18·08·09 Week 33 explore.gateway.bbc.co.uk/ariel photograph:steve gibson photograph:steve THE BBC NEWSPAPER Seetha Kumar hosts online’s first open day a Page 6
Rain rain go away...
The odd downpour ◆ didn’t dampen the spirits of presenter Lauren Laverne and the rest of The Culture Show team, in Edinburgh for three specials from the festival. Programme highlights include comic Arthur Smith touring the city on a leopard print motorised sofa. Feature, Page 5
> NEED TO KNOW 2 TECHNOLOGY 6 OPINION 10 MAIL 11 JOBS 14 GREEN ROOM 16 < 162 News aa 00·00·08 18·08·09 NEED TO KNOW the week’s essentials NEWS BITES a Ashley Blake, Fresh incentive to saddle up presenter of Midlands Today and Inside Out, Room 2316, White City u It’s pedal power at the BBC with around has been sacked 201 Wood Lane, London W12 7TS 200 staff signing up each quarter for the cycle to by the BBC after 020 8008 4228 work scheme – a figure that could well rise with Birmingham Managing Editor the selection of a new provider. Crown Court Stephen James-Yeoman 02-84222 As we report on page 4, the independent com- found him guilty Deputy editors pany Cyclescheme is to take over from Halfords of wounding and next month. attempting to pervert the course of Sally Hillier 02-26877 Cycle to work is a national initiative designed justice. The judge told him it was Cathy Loughran 02-27360 to promote healthier journeys to work and re- ‘almost inevitable’ he would be jailed Features editor duce environmental pollution as part of the Gov- for attacking a youth and later altering Clare Bolt 02-27445 ernment’s Green Transport Plan. his statement about the incident to Reporters The scheme evolved from the 1999 Finance police. Blake was remanded on bail Laura Scarrott 02-84224 Act, which enabled employers to loan cycles and and will be sentenced on September 2. Peggy Walker 01-43940 cyclists’ safety equipment to employees as a tax- Production editor free benefit, so reducing the cost of the bike. The Last Night Of The Proms on Claire Barrett 02-27368 The BBC introduced cycle to work in the September 12 will be broadcast Art editor spring of 2007 but initially, for administrative live to cinemas around the world, Ken Sinyard 02-84229 reasons, restricted the sign-up period to just thanks to a deal agreed between one month each year: miss that and you had to BBC Worldwide and distributors By Ariel online wait 12 months for another chance. Experience and Supervision Media. Alex Goodey 02-27410 Now though the window is open four times Business co-ordinator a year – in December, March, June and Septem- Lulu, American star Chaka Khan and Silvana Romana 02-84228 ber – through myChoices. Jodie Prenger, winner of BBC One’s Ariel mail A requirement of the scheme is that the bike I’d Do Anything, are among the artists [email protected] should be used mainly for commuting to work, who will perform at the Abba tribute Ariel online explore.gateway.bbc.uk/ariel or part journeys such as to the station, or for concert in Hyde Park on Septemer 13, journeys between one workplace and another. presented on Radio 2 by Chris Evans. The bike can be used for leisure purposes, but was the first Western pre-school children’s pro- Guest contributors this week its principal purpose must be work-related. gramme to appear on national tv in China. Pro- Efo Kodjo Mawugbe from Ghana duction ceased in 2001, after 365 episodes – ‘one and Erin Browne from the US won robin morley, social media lead u The Teletubbies are back for a dance tour for each day of the year’– had been made. the two top prizes in a playwriting for English regions, explains how to of the nation’s shopping centres, but have they competition run by World Service twitter effectively at work. P8-9 ever really been away? With Worldwide’s long- u Last week’s water cooler talk was all and the British Council. Writers running magazine and an array of toys still in about, well, water coolers after the press report- from India, Romania, Georgia and amber dawson, broadcast production, the colourful foursome are now so ed the cost of keeping BBC employees topped up Australia received special prizes. journalist, writes of her experiences firmly embedded in the national consciousness with the clear stuff. at the ‘coalface’, working in the UGC that it’s easy to forget the controversy that sur- But a few key facts and figures went largely Peter Andre and Neville Hendricks, (user generated content) Hub. P14 rounded the programme on its debut in 1997. unreported. Did you know, for example, that the exec producer of Katie & Peter: The Next The Teletubbies’ limited vocabulary lead to provision of drinking water to staff is a statutory Chapter Stateside, will offer their insight accusations of inanity and teaching children to requirement under the Workplace Health, Safety into the making of ITV’s fly-on-the- speak incorrectly, while growing speculation and Welfare Regulations 1992? wall series at the Media Guardian BBC Jobs 0370 333 1330 over the sexuality of the handbag-wielding pur- The BBC occupies more than 200 buildings Edinburgh International Television Jobs textphone 028 9032 8478 ple Teletubby prompted the BBC to issue the in the UK employing around 22,000 staff, and Festival between August 28-30. BBC Jobs John Clarke 02-27143 statement ‘Tinky Winky is simply a sweet, tech- the preference is to offer a plumbed in drinking Room 2120, White City, London W12 7TS nological baby with a magic bag.’ This did noth- water supply if possible. BBC Two’s coverage of the World Advertise in Ariel ing to dent the show’s burgeoning popularity, ‘Only in buildings where such facilities do not Athletics Championships in Berlin Ten Alps Publishing 020 7878 2314 particularly among students who contended it exist and cannot readily be installed do we make attracted a peak audience of 5.2 www.bbcarielads.com was so psychedelic it must have been made ‘un- available water dispensers,’ says the environment million on Sunday. Highlights der the influence’. project team. were Usain Bolt’s world record Printing Shrugging off these early issues, Teletubbies ‘Our reliance on water dispensers will contin- breaking 100m and Jessica Ennis Garnett Dickinson Group went on to be seen by millions of children in ue to decrease as we refurbish our offices or move winning the heptathlon. Rotherham 01709 768000 120 countries, translated into 45 languages, and to more modern buildings.’ Ariel View, Page 10 Subscribe to Ariel Six months: £26, £36, £40 Twelve months: £50, £60, £68 entertains the crowds on bus tour (prices for UK, Europe, rest of world Radio merseyside respectively) by Andy Ball On the road: Andy Ball meets Cheques to: Garnett Dickinson Print, ‘Miss Balloonatic’ Brookfields Way, Manvers, Five o’clock on an August morning and Wath Upon Dearne, Rotherham S63 5DL there’s a drizzly haze over the River Mersey as signer outlet village where we’re Tel 01709 768199 the All-England BBC Bus pulls up for the first given a compound to highlight INFORMATION IN AN EMERGENCY day of the Radio Merseyside summer tour. the BBC’s work. We verge on Telephone 0800 0688 159 Not an auspicious start to a 12-day operation hysteria though as the first Ceefax Page 159 www.bbc.co.uk/159 to take the station into the community. guests on the Sean Styles show Co-presenter Claire Minter arrives for the – the singers and dancers of the Ariel is produced by Internal breakfast show and miraculously the clouds Mighty Zulu Nation, playing at Communications for people at the BBC roll away. Even more surprisingly visitors come nearby Chester Zoo – launch into for presenter cards and autographs before 7am! their act. So enthusiastic are Commuters using the Mersey ferries also they that they do their entire 30 come on board to ask us about digital switch- minute routine. Great for shop- over, which happens in November. pers, but a battle for Sean who has At 9am we leave the bus to go live onboard daunted we crack on and welcome our first to cut away to continue the rest of the show. a ferry with the skipper, as the sun starts to youngsters to the bus. We’re using software to The tour includes waterfont locations, su- PLEASE RECYCLE YOUR COPY OF ARIEL stream down. Perhaps typically, while the sat allow them to record a radio bulletin or jin- permarket car parks and the Southport Flower dish has beamed our stuff 35,000 kilometres gle and then burn it onto cd for them. Show. We love using the BBC Bus.It’s a great tool into space and back in perfect quality, our usu- You’d be surprised how grateful parents and and shows that our listeners really can be part ally trusty analogue link doesn’t behave well, grandparents are that we’ve occupied their lit- of local radio. even though at all times we could see the re- tle darlings for even a short while. Andy Ball is an sbj with Radio Merseyside ceiver point on top of Liverpool Cathedral. Un- The tour continues at the Cheshire Oaks de- Local radio hits the ‘hot spots’, Page 10
> ARIEL ONLINE: BBC NEWS AS IT HAPPENS – EXPLORE.GATEWAY.BBC.CO.UK/ARIEL< a 18·08·09 News 3
BBC Newsline’s Julian On a high Fowler looks back on his experience on board the Europa during the Tall Ships after thrilling Atlantic Challenge from Canada to Belfast assignment
I ‘ve been a reporter in Northern Ireland broadcast live for BBC Newsline and Radio Ulster of the storms with wind lashing the rigging and imagination. Since returning to shore I have been for more than 10 years and would never have from the mid-Atlantic, the culmination of much waves crashing across the deck were all very stopped dozens of times by people asking: ‘Are expected the sight of an island to have me fight- hard work by many people behind the scenes dramatic. you the boy off the tall ships?’ Everyone, it seems, ing back the tears. But after 18 days aboard Eu- (special thanks to Stephen Beattie and Angus People could follow the adventure on radio, is talking about it, and our coverage has allowed ropa travelling almost 3000 nautical miles and Millar in Belfast and Keith Wood at TVC). online and Twitter. I have had comments posted them to share the experience. battling an Atlantic storm and gale force winds, The quality of the pictures sent by quick on my BBC Newsline blog from all over the world People have been lining the quayside to visit seeing the familiar Irish coastline was an emo- link live exceeded all expectations. The link - one of the crew told me that for the first time the ships - some queued for an hour and a half to tional moment. We had sailed across the Atlantic. sometimes went down, but that just seemed his family now appreciates what he does. come aboard Europa. It is strange being back, and As well as documenting the journey, I was a to add to the drama. I also sent back edited tv Sailing a square rigger across the Atlantic being the centre of so much attention. I’m glad to part of the crew, learning the ropes and carrying reports using store and forward. The view from was a once in a lifetime experience and it re- have been a part of it, but I’ll be sticking to shore out watch duties at the helm and on lookout. I the crow’s nest 100 feet above deck, footage ally seems to have captured the audience’s duties for a while. What Travel title makes strong Ringo debut in tough market told Paul Rare footage of The Beatles in the studio forms part of a sea- by Steve Hawkes tor of the overall magazine market, a restructuring, which will result in at Gardeners’ World, at 266,179, is the son celebrating the band on which is up 36 percent compared to least 30 post closures by the end of the 14th. BBC History magazine record- BBC Two and BBC Four. The recession is having an impact at BBC the same time last year. summer. ed a 9.15 percentage rise to an aver- Beatles Week starts on Sep- Magazines, which saw sales fell by seven Other good news includes the con- Ben Preston, executive editor at the age sales figure of 63,888 a month, tember 5 with an evening of percent in the first half of this year. tinuing success of Top Gear which, in Independent, is shortly to take up the while quality food title Olive was up programming on BBC Two. Radio Times, Gardeners’ World and a shrinking sector for men’s lifestyle ti- editorship of Radio Times, whose cir- 1.08 percent to 86,117. The Beatles on Record, which in- Good Food all lost sales compared with tles, stayed stable with sales of 200,761 culation has dropped 4.4 percent, to The children’s sector remains cludes never before heard out- the same period last year, while mod- a month, increasing its market share below one million a month. troubled. Sales of weekly magazine takes of conversations from est rises were recorded for Olive and to more than 37 percent. The listings sector of the maga- Dr Who Adventures dropped from Abbey Road, will be followed History magazines. The latest period surveyed, from Jan- zines market is down 5.82 percent 93,741 to 56,986; In the Night Garden by The Beatles: The First US Visit. Despite a relatively high £3.50 cover uary to June 2009, was one of upheav- overall, though. And Radio Times has went down from 103,664 to 80,334; BBC Four’s offering in- price, the BBC’s new travel title Lone- al for BBC Magazines – the UK’s fourth increased its share to 21.36 percent, CBeebies Weekly from 61,587 to cludes Storyville: How the Beatles ly Planet, which launched in Decem- largest consumer magazine publisher. or 56.39 percent of the ‘premium’ list- 48,509; Bob the Builder from 54,557 Rocked the Kremlin, which tells ber, recorded debut figures of 40,702 Three of its children’s titles – ings market, which excludes titles to 48,224; Top of the Pops from the story of how the band’s a month – 16,067 of which were sub- Tweenies, Balamory and Amy – closed with a significantly lower cover price. 130,174 to 119,739. music may have contributed scriptions. Overall BBC Magazines in March. April saw the sale of loss- Gardeners’ World ‘All publishers faced a very tough to the collapse of the USSR, subscriptions rose – up 15.82 percent, making title Good dropped 12.33 per- trading environment in the first half and Sings Beatles, a compila- to 762,750. Homes, whose circu- cent and Good Food of this year, and BBC Magazines is no tion of archive footage featur- Earlier this year the commons cul- lation had dropped 4.97 percent – but cir- exception,’ said Peter Phippen. ing artists that have covered ture committee was highly critical of by 20 percent in the culation falls across ‘However I am very pleased with The Beatles songs. Worldwide’s acquisition of the Lonely period July to Decem- the industry mean the performance of several of our George Entwistle, con- Planet brand, claiming it would hurt ber 2008. Good Food, which titles which have bucked the trend troller knowledge commis- similar rival titles. And in May, Peter sold 323,171 copies with strong results – including a solid sioning, says the season is ‘a But its impressive debut in the ABC Phippen, managing a month, is now the debut from Lonely Planet magazine – chance for viewers to enjoy (Audit Bureau of Circulations) fig- director of BBC Maga- eighth most popular demonstrating that readers recognise some fascinating insights into ures suggest that Lonely Planet has zines, a division of BBC paid-for monthly in the quality, distinctiveness and value the career of the greatest pop brought new readers to the travel sec- Worldwide, announced the country, while of our brands.’ group of all time’.
4 News a 18·08·09 New provider Bankers back Arlene gets cycle steps up She might have lost contract in business – for her place as a judge on Strictly Come The BBC has awarded its cycle-to-work contract Dancing - but the to Cyclescheme, who will take over from Hal- government has fords, the current provider, in September. found a new role Cyclescheme, selected following a formal tv documentary for Arlene Phillips. tender process, focuses its business entirely on The choreogra- cycle-to-work initiatives and operates through pher has been hired a network of more than 1,400 independent by Claire Barrett shoppers are choosing cheap- people who, on the face of to lead the nation in bike shops for more than 9,000 organisations. er food options. it, seemed to be on ‘opposite a bid to increase ‘The new scheme will provide BBC em- A documentary to be shown The pair try everything sides’ to debate the issues and levels of physical ployees with the widest choice of cycle out- on BBC One next week will from making beds to milking learn from each other’s expe- activity. lets that should appeal to everyone from tackle the recession from a cows, working alongside those riences.’ The UK is cur- the novice to the enthusiast, allowing them slightly unconventional angle whose livelihoods are at risk She adds: ‘The people at the rently languish- to shop around if they wish,’ says Anneke – putting former bankers into because of the City’s reckless- businesses wanted the bank- ing in the bottom Heaton, reward manager, BBC people. small struggling businesses. ness. As well as trying to win ers to see with their own eyes third of the Euro- Under the scheme, UK-based BBC employ- Former hedge fund ana- over some potentially hostile how the recession had affect- pean fitness league, ees on permanent contracts and those on lyst Griselda learns the ropes colleagues, Griselda and Amit ed people outside the Square studies suggest. fixed-term contracts with at least 12 months in a Blackpool hotel that has use their business skills in at- Mile. But there was also the And ministers to run can choose a bike with a minimum been losing guests to the cred- tempts to revive the flagging hope that the bankers, with hope Phillips, who is value of £150 to a maximum of £1,000. it crunch, while Amit, who re- enterprises. their experience of doing busi- already being dubbed By ‘swapping’ part of their salary for the signed after feeling unchal- ‘We wanted to explore the ness at a multi-million pound the ‘dancing tsar’, cycle-to-work benefit, in effect receiving a re- lenged when the recession issues that had come out of level, might be able to bring can encourage more peo- duced salary, savings are made on tax and stopped his bank doing high the credit crunch in a more some of that know-how to bear ple to exercise. national insurance, so significantly cutting risk deals, spends the week personal way,’ reasons exec on a small business.’ She told the BBC she the cost of the bike. with an organic dairy produc- producer Catherine Welton. Can You Bank on Me? wanted to make dance class- Enrolment for the scheme is open be- er. Here, sales have slowed as ‘And we were keen to bring BBC One, August 24 es more accessible. tween September 1–30 through myChoices. ‘I always try to get peo- Details of potential savings and bike ple to dance through a love stores can be found at www.cyclescheme. of music – whatever music co.uk/bbc. they love there’s a dance to it, even if it’s just jump- Top of the morning ing up and down and head- Karen Patterson and Mark Carruthers will join gramme Evening Extra. banging.’ Conor Bradford on Radio Ulster’s revamped David Dunseith will front the weekend news Meanwhile, the BBC has Blast bursaries breakfast news programme Seven Days. announced that it is to drop programme, Good Peter Johnston, director of its Sunday night Strictly Come Blast, the BBC’s creative learning resource for Morning Ulster, Northern Ireland, said that the Dancing results programme young people, has teamed up with Bafta to offer from August 31. changes were to ensure contin- and run an extended show eight 16 to 19-year-olds bursaries worth £3,000. In other chang- ued ‘high quality news and cur- on Saturdays. Designed for those interested in television es at the station, rent affairs programmes’. The show has abandoned production, the eight recipients will work Wendy Aus- He explained: ‘We the format of the past two with the BBC or an external production com- tin will host hope that giving new years, in which a pre-re- pany to produce a piece of work that will be the inter- voices to these pro- corded results show, com- shown on BBC Two. Four of these will then be active, Sony grammes will en- plete with dance-off, was nominated for a Screen Skills award, with the award win- hance our listen- screened on Sundays. winner announced at the Bafta Craft Awards ning Talkback ers’ experience of The new series of Strictly in May 2010. programme them.’ starts next month with two There are four entry categories – editor, every week- special Friday night launch scriptwriter, composer and director of photog- day and Sea- Team work: shows, but will switch to raphy – and applicants are asked to upload an mus McKee Conor Bradford, Saturdays from then on. original video on the Blast website by Septem- will present Karen Patterson The BBC says it wants to ber 30. For more information visit www.bbc. the drive- and Mark make it an ‘unmissable tele- co.uk/blast. time news pro- Carrutherss vision event’ this autumn. voices: Legacy of language project lives on
by Philippa Law Paul From Radio Newcastle’s Fraudie ularly. Amost everyone in the room had a story O’Gorman to Geordie, to BBC Four’s Pronuncia- to tell about how they were using Voices materi- ‘I’m quite shocked at the horrible things peo- of Radio tion Night, colleagues from all over al to enthuse a new generation about language ple find to say about each other,’ admitted Ann Lancashire the BBC helped put Voices on air. in the UK. Thompson, PhD student at the University of interviews Having worked on Voices, I was The project also has a personal legacy for me, Leeds. ‘The phrase ‘A face like a…’ is especially a bilingual delighted to be invited to take part as I’ve been inspired to leave the BBC to start a productive,’ she added with relish, before reel- family in in the International Conference on linguistics PhD of my own. ing off a list of unsavoury similes. Blackburn as the Linguistics of Contemporary I’m going to research audience engagement Thompson was speaking at a linguistics confer- part of English in London in July, and over with media in languages other than English. I’m ence, presenting her analysis of the many words the Voices the moon to discover how well-re- looking for BBC departments to collaborate on for ‘unattractive’ submitted by the public to the initiative garded the project still is. the project. It’s an opportunity to ask in-depth BBC Voices website. Our primary aim had been to questions about minority language broadcast- The online survey of dialect and slang words Her research is just part of the legacy of the create fantastic content for audi- ing and gather concrete evidence about what attracted more than 30,000 submissions from the Voices project, which was run by BBC Wales New Me- ences, but the conference highlighted the endur- works for our audiences. public. Thompson is now mapping the geograph- dia. Voices presented a snapshot of the many ways we ing value of the Voices project, well beyond our If you produce content in another language ical distribution of some of those terms, such as speak and culminated in a successful week of output original ambitions. – from Gaelic to British Sign Language – and ‘twag’, ‘dog’ and ‘nick off’ for ‘play truant’ and about the languages, accents and dialects of Academics and teachers were itching to point would like to find out more about engaging your ‘kaylied’, ‘blootered’ and ‘stocious’ for ‘drunk’. the UK in August 2005. out that they still use the BBC Voices website reg- audience, email me: [email protected]. a 18·08·09 Features 5 PHOTOGRAPHs: S PHOTOGRAPHs: TEPHEN GIB TEPHEN S Show spotting ON
That’s the shot I’m after: camera operator Shu Lorimer at work in Edinburgh’s Pleasance courtyard where a set has been purpose built
witchcraft in Scotland. their real-time tweets for fans. ‘Out The Culture Show has decamped to Executive producer Edward Mor- filming Arthur Smith on a motor- gan isn’t interested in concepts ised leopard skin sofa, interview- Edinburgh for three specials from the of high or low art. ‘The question ing special guests...if you’re in Ed- is, is it any good?’ he asks firm- inburgh keep look out,’ tweets Festival. Peggy Walker pays a visit ly. ‘The show can be a challeng- producer Pauline Law. ‘We’re all ing watch, but I think people can old hands now but there might be The sun is shining as the taxi as- ‘The hard part is choosing what cope with going from Rembrandt viewers who don’t get what the fes- cends Edinburgh’s steep and curv- we cover,’ explains series producer to Robbie Williams.’ tival is all about.’ ing roads, steering a path through Graham Mitchell. ‘It’s partly down to A set has been built in the city’s The ‘old hands’ work non-stop streets packed with festival fans, past word of mouth – sending crew mem- Pleasance courtyard, the biggest on the specials for about a month. a group of girls who have donned red bers out to shows and gauging what venue at the Fringe. A lilac sofa and The Culture Show is made in both bikinis and painted themselves head the press is talking about. But we orange padded footstool, on loan London and Glasgow, but – for ge- to toe in white, perhaps in a patriotic need to be really quick off the mark from a furniture shop, perch on top ographical ease – the Glasgow team gesture to St George. spotting what the big shows are.’ of a purple wooden stage. Presenter is responsible for the Edinburgh cov- The Culture Show has decamped to a The first edition from the festival Lauren Laverne casts a sceptical eye erage. The team share flats for the du- small, rented office in nearby George featured a collection of 130 works of around. ‘It’s a bit like being in a DFS ration of the festival, an experience Street to plan its three specials from art by Spanish masters and British showroom,’ she quips, before her that series producer Mitchell de- the Edinburgh Festival. It is also look- artists, inspired by Spain. links are interrupted by rain. ‘Film- There is no scribes politely as ‘intense’. ‘ ing to expose itself – though less to This week, the programme goes ing outside in Scotland, you run that ‘Thankfully everyone works well to- the weather and more to the wealth behind the scenes of Faust – a spec- risk, even in summer,’ says Mitchell shortage gether, but when we’re finished we do of theatre, comedy and music on tacle involving more than 100 per- gloomily, as tarpaulins are quickly all go off to detox from one another.’ offer. At the world’s biggest arts formers and musicians – and looks at thrown over the set. of acts to The Edinburgh Festival Show, BBC festival, there’s no shortage of acts to The Last Witch, a theatrical account Rain, reviews, rolling news...none Two, August 19 highlight as the ‘ones to watch’. of the last woman to be executed for goes unmarked, as the team keep up highlight bbc.co.uk/cultureshow Fringe audiences flock to Scott Mills the Musical
‘There’s an incident involving wine early morning presenter on Radio n Presenter Richard Bacon will be at- at an awards show, after which I get As never 1, the musical is ‘not entirely’ based tempting live stand up comedy for the fired and try to get my job back,’ says seen before: on fact. ‘We wanted to take the hu- first time at this year’s festival. On his Scott Mills, recalling a scene from his ‘Scott Mills’ mour from the radio show and trans- 5 live programme on Wednesday he past, reimagined for Scott Mills the performs fer it into musical theatre,’ says AP will be mentored by a number of top Musical – the sell-out ‘kitsch master- Becky Huxtable, Mills’s on-air side comedians. Listeners will be able to piece’ currently playing at the Edin- kick, who plays Kylie, Jo Whiley, and take part by suggesting jokes. burgh Fringe. Myleene Klass. The following night Bacon will take Mills’s producer Emlyn Dodd Mills’s Radio 1 show came live from to the stage at the Udderbelly as his wrote the songs, with the help of lis- the fringe last week, fitted in around ten minute stand-up routine is broad- teners, and Mills stars – although not the performances themselves. All cast live. ‘I love the festival and it’s in the title role, which is taken by 19 tickets were free and each show (for about time I found out once and for all year old listener Joe Taylor (Mills him- audiences of more than 300) was a if I am indeed funny,’ he says. Watch self plays David Hasselhoff.) sell out. Watch for yourself: video footage of his performance: Set in 2001, when Scott was the bbc.co.uk/radio1 bbc.co.uk/5 live
6 Features a 18·08·09 Everyone wants cutting to be part of it edge BILL THOMPSON
If you look after a website, make a through that lens,’ she says. So what note to yourself to update it. It’s Seetha Ku- A year ago Seetha wouldn’t the BBC do? ‘Anything that mar’s bête noir... didn’t conform to Reithian values – we Kumar became the don’t do gambling for instance. What we MobileSuccessful tv yet ‘It’s the simple things. Always link, al- ways check what already exists before you do is in keeping with our public purpos- commentary is all in replicate it – they’re core principles,’ she first controller of es and it is about being distinctive.’ says firmly. ‘Sometimes we publish and online. She tells Is the new Strictly Come Dancing site dis- to takethe research, off says forget to update, and it makes our content tinctive? ‘We have to apply the language less relevant.’ Clare Bolt how the of inform, educate and entertain to the Test Match Special As online’s first controller, one of the world of today. What the net can do su- When 3G phonescommentator hit the shops the marketing Simon de - first things she did was to reissue the on- job is shaping up perbly is to leverage the passion people partments at the companies that had paid billions for line publishing principles. She’s also on a feel towards dancing, and help them to licences to operateMann the new fast data networks were mission to demystify bbc.co.uk, focusing unlock it. Isn’t that the purpose of the certain that the two killer applications would be pic- hard on two ‘o’ words – ‘openness’ (more) and why we need BBC?’ ture messaging and video conferencing. and ‘opaque’ (less) – while persuading They were wrong. Phone-to-phone video is still FM&T and the content divisions to work to- a Strictly site Taking them on a journey so rare that I have only ever seen it happen in the gether in a more ‘coherent’ (friendly) way. She’s keen to take online to the next level. street once since 2003, while picture messaging A year into the job, she’s in a position and regulators ‘get an idea of our think- ‘A lot of what we’ve been doing you could took massive improvements in phone cameras and to reflect on what is and isn’t working on- ing’ around news, sport, radio and mu- call critical hygiene,’ she admits. What a radical reappraisal of data charges to take off, and line. ‘When you see big events like the Ol- sic, entertainment and children’s. she wants is better technology, more dy- is still unusual enough that Apple reached version 3 ympics being captured in real time and in ‘The fact that we are doing it is a namic pages and the ability to bring con- of the iPhone OS before implementing it. a very dynamic way, it’s very powerful. And good, useful start,’ she says cautiously. tent ‘to the surface’ by aggregating it in The same sort of unwarranted hype seems to when we pull together, as we did for the ‘We’re taking proactive steps to be more a more sophisticated way (watch out for surround mobile tv, touted by the networks as the Obama inauguration, with the homepage open and transparent about what we do the ‘search plus’ function, coming soon). must-have service for sports fans, news junkies and and mobile updates and the iPlayer, it can in the online space. I know that the BBC Syndicating content will become in- reality tv addicts. Takeup in Japan and South Korea feel really coherent.’ can appear opaque and I wanted to alter creasingly important, although she ad- has been massive, and easy access to Sky Sports, Where we could it be clearer? ‘Well, that perception.’ mits that ‘every time we do something BBC news and Coronation Street would, we were as- sometimes there’s a perception that be- It was also a chance for her to take like syndicating news it pleases some peo- sured, turn a nation of commuters into a whole new cause something has been broadcast, you feedback and answer critics – from the ple and doesn’t please others...’ She’s also market segment which would satisfy enthusiastic have a website and people will just come classic (‘you jump through hoops to get keen to expand the number of outbound advertisers and ratings- to it. Or because a programme is big, we on the preferred suppliers’ list and then clicks from 10m a month, so that the BBC The apparent obsessed executives. should have something of that stature on you can’t find out the commissioning pri- reflects the web, rather than ‘boxing it’ in Although the World the web....and it doesn’t always work.’ orities’) to the question of online’s mar- within bbc.co.uk. ‘Once we spark people’s failure so far Cup in 2006 was sup- For someone who took on the job with ket impact. If bbc.co.uk is delivered free interest we can take them on a journey posed to ‘usher in the little online experience, there’s a lot to take at the point of use, where’s the scope for through our content and to what’s out- should not mobile tv area’ (accord- on board. ‘As with any new role you need to the commercial marketplace? side in the wider web.’ ing to the BBC news live and breathe and shape it,’ she says calm- It’s a question she’s Then there’s the task of creating a con- lead us to website, June 7 2006) it ly. ‘The complexity is challenging and prepared for. ‘The sistent look and feel across the entire site. clearly did not happen in people have huge passions in this BBC exists to ‘You should to be able to see the ethos by dismiss the Europe. Reasons seem to space; everyone wants to be part of serve its public the way it’s laid out, even without the BBC involve a complex inter- the evolution.’ purposes and blocks. It won’t happen overnight and possibilities section of cultural mores, everything there’s no one size fits all, but the design established patterns of Answering the critics we do has philosophy needs a logic.’ media consumption and the diffusion rate of new Last week she hosted on- to be Any ‘significant’ site is now assessed technologies through existing markets. line’s first open day – judged once a year for market impact and to make I don’t know anyone who has watched a single the kind of seasonal sure it fits with the overall online strate- live broadcast of anything, ever, and I suspect you launch that tv chan- gy. And every two years key sites will get don’t either. And iPlayer on a Nokia N96 or iPhone nels throw every ‘MOTs’, ensuring they are fit for purpose. doesn’t count, as it is just a way of doing catchup on quarter – with the ‘Just as in the linear world, you look back the move. Yet this apparent failure should not lead aim at every programme you make to see what us to dismiss the possibilities for mobile viewing. At of helping bbc. you could have done better, ‘ she explains. this time of rapid technological innovation, the past co.uk’s suppli- ‘I want online to have that same pride and is a very poor predictor of the future – and old fail- ers, partners passion.’ ures may turn out to be tomorrow’s big successes. Tv, radio, print and online are like organisms, each with its own niche in the media ecosystem. As the world changes, the population that can be support- ‘Once we ed by a particular niche also changes, and old forms like newspapers can find their place in the food chain occupied by new media species. spark people’s Old species may become extinct, but they can also change as a result of evolutionary pressure, interest we just as the different sources of food available to finches in the Galapagos Islands led to the evolution can take them of many variants that could no longer interbreed. Mobile television is a new species of finch, similar on a journey’ to but fundamentally incompatible with the old lum- bering tv beast that has dominated the ecosystem for the last 50 years. Perhaps it will succeed when broadcasters treat it as such, rather than trying to persuade it to breed with old-style programming. Bill Thompson is a technology commentator a 18·08·09 Features 7 photograph: A photograph: Heard of 21CC but not sure GOR nna
Children D what it is? ON Our Q&A with love coming project manager Sally Briggs, pictured in the here to learn 21CC classroom in White City, I should probably know this, but What about projects outside the should help what is 21CC? classroom? It’s the 21st century classroom. The We just finished Time and Tides. We BBC has two – one in White City and asked three local primary schools one in Salford. The basic idea is to en- to design pods on the banks of the courage the use of new media and Thames, which were built by the Roy- digital technology in teaching and al Institute of British Architects. We learning: we’ve got Macs, interac- then took children from 16 schools tive whiteboards and a screen room and assigned them an attraction on where children can produce films, the river, about which they had to music, animations, podcasts and ra- make a film. They edited the material dio packages. in the 21CC Classroom and that con- tent is now in the pods. How do children get to use it? The schools contact us and we design So – the magic word – partnerships! workshops to tie in with their sylla- Last Easter we ran a project called bus. At the moment we’ve got a six Music for the Eighteen with the Lon- month waiting list. The idea is for don Sinfonietta and the BFI [Brit- the teachers to learn alongside the ish Film Institute]. We were trying children, but we also run specialist to reach young people who were in- teacher workshops. Since opening volved in drugs and crime, through we’ve had 35,000 children through modern classical music, film mak- the doors and we also do work with ing and graphic design. A lot of these community groups. young people had no support from their families, but turned up most Who teaches in the 21CC classroom? days over the two week period and We bring in animators, film directors took part in a performance at the BFI. and radio producers – all people who They learned new skills and acquired work in the industry. The composer so much self belief and confidence. and sound installation artist Dun- can Chapman has worked with us on You also work with special educa- large scale music projects and facili- tional needs (SEN) groups... tated some workshops. It’s about using technology to give young people with disabilities au- Why did you choose Salford for the tonomy over their learning and their new classroom? lives in general. For example, we use We wanted to bring learning to the cheap and readily available kit like north ahead of the main move in games consoles to enable people with 2011. There’s a big focus on digital reduced mobility to take their own education in the region, but a lot of photos, make their own films and teachers aren’t trained to teach it. create their own music. He made good programmes but spied for Russia by Jean Seatter, BBC historian memo, ‘as I understand that The reference also observed When the Cambridge gence for generations and for the Foreign Office are anxious that ‘what he really likes is spies – Burgess, Maclean, Kim the next 30 years, when any- One day in September 1951, to ascertain the whereabouts knocking up and down behind Philby, Anthony Blunt – were one accused BBC staff of being as the Cold War was hotting of Mr. Burgess...’ the scenes of politics’. Burgess discovered, it revealed a rotten ‘pinkos’, Burgess was held up up, some books were handed The Faquharson memo is was certainly a good produc- fault line within the British es- as an example. in to a BBC commissioner with one of a collection of docu- er on The Week in Westminster, tablishment. The secret servic- Among the documents to a note asking that they be re- ments that the BBC archive exploiting his position to work es – unlike the BBC – took no be published by the BBC ar- turned to the library. Written is putting online for the first his way into the confidence of references. British intelligence chive is a note of a difficult off as lost, they had been tak- time, and they paint a tanta- people who had information took them on because as Eto- phone conversation between en out by Guy Burgess – ex-- lising portrait of Burgess dur- that the Soviets wanted. nian, Oxbridge chaps from the BBC and the FO in 1956, foreign office, ex-BBC and the ing his time at the BBC. Louche, hard drinking, di- ‘good’ families they could be with the two sides struggling man who had defected to Rus- His reference from Trinity shevelled, he deftly made him- ‘trusted’. The shock of their to distribute the blame for em- sia with the diplomat and in- College cautions that Burgess self an indispensable insider treachery changed British so- ploying him. telligence official Donald Ma- was a ‘mercurial’ risk taker, in order to betray the system ciety for good, breaking a cor- The hidden world of the clean earlier that year. but one who would make an Traitor: Guy Burgess he lived within. As Frank Gil- rupt patronage system. BBC memo turns out to be as A report of their re-appear- imaginative broadcaster. ‘After lard, war reporter and radio On the way they damaged elusive, intriguing, complex ance swiftly rose through the a period of enthusiastic com- conservatism.’ The writer was, executive, put it: ‘Give him an the institutions they had infil- and riveting as any John Le corporation hierarchy. ‘You munism during his last years of course, oblivious to the fact inch, and the man would grab trated: the FO, the secret servic- Carre novel. Smiley’s people, may wish to pursue this,’ here, he has now, I believe ar- he had been ordered to do so a yard – with every bit of offi- es and the BBC. The Americans it turns out, lived in the BBC. wrote a Mr Faquharson in a rived at some form of left wing by his Russian minder. cial backing he could muster.’ did not trust British intelli- bbc.co.uk/archive 8 9 TRADE SECRETS ONE MILE RADIUS blogbites
Monday week@work AC DC @ Wembley - backstage teamwork ER the real star attraction w to T A few weeks ago I had an opportunity o T IT to attend the AC DC concert at Wembley H W Stadium. I was interested in how Wembley deals with large scale events and if there u What are people saying about your near a major are any insights for how we at Workplace do output? Go to the Twitter homepage, put news event. things. I focused on the end of the show - the your programme or service name in the back of house team at Wembley managed to search box, and find out – in real time. u Got a cope with 60,000+ fans and started stripping question? the soundstage within 5 minutes of the last u Interested in a particular subject? Throw it out to encore! Most of the many tons of rubbish had Search for experts and follow them. your followers been gathered within half an hour. It was a Hey presto - they become your ‘human for unexpected most remarkable example of teamwork and filters’ for the web, flagging up links –and often coordination. and stories you might have missed. illuminating Chris Kane, head of corporate real estate –answers. bbc.co.uk/blogs/spacesandplaces/ u Twitter isn’t just about twitter.com. People love Banksy’s Search online and you’ll find dozens demonstrating u Wendy Fraser, BBC take on Jean- Park Street pop into of different sites (like twitterfall.com) their West A short tree-lined François Millet’s the cathedral for a Tuesday and applications (like Tweetdeck) knowledge of walk down Whiteladies ‘The Gleaners’ lunchtime concert Tuesday’s Quote of the Day which let you access Twitter more even the most obscure subjects. say anything on Twitter which you Road from BBC Bristol during August. On your They’re more suited to Spain than P effectively. wouldn’t say on air. hotography and you can still catch the world way back to the BBC eat a sandwich in Staffordshire - A spokesman for Alton Towers u A tweet is for life. Even if you delete a famous Banksy Exhibition at the Bristol the Cabot Tower gardens overlooking on why it’s banning Speedo-style swimming u More and more people are sending message you’ve sent, other people will u Editorial policy has useful guidelines Museum. A few steps more and the the whole of Bristol or drop into the trunks. The theme park in Staffordshire out their exact location as they tweet undoubtedly have received and stored on BBC use of social networking sites. recently cleaned Wills Tower of the newly converted Victorian solar is banning all types of tight swimming : S
(using devices such as the iPhone or it. So be careful what you say. Read and inwardly digest! F ue University of Bristol stands proud. powered lido for coffee or lunch by trunks on grounds of taste. “To prevent
Nokia N97). This means you can use a http://bit.ly/edpolsm oll Harry Patch worked on the tower in the pool. Ancient and modern – embarrassment among fellow members of tool like Twitterlocal (twitterlocal.net) u Wanting to tweet on behalf of the his younger days. At the bottom of Bristol has it all. the public and to maintain the family friendly to discover what people are talking BBC? Every division has a social media Robin Morley atmosphere at the resort, bosses have taken about near you – or to track down users guru, so consult yours first. And don’t social media lead for English regions the extreme measure of banning these tight trunks,” a spokesman said. bbc.co.uk/blogs/magazinemonitor/
CHANGING PLACES CALL TO Action Environment Wednesday Being Multiplatform u Angela Lodge (pictured) u People are needed to assist at roadshow, as well as see how CHAMP It used to be so simple when people leaves BBC Essex this week this year’s See Me on CBBC Tour – such creative sessions are run. asked what I do. “I’m a radio producer, after 21 years, to take up an opportunity for thousands of Travel and accommodation making programmes for Radio 4.” But a senior post with a local children to star in their favourite will be covered. If interested, since last summer, it’s not been quite such charity; Tim Westwood CBBC shows. let Dilsana Hussain know which a straightforward answer. “I’m a senior will host 1Xtra’s weekday MC&A and learning are of the following dates you can multiplatform producer.” Cue puzzled look. drive time show but stays at looking for volunteers to help make: Producer is fairly self-explanatory. It’s the Radio 1 to present the 9-11pm run the shows, which will Aug 29-30, Manchester multiplatform bit that confuses. We make a Saturday night slot; James involve registering children and Trafford Centre; number of long-running series and one- O’Hara, news editor at BBC generally helping out. Sep 12-13, London Thames off documentaries, for, er, radio - mainly Stoke, is going on attachment You will get experience of Festival; Radio 4, Radio 5live and the World Service, to Midlands Today...and working on a large-scale Oct31- Nov 1, Birmingham occasionally for Radio 3, the Asian Network Mark Grinnell and 1Xtra. (When we’re not fending off fox leaves commercial radio attacks of course). Our output is incredibly to become the new David H. Jones, radio If you could ban one What frustrates you rich and diverse… managing editor of co-ordinator, BBC thing, what would it be? most about the BBC and Jennifer Clarke, senior multiplatform Radio Devon. Wales, Cardiff Short car journeys. the environment? producer The carbon footprint We need more joined- bbc.co.uk/blogs/radio4/ Why did you become an they produce is very up thinking. In Cardiff environment champion? damaging. Half the UK’s we had new printers, Thursday SHAMELESS PLUG I could see the amount car journeys are under followed by new So here it is. A world exclusive for you of waste that the BBC two miles. Bringing photocopiers, which are bloggers. u Bren O’Callaghan range from spinning, spot- generates. Cutting back a colleague to work capable of printing from There’s an old boss of mine, Mike Hibbert, Manager, Big Screens ted cuboids to something not only saves licence will halve your carbon a network connection, and he was one of the best bosses I’ve ever Liverpool & Edinburgh resembling a spiky Weeta- payers’ money, but also footprint. Better still, yet Siemens supply had. He was the manager of the newsagents bix with fangs! Players can the environment. There walking or cycling will the printers, and the I used to work in. Does anyone know of I’ve been working on a move about and create their is only a finite amount of reduce that footprint to copiers are sourced his whereabouts? I would love to get in project called Hungry Hun- own narrative. It’s all part of carbon fuel available! zero. locally. Both use similar touch with him. Also, one of my long term gry Eat Head (pictured) my ongoing exploration of technology, and are girlfriends is a lady called Sara who moved which we’ve taken to the collective participation in What’s the biggest Have you changed your sitting in the office using to France. She called me last year but my BBC Big Screen in Edin- an outdoor space. People environmental gripe own behaviour? electricity; the two could phone cracked up and I haven’t heard from burgh. With a title inspired come by to say they missed you have about your I sign up for online be combined in one her again. by my fondness for Japa- their bus stop after watch- building? billing and statements to efficient machine. Chris Evans nese literal translation, it’s ing us from the top deck LEARNING CURVE That we extract so much stop paper waste – not bbc.co.uk/blogs/chrisevans an opportunity – praise indeed. Our next in- heat from technical areas printing paper is much What advice would for people to step teractive project involves a u Production Safety to be relevant to different and blast it outside. better than recycling it! you give to someone Friday inside a mixed- giant, Zeus-like hand that The BBC Academy has areas, with video and audio Simultaneously, we are Our environmental group who wants to make a The health of nations: Obama and reform reality live car- descends to pick people launched Production Safety case studies from Radio 1Xtra, if it’s the simple alpine look you’re after... burning gas to heat our in Cardiff is currently difference, but doesn’t The British National Health Service is playing toon. The effect is up from the street Online – a two hour course EastEnders (online grab from office space. Even if asking the BBC in London know where to start? a central role in the US debate. ‘Socialised that of a ‘magic and squash, tickle, that replaces the old 13 hour course pictured) and Coast. Amorous couple Jas (actor Three teen sit-com, which is back (pictured inset – on the right – with we can’t do something if staff could be given Join a group, either at work medicine’ is anathema to American mirror’, re- stretch or remove face-to-face safety training. All new staff and free- Hannah Job) and Ollie (Ceri Phillips) for a second season after its first producer Simon London). about this situation the option of paperless and/or a campaigning conservatives, and they’re using the NHS as a placing the them from the It teaches the basic prin- lances in production or are take their relationship to new successful run last year. Dawson wrote the original series now, let’s make sure payslips. Our payslips group. Even if you don’t warning of what they say Mr Obama is trying to viewer’s screen entirely. ciples of safety within the exposed to risk will have heights with the aid of some stylish The show, which takes a cheeky when he was just 19. At the time this that if BBC Wales moves are already available via have time to take an active introduce. It’s not often that political debate in head with a Beat that, Jason production environment and to do the course, as will outfits in the new series of Coming look at the lives of a group of sixth made him the youngest scriptwriter its HQ, the building is Gateway, so it’s not a part, your money helps America is influenced by the UK. (I don’t think 3-D animat- and your deo- gives an overview of issues those who last took a safety of Age. All in a day’s work for the formers in Abingdon, Oxfordshire, ever to have a series commissioned constructed to the very big leap, yet could save them lobby parliaments I’d claim the same was true vice versa.) ed charac- dorant deprived involved in tv, news, radio course more than three cast of the unashamedly crude BBC has been scripted by Tim Dawson by the BBC. highest environmental many kilograms of paper and assemblies on your Robin Lustig, presenter, World Tonight ter. Characters Argonauts. and online and is designed years ago. standards. every month. behalf. bbc.co.uk/blogs/worldtonight
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Born in Renfrew and brought been to further-flung areas, such up in Dumfriesshire, I’m Scot- as Shetland, where we recorded tish through and through. I the annual Viking festival held went to university in Glasgow, There’s no in the darkest part of the year. I’ve lived in both Glasgow and We’ve visited the beautiful is- LUCY Edinburgh, and at the moment land of Iona and travelled all Keeler my family and I live in Stirling. along the landscapes of the west I didn’t begin my career as a and north coasts. historian; I read archaeology at point just There has been a substantial university and came to special- amount of filming in Stirling, Local radio hits ise in military archaeology. Bat- as so much Scottish history has tlefields were my passion; but been spun there. But the impact the ‘hot spots’ of course I needed the histori- singing to of this series is much bigger than cal context of the battle, and so the scope of Scotland itself. history was inevitably the broad You can’t tell the history of It was supposed to be a barbecue sum- brushstroke against which I Scotland without reference to mer. It hasn’t quite turned out that way, but could investigate the fine details England, Wales, Ireland and that hasn’t stopped BBC local radio getting of archaeological work. your Aunty Northern Ireland. The nations out and about. From agricultural shows to It was the battlefields of of the UK are like tenants in a balloon fiestas, and from fun runs to music South Africa that first drew me shared house: they can’t live tru- events, local radio teams have been at the into working for the BBC. I’d al- ly separate lives because they are forefront of the action over the holidays. ways wanted to explore the sites all in the same building. There On Saturday BBC London 94.9 hosted the of the Victorian British Zulu war is nowhere you can stand and London Mela, the UK’s leading Asian festi- – the subject of one of my favour- look at the whole history of the val, and is now gearing up for the Notting Hill ite films, Zulu – and consequent- United Kingdom without view- Carnival, from where it will mount a live eight ly my good friend Tony Pollard ing it through a fractured prism hour outside broadcast. and I made a tv series for BBC – a cracked lens. There is no per- BBC Kent compiled an A-Z of Kent, broad- Two called Two Men in a Trench, fect ‘true’ view. But all perspec- casting live from 26 locations in one week. which explored different Brit- tives are equally valid. Radio Merseyside has embarked on a bus ish battlefields. Straight after tour (see Page 2) and Radio York has been on that I worked on the BBC series Stunning landscape the road as well, averaging three to five OBs Coast, based in BBC Birmingham. Seeing our shared history a week from various community ‘hot spots’ from the viewpoint of Scotland across the county. Scale and attention to detail should be interesting to every- Audience interaction is a key part of the A History of Scotland is my first one, whether from Donegal, Pen- local radio operation. At the Stockton Inter- direct project with BBC Scot- zance or the east of England. national Riverside Festival, for example, BBC land. I was approached about it In fact, one of my first ques- Tees invited visitors to try football commen- in 2006. I knew from the start it tions when they approached me tating and weather forecasting. was a landmark programme on to see if I would be interested in At the Bournemouth Air Festival, Radio a huge scale: it was to be a ten- the programme was about the Solent allowed people to fly high by stepping part series covering 2000 years. distribution; I wanted to ensure into newsreaders’ shoes, and creating their It was very exciting to have my that it was going to be shown in own interactive dramas. name associated with telling the the rest of the UK. I didn’t want These are just a few of the many examples story of my own country; and to do a domestic insular histo- of local radio making an impact over the past the way in which it was to be ry of Scotland view only by the few weeks. With so much going on across made – the vast scale and atten- Scots. After all, there’s no point the UK, there is plenty of opportunity for the tion to detail – made for ground- just singing to your Aunty; you stations to engage with the communities breaking television. want a wider audience. I was so to which they broadcast. For many people,
A programme like this prob- ELLIS PETE convinced about it that I was these summer activities will be their first ably won’t be made for at least prepared to insist that I would encounter with the BBC, which works hard to another 10 or 20 years. But this only do it if it was going to get a ensure that it is a positive experience. particular telling of the history network transmission. You never know, after seeing their local of Scotland is unique, because it Programme makers rooted in When people think of Scot- station (which previously they might not is coloured by the time in which land they tend to think of the even have been aware of) in action, and be- it is told: the moment of making their communities can give landscape itself; a place roman- ing encouraged to have a go, they might feel is critical because the present ticised by Robert Burns and Wal- inspired to tune in. is continually shaping the lens network series as ambitious ter Scott. Certainly, it is stun- Lucy Keeler is a reporter through which we see the past. ning. Scotland is composed of The personality of the teller will some of the oldest rock on plan- also influence the way the story as A History of Scotland global et earth. But the landscape is a is told, and I hope I have brought backdrop; what brings glitter to Pure gold my own particular love of Scot- reach with a local feel, says history, what brings it to life, are land to the programme, as well the actors – the inhabitants that Any thoughts that the World Athletics as my abilities as a historian and presenter Neil Oliver have lived here for 12,000 years. Championships might be a bit dull after last archaeologist. self: from the local communi- radio and online presence. A History is a story populated year’s Olympic Games in Beijing, were swiftly Most of the team on A Histo- ties and through the voices of lot of work has been generated with people; it is they who cre- dispelled on Sunday, courtesy of Usain Bolt ry of Scotland are born and bred- the people, so that the stories from the programme: the mu- ate it, tell it, interpret it and live and Jessica Ennis. Scots. The series producer, Rich- told are an accurate reflection of sic, for example, was specially it. It is the human stories that Bolt’s world record breaking perform- ard Downes, is originally from the land and the people. composed and performed by the matter: they shape our world ance in Berlin, clocking 9.58 seconds over England, although he has lived For the BBC to have a pres- Scottish Symphony Orchestra. and the way we live, and teach 100 metres, will go down as one of the great in Glasgow for 20 years. Like ence in Scotland, and not just a As a result of the series there us about our own humanity. television moments – so great that for a few others who have chosen to set- single site, but in different local- has been a great deal of outreach moments BBC commentator Michael John- tle here, he brings objectivity ities around the country, means work in schools. There is also an Neil Oliver’s is one of a collec- son was lost for words. with him. This objectivity helps that you’ve got global reach with involvement with the Open Uni- tion of essays, celebrating out- Earlier, Ennis took the heptathlon title. She to prevent our perspective be- local feel. There are no shortcuts versity. of-London tv production, at bbc. is from Sheffield, which is to host this year’s coming inward looking; for this to achieving this: you need to We’ve travelled all over Scot- co.uk/madeintheuk BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award. reason, I’m a great believer in have people who are from there, land to make the series. The his- The Sheffield Arena venue was announced having a mixture of lifers and who have always been there, tory of the 20th century concen- A History of Scotland continues months ago, and there will be other worthy incomers on a programme. It re- who want to work there. trates in places like Lanarkshire, on BBC One Scotland in Novem- contenders apart from Ennis, but – hey – invigorates the environment. There is huge weight behind Ayrshire and Glasgow, where ber, with a network showing on what a neat co-incidence. A History of Scotland has come A History of Scotland; it’s not just the industrial revolution put BBC Two later. Sally Hillier is deputy editor of Ariel out of the heart of Scotland it- a television series; it also has down its roots. But we’ve also Coast, Tuesdays, BBC Two.
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Catch-up phrases the environmental issues. Since our phone system was Right Guy for the job Up, up and away When television programmes For bottled water, think big oil. ‘upgraded’ in Norwich some time I was surprised to read recently that I read with interest Bronagh Taylor’s promote catch-up, they say ‘go to The plastic waste from plastic water ago we have experienced all range Seth Macfarlane, creator of Family letter concerning missing post (Ariel iPlayer’. When radio does it, they say bottles generates 1.5m tons of waste of weird and wonderful issues. Calls Guy and American Dad, was taking July 21). ‘go to bbc.co.uk/radio....’. per year, and it uses 47m gallons of are often lost, the phones refuse to part in the Proms this year. It was I recently sent two pieces of As iPlayer is the BBC’s branded catch- oil to make them (source: www.light- take or make calls, sometimes call- the first I’d heard of it. external mail to Dublin and Cumbria up service, shouldn’t we be giving erfootstep.com). This is all before we ers can’t hear us – the list is long Wasn’t this a real opportunity to and both have disappeared into the our audience a consistent message? even talk about the water that goes and varied. promote the Proms to a new and ether. Matthew Verrill into them, which is no better (argu- Given that we are in the commu- diverse audience? Like Bronagh, I can’t get my head technical project manager, Manchester ably worse) than tap water, and of nication business, the fact that we Macfarlane is the highest paid round it. Even if they’ve been ‘lost’, course the oil-based transport in- are often crippled by what should be tv star in America, and Family Guy they must be kicking about in a mail Gilda Witte, head of portfolio market- dustry to haul the water around the fairly straightforward communica- easily pulls in 500,000 viewers per room somewhere, with the correct ing, audio & music, replies: world. It’s sheer madness. tion technology is unacceptable. weeknight at 11pm on BBC Three. Al- addresses on – unless I’ve missed There are many ways to access the Graham Brodie Paul Moseley though I caught his Proms show lat- something and the Irish recently BBC’s radio content online and we technology organiser, Plymouth bj, Radio Norfolk er on iPlayer, I’d have given my back reverted to delivering their post by feel that we have a duty to let listen- teeth to see him sing live. balloon. ers know what each of these are and Claire Hoang Ben Dirs let them decide which they prefer. Share it around AP, F&L Manchester tv production sport website At the moment, we direct radio I often find myself defending the Mice in a stew listeners who want to catch up with London-centric feel of the BBC – it is Following the results of Ariel’s poetry television towards the BBC iPlayer the capital after all. competition, here’s my own offering home page because this is by far the However, sometimes I despair at called Reflection on a Mousetrap in CALL TO ACTION best way for them to find what they the London-centric thinking of some the Office: want. However, radio listeners have of the schemes that are developed as BBC history wants staff with friends such a strong bond with the websites benefits for us staff. I think that mice are rather nice or relatives who worked at the BBC for their favourite network that the I’ve just moved closer to work, so Why then this anti mice device? during the Second World War to easiest route online is to direct them no longer need to own a car except Have mice not kept us company ask if they would like to take part in to the dedicated site for that service. for the occasional trip. It would be Since bygone times in history? a seminar looking at the events of This is in keeping with the way great to join a car club for that. September 3 1939, the day the con- listeners found their favourite con- Imagine my joy when I spot that Is not their rustle a thrilling gift flict officially began. tent online before the advent of the the BBC has created one... only to dis- In tedium of an evening shift? ‘The day that WW2 broke out,’ to iPlayer and of course it too leads to cover that it is with a US company I guess we hate mice for they stray be held on September 1 in the Coun- content on the iPlayer. You will hear who only provide the vehicle sharing From what we think is animals’ way cil Chamber at Broadcasting House, radio stations acknowledge this scheme in London. will involve leading academics in the when they say such things as ‘and I’ve had to join a more expensive We can’t pet mice like pets we keep field and examine broadcast mo- Do you have you can catch up with programme scheme which covers more of the Nor treat them like our cows and ments from the day. It will also ex- relatives or friends X on the BBC iPlayer by going to the country (including Oxford). sheep plore the impact of the beginning of who worked at the BBC Radio X website’. Phil Mercer While mice do eat at our expense the conflict on the BBC itself, as well during World War II? Oxford They’re not eaten to recompense as its audiences, its relationship with Not their fault, though, ‘tis our government, and how Britain was A lot of bottle own taste viewed by the wider world. Entrance to the event, between The BBC has fallen into another cor- Call of duty That lets their fine flesh go to waste The seminar will draw a parallel 9.30am-2pm, is by invitation only. porate trap. It must address the issue I note with interest that the serious Some say that mice are really nice with what Germany was broadcast- The discussion will be recorded for of bottled water and water coolers telephone problems experienced by Poached in wine, mixed herbs and ing to its listeners at the time, and the BBC history website. For more urgently. Never mind the cost [of sup- TVC made it into Ariel’s Newsbites hot spice. comparing both interventions with information, contact Robert Seatter, plying these], revealed last week via column recently. what might happen today. head of BBC history. an FOI request; if the Beeb wants to Such experiences are nothing Hamid Elyassi be seen to be green it must look at new to some of us in the regions. World Service
right L. Purves). History proved his ing the odd weekly programme. This his interest in politics, philosophy, sented at the Prix Europa. stand right. brought occasional Friday panics film, food and popular culture into In 2001 Ian left the BBC to take OBITUARY Alastair moved to the editorship (if Jenny Abramsky, his boss at that a series of compelling features and up a job at the public radio station of the oddly-named Evening Sequence time, hadn’t started one already that strands. WBUR in Boston where, in the para- alastair osborne (essentially The World Tonight). He Friday) – usually solved by Alastair’s In the early 1990s Radio Scotland noid atmosphere after 9/11, he Alastair Osborne has died in hospi- boasted a fourth floor Broadcasting estimable PA Elaine, also known as was being revolutionised under the argued that American radio needed tal in Birmingham, after battling a House office with comfy chairs, a head of gin and tonics. leadership of James Boyle. Ian’s rest- to pay closer attention to the rest of brain tumour. He was 74. drinks cabinet and fridge. Hospitality Alastair assembled great teams of less mind and intellectual force soon the world. He distinguished himself He worked at the BBC from the was on offer after the programme, presenters and producers who made found a home in the transformed as the creator of the talk programme early 60s to the late 1980s, in the cur- and in the days of pubs nearby clos- great radio programmes – a life station. On Point, which is syndicated across rent affairs bit of radio news – and ing at 10.30pm, this room became worth celebrating. At his memorial, As a former bookseller, who came the US to this day. was an oasis of calm, civility, com- known as The Osborne among senior friends and family sang along to a to the BBC via Waterstones, Ian was Ian’s wide-ranging interests found mon sense and wry, gentle colleagues – as in: ‘I think I’ll finish version of Don’t Fence Me In by Clint the natural presenter for Coversto- their way into his programme mak- humour. off with one in The Osborne.’ Eastwood. ries, a new programme about books ing. He was a conversationalist and He moved up from deputy to edi- From The Osborne, Alastair nur- Bill Rogers and publishing; as a lover of film, conspirator of the most entertaining tor of Today in 1974 – inheriting pre- tured a motley crew of highly intel- he created a long running film pro- kind and possessed a fertile imagi- senter John Timpson, and looking for ligent presenters, output editors and gramme, Movies and Shakers. nation. A natural mentor, he thrived a new sidekick. Barry Norman, Des reporters; some urbane, some eccen- ian docherty As the 1990s went while holding court, and communi- Lynam, Gillian Reynolds, Michael tric, all making thoughtful radio in Ian Docherty, who has died in Edin- on, his interests be- cated his passion for radio to a gen- Aspel, James Burke and Melvyn a laid-back way – with a number burgh at the age of 50, was a hugely came more interna- eration of producers in Scotland and Bragg all had short or longer spells. going on to positions of influence creative force in the features tional. His ambitious the United States. A future presenter, Libby Purves, elsewhere in the media. department of the BBC in Edinburgh series Kane over Ameri- In recent years he had been in joined under Alastair as a trainee. Radio news in the eighties for most of the 1990s. Whether in ca won a Sony poor health, but his death at the His time at Today ended late in invented more strange job titles, the BBC’s offices in Queen Street or award, and his tragically early age of 50 is a shock- 1975 when he was said to oppose or- and Alastair finished his BBC career in the Queen Street Oyster Bar (the programme about ing end to a colourful and creative ders – the suits wanted to broadcast as MECAR – managing editor, cur- alternative office for a generation B92, the anti-Milos- life. He is survived by his wife Fiona from London and Manchester (‘point- rent affairs, radio – dispensing sage of BBC journalists) Ian generated a ovic radio station and daughter India. less two-centre presentation’ – copy- advice to all, and directly produc- stream of original ideas, marshalling in Serbia, was pre- David Stenhouse
14 Jobs a 18.08.09 See Attachment
No place like it Amber Dawson has swapped BBC World tv for the UGC Hub It was the pro-democracy protests in Burma that first brought the UGC Hub onto my radar. I was output- ting the Asia-Pacific edition of the old BBC World News strand Asia Today. Suddenly user generated content, which had previously sounded like it belonged in a dictionary for geeks, became a vital component of my programme. The pictures, videos and comments sent by ordinary people in Burma let us tell their story in a way our own limited coverage couldn’t. Realising the scope of possibilities, I became a UGC fan. I’m used to moving from one type of programming to another and from ra- dio to tv, but coming to the Hub felt like landing on the moon. CPS, HTML, Jivesoft – it was like learning a differ- ent language. It all felt a bit scary, but they are a friendly bunch at the Hub and 18 months lat- er I’m still here. It’s an unusual place. It doesn’t make pro- Coming here felt like landing on the moon grammes itself, but quietly in- fluences the way important sto- ries are told. It was the UGC Hub that first contacted Mark Abell, the businessman holed up in his Mumbai hotel during the terror- ist siege, enabling correspondents and Today to get the sort of inter- views that grip the audience. The Hub was essentially the main newsgathering source at the start of the uprising in Tibet when the Chinese banned jour- nalists from the area. Tibetans affected by the violence told the UGC what was happening and sent illicitly taken pictures and videos, (which the Hub verifies for authenticity before transmission by programmes). At times like these it’s journalism at the coal-face, dealing with the individuals directly affected by a sto- ry, building trust and relationships with the people we speak to, who are also our audience – and disseminating that first hand experience through the whole of news. Domestic and World Service radio, domestic and World television, online, nations and regions, Newsnight, Pano- rama: the UGC has unsung fingers in every pie. We’re also where people send their snowmen stories. There can be few places in news where hard and soft stories sit so close- ly cheek by jowl. You need to be able to write for online, edit speech in- terviews for radio and video for tv, plus be at the top of the curve when it comes to harnessing social networking for news. Twitter may be a current buzzword, but the Hub was using it 18 months before anyone else had heard of it. I’d recommend anyone to come here. It’s a rare spe- cies in the BBC – a new and developing area, still putting down roots and willing to experiment with the way it works and with the tools it uses. All ideas are welcome. Mine has been UGC documentaries for Radio 4. What’s yours going to be? Been anywhere nice? Send your attachment stories to Clare Bolt
14 OCTOBER 08 ARIEL a 18·08·09 What am I doing here 15
Where do you live now? I started this job and I was I live in Chorlton in very impressed. Now it’s LIZA BOOTH Manchester. It has lots going up so fast. It’s shiny and of independent shops, huge and very different to a bars and restaurants. traditional BBC building. I Partnerships manager, connect and It’s a friendly place really want to work there. and we know all our create, BBC north project team neighbours really You met your husband in well. In London I unusual circumstances photograph: Jon super Jon photograph: lived in Clapham, I was doing a three part What does your job involve? Previously you worked in which is a similar feature for Radio Berkshire The departments that are radio. What did you do? CV kind of area. Driving about joining the circus, moving to Salford in 2011 I worked at Radio Berkshire to work here takes and I was the sword will need lots of new people for 18 months then did some Degree: English at Reading University; 15 minutes and swallower’s assistant. to work for them, so my freelancing with Radio 4, and postgraduate in broadcast journalism 15 minutes in the I was cut in half and had job is to link up students at what is now BBC London. other direction is to wear fishnet tights and from different universities Then I joined Radio 1’s First Job: Working in Laura Ashley the Peak District. a sparkly leotard – at the and colleges in the north Newsbeat which really was my counting rolls of wallpaper time the most mortifying to those departments. It’s a dream job. During my six years Career Landmark: Reporting from Thailand Why do you think your experience of my life. I asked talent spotting exercise. We there I went to Iraq, Kuwait, and Iraq for Radio 1’s Newsbeat, but also taking job is important? one of my colleagues to record run challenges so we can Sri Lanka, South Africa and all I was helped to get my the piece. The guy I asked [and choose the best students over Europe. on current role and reshaping the project. dream job at Newsbeat went on to marry] was Nick. and offer them placements I also reported from Family: Married to Nick Ravenscroft, by a contact giving with the BBC. Thailand on the tsunami, north of England correspondent for BBC me a placement, so What’s it like being married to which was a bit overwhelming. news, with a young son named Oscar. I want to help other a fellow BBC person? What sort of challenges? In Iraq, I visited a camp of people do the same Because we met through At the recent Manchester Marines in the desert getting thing. People sometimes work we understand each International Festival we ready to go over the border. think that working for other’s jobs [Nick is a BBC worked with two universities I didn’t think there was any the BBC at MediaCity is news correspondent]. We and an apprenticeship scheme other job that would give me going on. It has the best Have out of their reach. can go home at the end of to give students a chance to the same buzz, but BBC North bits of London, all the bars, they A lot of the work that we’re the day and know what each work across tv, online and was an exciting opportunity restaurants, theatre and sport been doing focuses on people from other is talking about. radio, gathering material to do something that has lots but closer together so you to the different backgrounds. We’ve The downside is we’re that was used by the BBC. of elements I enjoyed about don’t have to get on the tube north west been really impressed with usually both working silly In another challenge, three Newsbeat. and stand with your nose yet? the quality of students so hours so it can be hard to universities in the north east under someone’s armpit. I’ve Yes, they’ve both far. They can do things that find time to spend together. had to come up with ways Are you from the north? signed up to the Buddy system been to see us. I feel we can’t, especially relating in which our coverage of the I’m originally from Surrey. [where London based staff can like I’m working to technology, so skills are You have a new addition? Great North Run could be My husband was offered a make contact with someone in the Northern exchanged both ways. We have a 19 month old more interactive. We have job with the BBC up here so similar to them already tourist board son, called Oscar. Life is projects with various parts I decided it was time for a working in Manchester] and as I tell them Have you seen MediaCityUK good in Manchester. of the BBC, including radio change and a new challenge. have two buddies who both to move here Yes. I first saw the drama and A Question of Sport. Manchester has so much work at 5 live in London. immediately. construction site just before Interview by Peggy Walker
...you want Chris Blackwell.
You want an assortment of kazoos, nose flutes, finger cymbals plus a sprinkling of weird and wonderful sound effects but more importantly, you want an absurdly talented musician and composer. Chris Blackwell is just that.
At Audio Network, we asked him to create a slew of quirky, off the wall tunes for our Silly Season and, of course, he jumped at the chance.
To hear them, go to www.audionetwork.com/playlists/silly-season
If you’re looking for silly music, that’s the most sensible thing you’ll ever do.
For more information contact Scott Pearce on 020 7 242 2311 > CONTACT peggy walker to suggest a colleague for this feature or [email protected] 16 a 18·08·09 green room ▲ THE ARIELAT0R WE HEAR THAT. . . A weekly take on life at the BBC: who’s Users of the Programme Information Tool, known ▲ up, who’s down, who’s off as PIT, may have been concerned by a recent problem with the service, but surely they weren’t so worried ▲ UPSIDE GNS reporter James Alexander about a ten minute lack of programme metadata that got a taste of the journalistic high life they soiled themselves? It seems they were: ‘Sorry when he spent several hours broad- for the incontinence caused,’ apologised a systems ▲ casting from the pungent environs of administrator in an email telling staff they could once a pig pen in North Yorkshire last week. again access the system. Fortunately for the cleaners ▲ His companion was Ginger, a hog with a the trouble lay with the administrator’s spellchecker taste for expensive jewellery who had and not in anybody’s pants. ▲ eaten a local grandmother’s diamond Evan Davis showed he was more than a match for the politicians on Today last week. When an interview ▲ with Peter Mandelson began to turn into a party polit- ical broadcast, an audibly exasperated Davis refused ▲ to relinquish control of the situation: ‘I’m just ask- ing you what your plan is,’ he said for the umpteenth time, and led off into a lengthy ▲ list of questions. Mandelson left a gaping silence, then ▲ ring when she’d reached over to pet him. asked in his most re- ‘There’s an anxious wait here for nature served tones, ‘Have you ▲ to take its course,’ James informed the finished?’ ‘Yes I have,’ nation during a series of 18 two-ways affirmed an unrepent- across local radio and the World Service, ant Davis. Earlier in the ▲ as Ginger grunted and squealed oblig- day it was the Conserv- ingly in the background. Fortunately for atives turn to get the ▲ our intrepid reporter, the pig failed to Davis treatment: ‘You’ve yield its precious cargo during his time got your shirt on back to ▼ at the pen, so rubber gloves were not front Ed, do you know? Your required. As the GNS team put it: ‘things label is poking out,’ he informed ▼ can only go up from here for James’. Ed Vaizey after an interview. ‘I couldn’t believe the red Menace light was on when you said that,’ whimpered the MP DOWNSIDE Residents of Bush House for Wantage. Now that’s what Green Room calls hold- ▼ may appreciate a down Arielator now ing power to account. that their lifts have lost that particu- ▼ lar function. Not an uncommon occur- The fuss that HDTV is generating implies it’s some- rence you may think, but these lifts (in to society thing fresh, but it isn’t all new you know. Whizz back 73 the north-east wing and centre block) years and BBC boffins were pawing over the revolution- ▼ are so archaic It’s political correctness gone destroyer become a smiling creative ary Marconi 405 line system, on which trials began on that replacement mad! was the predictable complaint force adept at making odd contrap- August 26. The first fully electronic system to be used ▼ parts no longer of certain sections of the press on tions that have unpredictable results. in regular broadcasting, the Marconi was described as exist and need to hearing that CBBC’s new Dennis the Though the BBC reasonably argued high definition by articles at the time – an appropriate be manufactured Menace cartoon had stripped the that Dennis can’t be seen to be doing moniker given the graininess of previous technology. ▼ from scratch, tak- stripy-jumpered one of his trademark anything violent that could be mim- Considering the new system in Ariel’s third edition (in ing a month. ‘I’ve catapult and pea shooter. Instead icked by children, the real question is 1936), then director of Television Gerald Cock was in ▼ been in buildings of Dennis as the archetypal rebel whether the ‘iPod generation’ would a mood to ‘wager about the trend of future television where the lifts tell without a cause, a grimacing out- know what Dennis’s weapons actual- programmes’: ‘I suppose there will always be demand ▼ you you’re on a floor which doesn’t ex- sider continually kicking against the ly were, and not mistake his catapult for variety (entertainment),’ he mused, ‘but pro- ist, but lifts so old that the parts have to restrictions of a society he doesn’t for a video game control pad and the grammes with a news flavour, outside broadcasts and be specially commissioned is a new one,’ understand, Dennis and Gnasher (note pea shooter for the latest in slim-line topical types are, I think, the stuff of television.’ Well ▼ says our mole in Bush House. the lack of ‘Menace’) sees the afro-ed mobile phone technology… Gerald, early days yet, eh?
▼ In these money saving, environmentally conscious times, leaving your computer left switched on over night is considered one of the worst office faux pas. Nice dogs finish last Staff at Radio Lancashire now face punishment if they EARWIGGING commit such a sin. ‘We check the office at night and Radio Suffolk-affiliated Blue pleased to meet him than us,’ laughs see who has left their PC or monitor on and I send OVERHEARD AT THE BBC Cross rescue dog Satsuma joined a Mark. Judging by his popularity even that person an e-ticket,’ explains assistant editor Ben host of hounds at Suffolk’s annual when he didn’t win anything, if Sat- Thomson. His zero tolerance approach appears to be …I’m not looking at your dog day (a ‘prestigious event in the suma manages actually to take a working as repeat offenders are now a thing of the canine calendar’, according to its title next year then dog superstar- past, ‘Which is bad news for Pudsey as I was hoping to chest, I’m looking at your website) but sadly failed to reach the dom is surely not far away. Roll over collect a few fines.’ Eiffel Tower… final of either the rescue dog or vet- Beethoven, and tell Lassie the news. …I can’t wear sunglasses eran categories. Disappointed by the judges’ decision, Satsuma expressed CBBC competition because my ears are wonky… his distaste as only dogs know how To be in with a chance to pre-book your - by cocking a leg at a rather inap- …You don’t get many serial child in to the Richard Hammond’s Blast Lab propriate moment. Calmed by this experience on August 29 at the Trafford killers on crutches… outburst, Satsuma put his troubles to Centre on the Manchester leg of the See one side and went on to upstage his …I’ve just sent you a new and improved Me On CBBC tour, just answer this question: owners, Radio Suffolk husband and Who is the character in charge of security duck… wife team Mark Murphy and Lesley in Richard Hammond’s Blast Lab? Email ariel Dolphin, by meeting and greeting …I can still smell manure up here… competitions by August 21. Non-winners the masses at the 7000-strong can still sign up their 6-12 year olds to the …Yes he has arrived, but he and the sofa are event. ‘We talk about him lots free event on the day. at one… on air and people seemed more
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