views on tobacco and climate change. Ryan's twitter feed is followed by Carrie Symonds and Michael Gove.
In 2004, the IEA published "Public Service Broadcasting Without the BBC ?", with an introduction by Philip Booth. It proposed a BBC funded by voluntary subscription. There was a major contribution from Sir Alan Peacock.
In 1985, Margaret Thatcher commissioned Professor Alan Peacock to review the licence fee and see if the BBC could be funded by advertising. In 1986 Sir Alan proposed a reformed licence fee, but with some growing element of pay-per-view or direct subscription. Subsequent analysis demonstrated that the idea would cut BBC income by more than half, and it was dropped.
If any readers are actually writing manifestos, Philip Booth has a range of ideas. "Tax havens do serve a useful purpose"; "Taxation can exhaust our ability to make moral choices to help our families, our neighbours and society more widely"; "Privatisation of energy markets is a great success story"
The ever-helpful entirely-charitable secretly-funded free-market Institute of Economic Affairs today suggests turning the BBC into a subscription-based organisation like The National Trust, under a management elected by subscribers. The paper is written by Philip Booth.
In April 2016, the IEA published "The Case for Privatising the BBC". The booklet was edited by Philip Booth. It contained a long chapter on alleged BBC bias (particularly against the IEA) by Ryan Bourne, now Chair in Public Understanding of Economics at the Cato Institute, and a Telegraph columnist. The free-market Institute has published entertaining views on tobacco and climate change. Ryan's twitter feed is followed by Carrie Symonds and Michael Gove.
In 2004, the IEA published "Public Service Broadcasting Without the BBC ?", with an introduction by Philip Booth. It proposed a BBC funded by voluntary subscription. There was a major contribution from Sir Alan Peacock.
In 1985, Margaret Thatcher commissioned Professor Alan Peacock to review the licence fee and see if the BBC could be funded by advertising. In 1986 Sir Alan proposed a reformed licence fee, but with some growing element of pay-per-view or direct subscription. Subsequent analysis demonstrated that the idea would cut BBC income by more than half, and it was dropped.
If any readers are actually writing manifestos, Philip Booth has a range of ideas. "Tax havens do serve a useful purpose"; "Taxation can exhaust our ability to make moral choices to help our families, our neighbours and society more widely"; "Privatisation of energy markets is a great success story"
Voice over
The hunt is on for a new lead detective for Series 10 of Death In Paradise. Ardal O'Hanlon has announced that Series 9, heading to our screens in the New Year, is to be his last. Who will follow in the footsteps of Ben Miller, Kris Marshall and Ardal ?
The show is a co-production for the BBC and France Televisions. Recent BBC1 showings have averaged 9m viewers; on France 2 it gets about 3m. The production also gets support from the island of Guadeloupe, where one-day "Meurtres En Paradis" tours retail at just over £100.
In France, it's dubbed. Any suggestion that the producers would prefer actors with indistinct mouth movements would be outrageous.
The show is a co-production for the BBC and France Televisions. Recent BBC1 showings have averaged 9m viewers; on France 2 it gets about 3m. The production also gets support from the island of Guadeloupe, where one-day "Meurtres En Paradis" tours retail at just over £100.
In France, it's dubbed. Any suggestion that the producers would prefer actors with indistinct mouth movements would be outrageous.
Wednesday, October 9, 2019
Picture obscured
Sad news for BBC foodies at Broadcasting House. Picture Restaurant, which opened on the site of the old Italian La Vigna in Great Portland Street in 2013, closed its doors last week. The newer sister restaurant, in New Cavendish Street, Marylebone, is also shutting.
Chef-owners Tom, Alan and Colin say trading has been is tough, and they wanted to close without leaving anyone out of pocket. Which makes a nice change.
Chef-owners Tom, Alan and Colin say trading has been is tough, and they wanted to close without leaving anyone out of pocket. Which makes a nice change.
Mobility issues
The 2019 Social Mobility Index puts the BBC at Number 38 (of 170-odd firms that submit data for analysis). That's down from 28 in 2018. The BBC remains behind such forward thinkers as Enterprise Rent-A-Car, The Honourable Society of The Inner Temple and Morrison's Supermarkets.
At the top, KPMG have been supplanted this year by PwC.
At the top, KPMG have been supplanted this year by PwC.
Masonry
Congratulations to Chris Mason, 39 (Ermysted's Grammar School, Skipton and Christ's College, Cambridge) on a new gig as presenter of Any Questions ? on Radio 4.
It's a slightly left-field choice for new Controller Mohit Bakaya, and Chris is typically self-deprecatory about it : “Once I’ve got over the sense of not being David Moyes to [Jonathan] Dimbleby’s Alex Ferguson, perhaps the sheer terror will subside.”
Sadly, one suspects, the appointment means we'll hear a little less of Chris's plain-speaking as a Political Correspondent.
It's a slightly left-field choice for new Controller Mohit Bakaya, and Chris is typically self-deprecatory about it : “Once I’ve got over the sense of not being David Moyes to [Jonathan] Dimbleby’s Alex Ferguson, perhaps the sheer terror will subside.”
Sadly, one suspects, the appointment means we'll hear a little less of Chris's plain-speaking as a Political Correspondent.
Captured
I'll take a bet there'll be a second series of The Capture, which finished its run of six episodes on BBC1 last night. Produced by Heyday, (David Heyman did the Harry Potter films) with NBC Universal, it seems to have roughly doubled its overnight audiences, from 2.5m to a caught-up figure of over 5.25m. It might have done even better in a Bodyguard-type weekend slot.
Writer-director Ben Chanan was well supported by Director of Photography Rasmus Arrildt; the cast, with added US actors Ron Perlman and Famke Janssen should see American pick-up soon.
Writer-director Ben Chanan was well supported by Director of Photography Rasmus Arrildt; the cast, with added US actors Ron Perlman and Famke Janssen should see American pick-up soon.
Think American Humor
Here's a dispiriting chart, from ITV's marketing website, Thinkbox. It lists the Top Ten shows on UK commercial channels with the greatest penetration amongst the elusive 16-34 audience. The 'index' column indicates the propensity of an audience to watch a programme compared to a base audience of 100 individuals.
Tuesday, October 8, 2019
Devaluation time
Whatever next ? Former BBC HR Director, Lucy Adams, is no longer sure 'values' are worth all the bother. At least 'corporate value statements', which, she now thinks, are generally all the same, and can't really be imposed.
"I’ve always felt there was something inherently arrogant in a company ‘providing’ values to their employees. Almost as if the leaders feel they have the monopoly on principled behaviour but their employees need to be fed them and have them explained."
More of Lucy's revisionism here. Below, the BBC's current values.
Trust is the foundation of the BBC; we are independent, impartial and honest
Audiences are at the heart of everything we do
We take pride in delivering quality and value for money
Creativity is the lifeblood of our organisation
We respect each other and celebrate our diversity
We are one BBC; great things happen when we work together
"I’ve always felt there was something inherently arrogant in a company ‘providing’ values to their employees. Almost as if the leaders feel they have the monopoly on principled behaviour but their employees need to be fed them and have them explained."
More of Lucy's revisionism here. Below, the BBC's current values.
Trust is the foundation of the BBC; we are independent, impartial and honest
Audiences are at the heart of everything we do
We take pride in delivering quality and value for money
Creativity is the lifeblood of our organisation
We respect each other and celebrate our diversity
We are one BBC; great things happen when we work together
Tangled web
I'm sure there's a strategy - James Purnell is involved, after all - but the BBC seems to be in a muddle over Sounds.
The BBC Sounds Twitter account, meant to highlight the myriad joys on offer, is spending too much time banging out standard responses to grumpy punters. There are sufficient grumpy punters to challenge the Purnell assertion that Sounds does everything the Radio iPlayer did and more.
For example, no-one in the Purnell Bright Boys team seems to have recognised that a radio alarm clock is a popular concept, and with iPlayer Radio, you could just have one device on your bedside table, a mobile phone, charging gently and waking you up with live radio. Or, if you'd gone all modern, you could have a bedside voice-assisted device, and, with the TuneIn function, achieve the same end. 'Cept the BBC has spurned TuneIn. The BBC keeps promising it'll work out how to fix an alarm alongside its Alexa 'skill', but it's not arrived yet.
(Below, an entertaining work round, using a mobile to talk to Alexa).
The BBC has taken its radio streams away from TuneIn, because it says it wants more data. It gets plenty of data from TuneIn in terms of numbers listening, but its clear it wants maximum downloads of BBC Sounds (to prove its a triumph), and the consequent commitment from users to 'sign in'.
Here some more circular thinking. The BBC argues its cheaper to support just one audio app, so wants to drop the Radio iPlayer. But it has to keep the Radio iPlayer working abroad, because
a) it can't really demand international sign-in - no competitor does, and radio listening counts quite a lot towards Lord Hall's target of a 500m global audience.
b) BBC Sounds is intentionally music-heavy, to attract yoof, but international music rights are tricky and expensive. If an international version carried ads, that might be even trickier.
Either way, it looks like a two-app future for some time.
Another challenge for the BBC: It argues, like commercial competitors, that it can't keep the Radio iPlayer working for those on old operating systems. This offends a cohort for whom an iPad is a major expense, perhaps the only piece of new technology they've mastered, and public service is public service. There's already a request for the BBC to provide its Equality Analysis on the TuneIn closedown; expect one soon on the Radio iPlayer closure (especially if it's still going outside the UK).
The BBC Sounds Twitter account, meant to highlight the myriad joys on offer, is spending too much time banging out standard responses to grumpy punters. There are sufficient grumpy punters to challenge the Purnell assertion that Sounds does everything the Radio iPlayer did and more.
For example, no-one in the Purnell Bright Boys team seems to have recognised that a radio alarm clock is a popular concept, and with iPlayer Radio, you could just have one device on your bedside table, a mobile phone, charging gently and waking you up with live radio. Or, if you'd gone all modern, you could have a bedside voice-assisted device, and, with the TuneIn function, achieve the same end. 'Cept the BBC has spurned TuneIn. The BBC keeps promising it'll work out how to fix an alarm alongside its Alexa 'skill', but it's not arrived yet.
(Below, an entertaining work round, using a mobile to talk to Alexa).
From today you can’t use TuneIn to wake up to BBC radio stations so I created a routine that makes my phone ask #Amazon Alexa to do it instead. @alexa99 pic.twitter.com/rDyAsDlO1t— Chris Gannon (@ChrisGannon) September 30, 2019
The BBC has taken its radio streams away from TuneIn, because it says it wants more data. It gets plenty of data from TuneIn in terms of numbers listening, but its clear it wants maximum downloads of BBC Sounds (to prove its a triumph), and the consequent commitment from users to 'sign in'.
Here some more circular thinking. The BBC argues its cheaper to support just one audio app, so wants to drop the Radio iPlayer. But it has to keep the Radio iPlayer working abroad, because
a) it can't really demand international sign-in - no competitor does, and radio listening counts quite a lot towards Lord Hall's target of a 500m global audience.
b) BBC Sounds is intentionally music-heavy, to attract yoof, but international music rights are tricky and expensive. If an international version carried ads, that might be even trickier.
Either way, it looks like a two-app future for some time.
Another challenge for the BBC: It argues, like commercial competitors, that it can't keep the Radio iPlayer working for those on old operating systems. This offends a cohort for whom an iPad is a major expense, perhaps the only piece of new technology they've mastered, and public service is public service. There's already a request for the BBC to provide its Equality Analysis on the TuneIn closedown; expect one soon on the Radio iPlayer closure (especially if it's still going outside the UK).
Bring me sunshine
Turns out the iPlayer re-launch event was a party. Largely for content producers, asking them to 'think outside the box' of traditional linear schedules and bring all their best stuff to the BBC. And carefully not mentioning 'rights' and 'fees'.
The full rallying cry from Director of Content, Charlotte Moore, is here.
It was the Sky Garden Bar, inside the Walkie Talkie building, in Fenchurch St, EC3. Venue hire begins at £24,500 ex VAT, and excluding minimum catering spend.
The full rallying cry from Director of Content, Charlotte Moore, is here.
Fun night at the BBC's iPlayer re-launch party ✌🏽 pic.twitter.com/zlH2fNTD8A— Abla Klaa (@AblaKlaa) October 7, 2019
It was the Sky Garden Bar, inside the Walkie Talkie building, in Fenchurch St, EC3. Venue hire begins at £24,500 ex VAT, and excluding minimum catering spend.
Monday, October 7, 2019
Al's shuffle
Fearless iconoclast Alan Davey, bestriding the Radio 3 schedules like a colossal cultural enabler, has moved Jazz Record Requests from Saturday afternoon to Sunday afternoon. This after 55 years - it started when Radio 3 was still the Third Programme, presented by Humphrey Lyttleton.
The show's place ("a new prime Saturday afternoon slot") has partly been taken by Music Planet, but with J to Z, a second surviving jazz show, still there to follow for those avoiding football results.
There's no explanation of the move from Big Al. Does it save money ? Improve figures ? There's a minor lip-curl below from the current Record Requests presenter, a mere seven years with the show.
The show's place ("a new prime Saturday afternoon slot") has partly been taken by Music Planet, but with J to Z, a second surviving jazz show, still there to follow for those avoiding football results.
There's no explanation of the move from Big Al. Does it save money ? Improve figures ? There's a minor lip-curl below from the current Record Requests presenter, a mere seven years with the show.
Music Planet - world music show. Nuff said...— Alyn Shipton (@AlynShipton) September 28, 2019
Tracking Jim
The Times [paywalled] claims the BBC's James Purnell has been tapped up for the upcoming vacancy at Ofcom, "although he is understood to have turned down Ofcom's advances."
James is on £315,000 as Director of Radio & Education; outgoing Ofcom CEO Sharon White earned £459,623 in the last full year, which included performance bonus, benefits in kind and pension contributions. Ofcom's headhunters, Russell Reynolds, say the base salary for her successor will be £315k plus up to 20% bonus.
There would have been an elegant circularity if James had bitten; he was part of the team that thought up Ofcom in the first place. But then, he's also been Culture Secretary...
James is on £315,000 as Director of Radio & Education; outgoing Ofcom CEO Sharon White earned £459,623 in the last full year, which included performance bonus, benefits in kind and pension contributions. Ofcom's headhunters, Russell Reynolds, say the base salary for her successor will be £315k plus up to 20% bonus.
There would have been an elegant circularity if James had bitten; he was part of the team that thought up Ofcom in the first place. But then, he's also been Culture Secretary...
URGENCY
So exciting. A belting exchange of letters between Ofcom Witchfinder-General Kevin Bakhurst, and the BBC's David Jordan, V.A.R of Impartiality, has just been published by Ofcom, on the Naga Saga. It ends with Kev saying "We have the power to act".
In Ofcom's 'assessment', Naga Munchetty and Dan Walker did nowt wrong. But "Neither the BBC ECU’s full reasoning or the Director-General’s reasoning for overturning the ECU’s finding have been published by the BBC. We will be addressing the BBC’s lack of transparency as a matter of urgency."
Re-invention in Australia
There's a modicum of pick-up in the press for a BBC non-announcement. We've known for some time that the BBC is 're-inventing' the iPlayer. This morning, it seems to have been re-stated by the Director-General Lord Hall: “iPlayer is a great service. But it can and will be even better.... It will be a new front door for British creativity. There are exciting times ahead.”
There is the odd factoid. The end of September apparently saw the BBC’s record week on iPlayer, with more than 90 million programmes requested.
And Director of Content Charlotte Moore says “There’s something else that makes our vision for iPlayer unique and special. In fact it’s the vital thing. It’s curated. We’re talking about a cutting-edge tech platform, run by humans. Because in a world of so much content and choice, a dynamic curated offering will become more and more important to people and will set the BBC apart.”
Putting two and two together, it looks like some of the overnight operation of that dynamic curating will be done in Australia, where the BBC is recruiting new members for its Central Editorial Team.
There is the odd factoid. The end of September apparently saw the BBC’s record week on iPlayer, with more than 90 million programmes requested.
And Director of Content Charlotte Moore says “There’s something else that makes our vision for iPlayer unique and special. In fact it’s the vital thing. It’s curated. We’re talking about a cutting-edge tech platform, run by humans. Because in a world of so much content and choice, a dynamic curated offering will become more and more important to people and will set the BBC apart.”
Putting two and two together, it looks like some of the overnight operation of that dynamic curating will be done in Australia, where the BBC is recruiting new members for its Central Editorial Team.
Tail wagging dog ?
Viewers to the BBC News channel at 0830 this morning found Business Live replaced by a new daily show, Worklife - "Global business stories and what they mean for you".
Back in 2013, the commercial company, BBC Global News Ltd, launched a new section of bbc.com called BBC Capital. It marked "an increased commitment from the site to broaden its business offering for both individuals and business leaders across the globe by providing a deeper analytical perspective on the impacts of the latest developments within the business arena." It was sponsored for China and Vietnam by ExxonMobil.
In July this year BBC Capital morphed into Worklife, "the trusted guide to work, life and success in a rapidly changing world". The launch was sponsored by software-as-a-service giant Merrill. I can find no reference to Exxon, who may be spending elsewhere. Worklife the website solicits contributions, but warns authors "It is BBC policy to give every piece of content at least two edits." Many of these interventions will come from editor Kieran Nash, a New Zealander now based in New York.
This feels like a site aimed firmly at the USA. "From side hustles to 100-year lifespans to automated hiring, we’ll help our audience navigate disruption, build meaningful careers, broaden the definition of accomplishment and highlight the people thinking differently to get ahead in life."
Let's hope the tv version of Worklife takes a broader global perspective.
Back in 2013, the commercial company, BBC Global News Ltd, launched a new section of bbc.com called BBC Capital. It marked "an increased commitment from the site to broaden its business offering for both individuals and business leaders across the globe by providing a deeper analytical perspective on the impacts of the latest developments within the business arena." It was sponsored for China and Vietnam by ExxonMobil.
In July this year BBC Capital morphed into Worklife, "the trusted guide to work, life and success in a rapidly changing world". The launch was sponsored by software-as-a-service giant Merrill. I can find no reference to Exxon, who may be spending elsewhere. Worklife the website solicits contributions, but warns authors "It is BBC policy to give every piece of content at least two edits." Many of these interventions will come from editor Kieran Nash, a New Zealander now based in New York.
This feels like a site aimed firmly at the USA. "From side hustles to 100-year lifespans to automated hiring, we’ll help our audience navigate disruption, build meaningful careers, broaden the definition of accomplishment and highlight the people thinking differently to get ahead in life."
Let's hope the tv version of Worklife takes a broader global perspective.
Concealer
Freedom of Information refusal....
"As a UK tax payer, and a TV licence payer I would like to understand how much from the TV
licence is being paid to Gemma Collins to provide so called entertainment for the BBC ?"
"The information you have requested is excluded from the Act because if held it would be held for
the purposes of ‘journalism, art or literature'."
Sadly we'll never know the size of Gemma's fee for the Gemma Collins Podcast, because that's between the artiste and indie producers Listen, a new company from WiseBuddah. It's likely to be slightly less than Gemma's potential earnings from a stage accident at the Radio 1 Teen Awards two years ago.
"As a UK tax payer, and a TV licence payer I would like to understand how much from the TV
licence is being paid to Gemma Collins to provide so called entertainment for the BBC ?"
"The information you have requested is excluded from the Act because if held it would be held for
the purposes of ‘journalism, art or literature'."
Sadly we'll never know the size of Gemma's fee for the Gemma Collins Podcast, because that's between the artiste and indie producers Listen, a new company from WiseBuddah. It's likely to be slightly less than Gemma's potential earnings from a stage accident at the Radio 1 Teen Awards two years ago.
Benefits in kind
Woke Mama 5 Piers Morgan 0. This morning's edition of Good Morning Britain featured an interview with the Prime Minister's technology teacher Jennifer Arcuri. She refused to confirm or deny that they had lain together, live from a suite at the Mondrian Hotel, West Hollywood (cheapest room £333 a night) fifty miles from her base in Huntington Beach.
Good get. On the theme of transparency... can we ask how much you paid her? https://t.co/QsJ9CMkj2z— Dan Walker (@mrdanwalker) October 7, 2019
Sunday, October 6, 2019
Spinning Jenny
We don't have current viewing figures for GMB - if they were remarkably up, I'm sure Piers Morgan would have told us by now.
They'll be up tomorrow, if the promised live interview with Boris Johnson's personal technology trainer Jennifer Arcuri goes ahead. Jennifer, now based in Huntington Beach, California, describes herself on Facebook as a "woke mama", and a member of the local Mothers group. Nothing much for Piers to get his teeth into, then.
On the other hand, Piers is (currently) a Boris fan.....
Say what you like about Boris but he’s a smart, funny & charming guy, and his relentlessly positive message is a blessed relief after all the doom-and-gloom Remoaning.— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) October 2, 2019
If he can deliver Brexit, he’ll be a national hero. We’re all sick of this pathetic partisan farce.
Across the border
Exciting times in Wales. The BBC is supposed to be moving into its new Cardiff HQ at Central Square this month - and, if the project is on time and on budget as regularly asserted, what can possibly get in the way ?
Meanwhile, construction is set to start on its new, groovy, media-friendly neighbour, the new Bus Station, just next store. I'm sure they'll be quiet as mice.
Elsewhere, the BBC's Huw Edwards, who fearlessly eschews controversy on social media, may have strayed from the straight and narrow, expressing AN OPINION on plans for a bilingual name for the Welsh-Assembly-Previously-Known-As-Senedd.
Meanwhile, construction is set to start on its new, groovy, media-friendly neighbour, the new Bus Station, just next store. I'm sure they'll be quiet as mice.
Elsewhere, the BBC's Huw Edwards, who fearlessly eschews controversy on social media, may have strayed from the straight and narrow, expressing AN OPINION on plans for a bilingual name for the Welsh-Assembly-Previously-Known-As-Senedd.
‘Senedd’ 🏴 is the widely-accepted Welsh word for the principal democratic body in Wales Haven’t AMs got much bigger issues to tackle in today’s Wales? || Huw Edwards joins backlash over bilingual name for Welsh Senedd https://t.co/o7ZJOeAmyB— Huw Edwards (@huwbbc) October 5, 2019
Saturday, October 5, 2019
Leaving
Caroline Thomson, once COO of the BBC, has announced she's got Parkinson's, and will be stepping down as unpaid Chair of Oxfam in the New Year.
Ms Thomson, was beaten to the job of BBC Director General in 2012 by George Entwistle, and left soon after with a £680k pay-off.
Ms Thomson, was beaten to the job of BBC Director General in 2012 by George Entwistle, and left soon after with a £680k pay-off.
Round in circles
The BBC's Director of Distribution and Business Development, Kieran Clifton, is leading the circular defence of pulling BBC Sounds from a wide range of familiar audio platforms, particularly TuneIn.
Below, a list of apps, programmes and associated devices that won't now get you to BBC programmes, unless you move to BBC Sounds and the BBC Alexa 'skill'.
Acoustics Solutions Alexa
Alexa + Sonos Integration
AlexaPartner_ID2
AlexaPartner_ID3
Altec Lansing Alexa
Amazon Echo
Anker Alexa
Ask.com PopOut Player
Asset UPnP
Audio Pro Alexa
Azatom Alexa
BlackBerry 10
Blaupunkt Alexa
Bose SoundTouch Alexa
Bush Alexa B100ALF
Calix Alexa
CKY CK315 Alexa
Dell PC Stage
DOSS Fabriq Chorus Alexa
Drool Radio
DTS PlayFi Alexa
Easy Dok Alexa
Ecobee Alexa
Energy Alexa
Facebook Portal Alexa
Ford Alexa Beta
Frontier Silicon Alexa
Garmin Speak Alexa
GE Lighting Sol Alexa
GGMM Alexa
HAMA Alexa
Harman Kardon Alexa
Hisense Alexa
HoMedics JAM Alexa
HomeRadio
Hubble Verve Life Alexa
Ibox Alexa
iHome + Sleep
iHome Alexa
iHome App
iLive Alexa
iLuv Speaker Alexa
Invoxia Triby Alexa
Kitsound Voice One Alexa
Lenovo Smart Assistant Alexa
Livio Car iPhone
Livio Car Pro Android
Lobkin Eson Alexa
Logitech UE Boom Alexa
Magnavox Alexa
Marshall Alexa
Meidong Dida Alexa
Meridian-Sooloos
Mindspark PopOut Player
MK Rhythm speaker Alexa
Muse Speak Music Alexa
Music Man Alexa
Navvo Voco
Netgear Alexa
Nucleus Alexa
Omars Dogo Alexa
OnVocal Headset Alexa
P&T Luxembourg
Panasonic VIERA IPTV
Philips Fidelio iOS
Phorus Reference Design DTS Alexa
Polaroid Alexa PWF1001 1002
Riva Alexa
Roav Anker Alexa
Samsung A/V
Samsung Alexa
Samsung Refrigerator
SEAT Arona Alexa
Sharper Image Alexa
SK Telecom
Sony Alexa
Sony Audio
Sooloos on HP
Sound United Denon HEOS Alexa
SoundBot Alexa
SoundLogic Buddy Alexa
Spark Radio
streamunlimited
Sylvania Alexa
Tibo Alexa
TuneIn Android
TuneIn Blackberry Free
TuneIn Blackberry Pro
TuneIn iOS
TuneIn Nokia Qt
TuneIn Palm
TuneIn Pro Nook Color
TuneIn Samsung
TuneIn TV (tv.tunein.com)
TuneIn Windows 8
TuneIn Windows Phone
TuneIn Windows Phone 8
TuneIn Yahoo VIZIO
TuneIn.com
Tunein.com Embed
Twitter
Westinghouse-Element TV Alexa
Windows 10
- He notes that the BBC can't scoop up data when people listen to its services on TuneIn via Alexa-based devices, so that HAS to stop. Obvs.
- The BBC Sounds 'skill' on Alexa doesn't offer an alarm setting, making it impossible to wake up to live radio.
- Says Kieran "We have no idea how many of you are setting alarms to BBC services because that information is not available to us. Once we understand things like this (and that’s why data is so important), we can serve you better."
- See, it's YOU that's being daft, not me.
Below, a list of apps, programmes and associated devices that won't now get you to BBC programmes, unless you move to BBC Sounds and the BBC Alexa 'skill'.
Acoustics Solutions Alexa
Alexa + Sonos Integration
AlexaPartner_ID2
AlexaPartner_ID3
Altec Lansing Alexa
Amazon Echo
Anker Alexa
Ask.com PopOut Player
Asset UPnP
Audio Pro Alexa
Azatom Alexa
BlackBerry 10
Blaupunkt Alexa
Bose SoundTouch Alexa
Bush Alexa B100ALF
Calix Alexa
CKY CK315 Alexa
Dell PC Stage
DOSS Fabriq Chorus Alexa
Drool Radio
DTS PlayFi Alexa
Easy Dok Alexa
Ecobee Alexa
Energy Alexa
Facebook Portal Alexa
Ford Alexa Beta
Frontier Silicon Alexa
Garmin Speak Alexa
GE Lighting Sol Alexa
GGMM Alexa
HAMA Alexa
Harman Kardon Alexa
Hisense Alexa
HoMedics JAM Alexa
HomeRadio
Hubble Verve Life Alexa
Ibox Alexa
iHome + Sleep
iHome Alexa
iHome App
iLive Alexa
iLuv Speaker Alexa
Invoxia Triby Alexa
Kitsound Voice One Alexa
Lenovo Smart Assistant Alexa
Livio Car iPhone
Livio Car Pro Android
Lobkin Eson Alexa
Logitech UE Boom Alexa
Magnavox Alexa
Marshall Alexa
Meidong Dida Alexa
Meridian-Sooloos
Mindspark PopOut Player
MK Rhythm speaker Alexa
Muse Speak Music Alexa
Music Man Alexa
Navvo Voco
Netgear Alexa
Nucleus Alexa
Omars Dogo Alexa
OnVocal Headset Alexa
P&T Luxembourg
Panasonic VIERA IPTV
Philips Fidelio iOS
Phorus Reference Design DTS Alexa
Polaroid Alexa PWF1001 1002
Riva Alexa
Roav Anker Alexa
Samsung A/V
Samsung Alexa
Samsung Refrigerator
SEAT Arona Alexa
Sharper Image Alexa
SK Telecom
Sony Alexa
Sony Audio
Sooloos on HP
Sound United Denon HEOS Alexa
SoundBot Alexa
SoundLogic Buddy Alexa
Spark Radio
streamunlimited
Sylvania Alexa
Tibo Alexa
TuneIn Android
TuneIn Blackberry Free
TuneIn Blackberry Pro
TuneIn iOS
TuneIn Nokia Qt
TuneIn Palm
TuneIn Pro Nook Color
TuneIn Samsung
TuneIn TV (tv.tunein.com)
TuneIn Windows 8
TuneIn Windows Phone
TuneIn Windows Phone 8
TuneIn Yahoo VIZIO
TuneIn.com
Tunein.com Embed
Westinghouse-Element TV Alexa
Windows 10
Friday, October 4, 2019
June in November
June Sarpong has been unveiled as the BBC's first Director of Creative Diversity, and will start in November.
June, 42, was born in Accra, but the family left Ghana in a hurry when armed militia broke into their house. They fled to London with just their passports; she was 4. She went to Connaught School in Leytonstone, and then the Sir George Monoux College in Walthamstow. Her mother wanted her to apply to university, but she joined Kiss 100, as receptionist, also tasked with the reporting of all records played to the Performing Rights Society. After a year, she started at the microphone as 'gossip girl' on a Saturday show. Then MTV beckoned, and later a eight-year stint as a presenter on Channel 4's youth strand, T4.
She dated David Lammy MP for two years, but moved base to the US in 2003, after the break-up. In 2010 co-founded the Women: Inspiration & Enterprise Network. 2015 saw her back in London, where she's been a panellist on Loose Women, and the Sky News discussion show The Pledge. She also appeared on ITV's Celebrity Juice, feeding Rylan Clark-Neal cheese, crackers and port with her feet. She was a board member of Stronger IN. She has an MBE, and has worked for the Prince's Trust.
She will report to BBC Managing Director Bob Shennan.
June, 42, was born in Accra, but the family left Ghana in a hurry when armed militia broke into their house. They fled to London with just their passports; she was 4. She went to Connaught School in Leytonstone, and then the Sir George Monoux College in Walthamstow. Her mother wanted her to apply to university, but she joined Kiss 100, as receptionist, also tasked with the reporting of all records played to the Performing Rights Society. After a year, she started at the microphone as 'gossip girl' on a Saturday show. Then MTV beckoned, and later a eight-year stint as a presenter on Channel 4's youth strand, T4.
She dated David Lammy MP for two years, but moved base to the US in 2003, after the break-up. In 2010 co-founded the Women: Inspiration & Enterprise Network. 2015 saw her back in London, where she's been a panellist on Loose Women, and the Sky News discussion show The Pledge. She also appeared on ITV's Celebrity Juice, feeding Rylan Clark-Neal cheese, crackers and port with her feet. She was a board member of Stronger IN. She has an MBE, and has worked for the Prince's Trust.
She will report to BBC Managing Director Bob Shennan.
Plants
A new fast-food option for those toiling at Broadcasting House in London. 'by Chloe' has taken over the very meaty-space recently occupied Byron burgers. The 'by Chloe' Classic Burger features a tempeh-lentil-chia-walnut patty. You can upgrade to a Bacon Cheeze Burger, with shiitake bacon and 'cheddah cheeze' atop a beet-lentil-walnut patty. 'Fish N' chips' features no fish, but fried tofu.
There are eight branches on Manhattan Island, and a total of 15 across the States. The first in London was in Covent Garden, followed by Tower Bridge. The O2 will soon be similarly blessed.
You're welcome.
There are eight branches on Manhattan Island, and a total of 15 across the States. The first in London was in Covent Garden, followed by Tower Bridge. The O2 will soon be similarly blessed.
You're welcome.
Outreach
The BBC has tried to cuddle its BAME employees, currently feeling pretty unloved after the on-off rulings about the words of Breakfast presenter Naga Munchetty. Executives were paraded on stools at venues around the country to answer questions, under the banner #BBCEmbrace.
Director of News Fran Unsworth was, as ever, straightforward: "If we disciplined everyone who breaks guidelines on social media or on air, we wouldn't have any staff left". Managing Director Bob Shennan, asked if the complaints unit was to be made more diverse, said "We'll conduct a review". Editorial Director Kamal Ahmed shared this insight: "I've worked in many commercial organisations, and this is where I've been most aware of my colour" .
Director of News Fran Unsworth was, as ever, straightforward: "If we disciplined everyone who breaks guidelines on social media or on air, we wouldn't have any staff left". Managing Director Bob Shennan, asked if the complaints unit was to be made more diverse, said "We'll conduct a review". Editorial Director Kamal Ahmed shared this insight: "I've worked in many commercial organisations, and this is where I've been most aware of my colour" .
Ethics
Tough being a BBC executive - here's yet another example of their judge and jury role. Lord Singh, better known to listeners to R4's Thought For The Day as Indarjit Singh, has revealed to The Times (paywalled) a parting of the ways with Auntie over broadcasts last November.
He's said producers tried to change both his topics and his use of words: “The need for sensitivity in talking about religious, political or social issues has now been taken to absurd proportions with telephone insistence on trivial textual changes right up to going into the studio, making it difficult to say anything worthwhile. The aim of Thought for the Day has changed from giving an ethical input to social and political issues to the recital of religious platitudes and the avoidance of controversy, with success measured by the absence of complaints"
A review ordered by James Purnell, Director of Radio and Education (and Religion & Ethics) rejected his complaint. In case you hadn't noticed we're in the midst of a year of "special programming exploring Britain's beliefs and values", so that's all good then.
He's said producers tried to change both his topics and his use of words: “The need for sensitivity in talking about religious, political or social issues has now been taken to absurd proportions with telephone insistence on trivial textual changes right up to going into the studio, making it difficult to say anything worthwhile. The aim of Thought for the Day has changed from giving an ethical input to social and political issues to the recital of religious platitudes and the avoidance of controversy, with success measured by the absence of complaints"
A review ordered by James Purnell, Director of Radio and Education (and Religion & Ethics) rejected his complaint. In case you hadn't noticed we're in the midst of a year of "special programming exploring Britain's beliefs and values", so that's all good then.
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