It’s been on the news for most of the day and Tom mentions he contributed to the advertisement (which I haven’t seen) in The Telegraph from Greg Dyke supporters within the BBC. I’m impressed that such support exists but it’s not surprising. Everything you read about Greg was that he cared about the programmes and the producers more than the politics of broadcasting. Perhaps that was his downfall; a little more care with the original complaints and he might still be leading. Maybe, at last, journalists will forget about that blasted rat (see my entry for 8 May 2003).
I note that Andrew Gilligan has also resigned; I do not know what else he could have done. He is, however, widely regarded as a good journalist and – I hope – it’s not long before he is reporting somewhere. His resignation statement is an interesting reminder of where all this started.
Many have commented that it’s going to be an interesting time for the BBC as it searches for both a new Chairman and Director General. I strongly believe that the next chairman will be one of the final to chair a board of BBC governors. In a multi-media mix it has long seemed odd that the BBC should be held to a different interpretation of standards than the rest of the broadcast media. It is about time self governace was ended – although we have yet to see what Ofcom will actually do.
I do, however, hope that some of the great work that comes from BBC Online is maintained. In a fight for it’s broadcast reputation I fear that the online presence may too easily be diluted for the guns are out for that part of the BBC.
On this day…
- 2004: Maybe Somebody Was Listening
- 2004: Forgotten Credits
- 2004: Where In The World
- 2004: Desert Drag
- 2003: January Snow? A Surprise to Transport Chiefs