I kind of agree with Dave but probably with a different sentiment. I’m not sure about John Birt. I’m pretty sure I think (?) he was the right man for the beeb at the right time. It desperately needed a cool, no nonsense business orientated manager at that time - having Birt was like having a full-time Management Consultant at the head.
And he did achieve an awful lot. I don’t think it’s easy to see from the outside how the beeb was drifting at a time when the entire tv world was focused and moving toward new ways of producing programmes. The beeb was turning into the clichéd monolith, unable to move at all, let alone with the times. Birt instigated fundamental reforms like out sourcing skills, external commissioning and contracting of series, rationalisation of resources (including controversially BBC News), departmental restructuring and a lot, lot more. This tightening up and refocusing has allowed the beeb to concentrate more on specific areas and to regain forward direction and focus.
So, Duke I agree the beeb has cut back on front of the house productions but, unfortunately, they have needed to concentrate on other areas of improvement because of dramatic changes in the wider tv environment. Birt’s reforms also included building a new competitive infrastructure ( News 24, preparation for the Digi revolution, other tv channels I don’t see but they are out there somewhere…). Also, BBC Worldwide – a Birt led separate BBC business – has grown remarkably in short time and contributes significantly to the coffers.
IMHO, the beeb’s hanging on in this fast moving world by the skin of its teeth and thanks to the Birt reforms. The beeb, I believe, is now leaner and hungrier, than was the old “This is the Home Service” beeb.
How much is Murdock paying for footie? I forget, but that demonstrates how the (excuse me, please) goalposts have moved in the last few years – and you can’t justify spending that percentage of licence money on footie to my Gran (and her footie hating mafia). The beeb has to satisfy all the license payers.
I also think that now that job has been done (the infrastructure is in place and the finances in better shape) Greg Dyke is also the right man for the job. Its time for the beeb to reassert itself and Dyke’s the man to do it. A shrewd appointment, IMHO, but he has to deliver and soon.
I’ve mentioned my view on the license fee before so I hope this isn’t going to bore you.
OK, the cost for running BB1 is approx 40 % less than ITV, it’s nearest competitor in the market and in the ratings.
Is BBC1 a bargain because of that ? I say emphatically, yes it is.
Why ? Because ITV, like all commercial channels is not free. Its funded entirely from advertising revenue. Where does that revenue come from ? Not the pockets of shareholders of the companies advertising. It comes from you very time you go to the supermarket, petrol station or buy anything. There is nowhere else that money can come from…
Therefore, we are all paying, on average, about £4.00 per week more for our shopping than we would otherwise to pay for an unwatchable commercial tv channel. Nice.
Second thing about the license fee is that there is built in to it some assistance for the elderly and other financially troubled groups. Next time you go to Tesco, ask them to knock four quid off the weekly bill because you can’t feed the electricity meter.
Anyway, that more than enough of me.