The BBC is set to cut back on its current affairs coverage as more and more Brits cancel their licence fees. The broadcaster has asked media watchdog Ofcom to slash its mandatory peak-time current affairs quota across BBC One and BBC Two, arguing they need to adapt to changing viewer habits and a lack of cash. Ofcom, the benevolent media overlords that they are when not policing the internet, say they are considering the BBC’s proposal…
The BBC said today:
“These proposals reflect changing viewing habits and aim to focus on delivering new, high-quality content while achieving greater value for money for licence fee payers. We remain committed to providing high-impact current affairs programming, as shown by our recent Panorama investigation into Charing Cross police station.”
The BBC has published an article this morning on the government’s plans for Digital ID to be forced onto 13-year-olds. It’s an article about Cooper’s morning round…
It says:
“Home Secretary Yvette Cooper defended the consultation plans, saying “lots of 13-year olds already do” have a form of digital ID.”
In the meantime BBC News at Ten last night completely ignored the massive China spy scandal that is currently engulfing Labour. The Licence fee providing its usual value for money. How did this one get past BBC Verify?
The BBC has said it is sorry for “any offence caused” after a staff email referred to the October 7 terrorist attacks as “an escalation“. Which is putting it mildly…
The initial staff email, sent on the BBC’s intranet service, said:
“As we reach the two-year anniversary of the escalations in the Israel-Gaza conflict, we asked UK audiences what they want and need from news coverage moving forward.”
After staff complaints, the BBC apologised:
“This internal staff email should have been worded differently and we’re sorry for any offence caused. We are editing it and will replace the text on our intranet.”
Tim Davie has already had to apologise for the BBC’s Gaza documentary debacle. Now this…
BBC News at One has featured independent MP Rupert Lowe mistaking some rowers for small boat migrants on social media above the resignation of a Labour minister in its programme. Nothing to see here…
Lowe’s X gaffe from this morning featured as the fourth item on the bulletin at the top of the hour – reserved for the biggest stories of the day. Ali’s resignation did not get into the bulletin at all…
Coverage of the tweet plus an interview with the rowers then continued at 17 minutes past the hour. For anyone to hear a peep about Ali’s resignation late last night they would have to wait until 21 minutes into the programme when it was given three minutes. On some days BBC News at One can get about 2.5 million viewers…
On the BBC News website Lowe is prominently featured – the Ali story isn’t there. Who’s interested in scandal and sleaze anyway…
Lisa Nandy has this morning said she is not confident that the BBC wouldn’t broadcast something like the Bob Vylan death chant again. The Culture Secretary’s war of words with the BBC continues…
Nandy said on LBC that the corporation “recognised that that can never happen again. They’ve taken a series of measures, including strengthening their own internal procedures about oversight and governance, about live broadcasts, about due diligence and risk.“ Not that it has encouraged much hope…
Asked by Nick Ferrari if she was confident the BBC wouldn’t put out something like the Vylan Glastonbury chant again she said:
“I can’t say that I’m currently confident about that, but I do recognise that there’s been significant progress that has been made in the last few weeks, and when parliament returns in September, of course, both the Chair of the BBC and the Director General will be appearing in front of the Select Committee, and I’m sure the committee, as the whole of parliament has shown, will have a lot of questions to ensure that the public can have confidence that the BBC won’t find itself in this situation again.”
Looks like it’s a race between Davie and Nandy as to who will be out of a job first…
Gary Lineker has retained the top spot on the BBC’s presenter payroll for the eighth consecutive year, earning up to a whopping £1.35 million in the last financial year. The eighth and final time, having finally quit the Beeb in May…
Congratulations to Nick Robinson, who has once again secured a tidy pay rise up to £414,000 from £349,000 – a nice 18% bump. Fiona Bruce also jumps to the same figure, up from £399,000. Laura Kuenssberg is on a cool £395,000…
Meanwhile BBC Director-General Tim Davie (£544,999) has insisted he’s staying in the job and retains the “full backing” of the BBC board, despite admitting the corporation has faced “challenges” in recent years. Following the Huw Edwards scandal, the Gregg Wallace scandal, the Gaza documentary scandal, the Strictly Come Dancing bullying scandal…
He said:
“As well as transforming our organisation, we continue to work hard to transform our culture. This year brought major challenges in the form of the appalling Huw Edwards revelations along with further examples of truly unacceptable behaviours coming to light.
“An independent review into the BBC’s workplace culture produced a series of recommendations which we accepted in full…”
Read the full report here…
Former leader of the SNP in Westminster Ian Blackford told Times Radio why he believes Nicola Sturgeon’s claim that she spent no time in the kitchen and therefore didn’t see any of her husband’s purchases:
“She doesn’t have a passion for cooking.”