Post by Teddy Bear on Nov 13, 2008 18:21:31 GMT
Even before the Russell Brand-Jonathan Ross prank call incident, former staff believed BBC management were making errors of judgment.
5.7 out of 10: Former BBC staff say the once-respected broadcaster has lost its way
By Daily Mail Reporter
Former BBC staff have attacked the current state of the broadcaster, accusing it of ‘dumbing down’ and being dominated by contrived reality and lifestyle shows.
They say its content lacks the distinctiveness of the corporation’s once-respected brand and accuse it of putting ratings above substance.
The report, by the BBC Pensioners’ Association, says bosses have mishandled recent crises and made ‘errors of judgment’.
The corporation ‘no longer knows what it is there for’, it says.
When the independent body asked former employees to mark the current performance of the broadcaster they gave it an average score of 5.7 out of ten.
Many accused the BBC of slipping technical standards on its shows and said the broadcaster ‘has to an extent lost its way’.
They criticised fashionable wobbly camera work which can make older viewers nauseous and poor sound levels on its shows.
Others accused it of ‘ignoring’ its older audience and called for a return of the ‘authoritative documentary’ in its output.
The views were surveyed by the organisation, which represents BBC retirees, before the recent Russell Brand and Jonathan Ross scandal.
The report said: ‘It is with sadness and some anger that they note the "dumbing-down” of programmes and the over-emphasis on celebrity led, contrived reality and lifestyle formats.’
It added: ‘The anxiety is that the BBC has moved from being a pre-eminent producer of high-quality television programmes to a publisher of programmes good, bad and indifferent, but lacking the distinctiveness of the BBC brand.
‘Ratings are now seen by the BBC as more important than content or substance. It is losing its identity and what it is essentially there for.’
It was also criticised for making money by ‘selling off its crown jewels’ and letting certain parts of its business such as outside broadcast be bought.
The survey suggests that the BBC’s handling of the Hutton affair and the phone-in scandals have ‘lowered confidence’.
One respondent said: ‘I’m trying very hard not to be a “retired grumpy”, but you have to look carefully to find the excellent programmes among the dross.’
The BBCPA received 4,000 responses to its survey of 21,000 BBC pensioners.
By Daily Mail Reporter
Former BBC staff have attacked the current state of the broadcaster, accusing it of ‘dumbing down’ and being dominated by contrived reality and lifestyle shows.
They say its content lacks the distinctiveness of the corporation’s once-respected brand and accuse it of putting ratings above substance.
The report, by the BBC Pensioners’ Association, says bosses have mishandled recent crises and made ‘errors of judgment’.
The corporation ‘no longer knows what it is there for’, it says.
When the independent body asked former employees to mark the current performance of the broadcaster they gave it an average score of 5.7 out of ten.
Many accused the BBC of slipping technical standards on its shows and said the broadcaster ‘has to an extent lost its way’.
They criticised fashionable wobbly camera work which can make older viewers nauseous and poor sound levels on its shows.
Others accused it of ‘ignoring’ its older audience and called for a return of the ‘authoritative documentary’ in its output.
The views were surveyed by the organisation, which represents BBC retirees, before the recent Russell Brand and Jonathan Ross scandal.
The report said: ‘It is with sadness and some anger that they note the "dumbing-down” of programmes and the over-emphasis on celebrity led, contrived reality and lifestyle formats.’
It added: ‘The anxiety is that the BBC has moved from being a pre-eminent producer of high-quality television programmes to a publisher of programmes good, bad and indifferent, but lacking the distinctiveness of the BBC brand.
‘Ratings are now seen by the BBC as more important than content or substance. It is losing its identity and what it is essentially there for.’
It was also criticised for making money by ‘selling off its crown jewels’ and letting certain parts of its business such as outside broadcast be bought.
The survey suggests that the BBC’s handling of the Hutton affair and the phone-in scandals have ‘lowered confidence’.
One respondent said: ‘I’m trying very hard not to be a “retired grumpy”, but you have to look carefully to find the excellent programmes among the dross.’
The BBCPA received 4,000 responses to its survey of 21,000 BBC pensioners.