BBC
An example of union hostility against people who want to do their jobs
Amongst BBC political staff, there’s mounting concern about the plans for a strike during Tory conference. One of them said to me at Labour conference that they just didn’t know… Continue reading
46 CommentsWhat it is to be British
What is it about the British and flag waving? I ask after watching last night’s superlative BBC Proms, a brilliant end to the best season for years. On HD and… Continue reading
99 CommentsRound x of Hunt versus Thompson
Jeremy Hunt has responded to Mark Thompson’s MacTaggert lecture, the contents of which have been reviewed by Paul Goodman at Con Home. You can watch Hunt here. He’s becoming as… Continue reading
15 CommentsDisquiet at the Beeb
Well, well, it seems like there’s some internal disgruntlement about the changes at the Beeb. We’ve been forwarded this image of a message which has appeared on screens across Television… Continue reading
30 CommentsDemocracy in the BBC
What is that quote at the end of King Lear? I think it is something like “the wheel has come full circle”. I felt a sense of that wheel with… Continue reading
41 CommentsMiliband’s Big Society
Paul Waugh has already noted David Miliband and Tessa Jowell’s proposal to turn the BBC into a co-op. But the language they use to outline the idea is striking in… Continue reading
30 CommentsGove kills two birds with one stone
Michael Gove may be a pip-squeak but he has an imperious voice and that formidable quality of both sounding and being enormously clever. With a faint note of arrogance, he… Continue reading
30 CommentsThe BBC’s stay of execution
Auntie has been warned, and in no uncertain terms. Jeremy Hunt, the innocuous-looking Culture Secretary, has used an interview with the Telegraph to threaten the BBC. He said: ‘There is… Continue reading
50 CommentsThe BBC and other Great British Anachronisms
I suspect Rod Liddle’s analysis of the BBC and, more especially still, the mentality of its top brass is acute and persuasive: My suspicion is that it will become increasingly… Continue reading
25 CommentsIf the BBC won’t cut costs, then Hunt must
From a completely selfish standpoint, I’m pleased that the BBC has saved 6Music. The decision does, however, raise a pertinent question: why is one of the public sector’s mammoth institutions… Continue reading
34 CommentsNew Politics, Same Old Media
When Jeremy Paxman grilled Danny Alexander on Newsnight yesterday he spent most of his time on politics, not economics. Fair enough. That’s what the media does and one wouldn’t expect… Continue reading
12 CommentsAnnals of Dismal Punditry: World Cup Edition
One of the stranger aspects of watching World Cup coverage in the United States is ESPN’s choice of colour commentator and studio analyst. Who knew that what this tournament really… Continue reading
14 CommentsWas last night’s Question Time a preview of how the coalition will deal with the media?
All kinds of hoohah about last night’s Question Time, for which Downing St refused to put up a panellist because of Alastair Campbell’s involvement. If he was replaced with a… Continue reading
94 CommentsCameron’s public debate with his backbenchers
So, did Cameron say anything particularly noteworthy during his interview on the Today programme? In truth, not really. Most of the answers were of the "let’s wait and see what… Continue reading
31 CommentsPaxman vs Wales
Not a great showing by Jeremy Paxman last night as he wrestled with a Welshman* (who seemed to be named after an Icelandic volcano) and lost. And it wasn’t even… Continue reading
13 CommentsBrown’s mindset on full display
Labour high command will be very satisfied with Brown’s performance on Marr this morning. There was far less of the tetchiness that we usually see from Brown in interviews and… Continue reading
31 CommentsCameron defends his spending cuts – and suggests there won’t be more before the election
Want some more David Cameron? Well, the Tories are happy to oblige. After their party leader’s speech yesterday, he is interviewed in the FT and appeared on the Today programme… Continue reading
36 CommentsByers, Hewitt and Hoon suspended from the Labour party…
…according to the Beeb just now. And if you watched tonight’s Dispatches programme, you’ll know exactly why. Nick Robinson comments that the "Labour leadership" will delight in "taking revenge" on… Continue reading
4 CommentsHow the televised leaders’ debates will work
The various parties involved in the televised leaders’ debate have finally come to an agreement on how they will work. You can read full details here, courtesy of Sky. But… Continue reading
23 CommentsBring Back Party Animals
Apart from the odd terrorist plot and the beginning of an already very nasty election campaign, nothing much has happened in my absence! Yes I had a nice Christmas and… Continue reading
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