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Lord Hall recruits his own team and picks up the pace to turn around BBC Lord Hall recruits his own team and picks up the pace to turn around BBC
(2 months later)
The past few months have been bad for the BBC. But they have also been unquestionably good for the BBC's new director general, (Lord) Tony Hall. After each new corporate catastrophe Hall is on hand to lament the performance of previous regimes at the same time as being seen to act swiftly and decisively. And who can blame him? He really wasn't responsible for the Digital Media Initiative fiasco – which he summarily shut down, writing off £100m of hard-pressed licence payers' cash in the process. And, seeing the debacle over senior executive severance packages coming a mile off – remember the BBC Trust had already asked the NAO to investigate after the furore over George Entwistle's exit terms when Hall arrived at the BBC – he moved swiftly to impose a £150,000/two-year salary cap (whichever is the lower) on all future exit packages.The past few months have been bad for the BBC. But they have also been unquestionably good for the BBC's new director general, (Lord) Tony Hall. After each new corporate catastrophe Hall is on hand to lament the performance of previous regimes at the same time as being seen to act swiftly and decisively. And who can blame him? He really wasn't responsible for the Digital Media Initiative fiasco – which he summarily shut down, writing off £100m of hard-pressed licence payers' cash in the process. And, seeing the debacle over senior executive severance packages coming a mile off – remember the BBC Trust had already asked the NAO to investigate after the furore over George Entwistle's exit terms when Hall arrived at the BBC – he moved swiftly to impose a £150,000/two-year salary cap (whichever is the lower) on all future exit packages.
As a result Hall was able to write to the public accounts select committee chair Margaret Hodge and say, with real credibility, that the BBC had "lost its way" on the issue but that he was determined to put it right. Meanwhile the trust's chairman – and notionally Hall's boss – Lord Patten now has to face the PAC again, alongside fellow trustee Anthony Fry and ex-DG Mark Thompson, as the committee tries to get to the bottom of precisely who knew what about Mark Byford's £1m payoff. Most unedifying – but really no problem for Hall.As a result Hall was able to write to the public accounts select committee chair Margaret Hodge and say, with real credibility, that the BBC had "lost its way" on the issue but that he was determined to put it right. Meanwhile the trust's chairman – and notionally Hall's boss – Lord Patten now has to face the PAC again, alongside fellow trustee Anthony Fry and ex-DG Mark Thompson, as the committee tries to get to the bottom of precisely who knew what about Mark Byford's £1m payoff. Most unedifying – but really no problem for Hall.
Internally, too, he is beginning to make his presence felt, and it is beginning to look like a case of the steel fist in a velvet glove. First there was the new senior executive team, with hirings including former Labour cabinet minister James Purnell made without the normal BBC recruitment process, board interview and all. This was a clear sign that Hall meant to change things and – and for all his friendly, emollient appearance – was simply going to get on with it, unconstrained by process, procedure or even external appearances. Staff talk openly about "Tony's grid" – a timetable of things to be achieved and by when, enforced, it is said, by one of the external consultants brought in by Hall – Godric Smith, former No 10 spinner and head of government communications for London 2012.Internally, too, he is beginning to make his presence felt, and it is beginning to look like a case of the steel fist in a velvet glove. First there was the new senior executive team, with hirings including former Labour cabinet minister James Purnell made without the normal BBC recruitment process, board interview and all. This was a clear sign that Hall meant to change things and – and for all his friendly, emollient appearance – was simply going to get on with it, unconstrained by process, procedure or even external appearances. Staff talk openly about "Tony's grid" – a timetable of things to be achieved and by when, enforced, it is said, by one of the external consultants brought in by Hall – Godric Smith, former No 10 spinner and head of government communications for London 2012.
So it was with last week's announcement that Mishal Husain would be joining the Today programme in the autumn. Hall had made it clear he wanted another woman on the team and the "grid" had it timed to coincide with the publication of the BBC's annual report and accounts. As is traditional, internal disagreements between the news and radio divisions, with numerous names in the frame – Victoria Derbyshire, Jane Garvey on one side and Lyse Doucet on the other – had produced a long drawn-out process.So it was with last week's announcement that Mishal Husain would be joining the Today programme in the autumn. Hall had made it clear he wanted another woman on the team and the "grid" had it timed to coincide with the publication of the BBC's annual report and accounts. As is traditional, internal disagreements between the news and radio divisions, with numerous names in the frame – Victoria Derbyshire, Jane Garvey on one side and Lyse Doucet on the other – had produced a long drawn-out process.
But as annual report deadline approached Hall (via Smith) applied pressure and Husain – a very strong contender in her own right it must be said – came storming through the middle. Hall got his way – another woman at Today – and the BBC got some great press (and front-page images) on Wednesday in spite of an annual report full of reminders of what had previously gone wrong.But as annual report deadline approached Hall (via Smith) applied pressure and Husain – a very strong contender in her own right it must be said – came storming through the middle. Hall got his way – another woman at Today – and the BBC got some great press (and front-page images) on Wednesday in spite of an annual report full of reminders of what had previously gone wrong.
The next day Hall was out there again, arm in arm with Greg Dyke – a man from whom Hall could not be more different – trumpeting the FA Cup "coming home" to the BBC in a new £100m deal. No one stopped to ask where the money was coming from, and there was conspicuously no mention of head of sport Barbara Slater. But no matter, the BBC will be the stronger for it and Project Hall moves on apace. He even managed to announce he was bringing in McKinsey to advise on his major "cultural change" project to simplify and declutter BBC management processes, without provoking the usual "BBC wastes money on consultants" backlash.The next day Hall was out there again, arm in arm with Greg Dyke – a man from whom Hall could not be more different – trumpeting the FA Cup "coming home" to the BBC in a new £100m deal. No one stopped to ask where the money was coming from, and there was conspicuously no mention of head of sport Barbara Slater. But no matter, the BBC will be the stronger for it and Project Hall moves on apace. He even managed to announce he was bringing in McKinsey to advise on his major "cultural change" project to simplify and declutter BBC management processes, without provoking the usual "BBC wastes money on consultants" backlash.
Hall has plainly learned from his one-time mentor John Birt – and not just by hiring McKinsey. Birt understood that in trying to bring the BBC to heel you needed a trusted team, critically including outsiders, around you and that momentum is your key ally. In other words, keep moving and everyone else – even in an organisation as big as the BBC – has little choice but to shape up or ship out.Hall has plainly learned from his one-time mentor John Birt – and not just by hiring McKinsey. Birt understood that in trying to bring the BBC to heel you needed a trusted team, critically including outsiders, around you and that momentum is your key ally. In other words, keep moving and everyone else – even in an organisation as big as the BBC – has little choice but to shape up or ship out.
Steve Hewlett presents The Media Show on Radio 4Steve Hewlett presents The Media Show on Radio 4
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