Here's a funny thing. You can no longer search for a programme on BBC local radio on BBC Sounds by using the programme name. You have to know what time of day it was on, and then calculate which 'slot' in falls within. I think. If Sounds is the future, this seems very odd. Here's the FAQ..
How can I find a specific local radio programme now?
Some of the programmes you’re used to hearing on your local radio station may be taking a break during this time, or they may be broadcast as part of the new set programmes above.
This means that if you’re searching for a specific programme by its title or the presenter’s name, you may not find any recent episodes.
Instead, we recommend using the specific local station schedule to listen to content from the normal timeslot for that programme. So if the programme you usually listen to is broadcast at 3pm, check the Afternoons on… programme title.
It seems to be deliberate; clearly, adding the programme name required effort that's now needed to "can continue to run the Make a Difference campaign, broadcast regular local news and coronavirus updates, and keep you company for as long as possible."
Sunday, May 31, 2020
Changing times
Former BBC HR Director Lucy Adams sees opportunities for change as we get back to work. I suspect the BBC isn't a client.
Many of us in HR are waking up to the fact that we have an opportunity to NOT go back to the old normal. For all the sadness of this crisis, it presents #HR with an amazing opportunity to create something better!— @hr_disruptive (@hr_disruptive) May 28, 2020
A #BetterNormal:https://t.co/w7EzMpDqio#DisruptiveHR pic.twitter.com/36HBVflgVZ
DG 2020 - 16
I'm sure it was all above board. The Land Registry has placed a £4.8m contract with cloud-computing provider Amazon Web Services. Amazon UK boss Doug Gurr is a non-executive director of The Land Registry.
Mr Gurr is thought to be a candidate for the upcoming DG vacancy at the BBC. The BBC is a big customer of AWS, for a range of applications that keep the iPlayer, BBC Sounds and BBC Online in general, functioning. In December 2019, a new Amazon product won this gushing endorsement from BBC Chief Technology Officer, Matthew Postgate:
"As a global media organization, we manage petabytes of video and run a live operation - 24 hours a day.Amazon CodeGuru, along with other dev tools that our team uses, will help ensure we continue to provide our audience with robust, reliable services – and spot any issues before they happen. It will also help us gain insights into how services interact with the AWS Platform, allowing teams to refactor and optimize their code to give people the service they expect from the BBC."
Mr Gurr is thought to be a candidate for the upcoming DG vacancy at the BBC. The BBC is a big customer of AWS, for a range of applications that keep the iPlayer, BBC Sounds and BBC Online in general, functioning. In December 2019, a new Amazon product won this gushing endorsement from BBC Chief Technology Officer, Matthew Postgate:
"As a global media organization, we manage petabytes of video and run a live operation - 24 hours a day.Amazon CodeGuru, along with other dev tools that our team uses, will help ensure we continue to provide our audience with robust, reliable services – and spot any issues before they happen. It will also help us gain insights into how services interact with the AWS Platform, allowing teams to refactor and optimize their code to give people the service they expect from the BBC."
Weekly
Some odds and ends from the latest week of consolidated viewing figures. BBC1's top performing non-news show - The Great British Sewing Bee, at 5.8m. For BBC2, it was Gardeners' World, on 3.1m.
For BBC4, it was Operation Mincemeat, Ben Macintyre's documentary of a WW2 deception operation devised by Ian Fleming, tricking the Germans into anticipating a move against Greece, when the British target was Sicily. 781,000 viewers.
BBC Scotland's top show was Billy and Us, started of a six-part series on Billy Connolly, with 319k.
For BBC4, it was Operation Mincemeat, Ben Macintyre's documentary of a WW2 deception operation devised by Ian Fleming, tricking the Germans into anticipating a move against Greece, when the British target was Sicily. 781,000 viewers.
BBC Scotland's top show was Billy and Us, started of a six-part series on Billy Connolly, with 319k.
Saturday, May 30, 2020
Home team support
There's no love lost between the BBC's Editorial Complaints Unit and Newsnight. The Telegraph has found a letter from Jeremy Hayes of the ECU to a complainant who thought Emily Maitlis had roughed up Jacob Rees-Mogg beyond the rules back in March 2020.
Whilst Mr Hayes says there was no breach of editorial standards, he clearly empathises with the complainant: “I have reviewed the programme. I agree that the interview cast more heat than light, including in the questions addressed to Mr Rees-Mogg about his reference to slavery, in a comment about the UK staying in the EU. I can see that the repeated further questioning on this point by the presenter would have done little to aid audience understanding of the issues discussed.
“The interview as a whole was combative, and the laughter of the presenter you described as ‘mocking’ did suggest that she was unwilling to accept his explanations.
"While it will always be the aim of programme-makers to solicit answers which aid audience understanding of events, there is no guarantee this will happen. A failure to cast light on matters is of course regrettable - but does not necessarily constitute a breach of editorial standards.”
See what you think....
Brewery news
Competence, not Cummings, is the issue now.
Matt Hancock, who put his 'protective ring' so effectively round the UK's care homes ('protective ring' on Google search usually comes up with a plastic part to seal a patient's connection to a stoma bag), leads an app which is still being explained to the people of the Isle of Wight (video below released on Friday - "this is not a scientific measuring tool", yet it could put you in isolation for 14 days), a test and trace service split between commercial call centre operators, "NHS Professionals" and Public Health England (surely a world-beating trio), and an NHS that now can't even count tests on a daily basis.
Priti Patel has been bounced into a plan to quarantine visitors to the UK that fewer and fewer people believe is worth the hassle, and faces louder and louder rumblings of a Tory revolt - perhaps a lightning conductor for the anti-Cummings lobby. Michael Gove doesn't know how many 'border agents' we'll need by next year, but says we can train them online. Even Dishy Rishi is beginning a tap-dance on how he'll turn off the free-flowing tap of Government support he so easily turned on. From Monday, don't expect full details from Gavin Williamson on the English schools that are/aren't back in operation.
Matt Hancock, who put his 'protective ring' so effectively round the UK's care homes ('protective ring' on Google search usually comes up with a plastic part to seal a patient's connection to a stoma bag), leads an app which is still being explained to the people of the Isle of Wight (video below released on Friday - "this is not a scientific measuring tool", yet it could put you in isolation for 14 days), a test and trace service split between commercial call centre operators, "NHS Professionals" and Public Health England (surely a world-beating trio), and an NHS that now can't even count tests on a daily basis.
Priti Patel has been bounced into a plan to quarantine visitors to the UK that fewer and fewer people believe is worth the hassle, and faces louder and louder rumblings of a Tory revolt - perhaps a lightning conductor for the anti-Cummings lobby. Michael Gove doesn't know how many 'border agents' we'll need by next year, but says we can train them online. Even Dishy Rishi is beginning a tap-dance on how he'll turn off the free-flowing tap of Government support he so easily turned on. From Monday, don't expect full details from Gavin Williamson on the English schools that are/aren't back in operation.
— Bob Seely MP (@IoWBobSeely) May 29, 2020
Process ?
The last time the BBC got into a stooshie over a news presenter's utterances was with Naga Munchetty at Breakfast, prompted to comment on a Trump Tweet by her co-presenter Dan Walker. The Editorial Complaints Unit decided that a complaint claiming she'd broken editorial guidelines should be partially upheld; the rules"do not allow for journalists to... give their opinions about the individual making the remarks or their motives for doing so - in this case President Trump".
Lord Hall reversed that ruling. But Ofcom was not happy, either way. "The BBC ECU has not published the full reasoning for its partially upheld finding. Neither has the BBC published any further reasoning for the director-general's decision to overturn that finding."
We're in similar territory with Emily Maitlis' introduction to a Newsnight programme more or less devoted to the travel arrangements of Dominic Cummings. This time, presumably, the BBC acted in accordance with consultancy advice from Chris Banatvala, a former Director of Standards at Ofcom, hired by the BBC Board late last year to review processes. Or not.
Lord Hall reversed that ruling. But Ofcom was not happy, either way. "The BBC ECU has not published the full reasoning for its partially upheld finding. Neither has the BBC published any further reasoning for the director-general's decision to overturn that finding."
We're in similar territory with Emily Maitlis' introduction to a Newsnight programme more or less devoted to the travel arrangements of Dominic Cummings. This time, presumably, the BBC acted in accordance with consultancy advice from Chris Banatvala, a former Director of Standards at Ofcom, hired by the BBC Board late last year to review processes. Or not.
Friday, May 29, 2020
Smaller mirror
The Guardian tells us that "Inside Out", the weekly regional news programme that pops up with more or less impact on BBC1 has been cancelled - at least for the rest of the year. There are usually eleven different versions on offer around the UK. There's also a question mark about the regional element of the BBC1 Sunday Politics shows, and one-off documentaries from the regions. For a BBC committed to reflecting more of the UK, these could be serious losses - and Ofcom may take an interest if they are permanent changes.
Good editions of Inside Out and some regional documentaries get weekend repeats on the News Channel.
Good editions of Inside Out and some regional documentaries get weekend repeats on the News Channel.
Smog buster
The BBC has turned to Richard Sambrook to try to sort out a better social media policy for its staff and key presenters.
Richard (Maidstone Technical High School, Reading and Birkbeck) was Director of News from 2001, and a defender of the BBC's position on weapons of mass destruction/dossiers and the utterances of Andrew Gilligan. He moved to run Global News after the findings of the Hutton Report.
Richard's tenure as a BBC senior manager came with the rise of Facebook, and he was relaxed about hacks signing up, which irritated cold-war-warrior tech managers, who thought such applications could bring plague upon BBC computer systems. His recent academic theme has been 'info-smog' - how Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and others cloud real information with chaff which he's dubbed "digital pollution. "
Richard (Maidstone Technical High School, Reading and Birkbeck) was Director of News from 2001, and a defender of the BBC's position on weapons of mass destruction/dossiers and the utterances of Andrew Gilligan. He moved to run Global News after the findings of the Hutton Report.
Richard's tenure as a BBC senior manager came with the rise of Facebook, and he was relaxed about hacks signing up, which irritated cold-war-warrior tech managers, who thought such applications could bring plague upon BBC computer systems. His recent academic theme has been 'info-smog' - how Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and others cloud real information with chaff which he's dubbed "digital pollution. "
Thursday, May 28, 2020
How it all works
'Ancock's Army of tracers are using Synergy CRM, developed by Cogent Innovations in Chennai.
Synergy CRM from Shibasis Prusty on Vimeo.
Synergy CRM from Shibasis Prusty on Vimeo.
Would Dominic have gone quietly ?
Marvellous. Durham Police say Mr Cummings 'may have' committed a minor breach of the Covid guidelines by driving from North Lodge Farm to Barnard Castle, but, because they would have only told him to go back, they're taking no further action.
The profiling department of Durham Police has clearly not been involved. The conversation would have gone:
"Excuse me, sir, where are you from ?"
"Islington"
"Driven up today, sir ? That's an off....."
"I'm staying on my family's farm near Durham"
"Well sir, you shouldn't be out just for a jaunt..."
"Look, officer, I've studied the guidelines and all my actions have and continue to be responsible, entirely legal and of integrity"
"I'm sorry, sir, we just want you to get in that car and....
"Do you know who I am ?"
"No, sir. If you could just...."
"Two metres, rozzer..."
"So just go back to the car..."
"Durham Police, eh ? - swanning around, not delivering. You're dead to me".
"All we'd like you to do is...
"Have you never heard of EXCEPTIONAL CIRCUMSTANCES ? This is no jaunt, I'm in the middle of a very important test, making sure my eyesight is up to scratch so that I can drive back to London and run the country again..."
"Ah... then you'd better come with us. Cuff him, Arthur"
The profiling department of Durham Police has clearly not been involved. The conversation would have gone:
"Excuse me, sir, where are you from ?"
"Islington"
"Driven up today, sir ? That's an off....."
"I'm staying on my family's farm near Durham"
"Well sir, you shouldn't be out just for a jaunt..."
"Look, officer, I've studied the guidelines and all my actions have and continue to be responsible, entirely legal and of integrity"
"I'm sorry, sir, we just want you to get in that car and....
"Do you know who I am ?"
"No, sir. If you could just...."
"Two metres, rozzer..."
"So just go back to the car..."
"Durham Police, eh ? - swanning around, not delivering. You're dead to me".
"All we'd like you to do is...
"Have you never heard of EXCEPTIONAL CIRCUMSTANCES ? This is no jaunt, I'm in the middle of a very important test, making sure my eyesight is up to scratch so that I can drive back to London and run the country again..."
"Ah... then you'd better come with us. Cuff him, Arthur"
Doing the right thing ?
Let's be clear - the BBC's Editorial Machine decided to disown the Newsnight/Maitlis opening monologue because it lacked 'due impartiality', not because it was wrong on the facts. This is tricky stuff. I suspect it was the adjectives that caused trouble.
"He was the man, remember, who always got the public mood - who tagged the lazy label of 'elite' on those who disagreed". Fact - Cummings has labelled many groups 'elite' - London, Westminster, The Civil Service, intellectuals, national journalists - depending on target of his argument. Pejorative - the insertion of 'lazy'.
"Tonight we consider what this blind loyalty tells us about the workings of No 10." Fact: The Prime Minister is remaining loyal to Dominic Cummings, as are a number of senior ministers. Pejorative: adding 'blind', in the sense of undiscerning, unquestioning, even defective, creates a phrase that is judgement, and not a good one.
Where now ? The swell of those who think the BBC has been craven will grow, but late night and early morning tweets from Ms Maitlis suggest a resigned but not resigning mood.
"He was the man, remember, who always got the public mood - who tagged the lazy label of 'elite' on those who disagreed". Fact - Cummings has labelled many groups 'elite' - London, Westminster, The Civil Service, intellectuals, national journalists - depending on target of his argument. Pejorative - the insertion of 'lazy'.
"Tonight we consider what this blind loyalty tells us about the workings of No 10." Fact: The Prime Minister is remaining loyal to Dominic Cummings, as are a number of senior ministers. Pejorative: adding 'blind', in the sense of undiscerning, unquestioning, even defective, creates a phrase that is judgement, and not a good one.
Where now ? The swell of those who think the BBC has been craven will grow, but late night and early morning tweets from Ms Maitlis suggest a resigned but not resigning mood.
So grateful to my friend and excellent colleague @katierazz for stepping in this evening . She did so because I asked for the night off -knowing tonight’s prog would be in the most excellent hands 🖐 #newsnight https://t.co/0ZkH2KbzBF— emily m (@maitlis) May 28, 2020
Been overwhelmed by all the kindness, messages - and support on here - and I’ve probably missed much of it. A big thank you from us all at #newsnight— emily m (@maitlis) May 28, 2020
Wednesday, May 27, 2020
High profile
One can only imagine the to-ing and fro-ing over the last 18 hours for the BBC machine to disown the Newsnight/Maitlis opening monologue, thus...
This is the current BBC Reality Check offering on the same story.
Pretty clear. But then, the BBC jury is not saying Emily was wrong, just not impartial. Brilliant, eh ?
It will have gone through Lord Hall, Sir David Clementi, Fran Unsworth, David Jordan, John Shield, Kamal Ahmed, Esme Wren, Jim Gray, and, trickiest of all, Emily Maitlis. Many in BBC News will be very angry.BBC statement on last night's Newsnight pic.twitter.com/JFm4Nt5YMv— BBC News Press Team (@BBCNewsPR) May 27, 2020
This is the current BBC Reality Check offering on the same story.
"What was the official “essential travel” advice when Dominic Cummings made his trip to Durham?"
Boris Johnson’s top aide has defended making a 260-mile journey from London to north-east England with his family during lockdown at the end of March. Dominic Cummings says he did the "right thing" to be near relatives. His wife had coronavirus symptoms, and Downing Street says he wanted to ensure he had childcare if he got sick too.
The UK Government advice on essential travel at the time, which still remains in place, includes:
- Not visiting second homes, whether for isolation purposes or holidays
- Not leaving your home, the place you live, to stay at another home
- Remaining at your primary residence, to avoid putting additional pressure on communities and services at risk
Pretty clear. But then, the BBC jury is not saying Emily was wrong, just not impartial. Brilliant, eh ?
Get in touch
With wishing to extrude the debate, there will clearly be plenty of complaints about Emily Maitlis' matter of fact intro to last night's Newsnight. What will be interesting is to see whether or not No 10 or equally-Cummings-backing Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden makes a formal issue of it.
Classic FM goes younger
Wheels turn slowly at Classic FM: from Monday, Alexander Armstrong, 50, takes over the mid-morning show - only the fourth main presenter of the slot since the station started in 1992.
Henry Kelly 1992-2003 started aged 57.
Simon Bates 2006-2010 started in the slot aged 57.
John Suchet 2010-2020 started in the slot aged 66.
Mr Suchet leaves Mr Armstrong with a healthy weekly reach of 2.8m.
Henry Kelly 1992-2003 started aged 57.
Simon Bates 2006-2010 started in the slot aged 57.
John Suchet 2010-2020 started in the slot aged 66.
Mr Suchet leaves Mr Armstrong with a healthy weekly reach of 2.8m.
Downsizing ?
A tad late on this, but the project to dramatically revamp the BBC's headquarters in Belfast has been put on hold. The scheme (valued publicly at £77m, but that might not include broadcast technology costs) was approved by the Board in 2018, planning was sought in June 2019, and approved in February this year.
BBC head honcho in Northern Ireland Peter Johnson said the review would "give us the opportunity to take stock of a changing environment and to look at how best to prioritise investment in our technology and infrastructure".
BBC head honcho in Northern Ireland Peter Johnson said the review would "give us the opportunity to take stock of a changing environment and to look at how best to prioritise investment in our technology and infrastructure".
Who knew what when...
The December minutes of the BBC Board meeting on the 12th of that month note that "A Board Call would be held on 21 January 2020 ahead of the Board first scheduled meeting in February."
Lord Hall announced his resignation as DG on 20th January 2020.
Lord Hall announced his resignation as DG on 20th January 2020.
Tuesday, May 26, 2020
Wayback machine
The BBC has been finally nudged into provided missing Board Minutes, after a Freedom of Information enquiry.
The December minutes contain an number of hostages to fortune. Cuddly Ken MacQuarrie, Director of Nations and Regions, told the meeting that the new Cardiff HQ, near the bus station, was open "within time and within budget". Let's see what the NAO says.
We are told the Audit and Risk Committee has closed down the COMD programme, which seems to have been a complicated Design and Engineering project to modernise data management systems in the Licence Fee Unit. Again, bring on the NAO. Other projects under scrutiny: Stratford East, and overseas bureaux.
A minute on Radio Strategy is entirely redacted "for future publication". Can't wait.
The December minutes contain an number of hostages to fortune. Cuddly Ken MacQuarrie, Director of Nations and Regions, told the meeting that the new Cardiff HQ, near the bus station, was open "within time and within budget". Let's see what the NAO says.
We are told the Audit and Risk Committee has closed down the COMD programme, which seems to have been a complicated Design and Engineering project to modernise data management systems in the Licence Fee Unit. Again, bring on the NAO. Other projects under scrutiny: Stratford East, and overseas bureaux.
A minute on Radio Strategy is entirely redacted "for future publication". Can't wait.
A grim hunt for dramatic sincerity
And now on Radio 4, in place of The Archers, our new regular programme, Unconvincing Soliloquies. In which long-time radio drama manager Jeremy Howe misses entirely the point of the the world's most famous radio soap opera, and leads his writing team to hold a mirror up to nothing in particular. No mention of toilet paper shortages, Zoom meetings, queuing outside shops, looking for online delivery slots, worrying about dry coughs, elderly relatives, PPE, life on a ventilator. None.
This'll distract a few from the Cummings Saga.
This'll distract a few from the Cummings Saga.
New faces
While I haven't been paying attention, some new names have appeared on the disclosed list of those the BBC is paying more than £150k.
There seems to have been some considerable beefing up of the legal department, with Legal Director Simon Morrissey on £170k+, Legal Director Nicholas Wilcox on £160k+, Legal Director Claudia Giles on £170+ and Legal Director David Attfield on £160k+.
Sophie Garnham has returned to the BBC, after spells at Sky and Warner Bros, as Head of Commercial Rights and Business Affairs, for £160k+ (she left Worldwide in the time of Lonely Planet development).
Senior Head is an emerging title: Natasha Wojciechowski arrives as Senior Head of HR, on £165k. Samira Ahmed's legal team thought she should have been in the witness box in her equal pay tribunal.
Steven Carson is running multi-platform commissioning in Scotland, and has the title Senior Head and a wodge of £155k+. Commissioning has been shortened to Comms in his billing, which even Steven might think was misleading.
There seems to have been some considerable beefing up of the legal department, with Legal Director Simon Morrissey on £170k+, Legal Director Nicholas Wilcox on £160k+, Legal Director Claudia Giles on £170+ and Legal Director David Attfield on £160k+.
Sophie Garnham has returned to the BBC, after spells at Sky and Warner Bros, as Head of Commercial Rights and Business Affairs, for £160k+ (she left Worldwide in the time of Lonely Planet development).
Senior Head is an emerging title: Natasha Wojciechowski arrives as Senior Head of HR, on £165k. Samira Ahmed's legal team thought she should have been in the witness box in her equal pay tribunal.
Steven Carson is running multi-platform commissioning in Scotland, and has the title Senior Head and a wodge of £155k+. Commissioning has been shortened to Comms in his billing, which even Steven might think was misleading.
Cummeth the hour
The ordnance left in the Alamo that is No 10 is dwindling. It's difficult to believe that at the start of the Bank Holiday weekend, Boris, Dom, Isaac and Lee wanted to deploy the joyous news of the return of English non-food shopping via a standard Downing Street briefing on the Monday. There was, at that stage, no threat to Paddington 2; no need for the BBC to deploy Huw Edwards and Laura Kuenssburg from days off, as well as the existing rota of correspondents and presenters; no need to cable up the No 10 rose garden.
Mr Cummings ran late. Perhaps he was getting his written statement legalled. The BBC's Vicki Young, patiently and calmly, talked for 20 minutes, in an BAFTA-deserving performance, as presenter Ben Brown asked increasingly fatuous questions.
The Q&A session with Cummings was reminiscent of games in "I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue", in which the words "I'm", "sorry", "I was", "wrong" must never appear together.
For the thinking Tory backbenchers with access to, and basic knowledge of, Twitter, the central response had been planned. This detailed account of the same wrong-headed and deliberate busting of the guidelines made it all ok; time to move on.
The detailed account gave many more of us the opportunity to judge the qualities of the man at the heart of this Government. A man who re-writes blogs to demonstrate his omniscience. A man who's reluctant to put on fresh t-shirts and jogging trousers for work at the heart of Government. A man who's sorting out vaccines, investment in the NHS, and chooses which important decisions he bothers the Prime Minister with, every hour of every day. A man who didn't even offer to resign in the middle of all this mess.
Mr Cummings ran late. Perhaps he was getting his written statement legalled. The BBC's Vicki Young, patiently and calmly, talked for 20 minutes, in an BAFTA-deserving performance, as presenter Ben Brown asked increasingly fatuous questions.
The Q&A session with Cummings was reminiscent of games in "I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue", in which the words "I'm", "sorry", "I was", "wrong" must never appear together.
For the thinking Tory backbenchers with access to, and basic knowledge of, Twitter, the central response had been planned. This detailed account of the same wrong-headed and deliberate busting of the guidelines made it all ok; time to move on.
The detailed account gave many more of us the opportunity to judge the qualities of the man at the heart of this Government. A man who re-writes blogs to demonstrate his omniscience. A man who's reluctant to put on fresh t-shirts and jogging trousers for work at the heart of Government. A man who's sorting out vaccines, investment in the NHS, and chooses which important decisions he bothers the Prime Minister with, every hour of every day. A man who didn't even offer to resign in the middle of all this mess.
Monday, May 25, 2020
Not good enough
Sophistry is one of Dominic Cumming's issues.
The NHS website returns 147 answers in response to the query "small children"; none of them refer to Covid-19. Yet Dominic kept repeating it.
He said he never left the cottage at North Lodge Farm when isolated or infectious, yet drove 5 miles each way whilst ill to pick up his wife and son after the boy was taken into hospital overnight. This at a time when, presumably, his eyesight was weird.
He said he'd had a couple of phone conversations with the Prime Minister while at North Lodge, but couldn't really remember them. Perhaps he also sent some texts - we'll never know, because they use an application outside normal Goverment channels.
He can't remember buying petrol. He'd driven 260 miles up to North Lodge Farm; 10 miles to and from the hospital; 50 miles to and from Barnard Castle, and then 260 miles back to London. 580 miles.
He said one of his jobs was "getting investment for the NHS". I hadn't realised we were selling shares.
He said he'd taken expert medical advice before returning to London. Was that by dialling 111 like the rest of us ? If we'd known Covid-19 could be diagnosed over the phone like that,we could have saved a bit of money on tests, surely......
On message
Constituents who have contacted me regarding Dominic Cummings can rest assured I’ve conveyed the strength of local feeling to relevant colleagues. Personal replies to follow in due course.— Jonathan Gullis MP (@JEGullis) May 25, 2020
I remain focussed on helping those needing help & wanting change in Stoke-on-Trent North.
Constituents who have contacted me regarding Dominic Cummings can rest assured I’ve conveyed the strength of local feeling to relevant colleagues very robustly in Government. I’ll respond to all emails when I’m back in the office after the bank holiday.— Paul Holmes MP (@pauljholmes) May 25, 2020
To residents who’ve contacted me about DC - be assured I’ve conveyed the strength of local feeling robustly to relevant colleagues. As always I will reply to every email/letter.— Elliot Colburn MP (@ElliotColburn) May 25, 2020
In the meantime, I will remain focused on assisting those needing help in #Carshalton & #Wallington
Constituents who have emailed Re DC can rest assured I have conveyed the strength of local feeling to relevant colleagues. Personal replies to follow in due course. We remain focussed on helping those needing assistance with furlough, shielding and business support here in RNP.— Cllr David Simmonds MP (@DSimmonds_RNP) May 25, 2020
Cultural context
Al and Bob had a Zoom chat on BBC2 before the screening of Citizens of Boomtown on Saturday night. The programme was apparently part of the 'Imagine' portfolio. Sir Bob said there was no need for an introduction to the film, about his band, The Boomtown Rats, and their new album. Alan, inexplicably unknighted, and yet to have his day in court with the Insolvency Service, touched his face - which is NOT A GOOD IDEA FOR SOMEONE OVER 70.
News from space
If the battlefield of the new politics is social media, the BBC now has much better correspondents on the frontline. They became sharper observers during the election campaign, and it's continuing. It was good to see the Twitter cry of anguish from within the UK Civil Service make the screen soon after Boris Johnson's claim that Dominic Cummings had done nothing wrong; BBC spotters tracked the unhappy Bishops and angry behavioural scientists for R4 bulletins; and Twitter provided guides to the public unhappiness of backbench Tory MPs.
But so far, the BBC has underplayed one key barometer of pressure on Mr Johnson and Mr Cummings. Surely someone should have read out the headline in the Mail - "What planet are they on ?" - on the Today Programme by now ?
But so far, the BBC has underplayed one key barometer of pressure on Mr Johnson and Mr Cummings. Surely someone should have read out the headline in the Mail - "What planet are they on ?" - on the Today Programme by now ?
Sunday, May 24, 2020
Big numbers
I not entirely sure why Lord Hall was on The Andrew Marr Show this morning. Some factoids emerged: the BBC's reach is up to 94%. I presume that figure is produced in the same way as usual: the percentage of UK adults in online homes who use BBC Television, Radio or Online each week. It may be taken from work done in preparation for the next Annual Report, due in July. In the 2018/19 Annual Report it stood at 91%, from 92% the previous year.
The BBC's most penetrated group (that sounds awful) is the over 55s, standing at 92% in 2018/19.
Lord Hall also said that 92% of his employees were working from home (that's up from a previous figure of 90% shared earlier in the epidemic). The BBC holds £1bn in net book value of property, plant and equipment. It saved £130m in property expenditure in 2018/19. They must be looking for more now.
The BBC's most penetrated group (that sounds awful) is the over 55s, standing at 92% in 2018/19.
Lord Hall also said that 92% of his employees were working from home (that's up from a previous figure of 90% shared earlier in the epidemic). The BBC holds £1bn in net book value of property, plant and equipment. It saved £130m in property expenditure in 2018/19. They must be looking for more now.
Will it make Day Three ?
Hapless Grant Shapps tells Sky News there was, after all, contact between the Cummings family and Durham Police; that Dominic's father contacted the force locally in 'relation to security advice'. Presumably to ask them to afford protection to the most important man in the UK Government.
Then Andrew Marr asks about the sighting of Cummings in Castle Barnard on 12th April; Shapps says Cummings didn't move around while in isolation. Other lockdown rules clearly don't apply to the most important man in the UK Government. Wikipedia claims 12th April is the birthday of Dom's partner, Mary Wakefield - 45 this year.
The Sun On Sunday decides the most important news of the day is a break between a couple of tv celebrities; and has a mild exhortation in its Comment column: "Mr Cummings is credited with having the Government’s biggest brain. It’s time he started using it."
Four fearless Tories have tweeted that Cummings must go this morning: Steve Baker, Simon Hoare, Sir Roger Gale, and Damian Collins. Overnight, less fearless Julian Knight has deleted a retweet of Michael Gove's entirely supportive view of Mr Cummings' actions.
For those following the story today, please note the difference between the words 'inaccurate', 'false' and 'wrong';
Then Andrew Marr asks about the sighting of Cummings in Castle Barnard on 12th April; Shapps says Cummings didn't move around while in isolation. Other lockdown rules clearly don't apply to the most important man in the UK Government. Wikipedia claims 12th April is the birthday of Dom's partner, Mary Wakefield - 45 this year.
The Sun On Sunday decides the most important news of the day is a break between a couple of tv celebrities; and has a mild exhortation in its Comment column: "Mr Cummings is credited with having the Government’s biggest brain. It’s time he started using it."
Four fearless Tories have tweeted that Cummings must go this morning: Steve Baker, Simon Hoare, Sir Roger Gale, and Damian Collins. Overnight, less fearless Julian Knight has deleted a retweet of Michael Gove's entirely supportive view of Mr Cummings' actions.
For those following the story today, please note the difference between the words 'inaccurate', 'false' and 'wrong';
Saturday, May 23, 2020
Social media roll-out
Co-ordinated tweets for Cummings, presumably to a media management plan drafted by Cummings, implemented by Isaac Levido, from No 10... ..
Michael Gove
Rishi Sunak
Dominic Raab
Matt Hancock
Probably his own idea
John Redwood
Following sheepishly
Jacob Rees-Mogg
Off the Cummings Xmas Card List
Julia Hartley-Brewer
Tim Montgomerie
We await the thoughts of Sir Keir. And who will be at the podium for this afternoon's Covid briefing ?
Michael Gove
Rishi Sunak
Dominic Raab
Matt Hancock
Probably his own idea
John Redwood
Following sheepishly
Jacob Rees-Mogg
Off the Cummings Xmas Card List
Julia Hartley-Brewer
Tim Montgomerie
We await the thoughts of Sir Keir. And who will be at the podium for this afternoon's Covid briefing ?
Where ?
Dominic Cummings' sister is Francesca Herriott, 47. She graduated in 1997 from Lancaster University with a History & Philosophy degree. Francesca was listed as Company Secretary when Dominic started the New Frontiers Foundation in December 2003.
Husband Matthew is a director of DAFTT, the company that runs North Lodge Farm, on the outskirts of Durham, taking over from Francesca's father Robert in 2017. Dominic was a director of the company for just one week, in April 2007.
Matthew's postal address is The White House, Burn Hall. This was purchased in 2015 for £275,000, and is 0.8 mile down the busy A167 from North Lodge Farm.
.
Husband Matthew is a director of DAFTT, the company that runs North Lodge Farm, on the outskirts of Durham, taking over from Francesca's father Robert in 2017. Dominic was a director of the company for just one week, in April 2007.
Matthew's postal address is The White House, Burn Hall. This was purchased in 2015 for £275,000, and is 0.8 mile down the busy A167 from North Lodge Farm.
.
Played ?
You can't help thinking BBC News has been a little 'managed' by its sources overnight. The Mirror/Guardian 'exclusive' on Dominic Cummings' travels with his family dropped at 8pm. The hacks had put their story to No 10 six weeks ago, and got no response. ITV News had an online package by 9.15pm and led News at Ten. Sky News led at 10pm. Radio 4's World Tonight led with the story.
The BBC's 10pm bulletin found no room for the story in its headlines (1 minutes 15 seconds long), and confined itself to a one-minute live piece with political correspondent Leila Nathoo, nine and a half minutes into the broadcast. Editor Paul Royall re-tweeted the two-way as his most important story at 1045.
In theory, Laura Kuenssburg is 'off' on Fridays. Her first tweet on the subject came at 8.27pm, confirming that the Cummings had travelled to Durham, but stayed 'in a separate building', and her source said "it is not true that he was spoken to by police". Was she part of an editorial discussion that this was not a lead ?
This morning, Laura had been given additional information - the first correspondent to reveal:
-small number of people in No 10 knew that Cummings had gone to Durham, not stayed in London -seems it was his sister who had offered to help with childcare when he and his wife fell ill
-family stayed in separate house + had no contact in the end. This was shared with Today programme listeners first at 0810am, and spookily cut most of the legs off a subsequent interview with the SNP's Ian Blackford. Mishal Husain morphed into a very uncomfortable devil's advocate, asking what Mr Blackford would have done if he and his wife had coronavirus and a small child to look after...
Deliveroo-ing
News in The Times this morning that the driver of key UK policy interventions like the National Living Wage and the Northern Powerhouse is settling down away from politics.
Yes, Thea Rogers, OBE, is now 'girlfriend' to journalist George Osborne. George, who presumably needs publicity because of uncertainty about the future of the Evening Standard, has revealed that Thea is in his life, via an interview with Charlotte Edwardes, the woman in the life of Robert Peston. Robert thinks Thea is 'fab'.
Others who have thought Thea fab include James Purnell, Craig Oliver and Ameet Gill.
Yes, Thea Rogers, OBE, is now 'girlfriend' to journalist George Osborne. George, who presumably needs publicity because of uncertainty about the future of the Evening Standard, has revealed that Thea is in his life, via an interview with Charlotte Edwardes, the woman in the life of Robert Peston. Robert thinks Thea is 'fab'.
Others who have thought Thea fab include James Purnell, Craig Oliver and Ameet Gill.
Symptomatic
The first, that the police didn't speak to covid-symptomatic Dominic Cummings when he, his wife and child visited his parents' estate near Durham at the end of March/start of April, was fed to the BBC's Laura Kuenssberg last night. The rozzers clearly spoke to a member of the family, who probably didn't mention it to Dom, because, presumably, he was convulsing in bed (cf The Spectator article by his wife).
The second, that he didn't break lockdown rules. Boris Johnson presser, 12th March "From tomorrow, if you have coronavirus symptoms, however mild – either a new continuous cough or a high temperature – then you should stay at home for at least 7 days to protect others and help slow the spread of the disease." Boris Johnson's lockdown speech 23rd March "From this evening I must give the British people a very simple instruction - you must stay at home....You should not be meeting family members who do not live in your home."
From Gov.uk 29th March, on frequently-asked questions, Number 8. "Can I visit elderly relatives?"
"No, you should not be visiting family members who do not live in your home."
This morning, "sources" are now telling Laura K that Dom was staying with his sister (why not tell her that last night ?) and pointing to remarks by Deputy CMO Dr Jenny Harries on 24th March: "A small child clearly is a vulnerable individual, so in this case, although we are encouraging everybody to stay in their own households - that's the unit with the same risk exposure - clearly if you have adults who are unable to look after a small child, that is an exceptional circumstance. If the individuals do not have access to care support, formal care support or to family, they will be able to work through their local authority hubs."
So if it was all ok, why not tell everyone at the time ? Why the deliberate mis-direction about lockdown in Islington ?
Friday, May 22, 2020
DG 2020 - 15
Who on earth might have persuaded Amazon UK boss Doug Gurr to apply to be BBC DG ?
Current BBC DG Lord Hall was appointed as a Trustee of the National Gallery on 1 November 2020, announced on October 24th, and emerged as Designate Chair in January 2020, alongside the announcement of his intention to leave the BBC.
Douglas John Gurr was appointed Trustee of the National Gallery on January 23 2020.
Current BBC DG Lord Hall was appointed as a Trustee of the National Gallery on 1 November 2020, announced on October 24th, and emerged as Designate Chair in January 2020, alongside the announcement of his intention to leave the BBC.
Douglas John Gurr was appointed Trustee of the National Gallery on January 23 2020.
Discontented
Let's hope the 15,000 Twitter followers of BBC Director of Radio & Education James Purnell had their cvs ready yesterday. He tweeted encouragement to apply for a new job a matter of hours before applications closed.
I'm regularly confused between "curation", a word I hate in radio, but which I assumed meant the selecting and ordering of other people's content, and "content" - the records, programmes, items, ancient skulls and amulets selected and ordered by a "curator".
So as ever, I turned to the advert for a fuller understanding. Here you are:
"You will be working alongside the Head of Curation to create, communicate, distribute and implement the BBC Sounds curation plans. You will work in collaboration with the Content Strategy Manager to ensure quotas are met. You'll build relationships with content makers and various stakeholders to source and surface the right content to relevant audiences. You will also be required to work with editorial and digital product teams to define how content is presented to audiences. "
We're looking for a Senior Content Producer, working in the curation team for Sounds, based in Salford. Great job in a fantastic team on one of the BBC's key initiatives. Please take a look if for you, or share if not! https://t.co/Vo9kXpokSu— James Purnell (@jimpurnell) May 21, 2020
I'm regularly confused between "curation", a word I hate in radio, but which I assumed meant the selecting and ordering of other people's content, and "content" - the records, programmes, items, ancient skulls and amulets selected and ordered by a "curator".
So as ever, I turned to the advert for a fuller understanding. Here you are:
"You will be working alongside the Head of Curation to create, communicate, distribute and implement the BBC Sounds curation plans. You will work in collaboration with the Content Strategy Manager to ensure quotas are met. You'll build relationships with content makers and various stakeholders to source and surface the right content to relevant audiences. You will also be required to work with editorial and digital product teams to define how content is presented to audiences. "
Bored with the Board
Hello, BBC Board. Will we get a new set of minutes from you before we get a new DG, or is this stuff too difficult when you're working from home ? Or is there a shortage of the black ink to cover the bits you don't want us to read ?
The last set of published monthly minutes from the religiously-transparent BBC are for November 2019.
The last set of published monthly minutes from the religiously-transparent BBC are for November 2019.
No dabs
"The material stored in digital devices, email accounts and computer drives belonging to Mr Johnson while Mayor and his appointees was deleted when he left office in 2016. The requirement in the GLA Records Management Guidance for material concerning GLA business (which includes sponsorship and trade missions) to be transferred to executive officers prior to deletion appears not to have been followed."
The records retention policy of the GLA, in place since Ken Livingstone's time, requires all emails relating to Mayoral Decisions and Directors' Decisions to be kept permanently, handed to the Corporate Management Team.
The records retention policy of the GLA, in place since Ken Livingstone's time, requires all emails relating to Mayoral Decisions and Directors' Decisions to be kept permanently, handed to the Corporate Management Team.
Thursday, May 21, 2020
MIPO
A small literary prize to Michael Lockwood, CEO of Independent Office for Police Conduct for his take on the Johnson/Arcuri Affair, elegantly written up in his decision that there should be no criminal investigation for Misconduct in Public Office.
- There is some evidence that Mr Johnson and Ms Arcuri may have been in an intimate relationship during some of the relevant time period when Ms Arcuri attended trade missions (this is relevant to whether there could ever be a sufficiently serious breach of the public's trust to engage MIPO).
- There is no evidence that Mr Johnson influenced the payment of any sponsorship monies to Ms Arcuri or her companies.
- There is no evidence that Mr Johnson sought to influence, or played an active part in securing, Ms Arcuri's participation in trade missions.
- There is some evidence that Mr Johnson may have been aware (disputed by Mr Johnson) that Ms Arcuri was on an attendee list for a New York trade mission event, but this awareness is not sufficient for me to suspect Mr Johnson of having committed MIPO.
- While Mr Johnson was not under an obligation to declare on his register of pecuniary interests Ms Arcuri's dealings with the Greater London Authority (GLA)/London and Partners (L&P), if Mr Johnson was in an intimate relationship with Ms Arcuri, it would have been wise for him to have declared this as a conflict of interest, and a failure to do so could have constituted a reach of the broader Nolan principles contained within the GLA 2012 Code of Conduct.
There are some fruiter bits, with an interesting redaction...
An L&P email of 18 February 2013 described Ms Arcuri as "close to Boris". As to if and when their relationship became close, or rather might be reasonably suspected to be a sexual relationship, the evidence made available during the scoping exercise suggests that this started some time before XXXXX 2014, and that it ended before Ms Arcuri's relationship with her present partner began, which media reports suggests was in 2016. The evidence of this sexual relationship comes from an associate of Ms Arcuri.
This person is described as Witness A. No idea what's behind the XXXX - does a month matter ? A trip to the appendix is a dead end.
Rodentia
Like so many, I've been worried about Yentob. At 73, he's not been allowed in BBC buildings since before lockdown. Has he isolated in Notting Hill or Somerset ? How has he evaded the camera for so long ?
This weekend, he makes an appearance on BBC2, introducing a film called Citizens of Boomtown, spookily the exact title of the Boomtown Rats first album in 23 years. It was made by Dublin-based indie Sideline for RTE, who showed it in a digestible two parts back in March. BBC2 viewers clearly need Al to explain the cultural significance of the Rats, and get the whole lot in one 90 minute go...
Next week, Bob Geldof explains the cultural significance of Alan Yentob.
This weekend, he makes an appearance on BBC2, introducing a film called Citizens of Boomtown, spookily the exact title of the Boomtown Rats first album in 23 years. It was made by Dublin-based indie Sideline for RTE, who showed it in a digestible two parts back in March. BBC2 viewers clearly need Al to explain the cultural significance of the Rats, and get the whole lot in one 90 minute go...
Next week, Bob Geldof explains the cultural significance of Alan Yentob.
DG 2020 - 14
Might one put together the wobble over the BBC DG shortlist with news from the High Court yesterday ?
Hamlins ("Quietly Outstanding") are the lead lawyers representing at least 49 people suing The Sun and the now defunct News of the World for alleged phone hacking and unlawful information gathering. Yesterday they presented new documents entitled ‘Re-amended particulars of concealment and destruction’, in which they say Will Lewis, shortlisted for the BBC DG vacancy, was "part of the senior management which organised or allowed extensive deletions of millions of emails to take place without preserving back-ups" at News International during 2010 and 2011, and that he "was heavily and directly involved in the email deletion strategy."
Hamlins ("Quietly Outstanding") are the lead lawyers representing at least 49 people suing The Sun and the now defunct News of the World for alleged phone hacking and unlawful information gathering. Yesterday they presented new documents entitled ‘Re-amended particulars of concealment and destruction’, in which they say Will Lewis, shortlisted for the BBC DG vacancy, was "part of the senior management which organised or allowed extensive deletions of millions of emails to take place without preserving back-ups" at News International during 2010 and 2011, and that he "was heavily and directly involved in the email deletion strategy."
DG 2020 - 13
The Guardian, at the forefront of DG tracking and tracing, detects a wobble in fearless Sir David Clementi's stride. It hints at anxiety over the shortlist, and a push back for the final interviews from June to September.
It's sticking to idea of four candidates in play - Tim Davie, Charlotte Moore, Will Lewis and A.N. Other, and suggests number 4 is now Doug Gurr from Amazon. The paper thinks the bid to land a second female for the shortlist has failed, thus the emergence of Mr Gurr.
Mr Gurr was born in Leeds; dad taught literary history, specialising in Shakespeare, at the University, and moved to Nairobi in his early years, but returned to Reading University in time for Doug to go to Theale Green School. At Cambridge, Doug studied maths, then went on to pick up a Ph D in computing at Edinburgh.
He taught students at Aarhus University, then three years in an undiscoverable Civil Service role. Then to the big time: six years with McKinsey, then his own company, Blueheath - offering petrol stations, convenience stores and bingo halls next day grocery deliveries via web ordering, at close to cash and carry prices
Booker bought out Blueheath, and Gurr moved on to ASDA/Walmart. The switch to Amazon came in 2011, to the amusingly-named Hardlines division, selling toys and gardening equipment. He became Head of Country for Amazon in China in 2014, then back run the UK in 2016.
He's a total evangelist for Amazon, describing it as "a values and principles" organisation. The business trick to successful new ideas is, he says, to write the press release first, then make the product. In 2018, he told Dominic Raab that Amazon UK had put civil unrest on its risk register, post-Brexit. In 2019 he joined the board of Deliveroo, after Amazon investment. This year he was in a group of tech industry executives summoned by Dominic Cummings to explain what they would do to help combat Covid-19.
Since his return to the UK, he's moved to contact lenses and dark shirts.
Doug was a non-executive at the Department for Work and Pensions in Iain Duncan-Smith's time. He is Chairman of the British Heart Foundation, and a Trustee of the Landmark Trust, non-executive Director of the Land Registry and was until 2014 Chairman of the Science Museum Group. He is a former Scottish international triathlete, 12 times Ironman, keen ski mountaineer with over 20 first ascents, and an enthusiastic mountain runner, recently completing the Bob Graham 24hr Round, the Ultra-Trail du Mont Blanc, and the Spine Challenger. He's the co-author of the 2012 classic, Staying Alive Off Piste - available, natch, through Amazon. Beat that, Tim Davie.
It's sticking to idea of four candidates in play - Tim Davie, Charlotte Moore, Will Lewis and A.N. Other, and suggests number 4 is now Doug Gurr from Amazon. The paper thinks the bid to land a second female for the shortlist has failed, thus the emergence of Mr Gurr.
Mr Gurr was born in Leeds; dad taught literary history, specialising in Shakespeare, at the University, and moved to Nairobi in his early years, but returned to Reading University in time for Doug to go to Theale Green School. At Cambridge, Doug studied maths, then went on to pick up a Ph D in computing at Edinburgh.
He taught students at Aarhus University, then three years in an undiscoverable Civil Service role. Then to the big time: six years with McKinsey, then his own company, Blueheath - offering petrol stations, convenience stores and bingo halls next day grocery deliveries via web ordering, at close to cash and carry prices
Booker bought out Blueheath, and Gurr moved on to ASDA/Walmart. The switch to Amazon came in 2011, to the amusingly-named Hardlines division, selling toys and gardening equipment. He became Head of Country for Amazon in China in 2014, then back run the UK in 2016.
He's a total evangelist for Amazon, describing it as "a values and principles" organisation. The business trick to successful new ideas is, he says, to write the press release first, then make the product. In 2018, he told Dominic Raab that Amazon UK had put civil unrest on its risk register, post-Brexit. In 2019 he joined the board of Deliveroo, after Amazon investment. This year he was in a group of tech industry executives summoned by Dominic Cummings to explain what they would do to help combat Covid-19.
Since his return to the UK, he's moved to contact lenses and dark shirts.
Doug was a non-executive at the Department for Work and Pensions in Iain Duncan-Smith's time. He is Chairman of the British Heart Foundation, and a Trustee of the Landmark Trust, non-executive Director of the Land Registry and was until 2014 Chairman of the Science Museum Group. He is a former Scottish international triathlete, 12 times Ironman, keen ski mountaineer with over 20 first ascents, and an enthusiastic mountain runner, recently completing the Bob Graham 24hr Round, the Ultra-Trail du Mont Blanc, and the Spine Challenger. He's the co-author of the 2012 classic, Staying Alive Off Piste - available, natch, through Amazon. Beat that, Tim Davie.
Wednesday, May 20, 2020
Floaters
Another feature of the BBC Annual Plan is to float ideas, to see if they can win funding. This, in the section on local and regional news, looks like a plan for dedicated opt-outs, breaking away from heritage brand Look North, Midlands Today etc...
"This is likely to involve a greater emphasis on serving audiences in the Midlands and North of England better, including focusing on areas the BBC has traditionally served less well, such as Bradford, Sunderland, Wolverhampton, Blackpool and Peterborough. "
Elsewhere we're told that BBC Sounds is the future, boasting a peak of 3.6m weekly users at the start of the pandemic. Part of its rise in 2019 was simply a transfer, caused by the closing of the old Radio iPlayer app in September. Perhaps the most expensive campaign in BBC Radio this century has seen Sounds add 600,000 regular users to BBC radio's online listening, whether for streaming, on demand or podcasts.
And in horses for courses, this plan, aimed largely at Ofcom, mentions one Gemma. Arteton, the actress, not Collins, the podcast host. And there's no space to note the commission of a Scarlett Moffatt series looking at aliens, pyramids and angels.
"This is likely to involve a greater emphasis on serving audiences in the Midlands and North of England better, including focusing on areas the BBC has traditionally served less well, such as Bradford, Sunderland, Wolverhampton, Blackpool and Peterborough. "
Elsewhere we're told that BBC Sounds is the future, boasting a peak of 3.6m weekly users at the start of the pandemic. Part of its rise in 2019 was simply a transfer, caused by the closing of the old Radio iPlayer app in September. Perhaps the most expensive campaign in BBC Radio this century has seen Sounds add 600,000 regular users to BBC radio's online listening, whether for streaming, on demand or podcasts.
And in horses for courses, this plan, aimed largely at Ofcom, mentions one Gemma. Arteton, the actress, not Collins, the podcast host. And there's no space to note the commission of a Scarlett Moffatt series looking at aliens, pyramids and angels.
Formulaic
The BBC's Annual Plan would never pass Soviet scrutiny. It has become a well-rehearsed litany of the previous year's triumphs, spiced up by a peppering of commissions for the year ahead.
Strategically, BBC3 features in a section called "Our Linear Portfolio", whereas we are told that BBC4 will have 'an increased focus on archive'.
Amongst the few numbers on offer: Licence-fee income is forecast at £3,474,000 - that's £216m down on the actual income in the last Annual Report.
On diversity in general, Lord Hall has missed some of his own targets: shy of 50% women in leadership by 5.4%, and shy of a 15% BAME target in leadership by 3.1%.
Strategically, BBC3 features in a section called "Our Linear Portfolio", whereas we are told that BBC4 will have 'an increased focus on archive'.
Amongst the few numbers on offer: Licence-fee income is forecast at £3,474,000 - that's £216m down on the actual income in the last Annual Report.
On diversity in general, Lord Hall has missed some of his own targets: shy of 50% women in leadership by 5.4%, and shy of a 15% BAME target in leadership by 3.1%.
App-less Ancock
Lord Bethell in the House of Lords last night was practicing the handbrake turn that will be needed later this week from either Matt Hancock or Boris Johnson. If it's Hancock, it's another move closer to the exit.
"We have... changed the emphasis of our communications and our plans to put human contact tracing at the beginning of our plans and to regard the app as something that will come later in support.
“One of the criteria of success is to learn from the pilot, which takes an early version of the app and hopes to develop learnings from it; we now have two or three. One of them, which I have mentioned, is that it is probably a mistake to launch an app before you have got the public used to the idea of tracing. As I mentioned in an earlier answer, that is something we have taken on board.
“When it comes to launching the test and tracing programme, we will begin with the tracing, not with the App.”
"We have... changed the emphasis of our communications and our plans to put human contact tracing at the beginning of our plans and to regard the app as something that will come later in support.
“One of the criteria of success is to learn from the pilot, which takes an early version of the app and hopes to develop learnings from it; we now have two or three. One of them, which I have mentioned, is that it is probably a mistake to launch an app before you have got the public used to the idea of tracing. As I mentioned in an earlier answer, that is something we have taken on board.
“When it comes to launching the test and tracing programme, we will begin with the tracing, not with the App.”
3 and 4 - too much ?
The mixed messaging from the BBC on the future of tv services number 3 and 4 is symptomatic of a corporation awaiting a new leader. Ducking decisions was a feature of the final eighteen months of Mark Thompson's tenure as Director General, as he sought to move on with an unblemished CV.
The internal financial advice is very likely clear - the BBC has to stop doing things, in order to spend in line with a rapidly-reducing income. Charlotte Moore would have looked tougher as a DG candidate if she'd closed BBC4 at least temporarily - unless, of course, the real savings are marginal (not what we're told in the Annual Report). It may be that the viewing public is now being softened up for a change in September - when perhaps a rebalanced BBC1, BBC2 and BBC3 can be offered, with old BBC4 favourites found little slots and an iPlayer 'portal'. Much will depend on how the books are balancing after the first quarter of 2020/21.
At BBC3, Fiona Campbell needs to invent some cheap regular shows to make a daily schedule look worthwhile. Drama and written comedy are expensive. Would it be wrong for a linear BBC3 to include old editions of Top of The Pops ? Watch out also for a return of "Liquid News" or some new attempt at Newsbeat for Telly. Plus a hunt, once again, for a nightly chat show.
Then she needs to get approval of a new DG.
The internal financial advice is very likely clear - the BBC has to stop doing things, in order to spend in line with a rapidly-reducing income. Charlotte Moore would have looked tougher as a DG candidate if she'd closed BBC4 at least temporarily - unless, of course, the real savings are marginal (not what we're told in the Annual Report). It may be that the viewing public is now being softened up for a change in September - when perhaps a rebalanced BBC1, BBC2 and BBC3 can be offered, with old BBC4 favourites found little slots and an iPlayer 'portal'. Much will depend on how the books are balancing after the first quarter of 2020/21.
At BBC3, Fiona Campbell needs to invent some cheap regular shows to make a daily schedule look worthwhile. Drama and written comedy are expensive. Would it be wrong for a linear BBC3 to include old editions of Top of The Pops ? Watch out also for a return of "Liquid News" or some new attempt at Newsbeat for Telly. Plus a hunt, once again, for a nightly chat show.
Then she needs to get approval of a new DG.
Pedigree
The Guardian says Sitel is one of the big companies running the track/n/tracers for Public Health England.
"Sitel Group combines comprehensive customer care capabilities and unparalleled digital, training and technology expertise across industries. With subsidiaries such as Sitel, The Social Client, Learning Tribes, Extens Consulting and Innso, Sitel Group can be leveraged across geographies, verticals and all stages of the end-to-end customer journey, helping clients effectively harness the industry’s explosive digital transformation and consistently deliver outstanding customer experiences."
Sitel has recently won the Government contract to handle visa applications to and from the UK. It ran the contact centre for David Cameron's National Citizen Service. Other happy customers: Air BnB, Lidl, Michelin, Citroen.
"Sitel Group combines comprehensive customer care capabilities and unparalleled digital, training and technology expertise across industries. With subsidiaries such as Sitel, The Social Client, Learning Tribes, Extens Consulting and Innso, Sitel Group can be leveraged across geographies, verticals and all stages of the end-to-end customer journey, helping clients effectively harness the industry’s explosive digital transformation and consistently deliver outstanding customer experiences."
Sitel has recently won the Government contract to handle visa applications to and from the UK. It ran the contact centre for David Cameron's National Citizen Service. Other happy customers: Air BnB, Lidl, Michelin, Citroen.
The Big Issue
I'm not making it up. The Government is using SERCO to train the 21,000 track and tracers they claim to have hired.
Meanwhile, the firecracker that is Angela McLean, the Deputy Chief Scientific Advisor, was sparking at yesterday's Covid briefing.
Andy Bell of Channel 5 News put this question: "The Chief Executive of Care England has told the parliamentary committee that people were discharged from hospital back into care homes when they were either symptomatic or simply didn’t have any COVID-19 status, they hadn’t been tested. .... Dame Angela, was there any scientific advice given at the time about doing that?"
Dame Angela: "I can’t answer that question without going back to the exact list of what advice was given when, and I don’t want to give you an answer that’s not correct. So if you’ll forgive me, could we take notice of that question? Is that okay? We can get back to you."
Bell follows up with the challenge that the Government has been too secretive about its scientific advice.
Dame Angela "Our job is to give science advice here and make sure everything we say is rooted in good quality science. I have to admit that I haven’t spent much time worrying about how secretive or not secretive it is. I can see that is going to be a big issue when we have a big look back."
Dame Angela said the scientists were awaiting a briefing on Thursday on the status of track and tracing, and more or less volunteered this line " I think really running a rapid and reliable testing system is an entirely operational issue. And so the science advice would be you need to have a rapid and reliable testing system."
Ben Fishwick: "Are you confident we do have a rapid and reliable testing system?"
Dame Angela McLean: "I think it’s getting better. And one of the things we’ve actually looked at a lot today is evidence from other countries. And it clearly is possible to set up testing systems with a 48 hour turnaround."
Who will front up Thursday's briefing - Hancock or Johnson ?
Meanwhile, the firecracker that is Angela McLean, the Deputy Chief Scientific Advisor, was sparking at yesterday's Covid briefing.
Andy Bell of Channel 5 News put this question: "The Chief Executive of Care England has told the parliamentary committee that people were discharged from hospital back into care homes when they were either symptomatic or simply didn’t have any COVID-19 status, they hadn’t been tested. .... Dame Angela, was there any scientific advice given at the time about doing that?"
Dame Angela: "I can’t answer that question without going back to the exact list of what advice was given when, and I don’t want to give you an answer that’s not correct. So if you’ll forgive me, could we take notice of that question? Is that okay? We can get back to you."
Bell follows up with the challenge that the Government has been too secretive about its scientific advice.
Dame Angela "Our job is to give science advice here and make sure everything we say is rooted in good quality science. I have to admit that I haven’t spent much time worrying about how secretive or not secretive it is. I can see that is going to be a big issue when we have a big look back."
Dame Angela said the scientists were awaiting a briefing on Thursday on the status of track and tracing, and more or less volunteered this line " I think really running a rapid and reliable testing system is an entirely operational issue. And so the science advice would be you need to have a rapid and reliable testing system."
Ben Fishwick: "Are you confident we do have a rapid and reliable testing system?"
Dame Angela McLean: "I think it’s getting better. And one of the things we’ve actually looked at a lot today is evidence from other countries. And it clearly is possible to set up testing systems with a 48 hour turnaround."
Who will front up Thursday's briefing - Hancock or Johnson ?
Tuesday, May 19, 2020
Health news
A new slide from Ofcom's tracking survey of 2,000. A bit hard to read, but the cluster of three columns to the left indicate people under 34 choosing their most important source of news during the coronavirus epidemic week by week - BBC Online, BBC Radio and BBC TV. Not bad for an organisation said to be out of touch with yoof.
DG 2020 - 12
Evening Standard columnist Anne McElvoy (a woman who always like to do more broadcasting) offers out the idea of a hustings to test the final four candidates for DG.
"The more I think about it, the more I reckon that an Any Questions style public hustings in the next month would be a more refreshing idea to test the candidates’ approaches, rather than just the usual BBC papal-enclave appointments board on a Zoom call. A gripping show guaranteed and more of that transparency we keep being promised. Dear Mr Chairman, what about it?"
I'm sure Mo would make space for it.
"The more I think about it, the more I reckon that an Any Questions style public hustings in the next month would be a more refreshing idea to test the candidates’ approaches, rather than just the usual BBC papal-enclave appointments board on a Zoom call. A gripping show guaranteed and more of that transparency we keep being promised. Dear Mr Chairman, what about it?"
I'm sure Mo would make space for it.
Hoops
BBC tv chief Charlotte Moore may be hoping for a second series of Normal People, but more significant influencers are on the case work across the pond. Kim Kardashian has blessed the first series with heart emojis, to her 170m followers on Instagram, and 65m followers on Twitter.
Keeping Up With The Kardashians is available first in the States on E!, a cable network owned by NBC, part of Comcast. All previous series are available through streamer Hulu, controlled by Disney, but with NBC/Comcast as a shareholder. Normal People is available in the States on Hulu.
Keeping Up With The Kardashians is available first in the States on E!, a cable network owned by NBC, part of Comcast. All previous series are available through streamer Hulu, controlled by Disney, but with NBC/Comcast as a shareholder. Normal People is available in the States on Hulu.
- In the course of researching this story, I found a number of key influencers in the UK follow Kim Kardashian. They include Kevin Bakhurst, Ofcom Group Director. Esme Wren, Editor of Newsnight, Nusrat Ghani MP and Jane Garvey.
Absurdism
How's Ancock's App going ? The roll-out date has officially missed mid-May, and now the talk is of a second test of an improved version on the Isle of Wight. The twitter feeds of NHSX bosses are noticeably quiet on progress. Plaintively on Sunday, Geraint Lewis, NHSX's lead on the app, retweeted a quote from Albert Camus' novel, The Plague, from 1947: "The only means to fight the plague is honesty.”
Monday, May 18, 2020
Now wash your hands
What happens when the UK's soap dish is empty ? Emmerdale is set to 'run out' at the end of this month. Coronation Street and Eastenders are currently involved in a slow bicycle race, and both are expected to wobble off sometime in June. TV watchers think we're in for 'Classic Corrie' to fill at least some slots, but, sadly, Eastenders doesn't boast even vaguely uplifting storylines in its recent archive.
One early beneficiary has been The One Show, a refuge for those missing Emmerdale; some recent editions have been up to 4.5m in the overnights.
One early beneficiary has been The One Show, a refuge for those missing Emmerdale; some recent editions have been up to 4.5m in the overnights.
- The virtual Eurovision Song Contest Evening wasn't a big hit. From an audience of 3.8m watching Pointless Celebrities, only 2.9m stayed for Eurovision: Come Together, and 2.4m for Eurovision: Shine a Light. Britain's Got Talent averaged 7m
Passing clouds ?
As broadcasters reflect on how many, if any, buildings they really require in a virtual post-coronavirus world, Sky News took it one stage further on Friday afternoon, with a half hour produced 'from home'.
Local Kent operation KMTV rejoined with a claim to have been doing the same for some time....So we just went 100% remote on @SkyNews with our #WFH special #LifeUnderLockdown - all presented, produced & directed off site. Thanks to @skysarahjane @EdConwaySky @DominicWaghorn @tamcohen producer @nmsonline & the whole #skynews team 😅 pic.twitter.com/TvzPLISq6y— Neil Dunwoodie (@NeilDunwoodie) May 15, 2020
.@KMTV_Kent has been doing this since the start of lockdown. Every member of staff (including techies) working from home putting a 30 min news prog out every night using VMix and LiveUs. Highest viewing figures we've ever had (235,000 on Freeview alone for April)— Andy Richards 🇬🇬 (@AndyKMTV) May 15, 2020
Sunday, May 17, 2020
DG 2020 -11
Let's flesh out some of Will Lewis' CV for Sir David Clementi.
He grew up in Hampstead Garden Suburb, and went to Whitefield School, a former secondary-modern turned comp just the other side of the North Circular from Brent Cross. He went to Bristol University, to study Politics and Economics, have failed to follow brother Simon to Oxford. He was captain of the 1st XI football team, wrote for the student paper, Epigram (under editor James Landale - now Diplomatic Correspondent at the BBC; another Beeboid, Laura Trevelyan was also on his politics course).
From Bristol, he applied to Procter & Gamble, and failed where Tim Davie succeeded. His alternative was a year-long course in periodical journalism at City University; and thence to the Daily Mail as a business reporter. Thence to the FT, Sunday Times, Telegraph, News International and Dow Jones.
He's connected. Elder brother Simon is a top PR, moving through SG Warburg, Natwest and Centrica to serve as the Queen's comms boss for two years, then performing the same role for Gordon Brown at No 10. Robert Peston has been a neighbour and chum in Muswell Hill. And Lewis has taken two loyal lieutenants, Rhydian Wynn Davies and Chris Lloyd, from the Telegraph to News UK to Dow Jones on each move - will Sir David make space for them ?
Perhaps a productive line of questioning might be on Will's relationship with Rupert Murdoch. Will joined News UK post-phone hacking, and, through the infamous Management and Standards Committee, indirectly supplied the police with information from the emails of many journalists who may or may have not behaved less than ethically entirely without the knowledge, sanction or direction of their various editors.
Will kept nearly to London hours at the Wall Street Journal, and said of Murdoch “He reads [The Wall Street Journal] every day. He’s a fan and he’s been brilliant to me in taking a real punt." Will is a West Ham supporter, and enjoys singing Bohemian Rhapsody at karaoke parties.
He grew up in Hampstead Garden Suburb, and went to Whitefield School, a former secondary-modern turned comp just the other side of the North Circular from Brent Cross. He went to Bristol University, to study Politics and Economics, have failed to follow brother Simon to Oxford. He was captain of the 1st XI football team, wrote for the student paper, Epigram (under editor James Landale - now Diplomatic Correspondent at the BBC; another Beeboid, Laura Trevelyan was also on his politics course).
From Bristol, he applied to Procter & Gamble, and failed where Tim Davie succeeded. His alternative was a year-long course in periodical journalism at City University; and thence to the Daily Mail as a business reporter. Thence to the FT, Sunday Times, Telegraph, News International and Dow Jones.
He's connected. Elder brother Simon is a top PR, moving through SG Warburg, Natwest and Centrica to serve as the Queen's comms boss for two years, then performing the same role for Gordon Brown at No 10. Robert Peston has been a neighbour and chum in Muswell Hill. And Lewis has taken two loyal lieutenants, Rhydian Wynn Davies and Chris Lloyd, from the Telegraph to News UK to Dow Jones on each move - will Sir David make space for them ?
Perhaps a productive line of questioning might be on Will's relationship with Rupert Murdoch. Will joined News UK post-phone hacking, and, through the infamous Management and Standards Committee, indirectly supplied the police with information from the emails of many journalists who may or may have not behaved less than ethically entirely without the knowledge, sanction or direction of their various editors.
Will kept nearly to London hours at the Wall Street Journal, and said of Murdoch “He reads [The Wall Street Journal] every day. He’s a fan and he’s been brilliant to me in taking a real punt." Will is a West Ham supporter, and enjoys singing Bohemian Rhapsody at karaoke parties.
- Will is a news man, and his appearance in the runners and riders will raise alarm bells in BBC News. His period of digital disruption at The Telegraph saw circulation fall from 900k to 680k, and 150 hacks were made redundant.
Virtual
Now, it seems, they do need people with medical qualifications to be part of Track and Trace. They're going to be called Clinical Contact Caseworkers, paid £17.35 an hour (£22.55 at weekends) to work from home on the phone. Responsibilities include:
- Undertaking the initial interview of COVID-19 positive cases by phone
- Conducting a public health risk assessment
- Identifying contacts and providing public health advice (where appropriate)
- Using your clinical knowledge to help escalate complex cases
- Working within recognised procedures, scripts and structures, with support
Above these Caseworkers will sit Test and Trace Team Leaders, on £21.50 to £34.20 an hour. Unless Matt Hancock redefines "mid-" and this utterance "We’re rolling out in mid-May", it ought to be all systems go this week.
Senseless
The pandemic rolls on. Ed Stourton, Radio 4 'Sunday': "Give us a sense..." at 7.23 and 7.35.
Saturday, May 16, 2020
DG 2020 - 10
Hoorah ! Just what a DG race needs - a mystery candidate. The Guardian is confident that the Clementi shortlist is down to four.
Tim Davie probably represents the business/networking option. He has the experience of being an acting DG. On the business front, it's always been hard to argue that BBC Studios, nee Enterprises and previously aka Worldwide actually makes the money it should. On the networking front, Tim has always put in the hours - RTS, Bafta, Comic Relief, The Tate, Creative Industries - picking up a CBE on the way.
Charlotte Moore has been in the business of programme-making and managing programme makers for nearly twenty years. She's probably best positioned as the 'content' candidate - it's the programmes you make that matter more to the BBC's survival; funding will flow from public approval. She's had a good run holding BBC1's position against the streamers (ITV have found it much harder). She is a woman person.
Will Lewis would be a shake-up candidate; but would he instinctively fight to maintain the protected funding the current BBC demands ? The former Telegraph editor will have to explain why he's left a top job as the CEO of Dow Jones, publisher of the Wall Street Journal. His period of 'success' at the Telegraph intrigued BBC News, who invited him to explain his approach at various leadership groups. That 'success' was hardly sticky.
The mystery candidate: I'll take a punt on Jane Turton of All3Media. Quiet, effective, business-savvy, and patient with politicians.
(Did anyone ever tell you that the mystery candidate in the George Entwistle/Caroline Thomson 2012 DG Stakes was David Levin, at the time running UBM ?)
Tim Davie probably represents the business/networking option. He has the experience of being an acting DG. On the business front, it's always been hard to argue that BBC Studios, nee Enterprises and previously aka Worldwide actually makes the money it should. On the networking front, Tim has always put in the hours - RTS, Bafta, Comic Relief, The Tate, Creative Industries - picking up a CBE on the way.
Charlotte Moore has been in the business of programme-making and managing programme makers for nearly twenty years. She's probably best positioned as the 'content' candidate - it's the programmes you make that matter more to the BBC's survival; funding will flow from public approval. She's had a good run holding BBC1's position against the streamers (ITV have found it much harder). She is a woman person.
Will Lewis would be a shake-up candidate; but would he instinctively fight to maintain the protected funding the current BBC demands ? The former Telegraph editor will have to explain why he's left a top job as the CEO of Dow Jones, publisher of the Wall Street Journal. His period of 'success' at the Telegraph intrigued BBC News, who invited him to explain his approach at various leadership groups. That 'success' was hardly sticky.
The mystery candidate: I'll take a punt on Jane Turton of All3Media. Quiet, effective, business-savvy, and patient with politicians.
(Did anyone ever tell you that the mystery candidate in the George Entwistle/Caroline Thomson 2012 DG Stakes was David Levin, at the time running UBM ?)
Friday, May 15, 2020
Key workers
The BBC announced a recruitment freeze for all but essential vacancies at the end of April. The first three to pass whatever hurdles HR has put in the way are for a permanent Policy Advisor (Regulatory); an Assistant Content Producer, based with Design & Engineering 'Incubator Projects' working on the BBC Home page; and a Senior Delivery Manager working with BBC News and Weather apps, also part of Design & Engineering.
Clams
The "Don't Give Them The Full Story" virus still has an R-rate above one in Government circles.
Take the test of the NHSX Covid-19 app on the Isle of Wight. 73,000 downloads. The Government admits not all of them are by Islanders - why not share the breakdown ? The Government admits its been downloaded twice on some phones - why not say how many ? The Government says 25 people have been tested after reporting symptoms via the app - why not tells us how many people have been told to go into lockdown because of those reports ? And whether they were told by text messages or by calls from a contact tracer ? Why not tell us how many of those tests have proved positive ?
Take the test of the NHSX Covid-19 app on the Isle of Wight. 73,000 downloads. The Government admits not all of them are by Islanders - why not share the breakdown ? The Government admits its been downloaded twice on some phones - why not say how many ? The Government says 25 people have been tested after reporting symptoms via the app - why not tells us how many people have been told to go into lockdown because of those reports ? And whether they were told by text messages or by calls from a contact tracer ? Why not tell us how many of those tests have proved positive ?
Stick with it
It looks like the BBC News decisions on podcasts have lost them some ground in the charts. Beyond Today (suspended or cancelled in mid-March, take your pick) managed to stay in the BBC's list of top 5 podcasts between January and March. No place in the top five for Brexitcast/Newscast/The Coronavirus Podcast, which changed name at the end of January and again in mid-March.
Thursday, May 14, 2020
Repetition
There is continuing confusion as to why so many people are testing more than once for Covid-19.
Perhaps I can help ? Most senior hospital doctors have got a pretty good handle on what a Covid-19 patient looks like, and when the first test comes back negative, they try again, and often again.
Equally, at the other end, when Covid-19 patients seem well enough to come out of intensive care, two or three tests are used to make sure the ICU teams' hard work (and the patients' resilience) doesn't go to waste.
Perhaps I can help ? Most senior hospital doctors have got a pretty good handle on what a Covid-19 patient looks like, and when the first test comes back negative, they try again, and often again.
Equally, at the other end, when Covid-19 patients seem well enough to come out of intensive care, two or three tests are used to make sure the ICU teams' hard work (and the patients' resilience) doesn't go to waste.
DG 2020 - 9
The Tim Davie campaign to acquire permanently the title Director General has been the subject if unexplained boosterism in recent weeks, but it may not pass without challenge. Director of Content Charlotte Moore has been increasingly active on the publicity front, even sharing details of her masterful handling of the return to tv production with the readers of the BBC's personal Death Star, The Telegraph, today.
Charlotte is also struggling on without the support of Alison Kirkham, running factual commissioning for the past six years (£215k +). She going to work for Apple TV, reporting to Jay Hunt; no word on what the compensation is for that.
How will she answer the Clementi key question: Will you close BBC4 ?
Charlotte is also struggling on without the support of Alison Kirkham, running factual commissioning for the past six years (£215k +). She going to work for Apple TV, reporting to Jay Hunt; no word on what the compensation is for that.
How will she answer the Clementi key question: Will you close BBC4 ?
Continuity candidate
Dashing Tom Newton Dunn (Marlborough and Edinburgh University) is making a late career change. Aged 46, and after 16 years as The Sun's Political Editor, he's moving to present and report on politics for Times Radio.
Mr Newton Dunn, an Arsenal fan currently based in Clapham, has cut his radio teeth with BBC Radio 4's The Week In Westminster. At one stage, the bookies were certain he was going to be Newsnight's Political Editor, but clearly his positioning didn't suit Ian Katz. He's taking fewer risks than other presenters who have joined Stig Abell's crew; he can presumably stay with the News UK pension scheme.
Mr Newton Dunn, an Arsenal fan currently based in Clapham, has cut his radio teeth with BBC Radio 4's The Week In Westminster. At one stage, the bookies were certain he was going to be Newsnight's Political Editor, but clearly his positioning didn't suit Ian Katz. He's taking fewer risks than other presenters who have joined Stig Abell's crew; he can presumably stay with the News UK pension scheme.
Coded message
Justin, Justin. At least two "Give us a sense" footfaults today, at 0722 and 0814. Huw will be after you.
Talking radio
RAJAR's Spring survey of listening trends shows podcast reach up to 18%, but share of listening stuck at 4%. The biggest growth area for all audio services remains smart speakers - effectively, online listening. 64% of listening on these speakers is to live radio, but only 2% to podcasts. Clearly it's easier to say "Play Radio 2" than "Play Episode 8 of the Missing Cryptoqueen on BBC Sounds".
Around the UK
It's a bit too soon to see if Chris Burns is 'making a difference' to BBC Local Radio in England - which is down 1.4% year on year. The best you can say is the fall rate is much less than in previous quarters. When she was appointed in September 2018, the total reach was 6.2m - it's now 5.7m.
Around the nations, Radio Scotland is in positive territory, adding 5%; Radio Ulster is up 4%; but Radio Cymru is down 0.85% and Radio Wales is down 4.4%. Come ON, Rhodri.
Around the nations, Radio Scotland is in positive territory, adding 5%; Radio Ulster is up 4%; but Radio Cymru is down 0.85% and Radio Wales is down 4.4%. Come ON, Rhodri.
Net working
The latest radio listening figures, for three months from January, are almost completely pre-covid, with total reach largely unchanged year on year. If there is a switch, it's from BBC Network Radio to National Commercial Radio - a trickle away of around 1m.
The two BBC speech breakfasts, Today and 5Live are off the top, year on year. LBC, led by Nick Ferrari at breakfast is up half a million, year on year. Classic FM has added nearly 200k; Radio 3 has lost 60k. At Radio 2, Zoe Ball is down a million, but perhaps can take heart from the news that the Chris Evans' effect at Virgin is slowing down - figures for the station up just 200k year on year. 6Music and The Asian Network are the only BBC services that aren't in negative territory year on year.
The two BBC speech breakfasts, Today and 5Live are off the top, year on year. LBC, led by Nick Ferrari at breakfast is up half a million, year on year. Classic FM has added nearly 200k; Radio 3 has lost 60k. At Radio 2, Zoe Ball is down a million, but perhaps can take heart from the news that the Chris Evans' effect at Virgin is slowing down - figures for the station up just 200k year on year. 6Music and The Asian Network are the only BBC services that aren't in negative territory year on year.
Wednesday, May 13, 2020
Solo camera
A little insight into how BBC News is operating ...
It’s currently going ‘viral’ on TikTok, so here is how we’re staying safe 🎥🦠 pic.twitter.com/pepC8Xrbeh— Emma Bentley (@EmmaLBentley) May 13, 2020
Fun with numbers
I wonder if the Office for National Statistics might have a word.
The BBC is becoming a mighty gunslinger in the Wild West that is podcast charts.
Without publishing a single chart, the BBC Media Centre yesterday issued a release headed "Peter Crouch tops the latest BBC Sounds podcast chart". No cumulative or individual figures, for the 57 episodes available online during the period covered, January to March. There is, apparently, a Top Ten, which includes the new Manhunt: Finding Kevin Parle, but again, there are no figures. There are 12 episodes of Manhunt online, but 21 episodes of Beyond Reasonable Doubt have been spookily rebranded 'Manhunt' on the website.
The big numbers on BBC Sounds are still for live listening, at 55%. There's no indication of the balance of listening between on-demand (time-shifted listening to existing radio programmes) and podcasts (made principally and first as such). There is apparently an on-demand chart - The Archers still tops it, and "All of the top ten is made up of Radio 4 and 4 Extra programmes". But until James Purnell comes clean about the split, in real numbers, between on-demand and podcasts, neither the BBC or the licence-fee payer can make a judgement on whether on not the shift in investment is worth it.
By the way, there are no absolute figures for the Gemma Collins podcast, save the assertion that it has the highest proportion of under-35 listeners. The next editor of Today will now presumably have to carry regular features on aliens, angels, the Illuminati, lizard people and vaginas to attract the audience that Purnell clearly seeks.
The BBC is becoming a mighty gunslinger in the Wild West that is podcast charts.
Without publishing a single chart, the BBC Media Centre yesterday issued a release headed "Peter Crouch tops the latest BBC Sounds podcast chart". No cumulative or individual figures, for the 57 episodes available online during the period covered, January to March. There is, apparently, a Top Ten, which includes the new Manhunt: Finding Kevin Parle, but again, there are no figures. There are 12 episodes of Manhunt online, but 21 episodes of Beyond Reasonable Doubt have been spookily rebranded 'Manhunt' on the website.
The big numbers on BBC Sounds are still for live listening, at 55%. There's no indication of the balance of listening between on-demand (time-shifted listening to existing radio programmes) and podcasts (made principally and first as such). There is apparently an on-demand chart - The Archers still tops it, and "All of the top ten is made up of Radio 4 and 4 Extra programmes". But until James Purnell comes clean about the split, in real numbers, between on-demand and podcasts, neither the BBC or the licence-fee payer can make a judgement on whether on not the shift in investment is worth it.
By the way, there are no absolute figures for the Gemma Collins podcast, save the assertion that it has the highest proportion of under-35 listeners. The next editor of Today will now presumably have to carry regular features on aliens, angels, the Illuminati, lizard people and vaginas to attract the audience that Purnell clearly seeks.
House hunting
This is a Government led by Johnson and Cummings, who are so brilliant that they do not need to run their ideas past anyone else.
How else to explain the inconsistencies ? They 'thought' they'd made it clear that the easing would only start Wednesday, but the first reference got cut from the script, and there was no time to re-record when Boris gave the false emphasis to "Wednesday" for unlimited exercise and trips to exercise.
The official advice, still true Tuesday, is that the only people in your car should be the members of your household. But, with official advice also to stay off public transport, cars are the only way to get the work for many; so what about car-sharing ? Here comes 'cake' and 'eating it': "If you normally share a vehicle with people from other households for essential journeys, we recommend you find a different way to travel", or "Where people from different households need to use a vehicle at the same time, good ventilation (keeping the car windows open) and facing away from each other may help to reduce the risk of transmission."
Train, tram and bus companies have made it clear it's not their responsibility to enforce 2m gaps; so presumably, everyone down the line makes a judgement as their service comes in by peering through the window. Is it too crowded in the carriages, or shall I stay on a too-crowded platform, and for how long ? And if too many people on public transport increases R in London, Grant Shapps say he'll close it down. And presumably provide car-sharing for every key worker to get to their jobs (like Mr Shapps).
There's the tap-dancing over quarantine for incoming travellers - first everyone, then 'everyone arriving by plane', then 'not the French' and 'of course, not the Irish'. And still no implementation date. And then holidays abroad. Clearly sufficient signals were given by Shapps to airlines such that Ryanair, Tui and others made plans for a July re-start. Today, Shapps follows Hancock - no summer holidays.
As ever on a Wednesday, Radio 4's More or Less has been excellent. Everyone should listen to the interview about how 'R' is estimated. And the claim that 'R' is low in London, and high in the North East. (Which may be why Johnson and Cummings are happy to use the capital as a giant Petri dish). And be prepared to drop your jaws about UK covid-19 testing rates.
By they way, they forgot to remind you; if you're going out house-hunting today, remember to buy something within walking or cycling distance of a job. Any job that's left.
How else to explain the inconsistencies ? They 'thought' they'd made it clear that the easing would only start Wednesday, but the first reference got cut from the script, and there was no time to re-record when Boris gave the false emphasis to "Wednesday" for unlimited exercise and trips to exercise.
The official advice, still true Tuesday, is that the only people in your car should be the members of your household. But, with official advice also to stay off public transport, cars are the only way to get the work for many; so what about car-sharing ? Here comes 'cake' and 'eating it': "If you normally share a vehicle with people from other households for essential journeys, we recommend you find a different way to travel", or "Where people from different households need to use a vehicle at the same time, good ventilation (keeping the car windows open) and facing away from each other may help to reduce the risk of transmission."
Train, tram and bus companies have made it clear it's not their responsibility to enforce 2m gaps; so presumably, everyone down the line makes a judgement as their service comes in by peering through the window. Is it too crowded in the carriages, or shall I stay on a too-crowded platform, and for how long ? And if too many people on public transport increases R in London, Grant Shapps say he'll close it down. And presumably provide car-sharing for every key worker to get to their jobs (like Mr Shapps).
There's the tap-dancing over quarantine for incoming travellers - first everyone, then 'everyone arriving by plane', then 'not the French' and 'of course, not the Irish'. And still no implementation date. And then holidays abroad. Clearly sufficient signals were given by Shapps to airlines such that Ryanair, Tui and others made plans for a July re-start. Today, Shapps follows Hancock - no summer holidays.
As ever on a Wednesday, Radio 4's More or Less has been excellent. Everyone should listen to the interview about how 'R' is estimated. And the claim that 'R' is low in London, and high in the North East. (Which may be why Johnson and Cummings are happy to use the capital as a giant Petri dish). And be prepared to drop your jaws about UK covid-19 testing rates.
By they way, they forgot to remind you; if you're going out house-hunting today, remember to buy something within walking or cycling distance of a job. Any job that's left.
Tuesday, May 12, 2020
Heads up
From a field of "many impressive candidates", Miss Helen Thomas has emerged as the new Head of Radio 2. Lewis Carnie leaves the building 'this summer'. We predicted Miss Thomas' elevation in March.
We are told the recruitment for the four other Head of Station roles (Radio 1, Radio 1Xtra, 6 Music and BBC Asian Network) is ongoing. I'll bet my second best trousers that Aled Jones gets 1; Paul Rodgers will retain 6Music, and it's anyone's bet what happens at 1xtra and The Asian Network, but Lorna Clarke will be looking for more diversity - gender and colour.
We are told the recruitment for the four other Head of Station roles (Radio 1, Radio 1Xtra, 6 Music and BBC Asian Network) is ongoing. I'll bet my second best trousers that Aled Jones gets 1; Paul Rodgers will retain 6Music, and it's anyone's bet what happens at 1xtra and The Asian Network, but Lorna Clarke will be looking for more diversity - gender and colour.
Where ?
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, despite his sniffy demeanour, was probably unaware of the dodgy caption, one of two that briefly popped up at the start of his Ministerial Response on BBC1 last night.
Hancock leads
Matt Hancock has to Sky News it's all systems go for the NHS Covid-19 app in England. “We’re rolling out in mid-May. The Isle of Wight project has gone well so far, we’ve learned a lot about how the app operates, also about people who don’t have the app – how to make sure that they can get testing and the contact tracing can work for them – the interaction of the technology and the human-based contact tracing. We’re pleased with progress, and we’re going to bring it in."
So he'll share the details of how many track and trace operations there've been on the island that wouldn't otherwise have happened ?
So he'll share the details of how many track and trace operations there've been on the island that wouldn't otherwise have happened ?
Need news ?
Coronavirus swept through New York from mid-February, and latest audience figures show a boost for news-based radio stations. WINS' average quarter-hour share in February was 5.6%, from a 2019 average of 3.6%; WNYC was up to 5.1 (2019 3.1); WCBS up to 3.4 (2019 2.4) and WOR up to 3.0 (2019 2.0).
In the UK, the next public disclosure of radio listening figures comes on Thursday, covering three months to the end of March.
In the UK, the next public disclosure of radio listening figures comes on Thursday, covering three months to the end of March.
Monday, May 11, 2020
Scraping through
"Come on, come on. Let's get this done. It's worse than Extra Work at bloody Eton. What's the next slide ?"
"OK Dom, what do we say ?"
Small whisper from the back "Shouldn't that be times rather than plus ?"
"It's the formula, Boz, it's what we use to calculate where we are on the red-greenie thing"
"So why didn't someone just write that down ?"
"How about: And to chart our progress and to avoid going back to square one, we are establishing a new Covid Alert System run by a new Joint Biosecurity Centre. And that Covid Alert Level will be determined primarily by R and the number of coronavirus cases."
"OK, OK, next".
The just-in-time chaos of this Johnson Cabinet was clear when the video arrived with broadcasters with ten minutes to go to transmission - in analogue days, barely enough time to rewind and find a start point. On BBC1 it started with flash of the News Channel, and then a freeze frame.
They're probably still re-writing the 50-page document now.
"OK Dom, what do we say ?"
Small whisper from the back "Shouldn't that be times rather than plus ?"
"It's the formula, Boz, it's what we use to calculate where we are on the red-greenie thing"
"So why didn't someone just write that down ?"
"How about: And to chart our progress and to avoid going back to square one, we are establishing a new Covid Alert System run by a new Joint Biosecurity Centre. And that Covid Alert Level will be determined primarily by R and the number of coronavirus cases."
"OK, OK, next".
The just-in-time chaos of this Johnson Cabinet was clear when the video arrived with broadcasters with ten minutes to go to transmission - in analogue days, barely enough time to rewind and find a start point. On BBC1 it started with flash of the News Channel, and then a freeze frame.
They're probably still re-writing the 50-page document now.
We meant Wednesday
Sir Keir Starmer thought Boris meant go to work on Monday; I thought it meant go to work on Monday; the people on the rammed London tubes this morning clearly thought he meant Monday; bet you thought the same. No rebuttal last night from No 10. Then this morning, Dominic Raab does the media rounds with the message, we meant Wednesday.
This is the order Boris uttered his shambolic exhortation:
"And the first step is a change of emphasis that we hope that people will act on this week. We said that you should work from home if you can, and only go to work if you must.
"We now need to stress that anyone who can’t work from home, for instance those in construction or manufacturing, should be actively encouraged to go to work.And we want it to be safe for you to get to work. So you should avoid public transport if at all possible – because we must and will maintain social distancing, and capacity will therefore be limited. So work from home if you can, but you should go to work if you can’t work from home.....
....... And from this Wednesday, we want to encourage people to take more and even unlimited amounts of outdoor exercise."
This is what Boris told MPs last Wednesday:
“I just want to explain to the House as a courtesy why it's happening on Sunday. This is because, I'm sure you'd be interested to know, that the reason for that is very simple, that we know we have to be sure that the data is going to support our ability to do this. But that data is coming in, continuously over the next few days, we'll want if, we possibly can to get going with some of these measures on Monday.”
This is the order Boris uttered his shambolic exhortation:
"And the first step is a change of emphasis that we hope that people will act on this week. We said that you should work from home if you can, and only go to work if you must.
"We now need to stress that anyone who can’t work from home, for instance those in construction or manufacturing, should be actively encouraged to go to work.And we want it to be safe for you to get to work. So you should avoid public transport if at all possible – because we must and will maintain social distancing, and capacity will therefore be limited. So work from home if you can, but you should go to work if you can’t work from home.....
....... And from this Wednesday, we want to encourage people to take more and even unlimited amounts of outdoor exercise."
This is what Boris told MPs last Wednesday:
“I just want to explain to the House as a courtesy why it's happening on Sunday. This is because, I'm sure you'd be interested to know, that the reason for that is very simple, that we know we have to be sure that the data is going to support our ability to do this. But that data is coming in, continuously over the next few days, we'll want if, we possibly can to get going with some of these measures on Monday.”
Sunday, May 10, 2020
Don't panic
"Cummings ! Levido ! Get in here. Is this supposed to mean something ? I can't write round this. Did those Kiwi chancers do it ? Hasn't the world seen me out in the blessed park with cups of Costa coffee - I shouldn't be doing that until July according to this slide. What's it got to do with the coloured thingy - you know, the risk level. Crikey, we'll never get this done by 7 o'clock...."
Adding up
How are the books balancing at BBC Radio, as James Purnell shapes his team for a more constrained future ? He's got Director of Radio & Music Bob Shennan off the books, saving £271k (and perhaps more for his support team), and Controller Radio 1 Ben Cooper's gone (£200k +). Lorna Clarke is looking after more stations than Ben, as Controller Pop, but she's landed on £180k+.
On the growth side, Jonathan Wall has become Controller Sounds, at £165k+; we've yet to discover the salary of new Controller 5Live, Heidi Dawson, but there'll be a stooshie if its under £150k.
So I reckon James is up around £150k - as long as he doesn't replace Bob Shennan. Will the Controllers enjoy Jim chairing their meetings ? Does he know enough about radio now ? How's the piano practice going ?
On the growth side, Jonathan Wall has become Controller Sounds, at £165k+; we've yet to discover the salary of new Controller 5Live, Heidi Dawson, but there'll be a stooshie if its under £150k.
So I reckon James is up around £150k - as long as he doesn't replace Bob Shennan. Will the Controllers enjoy Jim chairing their meetings ? Does he know enough about radio now ? How's the piano practice going ?
Jekyll and Hyde
Grant Shapps' podium appearance announcing (or more properly re-announcing) the biggest investment in walking and cycling this country has ever seen was limp and lacklustre. You detected that the petrolhead/pilot side of Mr Shapps had to be suppressed, and broke through at the end: "There will be further announcements about the huge investment we’re making in road and rail networks – taking advantage of their low usership during this COVID crisis."
Maybe it's time for Boris's cycling supremo, the always reliable Andrew Gilligan, to get back to the microphone. Or perhaps he's busy sorting out Covid-19 testing.
Maybe it's time for Boris's cycling supremo, the always reliable Andrew Gilligan, to get back to the microphone. Or perhaps he's busy sorting out Covid-19 testing.
Little Richard RIP
Little Richard toured the UK in 1962 - The Beatles supported him on a bill at The Tower Ballroom, New Brighton. He was back in 1963, and Granada recorded a half hour with him in their studios in Manchester, featuring The Shirelles and British backing band Sounds Incorporated. Granada repeated it early in 1964, because of public demand.
Sounds Incorporated befriended the Beatles in Hamburg, and opened for them at Shea Stadium. The sax section is featured on Good Morning, Good Morning on the Sergeant Pepper album.
Sounds Incorporated befriended the Beatles in Hamburg, and opened for them at Shea Stadium. The sax section is featured on Good Morning, Good Morning on the Sergeant Pepper album.
Saturday, May 9, 2020
Big ideas
New Controller Radio 4 Mohit Bakaya lands on a senior manager salary of £180-5k, a tad behind his predecessor's exit pay of £195k-£200k.
I'm sure boss James Purnell will be delighted about Mo's first management expense: business entertainment - lunch to discuss big podcast idea - £66.94.
I'm sure boss James Purnell will be delighted about Mo's first management expense: business entertainment - lunch to discuss big podcast idea - £66.94.
Don't nudge me
Boris Johnson has very few real tools at his disposal in making the UK healthy again, as he approaches Sunday's fireside chat - for which the broadcasters are allowing a substantial 15 minutes.
There is no vaccine, no agreed drug treatment, no test for immunity, no approved app, not enough PPE. We're pretty much where we were when we went into lockdown nearly seven weeks ago.
All the Prime Minister can do is present a clear view of scientific predictions, and how they'll change, for better or worse, through the behaviour of the British public. Sadly, this is territory for the least successful of Mr Johnson's team - the behavioural psychologists of the 'Nudge Unit', a Government agency more properly known as the Behavioural Insights Team.
This team's leader, David Halpern, was the first Government employee to use 'herd immunity' in public as a route through the pandemic. He was also among those who counselled delaying lockdown, because it wouldn't hold for long enough because of 'behavioural fatigue'. Presumably he was around when No 10 briefed national newspapers on Wednesday; a Royal flush of headlines followed, one of the the biggest nudges in the Government's messaging so far...
In the last reported financial year, Mr Halpern received a salary of £150k as CEO of Behavioural Insights, and £95,000 in share dividends. Revenue in the UK was £11m - most of it from Government. I hope this 'day-rate consultancy' has waived its fees for attending SAGE committees; I hope in future Mr Halpern sticks to ideas to nudge us into using cheaper electricity suppliers.
There is no vaccine, no agreed drug treatment, no test for immunity, no approved app, not enough PPE. We're pretty much where we were when we went into lockdown nearly seven weeks ago.
All the Prime Minister can do is present a clear view of scientific predictions, and how they'll change, for better or worse, through the behaviour of the British public. Sadly, this is territory for the least successful of Mr Johnson's team - the behavioural psychologists of the 'Nudge Unit', a Government agency more properly known as the Behavioural Insights Team.
This team's leader, David Halpern, was the first Government employee to use 'herd immunity' in public as a route through the pandemic. He was also among those who counselled delaying lockdown, because it wouldn't hold for long enough because of 'behavioural fatigue'. Presumably he was around when No 10 briefed national newspapers on Wednesday; a Royal flush of headlines followed, one of the the biggest nudges in the Government's messaging so far...
In the last reported financial year, Mr Halpern received a salary of £150k as CEO of Behavioural Insights, and £95,000 in share dividends. Revenue in the UK was £11m - most of it from Government. I hope this 'day-rate consultancy' has waived its fees for attending SAGE committees; I hope in future Mr Halpern sticks to ideas to nudge us into using cheaper electricity suppliers.
Friday, May 8, 2020
Stay where you are
"I want to make it clear that unless you’ve been directly notified by your line manager, you should not come into the office."
No mixed messages from BBC News boss Fran Unsworth.
No mixed messages from BBC News boss Fran Unsworth.
Who knows what ?
Data dilemma: It's seems anyone with a knowledge of IOW postcodes (even a partial postcode) can download the NHS Covid-19 app that's under test on the Isle of Wight.
Does NHSX know how many real Islanders have downloaded the thing ? And, if they did, would that be more data sharing than technically permitted ?
Does NHSX know how many real Islanders have downloaded the thing ? And, if they did, would that be more data sharing than technically permitted ?
Signals and signs
Another reminder that this Government says one thing and does another. The Sun tells us that Boris Johnson, Dominic Cummings, Rishi Sunak and Alok Sharma are all using Signal, the new messaging service developed in Salt Lake City at the end of last year. It offers end-to-end encryption, and the ability to permanently delete texts.
(In September, Dominic Grieve asked for disclosure of all messages, including those on Signal, between Hugh Bennett, Simon Burton, Dominic Cummings, Nikki da Costa, Tom Irven, Sir Roy Stone, Christopher James, Lee Cain or Beatrice Timpson about the prorogation of Parliament.)
Another user, according to The Sun, is Home Secretary Priti Patel. This was the Home Office's position on end-to-end encryption at the end of last year.
"The Government supports strong encryption, which is used by billions of people every day for services such as banking, commerce and communications.
However, we are concerned that end-to-end encryption has created significant and avoidable barriers to companies being able to identify and prevent activity by terrorists, child abusers or serious criminals who are using their products or services to cause harm.
Facebook’s proposals to apply end-to-end encryption to its messaging platforms by default presents significant challenges. On 4 October 2019, the Home Secretary published an open letter to Mark Zuckerberg requesting that Facebook does not implement its proposals without ensuring that there is no reduction to user safety and without including a means for law enforcement to obtain lawful access to the content of communications."
Matthew Hopkins, a Professor of Cryptography at John Hopkins University, endorses Signal thus:
"After reading the code, I literally discovered a line of drool running down my face. It’s really nice."
(In September, Dominic Grieve asked for disclosure of all messages, including those on Signal, between Hugh Bennett, Simon Burton, Dominic Cummings, Nikki da Costa, Tom Irven, Sir Roy Stone, Christopher James, Lee Cain or Beatrice Timpson about the prorogation of Parliament.)
Another user, according to The Sun, is Home Secretary Priti Patel. This was the Home Office's position on end-to-end encryption at the end of last year.
"The Government supports strong encryption, which is used by billions of people every day for services such as banking, commerce and communications.
However, we are concerned that end-to-end encryption has created significant and avoidable barriers to companies being able to identify and prevent activity by terrorists, child abusers or serious criminals who are using their products or services to cause harm.
Facebook’s proposals to apply end-to-end encryption to its messaging platforms by default presents significant challenges. On 4 October 2019, the Home Secretary published an open letter to Mark Zuckerberg requesting that Facebook does not implement its proposals without ensuring that there is no reduction to user safety and without including a means for law enforcement to obtain lawful access to the content of communications."
Matthew Hopkins, a Professor of Cryptography at John Hopkins University, endorses Signal thus:
"After reading the code, I literally discovered a line of drool running down my face. It’s really nice."
Anxious
Am I right to be anxious about the future of BBC Four ? Channel editor Cassian Harrison is elsewhere for nine months. The annual cost of content for the channel is c£44m; it delivers value at 6p per user hour (BBC1 7p); but it hasn't benefited much from lockdown.
BBC1 viewers tuned in for 5 minutes more every day in the last week of April, compared with the last week of January - up to 47 minutes 37 secs average per day. BBC4 moved from 2.02 minutes to 2.01 minutes.
BBC1 viewers tuned in for 5 minutes more every day in the last week of April, compared with the last week of January - up to 47 minutes 37 secs average per day. BBC4 moved from 2.02 minutes to 2.01 minutes.
Just to let y’all know am taking up a rather exciting new job at BBC Studios for a bit. More news to follow as and when...! https://t.co/AldJVh1HSR— Cassian Harrison (@cassianh) May 5, 2020
There's a thing
It looks like the news of nine Chelsea Pensioners dying from covid-19 came around lunchtime yesterday; probably first via the Evening Standard.
The BBC is usually all over the pensioners - it visited them on lockdown on 2nd April. The copy made its way to the News online site by around 3pm. The 6pm and 10pm bulletins on BBC1 both had previews of VE anniversary celebrations, but couldn't find time for a script line
The BBC is usually all over the pensioners - it visited them on lockdown on 2nd April. The copy made its way to the News online site by around 3pm. The 6pm and 10pm bulletins on BBC1 both had previews of VE anniversary celebrations, but couldn't find time for a script line
Out and about: Part Four
The BBC's Director of Editorial Policy and Standards, David Jordan, is generous with his time in supporting international organisations.
Over the past nine months of reported travelling expenses, he went to Helsinki in March last year for a meeting of the Steering Committee of Public Broadcasters International; in May he travelled to Oslo for the Nordic Media Ethics Workshop; in June, to Geneva for a conference of the International Press Institute, organised with the European Broadcasting Union (Ken MacQuarrie and Gavin Allen went to that one, too); then straight to New York for the Organisation of News Ombudsman's Annual Conference (he's on the board); and in September, back to Helsinki for the full conference of Public Broadcasters International.
Previous Jordan crossings are detailed here.
Over the past nine months of reported travelling expenses, he went to Helsinki in March last year for a meeting of the Steering Committee of Public Broadcasters International; in May he travelled to Oslo for the Nordic Media Ethics Workshop; in June, to Geneva for a conference of the International Press Institute, organised with the European Broadcasting Union (Ken MacQuarrie and Gavin Allen went to that one, too); then straight to New York for the Organisation of News Ombudsman's Annual Conference (he's on the board); and in September, back to Helsinki for the full conference of Public Broadcasters International.
Previous Jordan crossings are detailed here.
Thursday, May 7, 2020
Out and about: Part Three
And what's this ? Dan McGolpin, Controller of Daytime and iPlayer, also made his way to LA in May last year, staying (like Patrick Holland and Fiona Campbell) at The Petit Ermitage.
Then, it seems, Charlotte Moore, Director of Content, was there as well - at least on the plane. (So that's Charlotte, Patrick, Dan and Fiona - who's minding the shop ?). There's no record of a hotel, yet.
But radio occasionally likes group travel too. James Purnell popped up to Liverpool for the 6Music Festival in March last year, secure in the knowledge that his old Arts Council chum Alan Davey, Controller Radio 3, was on hand to perform that vital safety inspection.
I'm sure there's a best practice reason for BBC Wales boss Rhodri Talfan Davies to visit LA. It was a cheaper flight than the tv gaggle, and at least not at the same time. And who better to pay a £560.64 bill to entertain 30 people on the BBC National Orchestra of Wales tour of China ?
And while we're peckish, drama boss Piers Wenger stumped up £172.95 for a 'team picnic'.
That's it. I'm knackered. If someone wants to add up the flights, trains, taxis and hotels used by Ken Macquarrie and his finance aide, Ian Haythornthwaite, let me know the total.
I'll be back tomorrow for David Jordan's travels.
Then, it seems, Charlotte Moore, Director of Content, was there as well - at least on the plane. (So that's Charlotte, Patrick, Dan and Fiona - who's minding the shop ?). There's no record of a hotel, yet.
But radio occasionally likes group travel too. James Purnell popped up to Liverpool for the 6Music Festival in March last year, secure in the knowledge that his old Arts Council chum Alan Davey, Controller Radio 3, was on hand to perform that vital safety inspection.
I'm sure there's a best practice reason for BBC Wales boss Rhodri Talfan Davies to visit LA. It was a cheaper flight than the tv gaggle, and at least not at the same time. And who better to pay a £560.64 bill to entertain 30 people on the BBC National Orchestra of Wales tour of China ?
And while we're peckish, drama boss Piers Wenger stumped up £172.95 for a 'team picnic'.
That's it. I'm knackered. If someone wants to add up the flights, trains, taxis and hotels used by Ken Macquarrie and his finance aide, Ian Haythornthwaite, let me know the total.
I'll be back tomorrow for David Jordan's travels.
Out and about: Part Two
Alan "Wavey" Davey, Controller of Radio 3, lives a varied life, revealed in the last nine months' of BBC travel and other expenses. He had to go to Liverpool "for a safety inspection of the 6Music Festival"; he bought dinner for a composer, at £75.93, to discuss a commission, and lunch for another, at £61.59, merely to discuss ideas; and he's travelled to Potsdam, Berlin, Paris, Dublin, Newcastle, Cardiff, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aldeburgh, Snape Maltings and Tokyo. Time for a lie-down, eh ?
You get a slightly better meal if you're discussing a contract with Graham Ellis, Controller Production, Radio & Music, who claimed £154.41 for hospitality to an external contact.
DG Lord Hall did Davos, and stayed in the Berghotel Schatzalp, the former sanatorium (featured in Thomas Mann's The Magic Mountain) served by its own funicular, which boasts five restaurants. £2,328.59 for five nights - starting a day after he announce his intention to stand down.
Patrick Holland, Controller BBC2, can't seem to make his mind up about Hollywood hotels. He stayed at the Beverley Hills Plaza in February 2019, but in May 2019, he booked The Avalon, then The Mosaic, then The Parc Suites, then The Montrose West, before settling (like Fiona Campbell) on The Petit Ermitage.
You get a slightly better meal if you're discussing a contract with Graham Ellis, Controller Production, Radio & Music, who claimed £154.41 for hospitality to an external contact.
DG Lord Hall did Davos, and stayed in the Berghotel Schatzalp, the former sanatorium (featured in Thomas Mann's The Magic Mountain) served by its own funicular, which boasts five restaurants. £2,328.59 for five nights - starting a day after he announce his intention to stand down.
Patrick Holland, Controller BBC2, can't seem to make his mind up about Hollywood hotels. He stayed at the Beverley Hills Plaza in February 2019, but in May 2019, he booked The Avalon, then The Mosaic, then The Parc Suites, then The Montrose West, before settling (like Fiona Campbell) on The Petit Ermitage.
Matt finish
Matthew Price, most recently billed as Chief Correspondent, Today and one of the hosts of the furloughed Beyond Today podcast, is leaving the BBC.
Matthew, 47 (Haberdashers' Aske's and St Catharine's, Cambridge) joined the BBC on the Local Radio reporter scheme in 1994. He moved through Radio Lincolnshire, regional news in Newcastle, to Newsround reporting, and then through Belgrade, Baghdad, Jerusalem and New York to Europe Correspondent. On the way he's picked up French, Dutch and German.
Matthew, 47 (Haberdashers' Aske's and St Catharine's, Cambridge) joined the BBC on the Local Radio reporter scheme in 1994. He moved through Radio Lincolnshire, regional news in Newcastle, to Newsround reporting, and then through Belgrade, Baghdad, Jerusalem and New York to Europe Correspondent. On the way he's picked up French, Dutch and German.
Out and about: Part One
On a day when I should be assisting in the garden, I find the BBC has quietly dropped nine months of senior managers' expenses.
Here's some highlights in A to C.
Gavin Allen, at News, took three flights to and from Boston; £1,115.22, then £1,029.72, then steerage at £525.92.
Shane "Mr Entertainment" Allen had four nights in the four-star Shangri-La, Santa Monica, for £922.16, and claimed an annual subscription to Variety at £280.41.
Wendy Aslett, now part of the duo leading HR, must be reflecting on the savings you can make with Zoom meetings. She had to spend £5,300 on flights from Glasgow to London and back over the 9 months (reporting, presumably, to Valerie Hughes D'Aeth in person).
Alain Bainbridge, the property boss based in Chesterfield, billed for 26 return journeys between there and London, at or just over £207, total £5,390. Perhaps a spell on a time planning course could help get him cheaper deals.
Fiona Campbell, Controller BBC3 spent £1234.42 on a return flight to LA, and £1429.60 on a stay at the 4-star Petit Ermitage in West Hollywood.
Jessica Cecil, described as Head of Business Management, "supporting the Director-General in his leadership of the BBC", found time for a trip taking in San Francisco and Seattle.
Kieran Clifton, running Distribution and Business Development, flew to and from Austin, Texas, for a mere £2,455.20, with six nights in a hotel at £1,419.80.
Here's some highlights in A to C.
Gavin Allen, at News, took three flights to and from Boston; £1,115.22, then £1,029.72, then steerage at £525.92.
Shane "Mr Entertainment" Allen had four nights in the four-star Shangri-La, Santa Monica, for £922.16, and claimed an annual subscription to Variety at £280.41.
Wendy Aslett, now part of the duo leading HR, must be reflecting on the savings you can make with Zoom meetings. She had to spend £5,300 on flights from Glasgow to London and back over the 9 months (reporting, presumably, to Valerie Hughes D'Aeth in person).
Alain Bainbridge, the property boss based in Chesterfield, billed for 26 return journeys between there and London, at or just over £207, total £5,390. Perhaps a spell on a time planning course could help get him cheaper deals.
Fiona Campbell, Controller BBC3 spent £1234.42 on a return flight to LA, and £1429.60 on a stay at the 4-star Petit Ermitage in West Hollywood.
Jessica Cecil, described as Head of Business Management, "supporting the Director-General in his leadership of the BBC", found time for a trip taking in San Francisco and Seattle.
Kieran Clifton, running Distribution and Business Development, flew to and from Austin, Texas, for a mere £2,455.20, with six nights in a hotel at £1,419.80.
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