BBC Striking Staff Target Tory Conference

[Teddy Bear]

What we are going to witness in this 'exchange' is a power struggle between the BBC and the government that's going to be interesting to see how it is resolved. I believe it will show the true colours of all concerned, so expect further lack of ethics, corruption and distortion.

BBC's staff show their true colours

By Daily Mail Comment
Last updated at 10:54 PM on 13th September 2010

The timing of the threatened strike by BBC employees is an affront to the corporation's commitment to political impartiality.

Leave aside that their case for action in defence of their lavish and debt-ridden pension scheme is entirely unjustified.

Could there be any clearer indication of their Left-wing slant than the threat to black out coverage of David Cameron's speech to the Conservative conference and George Osborne's vital public spending review next month?

For many years, the Mail has highlighted the drip, drip, drip of this bias, while the corporation hotly denied it.

Significantly, only a few weeks ago, Director General Mark Thompson conceded that, yes, the BBC had been 'massively' Left-wing, though it was now much more objective.

How, then, can its journalists keep up their pretence of impartiality after what amounts to a declaration of war against the Government?

Let them be warned: if their strike goes ahead, it's almost guaranteed to backfire. For it will encourage critics who demand that the BBC, which at its best is a great institution, should be broken up.

[Teddy Bear]

Maybe it's purely a coincidence, but I want to record the events going on right now between the government and BBC in order to understand the real underlying dynamics of the time.
Bear in mind that discussions are due to begin shortly about the licence fee settlement.

The plot thickens

Turmoil at BBC as chairman and controller quit amid Tory plan for blitz on corporation's leadership

By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 3:38 PM on 14th September 2010

The BBC was thrown into turmoil today after two of its most senior executives quit amid continuing doubt over Tory plans for the future of the corporation.

BBC Trust chairman Sir Michael Lyons and BBC1 controller Jay Hunt announced this afternoon that they would be stepping down from their posts.

Sir Michael has written to Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt to explain that he will serve for only one term as chairman while Ms Hunt is to become a boss of Channel 4.

She will take up the newly-created role of chief creative officer at the broadcaster early next year, as well as taking an executive role on the station's board.

Ms Hunt has been at the helm of BBC1 for two-and-a-half years after replacing Peter Fincham who resigned in 2007 in the wake of the 'Queengate' row.

Sir Michael - the first person to take the role - said the growing workload for the part-time position had made him 'increasingly concerned' that it was squeezing out other demands on his time.

In his letter, he explained that the post 'has been far more demanding than the nominal three to four days a week in the job specification'.

Sir Michael's decision to leave comes against a background of uncertainty about the future of the Trust under the coalition Government.

The Tories first announced ambitions to overhaul the BBC last November, pledging to scrap the Trust.

But earlier this year it was revealed the chairman would be the first to face the axe under radical plans to transform the corporation.

It is thought they plan to create a new body answerable to licence fee payers with a new post of non-executive chairman who would work alongside the Director General Mark Thompson.

It is the Tories' belief that the Trust failed in its duty following the Russell Brand and Jonathan Ross controversy, in which the pair left obscene messages on the answering phone of actor Andrew Sachs.

Prior to the General Election, there had been speculation that the Conservatives would move to scrap the body and, as shadow culture spokesman, Mr Hunt had said he had 'serious reservations' about the BBC Trust.

Under Sir Michael's watch, the Trust has been involved involved in a number of high-profile issues.

Most recently the body launched a consultation into BBC Director-General Mark Thompson's strategic review.

The Trust effectively put the brakes on proposals to close the digital station 6 Music.
In the letter, Sir Michael said he had reflected on whether to continue in his position over the summer.

He said the model established for the Trust was 'robust, workable and effective'.

'I am proud of what we have achieved in safeguarding the BBC's independence against significant challenge, and bringing the interests of audiences in all their diversity to the centre of the BBC's thinking,' he said.

And Sir Michael said the Trust had 'taken openness and transparency to a new level' and helped to ensure the BBC operated 'within clear boundaries'.
Jonathan Ross

Controversy: The Tories believe the BBC Trust failed in its duty over the Russell Brand and Jonathan Ross scandal in 2008

But announcing his departure, he said: 'For all the positives associated with this agenda, I have to acknowledge that the role of chairman has been far more demanding than the nominal three to four days a week in the job specification.

'It is, of course, a compelling aspect of working at the BBC that it can become an all-consuming part of one's life - and this applies equally to the staff across the BBC whose great commitment helps underpin its position as the world's leading public broadcaster.

'But this workload has now reached a point where I am increasingly concerned that it is crowding out other appointments to which I remain committed and other activity that I wish to undertake.'

He said he had made his announcement now to leave time to find a successor, and to set a 'clear context' ahead of forthcoming discussions on policy issues.

Culture Secretary Mr Hunt said he would 'look sympathetically' at a request from the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee to question Sir Michael's proposed replacement before they took the job.

He told committee chairman John Whittingdale that he supported 'the idea of more pre-appointment scrutiny for public figures' and particularly those 'responsible for policing impartiality in broadcasting'.

He said: 'I have had no communication on this matter but I would certainly look sympathetically on any request that your committee was to make.'

Asked by committee member Labour MP Paul Farrelly whether the next chairman would be a member of the Conservative Party, Mr Hunt said he would not 'prejudge' who might apply for the role.

He said: 'Let me say this, that the ability to be able to give confidence in exercising judgment with respect to impartiality in the BBC will be a very, very important consideration in the process because impartiality is a very, very important part of what the BBC is about.;

[Teddy Bear]

This is where we see the government squeeze back

Government paves way for TV licence fee to be cut
The Government has paved the way for a cut in the TV licence fee in 2012 by refusing to accept fully an offer from the BBC for a two-year freeze.

By Peter Hutchison
Published: 10:50AM BST 16 Sep 2010

The BBC had said that it would waive proposed increases until 2013, causing a a £144 million drop in the corporation's budget.

However, the Government announced that it would back a zero increase next year but that a decision about 2012/13 still needed to be made.

It raises the possibility that the licence fee could be cut - a move supported by many Conservative MPs and television viewers across the country.

Jeremy Hunt, the Culture Secretary, said: "The BBC Trust has proposed forgoing the planned rise in the Licence Fee in 2011/12.

"The Government welcomes the proposal and has decided that there will be no increase in the licence fee on 1 April 2011.

"A decision about 2012/13 will be taken as part of the next funding settlement."

He added: "I have made it clear that the BBC needs to take proper account of the current economic climate and this move, which comes with the Trust’s assurances that it will not significantly impact on the quality of services provided to licence fee payers, will be welcomed by the public."

Under the proposal put forward by the BBC Trust, the fee would have remained at £145.50 for the remainder of the current settlement period, to March 2013.

The BBC had been entitled to increase the fee by 2% in the next financial year and up to 2% for the following 12 months.

The Trust, which oversees the Corporation's executive board, had asked management to examine budgets in June to look into short-term savings.

The aim was to weigh up savings and prudent planning to "return to a zero borrowing position by the end of the current licence fee period and to maintain the broad pattern of current services", the trust said today.

The cost savings will require "on-air changes", at a time of continuing capital spend on infrastructure projects and digital switchover, the executive decided.

But the trust concluded savings could be made while minimising on-air impact.