Quiz time! USA Special Moving on from Brand and Ross, it’s time to get the crystal balls out and predict who will be the mystery guest on tomorrow’s Question Time. At the moment it’s looking dangerously balanced: Elizabeth Edwards, a senior adviser on health care to the Barack Obama campaign; Simon (America has to choose: Obama or certain doom) Schama; Clarence Page (another Democrat); and Cheri Jacobus, a Republican political … Continue reading
General BBC-related comment thread! Please use this thread for comments about the BBC’s current programming and activities. This post will remain at or near the top of the blog – scroll down for new topic-specific posts. N.B. This is not an invitation for general off-topic comments, rants or chit-chat. Thoughtful comments are encouraged. Comments may also be moderated. Any suggestions for stories that you might like covered would be appreciated! … Continue reading
Rumbling on The headlines today are, well, challenging for the Beeb: My grandfather is distraught…now sack these sickos, says the Sun Brown turns up heat on Ross, at the Mail Brown demands action from BBC over lewd stars, says the Telegraph Clamour grows for BBC to act over radio insults, says the Times And that’s just those that lead with it on their front page. Much of the ire is, … Continue reading
The Horror … the Horror … There seems to be some demand from the commentariat … one listen is more than enough IMHO. “Moron Shall Speak Sleaze Unto Moron ?” Click through to read and contribute comments on this post.
“Controversy” I’ve not been closely following the Ross/Brand obscene phone call brouhaha, but a couple of things struck me about the BBC’s coverage : Yesterday’s Today programme was talking about the “controversy” over the call. The word “controversy” implies disagreement, two sides, some who think one thing, some another. Yet in all the coverage I’ve not heard anyone defending what the BBC did, the debate, such as it is, being … Continue reading
Definitely not a good week for the Beeb… Thanks to George R in the comments for pointing out that criticism of the Beeb’s bloggers – particularly Webb – is finding a wider audience. [S]urely it’s time the organisation tried to control its bloggers who are becoming more and more outspoken. As a publicly-funded broadcaster, the BBC is supposed to maintain an attitude of political impartiality, but no longer, when it … Continue reading
Ross and Brand to be investigated by Ofcom Sky has the full story. The BBC also has it, but again in its coverage of this forgets to mention that it received over 1,500 complaints – interesting context, I thought. UPDATE: Definitely not a good day for the Beeb, with both Melanie Phillips and the Guardian’s John Harris having a go at it. Click through to read and contribute comments on … Continue reading
LEAVING ON A JET PLANE And so, as the sleet falls outside, I pack my sun tan lotion and head off for a short break to warmer climes. I’ll be back in a week’s time but hope that my fellow B-BBC writers will continue to provide you with plenty of meaty material to chew over between now and then. What with the final countdown to the US election and the … Continue reading
And another thing… Anyone know why the Beeb’s website has outsourced part of its US election coverage to Newsweek? The latest piece (following others such as these) is – well, just what you’d expect from a left-leaning news weekly – a predictable pre-emptive strike on any floating voters who dare choose McCain. Here’s the writer’s conclusion, imagining the horror of a McCain victory: Democrats are despairing over the results, fearing … Continue reading
If you’re wondering why it doesn’t work Steve Hewlett’s piece in The Guardian offers an interesting insight into accountability at the BBC. The discussion is about the proposals for top-slicing the license fee, but the point is more widely applicable: Senior Ofcom executives have privately expressed surprise at the lack of obvious separation between the BBC Trust and the BBC management on these questions… The Trust, meanwhile, continues to maintain … Continue reading
