Interview with BBC Governer General

[McKenzie]

I don't have a link to hand but this story will probably feature in the Grauniad and other quality papers.

This morning, Radio Scotland ran a story about how many people who attended the Q & A session felt that the Beeb had been too quick to back down after the Hutton Inquiry and that its political impartiality had been adversely affected in the aftermath.

The issues are rather complex and it's difficult to suss exactly what is going on behind the scenes. At the risk of sounding ultra paranoid, however, it is difficult to avoid reaching the conclusion that the events surrounding the Hutton Inquiry reflect an insidious move towards controlling the Beeb for political reasons. Sure, the editors of newspapers are prone to pitching their articles to reflect their political views. But political influence over one of our greatest institutions is deeply worrying.

[muriel_volestrangler]

1. Briefly mentioned on the BBC story about the Q & A session

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/tv_and_radio/4698329.stm

and there's a link to a page saying "we will bring you feedback on the event shortly" there: http://www.bbcgovernors.co.uk/whatsnew/agmwebcast.html

Certainly Alistair Campbell was out to take revenge on Andrew Gilligan, and, it looked, the BBC as a whole. Campbell seemed to think that the BBC wasn't allowed to criticise the government.

I do think that Greg Dyke and Gavyn Davies resigned too quickly - the public support for the BBC right after the Hutton Report came out was very high (having looked at the evidence it got, I was astonished at Hutton's conclusions, and so was everyone I knew). The problem is how the Governors are appointed (soon to become a Trust, said to be "answerable to licence fee payers". but still appointed 'by the Queen', ie the government). So the governors will tend to be those who get along OK with a government (whether or not the particular one that appointed them). But having a national election for governors would probably be going too far (or would it? If the Nationwide Building Society can manage it, with maybe one twentieth of the members, could the BBC?). If not elected, then they have to be appointed somehow - and elected politicians are the obvious people to do it. But it seemed the governors of the BBC weren't willing to go up against the government over Hutton, so the top 2 BBC people had to resign.

[McKenzie]

2. thank you for the information...

it is appreciated.

regards