BBC to slash 250 jobs across news division The Times (£)
The scale of the redundancy programme will horrify staff at a time of unprecedented uncertainty for the national broadcaster. However, bosses need to save £80 million and believe that the corporation cannot win back public support on issues such as revoking free TV licences for over-75s without demonstrating a commitment to delivering value for the public. “The BBC has got to show that it is doing some tough stuff,” one source said.
Call off the rottweilers, Lord Hall tells BBC interviewers The Times (£)
Lord Hall’s remarks, at the launch of the Edelman Trust Barometer, indicate that the BBC is reassessing the value of traditional “gotcha” interviews, in which presenters seek to trap ministers into gaffes or U-turns.
[…]
(John Humphrys) lamented that the success of the 8.10am Today interview was wrongly judged on whether it had unsettled a politician and trapped them into saying something they did not intend. “I’m delighted he [Lord Hall] agrees with me”, Humphrys said yesterday.
Jeremy Paxman, who questioned politicians on Newsnight for 25 years , expressed his approval less diplomatically. Asked for his response to the director-general’s comments, he replied: “I like Tony Hall. But he really must stop spouting the bleeding obvious.”
Hmm. Quite a few pots and kettles calling each other 'persons of colour.'
What a difference a month and a half makes...
ReplyDeleteBut you have to ask were the BBC's rottweilers being allowed free rein because Hall had committed to reversing the Leave vote. It sure felt like it.
And why on earth were the BBC carrying 450 unnecessary news staff while threatening to impose the licence fee on over 75s. Everyone could see the news op was bloated - for instance adding about 20 staff for their absurd "Reality Check" (actually unverified opinion pieces).
The way the BBC has been run is a scandal of immense proportions. It continues to be with the creatino of absurd overpaid jobs like "Director of Creative Diversity " (or is "Diverse Creativity" - doesn't really matter since the job is a nonsense) - the job that so unsurpisingly landed in prominent Remain campaigner June Sarpong's lap.
Time for root and branch reform.
Getting to the point June Sarpong is the only one left in the top floor, with a pension matching that of Botney already.
ReplyDelete