Post by Teddy Bear on Mar 10, 2011 13:30:43 GMT
In his final major speech, outgoing BBC Trust chairman Michael Lyons, speaks up about the appalling BBC attitudes that, among other things, led to Sachsgate, saying its ‘toxic combination’ made people think the BBC has lost its moral compass.
He also used his final speech to admit that BBC bosses had presided over a series of ‘memorable cock-ups’ during his tenure, which also included the ‘scandal of bogus competitions’ and the misleadingly edited trailer to a documentary on the Queen.
While I would add a whole host of additional 'cock-ups', not to mention examples showing the BBC has completely lost any moral compass. The very fact that Lyons comes out with it now, and did little or nothing about it during the time he held office, while raking in his huge salary and expenses fulfilling a title that apparently has no sway whatsoever. A total WASTE OF SPACE!
Then typical of the mentality that permits himself to knowingly maintain this position, he still claims Sir Michael, who has been at the BBC since 2007, even claimed in his speech that the scandal-ridden last three years ‘will be seen as one of the BBC’s strong periods’.
We can see just how his mindset fit so well with that of the BBC. Now he's leaving the corporation he wants to try and salvage some kind of 'integrity' by showing he's aware of moral transgressions? Sorry you scum, you milked it for what it's worth, looked the other way when you should have done something, and are now trying to show you're better than you were.
Rot in hell!
He also used his final speech to admit that BBC bosses had presided over a series of ‘memorable cock-ups’ during his tenure, which also included the ‘scandal of bogus competitions’ and the misleadingly edited trailer to a documentary on the Queen.
While I would add a whole host of additional 'cock-ups', not to mention examples showing the BBC has completely lost any moral compass. The very fact that Lyons comes out with it now, and did little or nothing about it during the time he held office, while raking in his huge salary and expenses fulfilling a title that apparently has no sway whatsoever. A total WASTE OF SPACE!
Then typical of the mentality that permits himself to knowingly maintain this position, he still claims Sir Michael, who has been at the BBC since 2007, even claimed in his speech that the scandal-ridden last three years ‘will be seen as one of the BBC’s strong periods’.
We can see just how his mindset fit so well with that of the BBC. Now he's leaving the corporation he wants to try and salvage some kind of 'integrity' by showing he's aware of moral transgressions? Sorry you scum, you milked it for what it's worth, looked the other way when you should have done something, and are now trying to show you're better than you were.
Rot in hell!
What took him so long? BBC Trust chairman finally apologises for 'unforgivably cavalier' attitudes that led to Sachsgate
Outgoing BBC chairman Sir Michael Lyons used his last major speech to launch a scathing attack on the Jonathan Ross and Russell Brand obscene phone call scandal.
He said its ‘toxic combination’ made people think the BBC has lost its moral compass.
Sir Michael, who leaves the BBC at the end of next month, used his valedictory address, given at the London School of Economics, to say that not even a scriptwriter would have had the nerve to mix ‘profanity, misogyny, bullying and black farce’ in the way they did.
But while many – both inside and outside the BBC – would support the chairman’s comments, there were immediate questions why, if he felt like this, had he failed to take stronger action at the time.
Sir Michael was criticised at the height of the scandal in 2008 for failing to fire Ross.
The BBC chairman said at the time: ‘It is not the job of the trust to make decisions about the terms and conditions of performers or the sanctions that are applied to them.’
Yesterday Sir Michael used his final speech to admit that BBC bosses had presided over a series of ‘memorable cock-ups’ during his tenure, which also included the ‘scandal of bogus competitions’ and the misleadingly edited trailer to a documentary on the Queen.
He also admitted the BBC Trust, which oversees the management of the corporation, ‘hasn’t got everything right’, admitting it failed to make it clear enough that cutting senior management pay could not be done overnight.
However, many will view his comments as an overly positive take on his time at the helm, which has seen major political parties call for the BBC Trust to be abolished because it has become too much of a cheerleader for the corporation and not enough of a regulator.
Sir Michael, who has been at the BBC since 2007, even claimed in his speech that the scandal-ridden last three years ‘will be seen as one of the BBC’s strong periods’.
Last night he said of the Ross-Brand obscene phone messages scandal: ‘I’ve sometimes wondered if any BBC scriptwriter would ever have had the nerve to invent Ross-Brand, with its uniquely toxic combination of profanity, misogyny, bullying and black farce.
The BBC was fined £150,000 by Ofcom following the prank phone calls made by Jonathan Ross, left, and Russell Brand to Andrew Sachs
The BBC was fined £150,000 by Ofcom following the prank phone calls made by Jonathan Ross, left, and Russell Brand to Andrew Sachs. Their actions 'exposed an unforgivably cavalier attitude to editorial standards in some parts of the BBC', according to Sir Michael
‘Ross-Brand exposed an unforgivably cavalier attitude to editorial standards in some parts of the BBC, and seemed, for some, to suggest that the BBC had lost its moral compass.’
Ross and Brand phoned veteran actor Andrew Sachs and left a crude voicemail about his grand-daughter.
After the broadcast in October 2008 Brand resigned, Ross was suspended for three months and Radio 2 controller Lesley Douglas also resigned.
Sir Michael added: ‘Indeed, while there have been plenty of external critics during this period, it has sometimes seemed they have been outnumbered by the internal ones, some of them with direct access to prime-time airspace. So, as I say, plenty of incoming fire – from all directions.
‘And every now and again the BBC would decide to add to the mix – by shooting itself in the foot.
‘To the amazement of supporters both within and without the BBC it allowed itself to become caught up in the serious scandal of bogus competitions that swept so damagingly through commercial broadcasting.
‘Then there was the trailer for a documentary about the Queen which wrongly implied she walked out of a portrait session.’
Sir Michael said the audience’s main concern was still that the BBC is still not high-quality or distinctive enough.
Sir Michael will also describe the events leading to the publication of Lord Hutton's report examining the death of weapons expert Dr David Kelly, pictured, as the 'greatest existential threat the BBC has faced in recent times'
He added that distinctive shows should not be ‘devolved to the digital channels’ but also aired on BBC1 and BBC2.The chairman also warned that the corporation’s commercial arm should not damage commercial rivals and its activities should not damage the BBC’s integrity or ‘wag the editorial dog’.
Sir Michael leaves the job at the end of April and is due to be replaced by former Conservative Party chairman Lord Patten. Lord Patten was due to appear in front of the culture, media and sport select committee this morning for a pre-appointment hearing – expected to be a formality.
Sir Michael defended his record, citing strong ‘public affection’ for the corporation, improved programme quality and better value for money.
He did admit: ‘The Trust hasn’t got everything right as we have grown into our role and responsibilities. For example, we could have been clearer in demonstrating that we were actively tackling some issues of public concern, while acknowledging that it would take time to deliver on them.
‘In particular I’m thinking of the challenge of cutting the BBC’s senior manager pay bill. This is not something that can be done overnight, and the Trust has been on to it since 2008. We should have made that clearer.’
Sir Michael – who racked up thousands of pounds of expenses in rail fares during his time in the role as he travelled between his home near Birmingham and the BBC Trust’s headquarters in London – said in the recession the BBC ‘started to look like a dangerously tall poppy, ripe for cutting down to size’.
The last general election had seen it under pressure from all political parties, who are ‘hypersensitive’ to balance and editorial choice.
Outgoing BBC chairman Sir Michael Lyons used his last major speech to launch a scathing attack on the Jonathan Ross and Russell Brand obscene phone call scandal.
He said its ‘toxic combination’ made people think the BBC has lost its moral compass.
Sir Michael, who leaves the BBC at the end of next month, used his valedictory address, given at the London School of Economics, to say that not even a scriptwriter would have had the nerve to mix ‘profanity, misogyny, bullying and black farce’ in the way they did.
But while many – both inside and outside the BBC – would support the chairman’s comments, there were immediate questions why, if he felt like this, had he failed to take stronger action at the time.
Sir Michael was criticised at the height of the scandal in 2008 for failing to fire Ross.
The BBC chairman said at the time: ‘It is not the job of the trust to make decisions about the terms and conditions of performers or the sanctions that are applied to them.’
Yesterday Sir Michael used his final speech to admit that BBC bosses had presided over a series of ‘memorable cock-ups’ during his tenure, which also included the ‘scandal of bogus competitions’ and the misleadingly edited trailer to a documentary on the Queen.
He also admitted the BBC Trust, which oversees the management of the corporation, ‘hasn’t got everything right’, admitting it failed to make it clear enough that cutting senior management pay could not be done overnight.
However, many will view his comments as an overly positive take on his time at the helm, which has seen major political parties call for the BBC Trust to be abolished because it has become too much of a cheerleader for the corporation and not enough of a regulator.
Sir Michael, who has been at the BBC since 2007, even claimed in his speech that the scandal-ridden last three years ‘will be seen as one of the BBC’s strong periods’.
Last night he said of the Ross-Brand obscene phone messages scandal: ‘I’ve sometimes wondered if any BBC scriptwriter would ever have had the nerve to invent Ross-Brand, with its uniquely toxic combination of profanity, misogyny, bullying and black farce.
The BBC was fined £150,000 by Ofcom following the prank phone calls made by Jonathan Ross, left, and Russell Brand to Andrew Sachs
The BBC was fined £150,000 by Ofcom following the prank phone calls made by Jonathan Ross, left, and Russell Brand to Andrew Sachs. Their actions 'exposed an unforgivably cavalier attitude to editorial standards in some parts of the BBC', according to Sir Michael
‘Ross-Brand exposed an unforgivably cavalier attitude to editorial standards in some parts of the BBC, and seemed, for some, to suggest that the BBC had lost its moral compass.’
Ross and Brand phoned veteran actor Andrew Sachs and left a crude voicemail about his grand-daughter.
HIS CHANGING TUNE
November 2008
‘It is not the job of the trust to make decisions about the terms and conditions of performers or the sanctions applied to them. I refute any allegations there were more actions the trust should have taken.’
March 2011
‘I’ve wondered if any BBC scriptwriter would have had the nerve to invent Ross-Brand, with its uniquely toxic combination of profanity, misogyny, bullying and black farce.
After the broadcast in October 2008 Brand resigned, Ross was suspended for three months and Radio 2 controller Lesley Douglas also resigned.
Sir Michael added: ‘Indeed, while there have been plenty of external critics during this period, it has sometimes seemed they have been outnumbered by the internal ones, some of them with direct access to prime-time airspace. So, as I say, plenty of incoming fire – from all directions.
‘And every now and again the BBC would decide to add to the mix – by shooting itself in the foot.
‘To the amazement of supporters both within and without the BBC it allowed itself to become caught up in the serious scandal of bogus competitions that swept so damagingly through commercial broadcasting.
‘Then there was the trailer for a documentary about the Queen which wrongly implied she walked out of a portrait session.’
Sir Michael said the audience’s main concern was still that the BBC is still not high-quality or distinctive enough.
Sir Michael will also describe the events leading to the publication of Lord Hutton's report examining the death of weapons expert Dr David Kelly, pictured, as the 'greatest existential threat the BBC has faced in recent times'
He added that distinctive shows should not be ‘devolved to the digital channels’ but also aired on BBC1 and BBC2.The chairman also warned that the corporation’s commercial arm should not damage commercial rivals and its activities should not damage the BBC’s integrity or ‘wag the editorial dog’.
Sir Michael leaves the job at the end of April and is due to be replaced by former Conservative Party chairman Lord Patten. Lord Patten was due to appear in front of the culture, media and sport select committee this morning for a pre-appointment hearing – expected to be a formality.
Sir Michael defended his record, citing strong ‘public affection’ for the corporation, improved programme quality and better value for money.
He did admit: ‘The Trust hasn’t got everything right as we have grown into our role and responsibilities. For example, we could have been clearer in demonstrating that we were actively tackling some issues of public concern, while acknowledging that it would take time to deliver on them.
‘In particular I’m thinking of the challenge of cutting the BBC’s senior manager pay bill. This is not something that can be done overnight, and the Trust has been on to it since 2008. We should have made that clearer.’
Sir Michael – who racked up thousands of pounds of expenses in rail fares during his time in the role as he travelled between his home near Birmingham and the BBC Trust’s headquarters in London – said in the recession the BBC ‘started to look like a dangerously tall poppy, ripe for cutting down to size’.
The last general election had seen it under pressure from all political parties, who are ‘hypersensitive’ to balance and editorial choice.