September 27, 2016 – 6:39 PM
Charlotte Higgins ran an article in the Guardian on the 24th September 2016, saying that after 70 years Radio 3 needs a rethink . The rethink, whereby composers would be put in charge, reminded me of a rearguard heroically defending a lost cause. The BBC gave us the iplayer internet streaming catchup service and yet is […]
On the 28th August 2015 I wrote to the BBC regarding the lack of diversity in the music programming of the Proms. My complaint was: “It was impossible to glean Tony Halls contact details from the BBC website but the BBC Trust was more transparent. The BBC publicity states “While the Proms celebrates its 120th […]
October 10, 2015 – 8:10 PM
The current BBC charter is set to expire at the end of 2016 and the Department for Culture Media and Sport (DCMS) is carrying out a fundamental review of the BBC. To assist this review the DCMS has published BBC Charter Review – Public Consultation. The BBC has responded with the first in a series […]
With regard to the article “Hundreds of jobs to go at a leaner and simpler BBC” (Jane Martinson).The BBC is bounded by the rationality of being a public sector organisation and needs to think beyond the license fee and the vendetta of MPs fuelled by a dotty ideology from the School of Murdoch. The BBC could devolve Radios 1, 2 […]
There was an article in The Guardian (24.04.15) on the BBC Proms. Martin Kettle looks for a critical angle for the proms each year and every year he fails . Perhaps Martin Kettle, Alan Davey and the BBC live in a different universe to me. The BBC publicity states “While the Proms celebrates its 120th year […]
October 7, 2014 – 6:39 PM
Nick Cohen wrote an article in the Observer on the 14th September 2014 regarding “The privileged few are tightening their grip on the arts”. My letter was published in the Observer the following week and is reproduced below.
December 16, 2012 – 5:51 PM
Any one witnessing the recruitment of the Director General at the BBC would have thought the pantomime season had started earlier than usual. When George Entwistle was appointed at a annual salary of £450,000, Lord Patten said “George is a creative leader for a creative organisation”. Alas events the grave and the past were his undoing , that, […]
October 21, 2012 – 7:39 PM
Mr Gove motivates 12 year olds by telling them their qualifications are worthless. I often wonder what drives politicians who cherish the dotty idea that the past is somehow a golden age. They always remind me of the relative who hits the Wincarnis Tonic Wine before lunch. Mr Gove’s well worn notions that have failed the test of time, will like, the […]
September 30, 2012 – 7:37 PM
In December 2009 I was plagued with correspondence from TV licensing. TV licensing used to be handled by the BBC and is now outsourced to the Capita Group. To say the Capita Group and their employees were coy about revealing this fact to me is an understatement. The correspondence starts with receipt of a communication telling me […]
September 30, 2012 – 7:35 PM
I wrote to the Chief Executive of the Capita Group and then the BBC. The way these companies operate is unique; annoying, frustrating and vexatious but unique. The company responsible for this episode washes its hands of the entire matter by referring me to the BBC. What a marvelous position to be in – making money with out responsibility. The other information […]