Roger Bolton's Beeb Watch: Recent Episodes
Kate Dixon
Roger Bolton, formerly presenter of BBC Radio 4's 'Feedback' launches his very first podcast. Free from the constraints of broadcasting on the BBC, with a few more opinions and casting his net a little bit wider to encompass the whole of the BBC, Roger examines the issues that are facing the corporation.
As the BBC receives complaints about the lack of a republican point of view during the
coverage of the Queen’s death, Roger has tea with a group of neighbours to gauge their reactions to the BBC's coverage and talks to Richard Ayre a former BBC Trust board member who was put in charge of planning the coverage for a Royal death 40 years ago. Did they already have any plans in place?
Richard Ayre also talks about the challenges the BBC faces and the impact the financial squeeze has on its services.
"The BBC has been saying ever since I was a kid that it was strapped for cash. It’s now
visible. It’s visible what’s happening on screen, on radio and online".
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Veteran journalist Adam Boulton spent more than thirty years at Sky News, twenty-five of those as political editor. He has been host for General and US elections coverage, invigilated the first leaders’ debate in 2010 and has the distinction of having interviewed every UK Prime Minister since Sir Alec Douglas-Home. He continues to write for Sky but is also now broadcasting on Times Radio, where he co-hosts the weekend flagship politics show Sunday Morning.
This week we discussed general election coverage, how coverage has changed over the years, Nigel Farage’s media manipulation, impartiality and Adam’s colourful career.
“I do think we collectively in broadcast and I think the BBC in particular, do have a case to answer over Nigel Farage. The truth is that he played the media, like a fiddle didn't he?”
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Peter Snow is a former BBC Newsnight presenter (1980–1997), ITN Diplomatic and Defence Correspondent (1966–1979), documentary maker, and historian. Known for his iconic "swingometer" on election night, we discuss the drama of election night, the current election campaign, Newsnight, and being called a 'traitor'.
“I think this election campaign is the worst I've ever seen for sort of fake bribery. Honestly, it's a disgrace the way it's going on."
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Catherine Johnson is the professor of Media and Communications at the University of Leeds, author of the book Online TV, and a member of the Department of Culture, Media and Sports College of experts. With parliament now dissolved, we discuss what happened to the Media Bill and in what form did it survive - what was left in and out? Also, we examine Ofcom’s role in regulating media and resource allocation, what a Labour government might entail for public service media, BBC Charter renewal and funding review and the big issues that are coming down the line for public service broadcasters.
“I suspect what we'll see is the device manufacturers and the public service broadcasters effectively marking their own homework. ‘This is what we said we do. This is what we've done, here's the evidence’. And then we will have to take that on trust.”
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Jane Martinson, author of ‘You May Never See Us Again: The Barclay Dynasty: A Story of Survival, Secrecy and Succession’ is the former media editor at the Guardian and now Marjorie Deane Professor of Financial Journalism at City University.
In the week the general election is called we discussed the potential takeover of The Telegraph by Sir Paul Marshall and its implications for the Conservative Party, his beliefs, media impartiality, the influence that media owners wield, the dominance of right wing media outlets and the future of journalism.
“What I can see in reading, what Paul Marsh has written himself and also actually watching GB News's content is, if you fetishize almost, the freedom of speech, and at one's own belief, over the notion of science and experts. Isn't that at the heart of this? And isn't that where it also meets some of the biggest problems in media at the moment?”
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Matt Deegan is the co-founder of the award-winning Fun Kids, a digital radio station for families and children, which has just won the bronze award in the Radio Academy’s UK Station of the Year category. Given that the gold award went to BBC Asian Network and the silver to Talksport, this is a considerable achievement for a small independent network. Matt is also the co-founder of Folder Media and the British Podcast Awards and is one of the most respected commentators on all things audio.
In this episode, we discuss the lack of BBC radio content for children, the BBC’s podcast advertising plans and their impact on the commercial industry, the latest radio listening figures, and the future of BBC radio and podcast growth.
“The BBC already gets £5.7 billion of income from a variety of sources. It does not need £1 million a year out of the podcast business. I could go in and find seven managers to fire, and I could save a million pounds.”
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Jamie Angus is the former director of the BBC World Service and the former editor of 'Today' and 'Newsnight' who now works in the Middle East. We discuss Ofcom's oversight of broadcasters, the consequences of previous World Service cuts, and the impact of new ones. We also explore long-term solutions to the issue of its funding, which is under review by a parliamentary committee.
“I think it's clear that GB News are operating under a slightly different model to public broadcasters.”
“Al Arabiya ourselves have launched our own FM radio services. And we've additionally picked up some of the BBC’s medium wave hours, which they no longer use, so our radio services are broadcast regionally. We've also hired a number of ex BBC Arabic radio staff.”
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Stewart Purvis, former content regulator at Ofcom and former Editor of Channel 4 News and ITN Chief Executive, discusses Ofcom’s guidance to general election coverage published last week. Stewart delves into the research on which Ofcom based its guidelines, spells out what the guidance means in practice, and reflects on Ofcom as an organisation.
“Ofcom was pretty much claiming that what the audience had told it justified the position it had taken. But then when you got down into the detail, it didn't really say that at all.”
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Steve Punt and Hugh Dennis took their bow from BBC Radio 4’s satirical news programme ‘The Now Show’ last Friday after 25 years. Steve Punt discusses the last programme, the development and success of this long-running radio comedy show, the impact of our changing news consumption, political bias, radio comedy’s evolution and the new podcast format and his plans for the future.
“There was a little BBC drinks do afterwards. And as Hugh pointed out, it was literally just crisps. Someone had gone to Marks and Spencers and they bought one of every flavour of crisps. So, he made a little speech thanking the BBC for the magnificent spread.”
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Max Cotton is a former BBC political reporter who has spent a year finding out if he can grow and produce 100% of his food on his smallholding near Glastonbury. We discuss his BBC Radio 4 documentary series on the experiment 'Growing Solo', as well as exploring food and farming literacy, food security and self sufficiency in the UK.
"As a group of people, BBC journalists, they could tell you everything you possibly want to know about Labour education policy, and they don't know what the difference between hay and straw is. And I think that's a sad reflection of where we are."
BBC Radio 4 'Growing Solo' starts on Monday 22 April at 1345. You will be able to find the series here:
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Rory Cellan-Jones, former BBC Technology and Business Correspondent examines Tim Davie’s, the BBC’s Director General speech on the BBC’s future priorities. He also explores life after the BBC, discussing his, ‘Movers and Shakers’ Parkinson’s podcast, his family memoir ‘Ruskin Park’ and his forthcoming book on #SophieFromRomania - his beloved rescue dog turned internet sensation.
“We are all being given a personalised experience and an experience that is personalised is not necessarily much of a communal one.”
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In the week that Ofcom finds GB News in breach of its code five times but will face no sanction, we talk to Chris Banatvala, Ofcom’s founding Director of Standards, and Content Board member, who was responsible for drafting and enforcing its codes. He is now an independent member of the Sky News Board, Channel 4’s online independent complaint reviewer and advises broadcasters and international regulators. We discuss GB News, Ofcom, impartiality and the chairing of public bodies.
“I think it’s the drip, drip, drip effect, which could ultimately spell the end for PSBs. And I think politicians, policymakers, the public have to stand up for public service broadcasting and what it means.”
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Magnus Brooke is Group Director of Strategy, Policy and Regulation at ITV where profits are down by 60%. The digital revolution is changing broadcasting fundamentally and destroying former business models. So does ITV have a future as a Public Service Broadcaster? We also discuss the Media Bill and the added responsibility on Ofcom's shoulders - and whether it's up to the job. And the funding of ITV's smash hit 'Mr Bates vs The Post Office'.
“You can't fund dramas on television now, just out of the receipts of broadcasting. And that does create pressure on dramas that are very UK specific. I don't know whether we'll recoup in international distribution what we paid out on ‘Mr. Bates’, we may not ultimately”.
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One of Britain’s finest reporters Peter Taylor, with numerous books, documentaries and awards spanning a career of over 50 years, on his latest BBC documentary 'Our Dirty War: The British State and the IRA’. We discuss the human cost of IRA informers, the role of Scappaticci codenamed “Stakeknife”, Operation Kenova and covering Northern Ireland.
“The curtain is still firmly down on this dreadful period. And I think people should know about it and what the cost of it was.”
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One of Britain’s finest reporters Peter Taylor, with numerous books, documentaries and awards spanning a career of over 50 years, on his latest BBC documentary 'Our Dirty War: The British State and the IRA’. We discuss the human cost of IRA informers, the role of Scappaticci codenamed “Stakeknife”, Operation Kenova and covering Northern Ireland.
“The curtain is still firmly down on this dreadful period. And I think people should know about it and what the cost of it was.”
To listen to this podcast and support our journalism sign up now for £1.99 per month: www.patreon.com/BeebWatch/membership
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Baroness Kidron is one of the country's foremost drama and documentary directors. Her long list of credits includes ‘Storyville’, 'Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit', 'Victoria and Abdul' and 'Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason'. She now sits as a crossbench peer and is the founder of the Five Rights Foundation. For the past five years, she has been one of the most instrumental figures in ensuring better protection for children through the passage of measures such as the Online Safety Bill. On this week's programme we discuss Bridget Jones, controlling the tech giants, ad funded public service broadcasters and what can be done to protect children from online abuse.
“The tech companies go in and out of the White House, and in and out of Downing Street, like they've got a cat flap.When I started on this journey, 11 years ago, I was treated like a middle-aged woman who didn't understand the new rock and roll. I am actually quite pleased to say that a lot of people have joined me in saying, actually, this is bad for democracy.”
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Baroness Kidron is one of the country's foremost drama and documentary directors. Her long list of credits includes ‘Storyville’, 'Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit', 'Victoria and Abdul' and 'Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason'. She now sits as a crossbench peer and is the founder of the Five Rights Foundation. For the past five years, she has been one of the most instrumental figures in ensuring better protection for children through the passage of measures such as the Online Safety Bill. On this week's programme we discuss Bridget Jones, controlling the tech giants, ad funded public service broadcasters and what can be done to protect children from online abuse.
“The tech companies go in and out of the White House, and in and out of Downing Street, like they've got a cat flap.When I started on this journey, 11 years ago, I was treated like a middle-aged woman who didn't understand the new rock and roll. I am actually quite pleased to say that a lot of people have joined me in saying, actually, this is bad for democracy.”
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Anna McNamee, an award-winning Canadian journalist and writer with a background in BBC radio, is the Executive Director of the Sandford St Martin Trust, dedicated to promoting excellence in religious broadcasting. We discuss the new Media Bill, the importance of religious literacy, the decline in programming on religion and ethics, commissioning practices, and the critical need to ensure public access to broadcasting.
“This is legislation, which is made for commercial broadcasters, it has commerciality at its heart, it's about leaving enough, not even a little bit of wriggle room, but loads of space so that broadcasters can respond and do whatever they want.”
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Anna McNamee, an award-winning Canadian journalist and writer with a background in BBC radio, is the Executive Director of the Sandford St Martin Trust, dedicated to promoting excellence in religious broadcasting. We discuss the new Media Bill, the importance of religious literacy, the decline in programming on religion and ethics, commissioning practices, and the critical need to ensure public access to broadcasting.
“This is legislation, which is made for commercial broadcasters, it has commerciality at its heart, it's about leaving enough, not even a little bit of wriggle room, but loads of space so that broadcasters can respond and do whatever they want.”
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Catherine Johnson, Professor of Media and Communications at the University of Leeds, author of the book ‘Online TV’, and a member of the Department of Culture, Media and Sports College of experts discusses the decline in PSB revenue, reliance on tech giants for distribution, the Media Bill, Ofcom and BBC funding.
“I think part of the problem is that Ofcom was set up primarily as a competition regulator and has increasingly taken on the roles of a public service regulator. I sometimes don't feel that as a as an organisation, it really has that sort of fundamental understanding of public service media as a system.”
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Catherine Johnson, Professor of Media and Communications at the University of Leeds, author of the book ‘Online TV’, and a member of the Department of Culture, Media and Sports College of experts discusses the decline in PSB revenue, reliance on tech giants for distribution, the Media Bill, Ofcom and BBC funding.
“I think part of the problem is that Ofcom was set up primarily as a competition regulator and has increasingly taken on the roles of a public service regulator. I sometimes don't feel that as a as an organisation, it really has that sort of fundamental understanding of public service media as a system.”
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In the week the BBC announced that it's preparing to launch new spin-off digital radio stations for Radios 1, 2, and 3 to provide more choice to audiences underserved by the BBC, we're talking to the co-founder of Boom Radio - a station that emerged to fill the gap left by Radio 2. David Lloyd, who has worked in radio for over 40 years, from LBC to Virgin to BBC local radio, and has regulatory experience from his years at the UK Radio Authority (now part of Ofcom), discusses changes in local radio and Ofcom’s oversight of them.
"The regulator, in changing the BBC’s operating licence, is required to seek the views of as many people as you can. ... if you look at the number of people who replied, it is paltry, the number of individuals is a handful, the number of people who mentioned BBC local radio is two or three."
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In the week the BBC has announced that it's preparing to launch new spin-off digital radio stations for Radios 1, 2, and 3 to provide more choice to audiences underserved by the BBC, we're talking to the co-founder of Boom Radio - a station that emerged to fill the gap left by Radio 2. David Lloyd, who has worked in radio for over 40 years, from LBC to Virgin to BBC Local Radio, and has regulatory experience from his years at the UK Radio Authority (now part of Ofcom), discusses changes in local radio and Ofcom’s oversight of them.
"The regulator, in changing the BBC’s operating licence, is required to seek the views of as many people as you can. ... if you look at the number of people who replied, it is paltry, the number of individuals is a handful, the number of people who mentioned BBC local radio is two or three."
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Sir Craig Oliver is a former editor of BBC News at Six and Ten and was the Downing Street director of politics and communications under David Cameron. We discuss the release of the BBC Bashir emails, impartiality, Sir Robbie Gibb’s position on the BBC board, GB News and his career.
“I don’t think we need GB News ….. what we're realising increasingly, is we need sources of news that are at least trying to be impartial.”
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Sir Craig Oliver is a former editor of BBC News at Six and Ten and was the Downing Street director of politics and communications under David Cameron. We discuss the release of the BBC Bashir emails, impartiality, Sir Robbie Gibb’s position on the BBC board, GB News and his career.
“I don’t think we need GB News ….. what we're realising increasingly, is we need sources of news that are at least trying to be impartial.”
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Alan Rusbridger, former Guardian editor and now editor at Prospect magazine has written an article with the headline ‘How the government captured the BBC'. Has it? We discuss the concept of impartiality, the government appointed board member Sir Robbie Gibb’s attempt to interfere in the appointment of the chair of Ofcom, his influence on the corporation, the make-up of the BBC board and criticism from the Jewish Chronicle.
“Sir Robbie Gibb is the only person with editorial experience, who sits in ultimate judgement on BBC impartiality. That's a very strange state of affairs.”
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Alan Rusbridger, former Guardian editor and now editor at Prospect magazine has written an article with the headline ‘How the government captured the BBC'. Has it? We discuss the concept of impartiality, the government appointed board member Sir Robbie Gibb’s attempt to interfere in the appointment of the chair of Ofcom, his influence on the corporation, the make-up of the BBC board and criticism from the Jewish Chronicle.
“Sir Robbie Gibb is the only person with editorial experience, who sits in ultimate judgement on BBC impartiality. That's a very strange state of affairs.”
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Jim Naughtie has covered each US presidential election over the past five decades. He was a political correspondent on The Scotsman and then The Guardian, before becoming a presenter of Radio 4’s The World at One and then of The Today Programme – which he stood down from in 2016. Currently, he is a Special Correspondent for BBC News and presents Radio 4’s Book Club. We discussed the implications of the Iowa caucus result, the challenges that public service broadcasters face covering an election when democracy is at stake, media integrity and comparing Fox News and GB News and the responsibilities of Ofcom.
“I think it's extraordinarily difficult for them. But it's also extraordinarily important that they somehow get it right.”
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Jim Naughtie has covered each US presidential election over the past five decades. He was a political correspondent on The Scotsman and then The Guardian, before becoming a presenter of Radio 4’s The World at One and then of The Today Programme – which he stood down from in 2016. Currently, he is a Special Correspondent for BBC News and presents Radio 4’s Book Club. We discussed the implications of the Iowa caucus result, the challenges that public service broadcasters face covering an election when democracy is at stake, media integrity and comparing Fox News and GB News and the responsibilities of Ofcom.
“I think it's extraordinarily difficult for them. But it's also extraordinarily important that they somehow get it right.”
Listen to the full interview now and support the podcast by signing up to Patreon.com/BeebWatch
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The circumstances surrounding the securing of the Panorama interview with the late Princess of Wales have been one of the biggest controversies to beset the BBC. On this week’s programme we’re taking stock on the imminent release of emails by the BBC which concerns its handling of the Martin Bashir scandal. There has been quite a battle in the courts as the Corporation attempts to withhold and redact some of the emails requested under the Freedom of Information act by that very determined journalist and film maker Andy Webb. We talk to him about his fight, what he thinks he might learn from the emails and despite an apology from the director general Tim Davie to Lord Spencer why he thinks this matter is still worth pursuing.
“I'm interested in what I alleged to be a cover up which was instituted in 2020. But more to the point, it is, if indeed, this cover up exists, it's a cover up that is being fostered very, very expensively at the public expense, in as much as the licence fee is public money, it is happening now. This is huge sums of money which are being spent now, in order to prevent, in my view, the disclosure of these particular emails.”
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The circumstances surrounding the securing of the Panorama interview with the late Princess of Wales have been one of the biggest controversies to beset the BBC. On this week’s programme we’re taking stock on the imminent release of emails by the BBC which concern its handling of the Martin Bashir scandal. There has been quite a battle in the courts as the Corporation attempts to withhold and redact some of the emails requested under the Freedom of Information act by that very determined journalist and film maker Andy Webb. We talk to him about his fight, what he thinks he might learn from the emails and why despite an apology from the director general Tim Davie to Lord Spencer why he thinks this matter is still worth pursuing.
“I'm interested in what I alleged to be a cover up which was instituted in 2020. But more to the point, it is, if indeed, this cover up exists, it's a cover up that is being fostered very, very expensively at the public expense, in as much as the licence fee is public money, it is happening now. This is huge sums of money which are being spent now, in order to prevent, in my view, the disclosure of these particular emails.”
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Stewart Purvis, a former Editor of Channel 4 news and ITN Chief Executive was also one of the content regulators at Ofcom and oversaw standards cases involving the BBC between 2007 and 2010. In 2005 he was a member of a BBC commissioned independent panel assessing the impartiality of BBC news and current affairs coverage of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In 2015 he was a member of the BBC Charter Review Advisory Group as well as many other roles including a non executive director of Channel 4. In our final programme of the year, we look at the issues that the BBC will be facing over the Martin Bashir controversy, Samir Shah’s appearance in front of the DCMS select committee, Robbie Gibb, BBC coverage of the Israeli/Gaza war, GB News and Ofcom's position ahead of an election year. We’ll also be announcing the top three downloaded programmes of the year.
“This is becoming a saga, that's becoming a soap opera. And I feel there is a real muddle going on inside Ofcom as to what to do about it. So much so that I'm in the unusual position of actually saying that when Ofcom earlier this week, found that GB news had breached the rules, I don't agree with them."
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Stewart Purvis, a former Editor of Channel 4 news and ITN Chief Executive was also one of the content regulators at Ofcom and oversaw standards cases involving the BBC between 2007 and 2010. In 2005 he was a member of a BBC commissioned independent panel assessing the impartiality of BBC news and current affairs coverage of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In 2015 he was a member of the BBC Charter Review Advisory Group as well as many other roles including a non executive director of Channel 4. In our final programme of the year, we look at the issues that the BBC will be facing over the Martin Bashir controversy, Samir Shah’s appearance in front of the DCMS select committee, Robbie Gibb, BBC coverage of the Israeli/Gaza war, GB News and Ofcom's position ahead of an election year. We’ll also be announcing the top three downloaded programmes of the year.
“I have a personal eyewitness evidence, because she once told me personally that she wanted to give an interview to Panorama.”
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Mark Damazer is a former BBC Trustee, deputy head of BBC News and controller of Radio 4, now chairs the Booker prizes. In the week that the Government's nomination for BBC chair, Dr Samir Shah, is scrutinised by the DCMS select committee we discuss his appointment, what will be in his in-tray, the Lineker tweets, the Government's decision to renege on their funding commitment to the BBC, charter renewal, consultation, transparency and the licence fee as a funding mechanism.
“It’s less than four months ago, that John Hardy, the former chief executive, at ITN came up with this new set of guidelines. And I think we can agree, what Gary Lineker is doing, at the very least, is pushing at the edge of it.”
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David Aaronovitch, worked for the BBC in a senior capacity before becoming a writer for the Independent and later a columnist on the Times. He's made numerous documentaries and currently presents BBC Radio 4’s The Briefing Room. He publishes longer articles on his substack 'Notes from the Underground' and contributes to Tortoise Media. We discussed the complexities and roots of the current conflict in Israel and Gaza, BBC coverage of the war, the BBC's role in public service media, potential cuts and his departure from the Times and current interests.
"One of the big problems that I think that the BBC has had and other, is that they've not been able to be fully truthful about the circumstances under which they report from Gaza. I've really felt this incredibly strongly."
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Pat Younge is a former chief creative officer of BBC Television and a Non Executive Director at ITV Studios Ltd. Amongst his many roles he’s also currently Chair of the Cardiff University governing body and runs his own production company. In our interview we discussed why he is also chair of the British Broadcasting Challenge - why it was set up, the future of public service broadcasting, funding and local journalism. We reflect on his career, why he received elocution lessons and how diversity in broadcasting has changed. We also touch upon the BBC's coverage of the Israel-Gaza war.
"I, as a black person, also have a real empathy with what Jewish staff members are going through....... If you are a Jew working at the BBC or a Jewish person in the UK, when you see those scenes from Gaza—the dreadful, horrific things that Hamas did, and I have no problems calling that a terrorist attack—I can understand why a Jewish person will see those things in a very different way. Someone who doesn't have the lived experience or the family intergenerational experience of what it's like to be targeted for something you have no control over."
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Greg Childs worked for over 25 years at the BBC, mainly as a director, producer and executive producer of children’s programmes. He created the first Children’s BBC websites and, as Head of Children’s Digital, developed and launched the children’s channels, CBBC and CBeebies. Greg left the BBC in 2004 and worked across other broadcasters. He's now Director of The Children’s Media Foundation and Editorial Director of the Children’s Media Conference. We discuss the crisis in children’s TV programming, it's decline in UK media, the importance of it, funding and the regulation of tech giants.
"ITV have admitted to us that when they took the decision to shut down CITV channel and move it all online, they were getting programme viewing figures of around 4000 children per programme."
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It was once aid that the five most terrifying words in the political lexicon were “Michael Crick is in reception”. Michael has worked extensively across the main public service broadcasters – starting at ITV. He then moved to Channel 4 becoming political correspondent and Washington Correspondent. He joined the BBC as a reporter at Panorama and eventually became political editor of Newsnight before returning to Channel 4 News as political correspondent. He has now stood back from daily journalism to concentrate on writing and commentating. We discuss being kicked off GB News, impartiality in public service broadcasting, Newsnight, Nigel Farage and we reflect on his extensive career.
“It spends too much of its time, I would argue, dealing with questions of race and gender and trans rights. And if you will just listen to Radio 4, you would think that the number of ethnic minorities in this country were say, half the population and I think there's a liberal left leaning amongst the makers of BBC Radio 4.”
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Sophie Chalk is the policy adviser for VLV (Voice of the Listener and Viewer), an independent charity representing the interests of the audience in supporting high-quality broadcasting in the UK. Earlier this year, they appeared before the DCMS select committee’s inquiry into the future of Public Service Broadcasting. Have their concerns been taken on board and reflected in the Media Bill, which was announced in the King's Speech on Tuesday? We discuss the implications of the bill on public service broadcasting including prominence, regulation, local radio, content, and impartiality.
"There's a lot of concern about impartiality regulation at the moment. Ofcom is overwhelmed with inquiries that it's running into GB News. We think there is a real opportunity to define more closely what ‘news’ is. But the government hasn't picked up on that opportunity yet."
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Ritula Shah spent 35 years at the BBC as a producer on 'Today,' presenting 'The World Today,' 'Woman’s Hour,' 'PM,' and chairing 'Any Questions.' However, Ritula is best known for her decade-long tenure as the presenter of the ‘World Tonight' on Radio 4 until earlier this year. We discuss why she left, covering the Israel/Hamas conflict, impartiality, preserving 'Newsnight' at the expense of successful Radio 4 strand programmes, and presenter pay.
“I think that many of my colleagues are rather overpaid.”
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Richard Sambrook, the former BBC Director of News, the World Service and Global News is now emeritus Professor of Journalism at Cardiff University. We discuss Tim Davie, the BBC director general's appearance before the 1922 parliamentary committee, the BBC's coverage of the Israel/Gaza conflict, their news gathering process and transparency, BBC cuts and their impact on services and journalism training.
“The BBC tends to be overly defensive. That's it’s kind of default position. But I think it's increasingly important, they are able to get out there and explain what they're doing.”
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Edward Stourton has worked in broadcasting for more than forty years, and has been a foreign correspondent for the BBC, ITN and Channel Four. He was a one of the main presenters of Radio 4’s Today programme for ten years and still regularly presents The World at One, The World this Weekend and Analysis. He’s also beenthe main presenter of Sunday – the radio 4 programme which looks at the religious and ethical issues of the week. He's recently written a book about it with his producer Amanda Hancox which we discuss as well as another very personal book Ed has published this year called 'Confessions:Life Re-examined'.
“I am endlessly impressed by the young people I work with, because it seems to me, they've got absolutely the sort of hunger and curiosity and healthy scepticism and love of the job that I like to think I and my mates had when we were all starting off all those years ago. And they don't dismiss things, they ask. They want to know about Hamas, they want to know about what most of us would consider its distorted religious inspiration.”
“I think I'm just so soaked in Catholicism, that it's just me and trying to drag it out of me would be a hideously painful process. So, I just think it's easier to acquiesce is my sort of my watchword, just give in and believe - it's just easier. And it's helpful, I think it does provide you with a structure and approach to life.”
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Roger Mosey was head of BBC TV News and is a former editor of the Today programme. We discuss the BBC's reluctance to use the term "terrorist" and the BBC's coverage of the Israel-Gaza war.
“You have to recognise that you can't be morally neutral, you can't think that everything is a 50 50 call. So it's tough doing it. I think this is about the most difficult thing the BBC has to cover, after many years, decades of difficulty in covering Ireland.”
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By the time he was 40, Sir Mark Thompson had held some of the top jobs at the BBC. He went on to become Chief Executive of Channel 4 before returning to the corporation as Director General in 2004. In 2012 he went on to The New York Times where he turned around its fortunes. Another challenge now beckons - CEO and chair of CNN, the US news channel where he starts shortly. Roger Bolton talks to his former colleague about impartiality, free speech, BBC bias, democracy, public service broadcasting, religion, Russell Brand and Mark's career.
"I like rule breakers, I like bad boys, and the female equivalent of bad boys. In other words, people who break the rules, break convention, and speak for me."
"The United States is a country which continues to have a functioning indeed, at many levels, vibrant democracy. And interesting enough, I think there's a lot of lessons to teach the United Kingdom about democracy."
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Richard Ayre, former controller of BBC editorial policy and a former member of the OFCOM content board is now the chair of the independent press regulator Impress. On this week's programme we discuss the newly published BBC social media guidelines in response to the Gary Lineker controversy last March. We also look at Ofcom's regulation of GB News and the Russell Brand affair.
“Gary is a highly intelligent guy, the fact that he's welcomed these guidelines today, the fact that he never apologised or rode back from the things he said six months ago, suggests to me that if he's welcoming the guidelines, he doesn't think they would stop him saying what he's quite proud of having said six months ago.”
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Katy Searle has recently left the BBC after a long career in news – over three decades. She was in charge of all of the BBC’s political output for 8 years up until last year, during which time huge savings had to be made. More recently Katy was director of news programmes and current affairs. We discuss the Russell Brand scandal, Ofcom's decision on GB News, impartiality and the impact of cuts on the organisation.
"If you look at how long the Brand's investigation took, they spent two years doing that. Now, I wonder whether that's something that the BBC would be able to do, to devote that time. Of course, it's got some brilliant successes in the past, but it's vital that the BBC continues to do that and makes that a real focus."
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Nick Ferrari, LBC breakfast presenter and one of the UK's longest serving commercial radio presenters discusses impartiality, local radio, journalistic license and competition with the 'Today' programme.
“Within the M25 we put up a fight against ‘Today’, we're not bad, but they are an absolute giant. Once you start getting out of the M25, I more than keep my own against ‘Today’. And you go to some cities, and actually, I will outperform the show in some cities.”
He also looks back on a remarkable and colourful career that started as a 7 year old in his father’s news agency, and included helping to launch LIVE TV.
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Samira Ahmed is the presenter of Radio 4’s arts programme ‘Front Row’ and for eleven years has presented 'Newswatch' – the sister programme and television news equivalent to 'Feedback' - which also aims to hold the BBC to account on behalf the licence fee payer. We discuss BBC coverage of the Huw Edwards story, the ability of 'Newswatch' and 'Feedback' programmes to hold the BBC to account and pay inequality.
"Let's face it, it's mostly older white men coming out to speak on this and a lot of it has been very defensive."
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Steven Barnett, Professor of Communications at the University of Westminster is a writer and broadcaster who has been involved in policy analysis at the highest levels, both nationally and internationally, for the last 35 years. Roger and Steven discusses the BBC presenter scandal: the actions of the BBC and Sun newspaper, BBC coverage of the story, privacy laws and whether the BBC is facing an existential crisis.
“I think it's self-indulgent and I think it's self-obsessive. And it's self-indulgent to the point of actually acting counter to the BBC's proper news values which should be to think about stories that are important."
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Andrew Neil, the former Sunday Times editor has become arguably the best political interviewer in the business, someone whom Boris Johnson and Liz Truss were desperate to avoid. This week we’re talking to the man who spent 25 years at the BBC presenting programmes such as This Week, Sunday Politics, The Daily Politics, and Politics Live. Andrew Neil then left the corporation and became the lead presenter and chairman of GB News, but not for long. After only 8 programmes he left. Due to cuts at Channel 4 his current 'Andrew Neil Show' has been cut for at least this year. We discuss public service broadcasting, left wing bias, impartiality, GB News and plans for the future.
"A serving Conservative politician interviewing a Conservative government minister I'm actually surprised. It has surprised me how tolerant Ofcom has been of this kind of stuff. Certainly, when I was involved in trying to put together GB News it never struck me that Ofcom would allow that sort of thing to happen. Indeed, I always regarded Ofcom as something of an ally and keeping us within the bounds of proper mainstream broadcasting.”
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Ofcom, the UK communications industry regulator was in front of the Department of Culture, Media, and Sport select committee on Tuesday on the same day as Ofcom chief executive Melanie Dawes published an article in the Daily Telegraph. In recent years, an increasing number of politicians have fronted or guest presented current affairs programmes. Professor Stewart Purvis, former content and standards partner at Ofcom and ITN Chief Executive watches the proceedings in parliament and discusses Ofcom regulations and their adherence.
"This distinction they're making between news and current affairs is not a genuine one. It is almost a device to enable politicians to present programmes."
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Henry Hill is the deputy editor of the Conservative Home website. He discusses the growing trend of partisan news channels, regulation, funding models, impartiality, political interviews and Conservative attitudes to the BBC and BBC reform.
“If support for the BBC on the right collapses, whether you think that that collapse is justified or not, whether you think the criticisms are justified or not, it then becomes regardless of that, very difficult to justify having a corporation and a broadcaster with all of those privileges. So, it's really important for those of us on the right who support the BBC to try and get Conservatives to engage seriously with the question of ‘okay, this is a really important principle, whatever our criticism of the BBC, what do what do we want it to look like?’.”
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Tony Hall – Lord Hall of Birkenhead - was the director general of the BBC from 2013 until 2020. He joined the Corporation as a trainee in 1973 rising to director of BBC News and current affairs in 1990 and continued to lead BBC News until 2001. During his tenure he launched BBC Parliament, BBC 5 Live, BBC News 24 and BBC News Online, before taking some time off to run the Royal Opera house in Covent Garden. He also spent time on Channel 4’s board. Tony calls for a debate on public service media and discusses local radio changes, the merger of the two BBC news channels, classical music cuts, Channel 4, appointing a new BBC chair, impartiality and GB News.
"At the core of the BBC is news, I think the BBC should be investing more in its news operation to be honest with you."
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Martin Rosenbaum was the leading specialist in utilising Freedom of Information at the BBC. As the former executive producer of political programmes at Westminster, he oversaw programmes such as 'Political Thinking' with Nick Robinson, and the 'Week in Westminster' as well as editing and producing numerous political documentaries. He had a ringside seat at the BBC during the Hutton Inquiry, the investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of Dr David Kelly the government advisor who became embroiled in the controversy regarding the government's claim about Iraq's possession of weapons of mass destruction in the lead-up to the 2003 invasion of Iraq. It was one of the most damaging controversies in the BBC's history which led to the resignation of both the director general Greg Dyke and the chair Gavyn Davies. We discuss whether FOI changed journalism and politics and the lessons learnt from the Hutton Inquiry.
"We were trapped in a kind of groupthink, of feeling, 'We must really stand up to them. We've got to demonstrate our independence.' They didn't have the voices saying, 'Hang on a minute, is this intelligence really right?' We didn't have the voices saying, 'Hang on a minute, are you absolutely sure that every detail in this story is correct?'"
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Tim Suter, is a former managing editor of current affairs at the BBC, who later became a specialist adviser at the Department of Culture, Media and Sport which brought in the last media bill in 2003. That’s the one which which set up Ofcom, the UK’s media and communications regulator, of which Tim became a founding partner. He now runs his own consultancy, Perspective Associates. We discuss what the new Media Bill means, the dismantling of quotas for public services broadcasters, the remit of Channel 4 and accountability.
"This piece of legislation leaves an accountability shaped hole that the public media institutions urgently need to fill."
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Stewart Purvis is probably the pre-eminent broadcast news journalist of his time. A former editor of Channel 4 news, he went on to become ITN’s Chief Executive – and then the poacher turned gamekeeper. The now Professor Purvis served as one of the content regulators at Ofcom and oversaw standards cases involving the BBC between 2007 and 2010. In 2015 he was a member of the BBC Charter Review Advisory Group and has been a non executive director of Channel 4 among many, many other things. We discuss GB News, the BBC's role and cuts, the merger of the BBC news channels, the Charter Review in 2015 and the BBC's relationship with government.
“My concern about their decisions on GB News is…that looks like a policy decision. That we, the British government and Ofcom are going to change the approach on British television to impartiality.”
“I would hope that with the departure of Richard Sharp as the chairman of the BBC Tim Davie will be free with the next chair, whoever it may be, to work out their agenda for debate. To take account quite properly of the government's view, but not to be on their knee to the government’s agenda of the day, which I think is close to what the BBC has been in recent months, at least in policy terms, if not in on the air terms, in what they perceive to be what the government wanted them to do about impartiality.”
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Before leaving the BBC in 2021 Rob Burley had worked with all the big political beasts at the Beeb - Andrew Neil, Jeremy Paxman, Emily Maitlis and Jon Sopel - and as editor of Live Political Programmes oversaw 'The Andrew Marr Show', 'Politics Live' and 'Westminster Hour'. We discuss his recently published book called - 'Why Is This Lying Bastard Lying To Me' – which details everything from the art of the political interview, to revelations about the BBC's relationship with government and coverage of the EU referendum.
"Where I think you're right is we didn't get into properly or maybe it’s very hard to, a discussion about the world as it will be in the future if you if you take a particular choice".
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Tom Mangold is one of Britain's top investigative journalists. From Fleet Street he moved to the BBC in 1964 and became a war correspondent covering numerous conflicts including Vietnam, Northern Ireland and Afghanistan. He then found himself at Panorama for 26 years making over 100 documentaries. He looks back on a career where he cultivated the Krays, became friends with Stephen Ward who was at the heart of the Profumo scandal and dissects the challenges that investigative journalism is under.
"The extent to which the use of libel actions against organisations doing investigative journalism, the way in which the libel courts are now being used makes it less and less easy to do good investigative journalism."
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John Bridcut has produced highly regarded documentaries throughout his career on a range of subjects including ‘How the BBC began’, the British monarchy - encompassing the Queen's coronation, Prince Philip, and King Charles - as well as documentaries on classical composers such as Elgar, Delius, and Britten. His latest documentary, focusing on British composer Sir Michael Tippett, is set to air in June on BBC 2. John also authored a report in 2007 for the BBC on the safeguarding of impartiality in the 21st century. In our discussion, we delve into the BBC's coverage of the monarchy, impartiality, and coverage of classical music.
“There's a sort of ivory tower mentality, where everything happens in Broadcasting House and is parcelled out in sort of diktats. I think it's a really dangerous course.”
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Simon McCoy was known as a regular presenter on BBC Breakfast, News 24 and latterly the BBC News at One. Before joining the BBC he was also royal correspondent at Sky in the early nineties covering the break down of Diana and Charles' marriage. After 17 years at the corporation Simon joined GB news for just under a year in 2021. We discuss royal coverage, impartiality, GB News, Richard Sharp's position as BBC chair and the merger of the BBC's two news channels.
"When the BBC is under such pressure, when you're talking about an institution which people in their hearts do care about, but see daily a lowering of standards, and then you're watching a domestic news channel, and it is a domestic news channel overnight coming from Singapore from Washington - and I'll be pilloried for this - but with no British accents on it. You’ve got BBC licence fee payers paying for that. I think there is going to be a problem with that."
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The draft Media bill was finally published at the end of March - what does it mean for diversity and the public service broadcasters? We discuss language, data and the loosening of regulations with Marcus Ryder, previously head of BBC Scotland Current Affairs Programmes who is now the head of External Consultancies at the Sir Lenny Henry Centre for Media Diversity.
“I think that it is in BBC, Channel 4’s and other public service broadcasters’ interests for them to tighten regulation, because if they don't tighten regulation, then the publics service broadcasters quickly become like any other channel."
"It's funny when Channel 4 was under threat and thought it was about to be privatised, all of sudden it went back to its roots so you had some very courageous programmes."
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On the run up to the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, Peter Taylor veteran BBC journalist reveals his own personal story as a journalist covering Ireland for over 50 years and voices his concerns for the future of journalism.
"Sadly, when I look at the people, my colleagues who've left the BBC, the BBC is in danger of losing that critical level of experience which we pass on, we veterans want to pass on, are eager to pass on, to the next generation and the next generation but one.”
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One of Britain’s finest reporters Peter Taylor, with numerous books, documentaries and awards spanning a career of over 50 years, discusses his latest BBC 2 documentary based on his book published this week; 'Operation chiffon: The Secret Story of MI5 and MI6 and the Road to Peace in Ireland'.
"We spent a couple of weeks just living inside the Maze prison. We were locked up with prisoners and in talking to them, it was quite clear that they were thinking beyond the so-called armed struggle."
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Jamie Angus left the BBC last July after a stellar career involving editing the Today programme and Newsnight. He later became director of the World Service, running the teams which produce news in 42 languages to a weekly audience of 500 million around the world. Now he's chief operating officer at Al Arabiya news channel in the United Arab Emirates and is moving into the space left by the axing of BBC Arabic radio. We discuss cuts in the World Service and news, impartiality, the future funding of the BBC and the Gary Lineker affair.
"If you look at some of the things he's tweeted even since this row - they seem pretty close to the line, if not over the line to me - and I'm not quite sure how this is going to get resolved in the longer term."
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Protests in Israel continued over the weekend against the government's plans which would give Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, the power to overrule Supreme Court decisions with a simple majority and the power to nominate judges. Israel has no second chamber and no written constitution, so if this measure goes through there can be no appeal. Dame Margaret Hodge, who is the parliamentary chair of the Jewish Labour Movement discusses what needs to be done after her trip to the regions.
“I do think it’s probably the Americans have got to try and muscle their way in to trying to calm it down and get negotiations going between Israelis and then between Israel and Palestinians.”
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Roger Mosey, former editorial director of the BBC, head of TV news and director of sport discusses the handling of the Gary Lineker and Fiona Bruce controversies, the BBC board and its vision and the leaked emails and WhatsApp messages showing BBC editors asking their journalists to avoid using the word “lockdown” in reporting at the start of the pandemic and to be more critical of Labour after pressure from Downing Street.
“I was worried too. And I talked to some quite senior people in the BBC on the broadcasting side and they were also worried."
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On Tuesday the BBC announced cuts to its orchestras and choirs. Its in-house chamber choir, the BBC Singers will come to an end and there will be a 20% reduction of roles in the BBC's English orchestras - Symphony, Concert and Philharmonic. Paul Hughes, the former BBC Director of the BBC Symphony Orchestra and Chorus and of the BBC Singers left his post last July after 23 years. He gives his reaction to the decision making process, the impact on the choral and orchestral landscape, the value the BBC places on classical music and whether the corporation is living up to its public service remit.
“I don’t know what public service means in the BBC context now. If the BBC is not to do that which others can’t do, what are they for?"
Roger also gives his reaction to Gary Lineker's tweet on the Government's refugee policy.
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Ken Bruce is the most popular presenter in the UK with over 8 million listeners on Radio 2 and he's about to join former colleague Simon Mayo at Greatest Hits Radio. Simon discusses Ken's departure from the BBC.
"The situation has been handled badly."
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“In 2015 at the time of the Charter Review, more than 40,000 people responded to the BBC Trust on its consultation. The latest BBC consultation there was something like 25 responses because people didn’t know about it.”
Colin Browne, chair of the Voice of the Listener and Viewer argues that there is now the absurd position that the BBC’s competitors have more power to influence the BBC’s ability to make changes, rather than those who fund it.
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Dr Tom Mills, a sociologist at Aston University, has written a book called 'The BBC: Myth of a Public Service'. It claims to set aside both liberal and conservative fantasies about the institution, and says that far from being a sanctuary for independent journalism, the BBC is intimately connected to the power it is supposed to hold to account. We discuss issues raised in the book on organisational culture, reform, accountability as well as the ongoing controversy surrounding the appointment of the BBC chairman Richard Sharp.
"I've never read any serious defence of the way the BBC is currently arranged."
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On Tuesday Richard Sharp the BBC chairman faced questions from the Department of culture, media and sport select committee. They were examining the process of the appointment of the BBC chairman, and as the committee which approved his appointment were they given the relevant information it could and should have known about.
Richard Ayre, a former controller of editorial policy and deputy chief executive of BBC news and a former member of the OFCOM content board discusses with Roger Bolton the chairman's appearance.
“After the performance today, I think within the BBC, there will be very, very considerable disquiet among the staff, and among many licence fee payers. And I think they'll be right to be disquieted. And I think it may well be that Sharp feels the right thing to do is to step down in the fullness of time.”
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As part of its impartiality plan, this week the BBC published its report looking at the broadcaster's coverage of taxation, public spending, government
borrowing and debt. The authors found no evidence of bias towards one particular political position, but there were things "that put impartiality at risk". Paul Mason discusses the report's findings and reflects on his own experiences working at the BBC and Channel 4.
"Newsnight had famously missed the AOL /Time Warner merger, the biggest merger in history - didn't think it was a story."
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Controversy is currently surrounding BBC chairman Richard Sharp amidst allegations that he helped Boris Johnson when the then Prime Minister found himself in personal financial difficulties, and while Mr Sharp’s application to become BBC chairman was approaching the final stages. He did not declare the alleged conflict of interest to those involved. Richard Ayre, a former controller of editorial policy and deputy chief executive of BBC news and a former member of the OFCOM content board discusses Richard Sharp's position and the need to reform the appointment process.
"Was there a conflict of interest at that time when he approached the Cabinet Secretary? You bet there was."
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Conservative peer Baroness Tina Stowell has had an extraordinary career since she left school with 5 O Levels. Leader of the House of Lords under David Cameron, following a period as Head of Corporate Affairs at the BBC, and now chair of the House of Lords Communications and Digital Select committee – a committee that is vital to the future of broadcasting.
Baroness Stowell tells us her views on funding, impartiality, whether the BBC is serving the whole of the country, the impact of Ken Bruce's departure and the BBC's strategic purpose.
"People need to know now, why it should remain part of our future."
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Dorothy Byrne was until recently Editor at Large at Channel 4, having been its head of news and current affairs for many years. We discuss the government's decision not to privatise Channel 4 and its plans for reform. Should the channel start making its own content and should more right wing voices be heard? And is there a need for radical ideas in broadcasting.
“I think it is interesting to me, that I'm so in sympathy with much of what the Conservatives are saying they now want to do for Channel 4.”
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“The public service broadcasting system is undoubtedly facing an existential threat,” so says Sir Peter Bazalgette. He has been responsible for shows such as Big Brother, Changing Rooms and Ready Steady Cook and in September he stepped down as chair of ITV. We discuss the importance of the Media Bill and the existential threat to broadcasters, privatisation of Channel 4, the BBC's vision and the need for a proper debate about what we want from the BBC.
“ITV has a number of options. I know it wants to remain a public service broadcaster or a public service media company [PSM], and it treasures the regional and national news and all the other things it does, but it is one of its options. It’s a healthy company, it's got a very strong international production company, it's got strong cash flows, low debt, and so it has a number of options. And one of those options could be not being a PSM.”
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In the second part of his interview with Richard Ayre, a former member of the BBC trust board, Roger discusses why he is a Christian and answers questions on Brexit coverage, diversity and BBC cuts and coverage.
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After over 50 years in broadcasting, and being fired twice by the BBC, Roger Bolton is interviewed on his career by Richard Ayre, a former member of the BBC trust. Roger talks about his departure from BBC Radio 4's Feedback, editing Panorama and Nationwide and discusses the controversy surrounding his 'Death on the Rock' programme in 1988 which examined the deaths of three IRA members in Gibraltar by the British Special Air Service.
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As we experience a wave of strikes in the coming weeks from nurses, train, postal, bus, ambulance and highway workers amongst others, how well is the BBC reporting on this myriad of industrial conflicts we are now faced with, and how does it compare to yesteryear?
Nick Jones, who spent thirty years as a BBC industrial and political correspondent until 2002 gives us his views and reaction to ‘that’ interview between Mick Lynch, head of the RMT trade union and presenter Mishal Husain on the Today programme earlier this week .
“I think that with these Punch and Judy interviews where everybody's going at one another, we just don't really get that insight which we should get. So, I feel the broadcasters of today, it's a disservice, we're not providing the level of background and information which we could provide, we know we could provide. And if only we had the resources, I think we still could provide.”
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On Thursday the first three of six Netflix documentaries about Harry and Meghan were released and BBC News led with the story. Did BBC News fall for the PR and were its correspondents impartial in their coverage?
And in the same week the BBC hierarchy began a coordinated campaign to secure its future. The Chairman, the former hedge fund boss and Conservative donor, Richard Sharp gave his first interview as chairman to the Sunday Times, and a few days later his Director General,Tim Davie, made his pitch to the Royal Television Society.
Roger Mosey is now Master of Selwyn College, Cambridge, but while at the BBC he was Head of television News, Editor of the Today programme and Director of the Beijing 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games coverage. We discuss Royal coverage, sports rights, BBC funding and the future of public service broadcasting.
"I think Richard Sharp is saying some interesting and good things. But I worry about the fact he is a major Tory donor. Chairmen of the BBC, have always come from a political background, so it's nothing new in that. But I think it does compromise their ability to articulate a genuine public service case for the BBC."
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In a week when the 2021 census revealed a 5.5 million fall in the number of people who described themselves as Christian and that 22.2 million people declared they had “no religion” at all, the BBC’s ex-Head of Religious Broadcasting, Ernie Rea, casts a critical eye over the BBC’s coverage of religion and ethics.
“When you think that about 82% of the population of the world cling to a faith tradition, and what an important part that faith tradition plays in the politics, the culture, the society all over the world - it’s absolutely plain the BBC should be covering it, should be exploring it, should be criticising it…It should be part of the of the asking questions to power, but it's not doing it.”
Ernie and Roger discusses whether broadcasters underestimate the interest of ordinary people in matters of faith, belief and spirituality, the divide between radio and television coverage, the commissioning strategy and whether OFCOM should be considering relaxing quotas for religious programming.
Stephen Fry, the renowned atheist, also addresses the question of how well broadcasters cover ethics and religion.
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Peter York, best known for co-authoring 'The Official Sloane Ranger Handbook' back in the 80’s has written another book ‘The War Against the BBC’ with Professor Patrick Barwise. On this week’s programme he bursts some BBC myths, discusses astroturfing and urges the BBC to defend itself more robustly and report on the threat to the corporation for the sake of democracy.
“The war against the BBC has been fought for decades. What’s happening now is that those convergent interests are more insistent. It’s what I call the ‘one more shove comrades and we’ll kill them’ situation”.
“The BBC is part of the national picture and if it doesn’t report on a crucial part of the national picture, namely our broadcasting ecology, then there is a democratic deficit”.
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If anyone deserves to be called a Renaissance man then one of the leading contenders must surely be Stephen Fry, actor, novelist, comedian, campaigner, Norwich City Football fanatic, long time host of QI, gay icon and the list goes on.
Having just closed his twitter account after Elon Musk’s takeover, transferring his loyalties to Mastodon, we talked to him about the BBC, the future of public service broadcasting, JK Rowling and cancel culture, and much else.
“I would...wish them both to retreat, and to consider that it is possible for trans people to live full, accepted lives, according to their terms, in society, and for women to have all the rights and dignities that they demand. But it isn't possible if each side looks on the other as an enemy."
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The most recent evidence of the BBC’s financial strait jacket are the cuts to local radio, and the difficulties of deciding what to cut is evident in the continuing outcry at the announcement made last week. Not least in parliament. Alice Enders the director of research at Enders Analysis, one of the foremost media research analysts, spells out the financial challenges that the BBC faces.
“We estimate three million households have already abandoned the licence fee and that is a trend which will increase in the course of the coming months as people have to make really hard decisions”.
As the licence fee comes under scrutiny could subscriptions be an answer or a household levy? How successful is the BBC in attracting the younger audience and grabbing the attention of the public? What is the role of the regulator OFCOM when these cuts to our public service broadcasting are announced? Is the BBC scoring an own goal by alienating the front row of their audience - local radio listeners?
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Ahead of COP27 and free of BBC constraints, former BBC science editor, David Shukman tells us whether he thinks COPS are worthwhile, reflects on his reporting during his 38 year career at the BBC and responds to the charges made by Charles Moore on last week's programme on climate change coverage.
“Looking back, I don’t think we were robust enough about just saying absolutely bluntly, this is what the very best science is saying.”
And in the week when major cuts have been announced in BBC local radio, Paul Siegert, the national broadcasting organiser for the NUJ (National Union of Journalists) questions the case for such far reaching changes to the detriment of the 5.7m local radio listeners.
“This isn’t about saving money, this is about moving money from A to B…. I think the BBC has underestimated the love that people have for local radio, it’s the jewel in the broadcasting crown…… They are chasing this mythical younger audience and they don’t seem to be that bothered about losing the loyal older audience.”
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What would Charles Moore, former editor of The Daily Telegraph, The Sunday Telegraph and The Spectator have done if he had become chairman of the BBC? These are one of the many questions put to one of the BBC's most outspoken critics on 'Roger Bolton's Beeb Watch' this week.
We discuss impartiality, group think, climate change coverage and whether the BBC is worth saving and is capable of being saved.
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The BBC has been celebrating its 100th anniversary – if you hadn’t noticed - and on ‘Beeb Watch’ this week Roger Bolton talks to one of it's greatest broadcasters – Melvyn Bragg. They discuss arts programming, BBC World Service cuts and the future of the BBC.
“I think we should start panicking now. There is an encroaching mass, not dependent or related to each other, but it’s out there in force who would benefit if there were no BBC.”
“I’ve talked directly to all of the people at the top of the BBC saying why don’t you make a stronger case?”
“Why do they want to throw it away for? Why don’t they go and knock down St Paul’s whilst they’re at it?”
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In the run up to the BBC’s centenary, the Dimbleby broadcasting dynasty has nearly spanned its 100 years. David Dimbleby, Panorama presenter, editor of Question Time for 25 years, the anchor of numerous general election and referendum programmes talks to former colleague Roger Bolton. Looking back over his years in broadcasting, David discusses the rigour of news gathering and political interviewing slipping, fighting to extol the virtues of the BBC, the reluctance to examine the monarchy, being offered an honour, retirement and much more from his decades of broadcasting.
“I would have fought tooth and nail for, first of all the rigour of news gathering and political interviewing, which I think has slid over the years. And I would have fought tooth and nail to extol the virtues of the BBC and the public support for it against the rather lazy attacks on it from both newspapers like the Daily Mail and politicians.”
“There’s so much we actually don’t know about the way the monarchy works. I don’t think it would diminish us at all to know, I think you need to know. If you know and then you can agree, you can acquiesce in it or if you think things need changing, you change it. And that seems to be the Queen’s view but not the BBC’s.”
“For me broadcasting is my life, so I don't want to relinquish it. Why should I give it up? I like doing it, and my lodestar is David Attenborough who’s 96. And I'm only 83. So why shouldn't I go on?”
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Dame Joan Bakewell is synonymous with our arts broadcasting landscape: former BBC television art correspondent in the 1980’s, columnist for most of the major broadsheets at one time or other and presenter of numerous radio and televisions series. Former colleagues, Roger and Joan discuss how broadcasting has evolved, ageism, ethics and fake phone-ins.
“There was an immediacy about it, which was very enjoyable, people liked that it was real, it was live. People could phone in, we sometimes faked that and phoned in our own messages. Various people used to do that, Barry Humphries being one because he could do multitude of voices, and would pretend to ring up and say, ‘I'm absolutely shocked and disgusted by what's on BBC television at the moment”.
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Mark Mardell, the former BBC presenter joins Roger to discuss the ongoing financial squeeze at the BBC after the Corporation announced this week that the World Service will lose 382 jobs in order to make a saving of £28.5m. In his 30-year career Mark was Europe Editor, North America Editor and, before he left the corporation nearly two years ago the presenter of Radio 4’s The World At One and The World This Weekend. As well as delving into the challenges the BBC faces, Mark also reveals his Parkinson's disease diagnosis.
“I'm feeling fine and dandy, but I have to share with you that I have been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, which means my voice is rather strange and weak…I've lost a bit of my boom. And I'm getting used to being the quietest person in the room rather than the loudest. But generally it’s in the stage of just being annoying rather than anything terrible.”
After over 50 years in broadcasting, and being fired twice by the BBC, Roger Bolton will cast a very independent eye on the public service broadcaster. No views will be censored, no question go unasked.
Whether you care about, or are frustrated by, the BBC, this is the podcast for you.
Whether you love or loathe the BBC this is the podcast for you.
Roger Bolton, formerly presenter of BBC Radio 4's 'Feedback' launches his very first podcast. Free from the constraints of broadcasting on the BBC, with a few more opinions and casting his net a little bit wider to encompass the whole of the BBC, Roger examines the issues that are facing the corporation.
As the BBC receives complaints about the lack of a republican point of view during the coverage of the Queen’s death, Roger has tea with a group of neighbours to gauge their reactions to the BBC's coverage and talks to Richard Ayre a former BBC Trust board member who was put in charge of planning the coverage for a Royal death 40 years ago. Did they already have any plans in place?
Richard Ayre also talks about the challenges the BBC faces and the impact the financial squeeze has on its services.
"The BBC has been saying ever since I was a kid that it was strapped for cash. It’s now visible. It’s visible what’s happening on screen, on radio and online".
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