The rhythm method

Back in May 2019, James Purnell, given custody of BBC Radio by Lord Hall, talked about the future of BBC Sounds, launched six months previously.  He said the BBC was developing its own public service algorithm; "This is not an algorithm that just gives you more of the same, but an algorithm built to surprise you, to direct your attention to new information, to different points of view, to pop your bubble."

Yesterday, the new DG Matt Brittin focused on such an algorithm to drive a new version of iPlayer, which might have a UK-focussed type offer, and work like YouTube. 

I see, hear and smell a combination of red herrings and alarm bells. Listeners, readers and viewers go through all sorts of gateways to obtain both information and entertainment. On tv, in the 1950s, it was select one of two channels and sort of let it happen. Then came Radio Times and appointments to view. ITV sniffed a biased portal and came up with TV Times. On the radio, the rotary dial gave more opportunities for serendipity; you could spin and just listen for "English", or music you liked. The broadcasters much preferred you to have push-button radios. 

Now, with giant portals like Amazon and Netflix, it's not really a question of "What's on ?"; we're not far from a position where nearly 'everything is on'.  All too big for a Radio Times, and we turn increasingly to websites to pick recommendations in monthly reviews of new material. The 'front pages' of Netflix, Amazon, and Disney are not reliable guides to quality; they're pushing their new stuff, co-ordinated, like old-style broadcasters, with press and publicity campaigns. (Where would The One Show be without them ?)

I can't imagine (in all Mr Brittin's re-imagining of public service broadcasting) an iPlayer where the BBC surrenders control of the 'front page'; iPlayer 2 would have to run alongside.  Would we really want computers to control the front page, as Mr Brittin says, “in a way that’s not biased towards the incentives of a U.S. tech company or commercial interests. It should be biased towards what we want public service to be all about.”  That's the problem, Matt. A goody-goody repository for family values ? Equal time for  all religions ?  Even-handed between the Nations and Regions ?  A balanced choice between acid jazz and chamber music ? Influencers without advertising funding ?  Police chase videos and/or home-made news reports ?

Any evidence of how it's working on BBC Sounds ?

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