Martyn Ziegler, Chief Sports Reporter for The Times, writes that the BBC has landed itself in "an embarrassing mess" over the departure of Mark Pougatch from Radio 5 Live. He says it wasn't his decision to leave, but the BBC put out a statement declaring that he “has now decided to move on”.
Pougatch told this column: “The BBC have decided they want to go in a different direction and that’s their prerogative. They decided it, not me — I don’t know why they put that statement out saying I have decided to move on. But I am not going to fall out with Radio 5 — I have many happy memories and have had a phenomenal time.
A BBC spokesman said: “We have nothing to add”.
It's worth reposting my comment from the Beauty before Age below:
ReplyDelete...From Mail online: ... The well-respected 51-year-old [Pougatch] follows Cornelius Lysaght and Garry Richardson out of the door as the broadcaster focuses on attracting a younger audience.' ...
It isn't simply a matter of their ages. The BBC are aiming to draw in a young 'metro elite' audience, which conspires against the likes of Lysaght because they are white, male, stale and above all English.
It's a familiar move by the BBC - to alienate their existing Radio 5Live listeners in the hope of replacing them with an audience of their choosing. BBC and M&S - peas in a pod. ...
It will be interesting to see the BBC's coverage of this summer's Olympic Games. Will as much respect be afforded to winners of medals in events such as rowing or equestrian as with 'affle'ics'?
It's the BBC worldview again. Englishness is an obstacle to acclaim in their scheme of things.
I suspect that Wimbledon is in the BBC sights. Garry Richardson has always been a part of the circus there. In much the same way as cricket, Wimbledon tennis is English rather than British. The men's game in particular doesn't reflect the BBC idea of diversity. What a problem this must cause to BBC strategists!
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