BBC English Regions boss explains ‘challenging times’

Posted on March 11, 2011 by dawnriser

http://m.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/mar/11/bbc-local-radio?cat=media&type=arti…

David Holdsworth tells radio staff that ‘challenging’ times lie ahead as union attacks plan to cut much of local output

David Holdsworth: said the BBC was undertaking a ‘fundamental reassessment’. Photograph: BBC

John Plunkett

guardian.co.uk, Fri 11 Mar 2011 12.45 GMT

The executive in charge of the BBC’s English regional output has warned staff they need to be “realistic” about how the corporation will cope with swingeing budget cuts after plans were revealed to cut much of its local radio output.

I’m sure David will do all he can to maintain his services, but speculation like this can start a process that’s hard to stop. There are plenty of vultures in the big budget departments at the BBC who be only too happy to discard Local Radio to preserve their empire. It’ll be a tough fight, but winnable.

BBC may replace local radio with 5 Live broadcasts | Media | The Guardian

Posted on March 11, 2011 by dawnriser

via guardian.co.uk

As far as I can tell this is one of many proposals being put forward to Mark Thompson as the BBC struggles to save money.
In my area the BBC is experimenting with a shared afternoon show. The presenter is excellent and they are doing their best to gather content from around the entire Yorkshire region. But however competent it may be it doesn’t feel like a programme for me and my city – it comes from somewhere else.
Merging Local Radio and 5Live is a bit incongruous and probably wouldn’t work – or even happen. But it’s not far from a national sustaining service which local stations can opt in and out of at will. It’s a dangerous step for local communities. Their local BBC station gives a voice to people who would otherwise be unable to influence opinion or express their views. As soon as the airtime is narrowed to two news slots a day – other broadcasting goes out of the window. Community action wouldn’t get a look in.
The BBC should squash this idea as soon as it’s presented at the DG’s desk. You either have local radio or you don’t – there are no half measures. No one will own it and it will swerve to rot in no time at all.
My friend Emma Gilliam, now a lecturer at The School of Journalism in Cardiff – (we were both BBC local radio Editors) – is updating her blog on this subject. Emma refers to Bill Rogers’ blog

More here on Radio Today

Lets start the campaign now to save BBC Local Radio …….

If only ……..

Posted on March 4, 2011 by dawnriser

via ipayroadtax.com

Mind Cymru – online launch of Digital Stories | Mind

Posted on March 3, 2011 by dawnriser

To coincide with St David???s Day, Mind Cymru has launched three digital stories, showing the experience of people living with mental distress in Wales.

via mind.org.uk

Three amazing stories on the Mind Cymru website giving a real insight into living with a mental illness.

Is there any hope for the dinosaur …..

Posted on February 2, 2011 by dawnriser

Poor Jeremy thinks it’s the daily email that’s facing extinction or is he just failing to embrace the future?

Before you say that email is also the past it seems clear to me that as far as Jeremy is concerned there’s just live television. Nothing else matters.

BBC Daily E-mail Other e-mail newsletters

Wednesday 2 February 2011 at 10.30pm on BBC Two

Presented by Jeremy Paxman

Good morning. And good afternoon. Or possibly, good evening.

Welcome to positively the last Newsnight daily email. The time has come to put this exercise in fatuousness out of its misery.

It gives me no pleasure to say that it should have happened years ago. Actually, I lie. There is more joy in heaven, etc, etc.

The reason for killing it off is pretty straightforward. It’s crap.

Conscientious readers may have noticed that Monday’s email this week was actually promoting a programme which went out last week. A carrier pigeon would have been quicker.

The daily email was dreamed up – like so many other utterly brilliant initiatives (anyone recall the Newsnight podcast, for people who preferred their television without pictures?) – by visionary senior management at the BBC.

For a while we even sent out a morning email, as well, detailing the mental anguish of the editor on duty that day, and soliciting suggestions as to what people would like to see on air that evening. This, too, often arrived after the show had been broadcast.

Like a dodgy plumber skulking away from a flooded bathroom, those responsible are blaming the tools of their trade. In this case, they’re right. The piece of kit (the “gizmo”, to give it its technical name) which sends out the email is completely useless and we can’t afford to fix it.

But fear not. There are other, thrilling ways to make sure you’re not pleasurably surprised when the programme goes on air. The fascinating blog on the Newsnight website is updated every day, and we’re also on Twitter andFacebook.

Alternatively, you could just switch on your television to BBC Two at 10.30pm.

So, farewell daily email. And a Happy New Year, Merry Christmas, Easter and Millennium Eve to all our viewers.

Jeremy Paxman

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