GEITF 2002: Heggessey Defends Resurgent BBC1
Lorraine Heggessey, controller of BBC1, has hit back at critics who claim the channel is straying from its public service remit in its pursuit of ratings.
Addressing a crowd of senior TV executives at this year’s Guardian Edinburgh International TV Festival, Heggessey passionately rejected recent claims made by chief executive of the Broadcasting Standards Commission, Paul Bolt, who accused the BBC of showing too many programmes that are “humdrum, over-familiar and formulaic” (see BSC Director Criticises BBC Programming).
Bolt reportedly criticised a number of BBC programmes including police drama, Mersey Beat and hospital series, Holby City, saying: “One begins to wonder what really is the point of the BBC bringing this to us. Lets have something a bit different.”
In response to this Heggessey said: “Our commitment to diversity is obvious. Holby City and Mersey Beat are extremely important building blocks for the BBC1 schedule and off the back of these we’ve been able to launch new and often more challenging drama.”
She added: “I don’t think the BBC is failing in its public service duty. We’ve always got new things in the schedule, including significant landmark series. There’s a lot that we do that other broadcasters don’t.”
ITV’s outgoing director of channels, David Liddiment, has been a vociferous critic of the BBC, arguing that it has become too commercially focussed and aggressive in its pursuit of large peak-time audiences. However, Heggessey claims it has been her goal to make the channel as strong as it can be, saying: “I want to be someone who reinvigorates BBC1 and its right that the corporation focuses it energy and creativity on it.”
She added: “I wouldn’t be human if I wasn’t pleased that we beat ITV in the annual ratings. It showed that BBC1 is a force to be reckoned with. Ratings are all well and good, but they’re just part of the equation.”
Heggessey said she would continue to commission diverse and challenging drama in an attempt to ensure that BBC1 becomes and “rich and vibrant” channel for the twenty first century.
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Reports on this year’s Guardian Edinburgh International TV Festival will appear on NewsLine throughout the week.