MGEITF: Issues facing the new BBC DG
The first day of the MediaGuardian Edinburgh International Television Festival (MGEITF) saw a heavyweight panel discuss the future challenges facing the BBC and its new director general (DG), George Entwistle.
However, the first question from chair Steve Hewlett was: “What is the outgoing DG Mark Thompson’s legacy?” Former DG Greg Dyke (pictured) replied: “He has done a good job and his judgement around the main themes and issues during his tenure have been correct.”
Dyke went on to say that the BBC iPlayer was in the pipeline before Thompson took over – an idea Ashley Highfield (now CEO at Johnston press) first presented to him. Although he praised Thompson for doing a good job in the implementation of the on-demand service.
Dyke talked about the Olympics and what a great moment they were for the BBC: “They summed up all that is good about the BBC”. The former DG was also keen to tell the audience that, in his opinion, “some of the main opponents of the BBC, such as Murdoch and the Daily Mail are now damaged goods”.
The BBC’s move to Salford is positive, according to Andy Harries, chief executive of Left Bank Pictures. The regionality of the BBC was a deemed a strength by the panel and something that should be built upon further.
The panel also agreed that Thompson would be remembered for the licence fee settlement and the digital switchover. Dyke is concerned that when taking into account inflation the current licence fee deal means that the BBC has less and less money. Lorraine Heggessey, the former controller of BBC One who now chairs Boom Pictures, said that “programming will suffer as reduced budgets have an impact”. When asked whether there were further efficiencies the BBC could make, Dyke chipped in – “there are always better ways of doing things”.
The panel agreed that there would be increased pressure on the BBC over the coming years and the corporation would be challenged to prove that it is spending its budget effectively. The view was that in real terms the BBC will have a lot less money and it is politically very hard for it to close any services. Dyke believes that “the BBC should create a new argument and ask for more money”.
When asked what pitfalls George Entwistle should watch out for the panel agreed that if you knew what pitfalls were there, then they wouldn’t be pitfalls. However, Heggessey warned: “Beware of the Royals” – as all of the panel had anecdotes where issues around royal coverage had created problems and issues.
A question came from the audience regarding how the BBC would look and operate if Scotland voted for devolution. Later today we are due to hear from first minister Alex Salmond but the view was that the English, Welsh and Northern Ireland Broadcasting Corporation doesn’t quite have the same ring to it.