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BBC chief must purge middle management, says Melvyn Bragg BBC chief must purge middle management, says Melvyn Bragg
(6 months later)
Lord Hall, the BBC's incoming £450,000-a-year director general, will outline his vision for the future of the corporation when he takes up his new role next week in an attempt to draw a line under the Savile crisis, which saw off his predecessor after just 54 days in charge.Lord Hall, the BBC's incoming £450,000-a-year director general, will outline his vision for the future of the corporation when he takes up his new role next week in an attempt to draw a line under the Savile crisis, which saw off his predecessor after just 54 days in charge.
Taking up his post on Tuesday, Hall is planning a blitz of broadcast interviews, part of a concerted response to accusations that the previous regime was not responsive enough to the media. His predecessor, George Entwistle, was reluctant to appear on camera – and in particular repeatedly declined to appear on ITV, Channel 4 or Sky News.Taking up his post on Tuesday, Hall is planning a blitz of broadcast interviews, part of a concerted response to accusations that the previous regime was not responsive enough to the media. His predecessor, George Entwistle, was reluctant to appear on camera – and in particular repeatedly declined to appear on ITV, Channel 4 or Sky News.
The arts broadcaster Lord Bragg said Hall, who moves to the BBC from running the Royal Opera House, had no option but to cut a swath through BBC middle management in the wake of the damning conclusions of the Pollard report into the Savile crisis.The arts broadcaster Lord Bragg said Hall, who moves to the BBC from running the Royal Opera House, had no option but to cut a swath through BBC middle management in the wake of the damning conclusions of the Pollard report into the Savile crisis.
"The Savile crisis has exposed a dire structure and I think he should go in with a cleansing sword. It's not just individuals – it's the system. He has shown he can do it – he was very good at the Royal Opera House. Savile exposed the problems with the middle management at the BBC, which clogs everything up. I speak as a great admirer of the BBC [but] it is amazing that they can get any programmes done at all," said Bragg at a launch of his latest Sky Arts series last week."The Savile crisis has exposed a dire structure and I think he should go in with a cleansing sword. It's not just individuals – it's the system. He has shown he can do it – he was very good at the Royal Opera House. Savile exposed the problems with the middle management at the BBC, which clogs everything up. I speak as a great admirer of the BBC [but] it is amazing that they can get any programmes done at all," said Bragg at a launch of his latest Sky Arts series last week.
Hall will hold his first meeting with the BBC's management board on Tuesday morning at New Broadcasting House, with key executives including creative director Alan Yentob, BBC Worldwide chief executive Tim Davie and the newly recruited strategy and digital director, former culture secretary and Labour MP James Purnell.Hall will hold his first meeting with the BBC's management board on Tuesday morning at New Broadcasting House, with key executives including creative director Alan Yentob, BBC Worldwide chief executive Tim Davie and the newly recruited strategy and digital director, former culture secretary and Labour MP James Purnell.
He then plans to hold an informal staff meeting later in the day, and will follow that up with a Reithian tour of the organisation's "inform, educate, and entertain" operations by visiting BBC1's Panorama, its science department, Radio 1 and the "tech ops" team that has kept the BBC's various services on air despite the recent bad weather.He then plans to hold an informal staff meeting later in the day, and will follow that up with a Reithian tour of the organisation's "inform, educate, and entertain" operations by visiting BBC1's Panorama, its science department, Radio 1 and the "tech ops" team that has kept the BBC's various services on air despite the recent bad weather.
At the executive meeting, Hall is expected to outline his future strategy for the BBC and where he wants it to be in a decade from now in terms of programme-making, technology and culture. He will not look to undo any of the £700m of cost-cutting measures contained in Mark Thompson's Delivering Quality First initiative, but will outline key areas that he wants his management team to prioritise.At the executive meeting, Hall is expected to outline his future strategy for the BBC and where he wants it to be in a decade from now in terms of programme-making, technology and culture. He will not look to undo any of the £700m of cost-cutting measures contained in Mark Thompson's Delivering Quality First initiative, but will outline key areas that he wants his management team to prioritise.
Meanwhile, although the initial impact of the Savile scandal has subsided, more than 850 members of staff have raised concerns with a review into sexual harassment and bullying at the corporation. The BBC's difficulties over the handling of the Savile crisis, as exposed in Nick Pollard's report, also revealed a culture of mistrust amongst executives and between executives and its journalists, divisions that meant BBC executives were reluctant to believe Newsnight reporters who thought they could expose sexual abuse perpetrated by the late presenter.Meanwhile, although the initial impact of the Savile scandal has subsided, more than 850 members of staff have raised concerns with a review into sexual harassment and bullying at the corporation. The BBC's difficulties over the handling of the Savile crisis, as exposed in Nick Pollard's report, also revealed a culture of mistrust amongst executives and between executives and its journalists, divisions that meant BBC executives were reluctant to believe Newsnight reporters who thought they could expose sexual abuse perpetrated by the late presenter.
The new leader's most immediate task will be to restore faith in BBC News in the wake of Savile and Newsnight's calamitous report erroneously linking former Tory party chairman Lord McAlpine to child abuse, but the subject is familiar to him, as he ran BBC News and Current Affairs between 1989 and 2001, largely during the ascendency of John Birt at the corporation.The new leader's most immediate task will be to restore faith in BBC News in the wake of Savile and Newsnight's calamitous report erroneously linking former Tory party chairman Lord McAlpine to child abuse, but the subject is familiar to him, as he ran BBC News and Current Affairs between 1989 and 2001, largely during the ascendency of John Birt at the corporation.
He has to begin with the appointment of a new director of news after the incumbent, Helen Boaden, criticised in the Pollard report, was moved to fill the vacant director of radio role. Some senior insiders believing that the job could go to James Harding, the former editor of the Times.He has to begin with the appointment of a new director of news after the incumbent, Helen Boaden, criticised in the Pollard report, was moved to fill the vacant director of radio role. Some senior insiders believing that the job could go to James Harding, the former editor of the Times.
"News and current affairs is absolutely at the core of the BBC's brand and trustworthiness and is the number one reason we have the licence fee," said one senior industry source. "Arguably in the internet era of news and gossip you need the BBC more than you ever needed it before. It is tarnished post-Savile and the whole meltdown on Newsnight. He has got to make the whole thing trustworthy again.""News and current affairs is absolutely at the core of the BBC's brand and trustworthiness and is the number one reason we have the licence fee," said one senior industry source. "Arguably in the internet era of news and gossip you need the BBC more than you ever needed it before. It is tarnished post-Savile and the whole meltdown on Newsnight. He has got to make the whole thing trustworthy again."
Hall's office is next to the corporation's sprawling news department on the fourth floor of the newly refurbished Broadcasting House in central London. The new director general is also expected to make an early appearance on the Today programme, located a floor below.Hall's office is next to the corporation's sprawling news department on the fourth floor of the newly refurbished Broadcasting House in central London. The new director general is also expected to make an early appearance on the Today programme, located a floor below.
It was the inquisition on Today by John Humphrys, on 10 November last year, that finally sealed the fate of his predecessor, with Entwistle resigning about 12 hours later. It remains to be seen, though, whether Humphrys will be given the job of interviewing his new boss.It was the inquisition on Today by John Humphrys, on 10 November last year, that finally sealed the fate of his predecessor, with Entwistle resigning about 12 hours later. It remains to be seen, though, whether Humphrys will be given the job of interviewing his new boss.
What's in Hall's in-tray?
What's in Hall's in-tray?
• Restore trust in BBC News in the wake of the meltdown at Newsnight over the Jimmy Savile scandal. See through the final ramifications of the Savile crisis, including a review by Dame Janet Smith.• Restore trust in BBC News in the wake of the meltdown at Newsnight over the Jimmy Savile scandal. See through the final ramifications of the Savile crisis, including a review by Dame Janet Smith.
• Resolve the industrial dispute with trade unions over job cuts, excessive workload and alleged bullying.• Resolve the industrial dispute with trade unions over job cuts, excessive workload and alleged bullying.
• Fill the two vacancies at the top of BBC management: director of news and director of television.• Fill the two vacancies at the top of BBC management: director of news and director of television.
• Complete the £700m round of cost-cutting begun by former director general Mark Thompson.• Complete the £700m round of cost-cutting begun by former director general Mark Thompson.
• Redress the imbalance that has led to too few women appearing on BBC television channels and radio.• Redress the imbalance that has led to too few women appearing on BBC television channels and radio.
• Respond to criticism from, among others, the broadcaster Lord Bragg and Nicholas Hytner, director of the National Theatre, that the BBC does not do enough arts coverage.• Respond to criticism from, among others, the broadcaster Lord Bragg and Nicholas Hytner, director of the National Theatre, that the BBC does not do enough arts coverage.
• Develop a technology strategy, post-iPlayer, for the mobile era.• Develop a technology strategy, post-iPlayer, for the mobile era.
• Prepare for his first Commons select committee appearance as director general on 25 April and pave the way for a new charter and licence fee settlement in the runup to 2017.• Prepare for his first Commons select committee appearance as director general on 25 April and pave the way for a new charter and licence fee settlement in the runup to 2017.
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