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Will Tony Hall's boldness be enough to get the BBC on the right course? Level-headed Tony Hall has an uphill task at the BBC
(about 13 hours later)
On a November morning in 1995, the BBC's then director of news, Tony Hall, and his closest confidant Richard Ayre – controller of editorial policy – travelled to Eastbourne to watch a rough cut of a Panorama programme they knew could quite possibly wreck the monarchy and, if mishandled, certainly wreck the BBC.On a November morning in 1995, the BBC's then director of news, Tony Hall, and his closest confidant Richard Ayre – controller of editorial policy – travelled to Eastbourne to watch a rough cut of a Panorama programme they knew could quite possibly wreck the monarchy and, if mishandled, certainly wreck the BBC.
They sat in a suite full of TV editing kit at the Grand Hotel, along with the head of current affairs, Tim Gardam, head of communications for BBC News, Richard Peel, producer Mike Robinson, the picture editor, and the programme editor – me – watching Martin Bashir's interview with Princess Diana.They sat in a suite full of TV editing kit at the Grand Hotel, along with the head of current affairs, Tim Gardam, head of communications for BBC News, Richard Peel, producer Mike Robinson, the picture editor, and the programme editor – me – watching Martin Bashir's interview with Princess Diana.
As high-pressure projects riddled with dangers – corporate and personal – of epic proportions go, this was a hard one to top. As editor, I'd alerted Hall, my boss, to the possibility that Diana might consider doing an interview at quite an early stage and certainly before anything had been fixed.As high-pressure projects riddled with dangers – corporate and personal – of epic proportions go, this was a hard one to top. As editor, I'd alerted Hall, my boss, to the possibility that Diana might consider doing an interview at quite an early stage and certainly before anything had been fixed.
It would have been clear to Hall and his boss, director general John Birt, that an unauthorised long-form interview with the Princess of Wales, given the parlous state of the royal marriage, had plenty of career-threatening potential. And at that early stage, it would have been pretty easy to squash.It would have been clear to Hall and his boss, director general John Birt, that an unauthorised long-form interview with the Princess of Wales, given the parlous state of the royal marriage, had plenty of career-threatening potential. And at that early stage, it would have been pretty easy to squash.
Not only did Birt and Hall not do that, they supported me, Martin and the project throughout. They even kept most of their own senior colleagues – and especially the BBC's royal liaison officer and chairman, Marmaduke Hussey, whose wife was a lady-in-waiting to the Queen – completely in the dark about the very existence of the interview until the rest of the world found out via PA a week before broadcast.Not only did Birt and Hall not do that, they supported me, Martin and the project throughout. They even kept most of their own senior colleagues – and especially the BBC's royal liaison officer and chairman, Marmaduke Hussey, whose wife was a lady-in-waiting to the Queen – completely in the dark about the very existence of the interview until the rest of the world found out via PA a week before broadcast.
A few months earlier, in April 1995, I saw another aspect of Hall's character. This time in the midst of a near-disaster. Hall had been offered an interview with prime minister John Major, which he offered on down to me at Panorama.A few months earlier, in April 1995, I saw another aspect of Hall's character. This time in the midst of a near-disaster. Hall had been offered an interview with prime minister John Major, which he offered on down to me at Panorama.
So far so good. The problem was it was due for broadcast in the week of the Scottish local elections. My deputy at the time, Nick Robinson – yes, that Nick Robinson – warned of political dangers ahead.So far so good. The problem was it was due for broadcast in the week of the Scottish local elections. My deputy at the time, Nick Robinson – yes, that Nick Robinson – warned of political dangers ahead.
The warnings went unheeded and, sure enough, the Scottish Lib Dems – led by a former controller of BBC Scotland, Pat Chalmers – sought and obtained an injunction forcing the BBC to pull the broadcast in Scotland (and Northern Ireland and much of northern England because signals from those transmitters bled across the border to Scotland).The warnings went unheeded and, sure enough, the Scottish Lib Dems – led by a former controller of BBC Scotland, Pat Chalmers – sought and obtained an injunction forcing the BBC to pull the broadcast in Scotland (and Northern Ireland and much of northern England because signals from those transmitters bled across the border to Scotland).
For the BBC to be found so flagrantly in breach of its own impartiality rules (no similar interviews were available to the other party leaders involved in the Scottish elections) was very embarrassing and especially difficult for Hall – whose fault it appeared to be.For the BBC to be found so flagrantly in breach of its own impartiality rules (no similar interviews were available to the other party leaders involved in the Scottish elections) was very embarrassing and especially difficult for Hall – whose fault it appeared to be.
I now know he was under considerable corporate pressure from above, with other senior executives hoping for his scalp. And yet down on the shop floor, we knew none of that. Hall took responsibility for his own decision – in this case probably a bad one – and protected us from the pressure that came as a result. He did what so many bosses don't and took the flak.I now know he was under considerable corporate pressure from above, with other senior executives hoping for his scalp. And yet down on the shop floor, we knew none of that. Hall took responsibility for his own decision – in this case probably a bad one – and protected us from the pressure that came as a result. He did what so many bosses don't and took the flak.
On the other hand, although he was operationally effective, launching Radio 5 Live, BBC News 24 and News Online, the strategy driving change at the BBC during the 1990s came mostly from his boss, Birt. And even though Hall's capacity to stabilise the BBC's news division following his appointment as director general last week is not in doubt (in fact it is already being felt), it will not be long before he will need to present a broader vision.On the other hand, although he was operationally effective, launching Radio 5 Live, BBC News 24 and News Online, the strategy driving change at the BBC during the 1990s came mostly from his boss, Birt. And even though Hall's capacity to stabilise the BBC's news division following his appointment as director general last week is not in doubt (in fact it is already being felt), it will not be long before he will need to present a broader vision.
The BBC still faces 16%-20% funding cuts and competitive pressure on its mainstream radio and TV output – both areas where Hall has little track record. And while his Channel 4 experience – he has been on the board for some years and deputy chair since earlier this year – might prove helpful, fulfilling his ambition that the BBC should be the place the most talented and creative people will want to be to do their best work will require him to deal with the struggling monster that is BBC in-house production. All of which is just for starters, since then there is Charter renewal in 2016/17 and the whole of the digital future to worry about.The BBC still faces 16%-20% funding cuts and competitive pressure on its mainstream radio and TV output – both areas where Hall has little track record. And while his Channel 4 experience – he has been on the board for some years and deputy chair since earlier this year – might prove helpful, fulfilling his ambition that the BBC should be the place the most talented and creative people will want to be to do their best work will require him to deal with the struggling monster that is BBC in-house production. All of which is just for starters, since then there is Charter renewal in 2016/17 and the whole of the digital future to worry about.
But when you saw Hall standing there with BBC Trust chairman Lord Patten on Thursday afternoon, the contrast with his short-lived predecessor George Entwistle could not have been more pronounced. Whereas Entwistle could hardly avoid coming across almost as Patten's apprentice – young in the role and plainly with so much to learn – Hall was most definitely his own man.But when you saw Hall standing there with BBC Trust chairman Lord Patten on Thursday afternoon, the contrast with his short-lived predecessor George Entwistle could not have been more pronounced. Whereas Entwistle could hardly avoid coming across almost as Patten's apprentice – young in the role and plainly with so much to learn – Hall was most definitely his own man.
I'm sure Patten and Hall will get on fine, but, barring disasters, I think we can expect the BBC to be run, for the next few years at least, by its director general and his senior team. Which, paradoxically perhaps given the way recent events have played out, might just save Patten and the BBC Trust from what was starting to look like almost certain death.I'm sure Patten and Hall will get on fine, but, barring disasters, I think we can expect the BBC to be run, for the next few years at least, by its director general and his senior team. Which, paradoxically perhaps given the way recent events have played out, might just save Patten and the BBC Trust from what was starting to look like almost certain death.