p h otograp 23·02·10 Week 8 explore.gateway.bbc.co.uk/ariel h: C h: H RIS CAPSTICK RIS aTHE BBC NEWSPAPER
Shri Lekkala, 10, from Hemel Hempstead with Three Counties bj Lorna Hankin and his contribution to a History of the World ... Page 3
History Story Page 7 makers
◆ More ‘wow’ for ◆ New day for Asian ◆ Tell the other side Panorama, says Giles Network as channel of the story from Page 2 switches focus Page 5 Afghanistan Page 10
> NEWS 2-4 WEEK AT WORK 7 OPINION 10 MAIL 11 JOBS 14 GREEN ROOM 16 < 162 News aa 00·00·08 23·02·10 Giles wants Panorama NEWS BITES a THE LIVE denouement of EastEnders’ Who Killed Archie plot was watched by 16.6m people at its peak, almost 60 percent of the audience for Room 2316, White City to get the ‘wow’ factor the slot. That makes the show the 201 Wood Lane, London W12 7TS by Cathy Loughran strong original journalism. women – to engage younger most-watched programme of the year 020 8008 4228 Of course we will never walk audiences for current affairs so far on any tv channel, a record The new man in charge of away from important foreign on BBC One, with treatments previously held by the New Year’s Editor Panorama wants to broaden stories, but I think we need that ‘punch through’. Day episode, featuring the Masood Candida Watson 02-84222 the audience for peaktime to be realistic too about of- ‘We can also be smarter wedding. And BBC Three got a current affairs with more re- fering broad and accessible about marketing programmes record audience for a non terrestrial Deputy editor active stories, smarter market- material,’ Giles says. – not just via the programme channel with 4.3m people turning Cathy Loughran 02-27360 ing and more ‘Wow’ moments ‘We inherit the biggest website, but by pushing related on EastEnders Live: The Aftermath. Chief writer to get people talking. BBC One audience at 8.30pm, content out through social Sally Hillier 02-26877 RTS and Bafta win- media, marketing to rel- Sharon Baylay, director of MC&A, Features editor ning exec producer evant Facebook groups.’ has been made a non-executive Clare Bolt 02-27445 Tom Giles takes over Expect more new director of BBC Worldwide. Broadcast Journalists from Sandy Smith in faces too, in the mould Chairman Robert Webb said Claire Barrett 02-27368 mid-March, having of Bill Bryson on she brought understanding of Adam Bambury 02-27410 already had a stint litter and Frank Skinner marketing and communications AV Manager as the programme’s on bad language. and a wide experience of Peter Roach 02-24622 deputy editor in 2008, Giles was the exec on international markets to the post. and been behind high Andrew Marr’s A Histo- Art editor profile Panorama films ry of Modern Britain and BBC Three is to run at least two Ken Sinyard 02-84229 like Iraq investigation wants Panorama to have more series of Russell Howard’s Good Digital Design Executive In the Line of Fire, with the same kind of revela- News, after the first series of the David Murray 02-27380 John Simpson. tory impact, as often as topical news show became the He was also exec possible: ‘We want more channel’s best performing studio- on the recent under- of the ‘Wow!’ moment, based entertainment programme. with lots of people talk- Guest contributors this week cover piece Hate on Series two begins next month, and the Doorstep, exposing ing about us the next the third is due later in the year. racist abuse in Bris- day. That’s hard to do.’ BILL THOMPSON, technology writer, tol, which drew 3.5m On the familiar BBC Pride debates the question on how the election is shaping up viewers and doubled charge of ‘dumbing ‘Is Britain becoming more digitally. Page 6 Panorama’s record for down’, Giles says that’s homophobic?’ on Thursday, iPlayer hits. been levelled at the pro- February 25. Chaired by newsreader LORNA MILTON, Three Counties With 48 half-hours gramme since ever he Jane Hill, the question will be Radio, discovers the advantage of and eight hour-long can remember: ‘Pano- discussed by World Service’s Liliane royal connections in Kenya. Page 15 specials a year, Giles rama has always done Landor, broadcaster Amy Lame, expects to have to ‘box clev- up against tough competi- consumer titles,’ he says, from Daily Mail columnist Andrew er’ with the Panorama budg- tion on ITV. We can’t retreat car prices to baby food. ‘The Pierce and Dominic Treadwell- et to deliver the ambition and from that.’ And he adds: ‘We trick is to show that [popular Collins, a story producer for Ariel mail appeal he wants. shouldn’t assume that just be- current affairs] is not a dichot- EastEnders who wrote the Syed/ [email protected] Audiences at 8.30pm on cause we find something inter- omy.’ Christian storyline. The debate is Mondays are averaging 2.7m, esting, everyone else will too.’ He pays tribute to the at 6.30pm in the boardroom, 3rd Ariel online explore.gateway.bbc.uk/ariel slightly down on the peaks of The former Newsnight pro- legacy of Sandy Smith, who floor, Media Centre. If you want BBC Jobs 0370 333 1330 2007 and 2008, after the con- ducer, famously on duty the is moving to The One Show as to attend rsvp [email protected] Jobs textphone 028 9032 8478 troversial move from Sun- night of Jeremy Paxman’s leg- executive editor: ‘To success- BBC Jobs John Clarke 02-27143 days to a 30-minute format in endary interview with Michael fully bring the programme Charlotte Church, Sheila Hancock Room 2120, White City, London W12 7TS primetime. Some of the high- Howard, also wants to see into its 8.30pm slot in the way and EastEnders actor John Partridge Advertise in Ariel est recent audiences have been more fast turnaround films: ‘I he did was to manage the big- will be the judges on the latest BBC Ten Alps Media 020 7878 2313 for domestic stories, includ- think we can be much smart- gest single change for years. One talent search for an Andrew www.bbcarielads.com ing about the Royal Mail and er with news. If you hit a sto- The next job is to build on Lloyd Webber show. Over the Rainbow dirty beaches. But topics like ry at the right time it always that.’ will find a new Dorothy for the West Printing Obama, Iran, torture and why feels more relevant, more im- Upcoming stories will ‘get End production of the Wizard of Oz. Garnett Dickinson Group we’re fighting in Afghanistan portant.’ much more ‘under the skin of Auditions are under way and the Rotherham 01709 768000 have also featured strongly. He sees potential in some the economy, top to bottom’, show will be broadcast in the spring. Subscribe to Ariel ‘The balance to aim for is of the subjects BBC Three has as well as throw new light on Six months: £26, £36, £40 in stories that are relevant to tackled recently – including pensions, housing and issues BECTU MEMBERS among Siemens Twelve months: £50, £60, £68 people’s lives, told through dangerous dogs and trafficked like supermarket power. staff at the BBC are voting in a ballot for industrial action over a pay (prices for UK, Europe, rest of world freeze. The ballot was launched on respectively) Monday and closes on March 19. Cheques to: Garnett Dickinson Print, Brookfields Way, Manvers, 5 live loses some possession Wath Upon Dearne, Rotherham S63 5DL Tel 01709 768199 by Claire Barrett ning at 4pm on Sunday and Monday and Tues- A&M Masterclass INFORMATION IN AN EMERGENCY day evening matches. u Telephone 0800 0688 159 BBC Radio 5 live will continue to have Early Sunday kick-offs and Saturday and Some of the most well-known names the pick of Premiership fixtures next season, Wednesday evening clashes have been award- in the business will share their tips on Ceefax Page 159 www.bbc.co.uk/159 but will broadcast significantly fewer live ed to commercial station TalkSport, which it- enhancing creativity in more than 25 Ariel is produced by Internal matches. self has lost the second choice Saturday after- sessions at Broadcasting House on Communications for people at the BBC The BBC has won four of seven commen- noon rights to Absolute Radio. March 2. Subjects include radio from tary packages from the Premier League cov- The bidding process had been more com- around the world, using the inter- ering the next three years – that’s two fewer petitive than previously, said Van Klaveren. net to source stories and what pre- packages than it has currently, equating to a ‘We have had to balance the vital importance senters want from production teams. loss of 64 games over the period. of live football to our audience with the need Actor Bill Nighy, controllers Mark ‘We will need to work hard to compensate to ensure we are offering value-for-money to Damazer and Roger Wright, present- for this,’ said 5 live controller Adrian Van Kla- all licence fee payers.’ ers Jane Garvey and Bobby Friction PLEASE RECYCLE YOUR COPY OF ARIEL veren, ‘including thinking about what this But with four Premiership packages, live are among the speakers. Sessions means for parts of our programme schedule.’ coverage of Champions’ League, FA Cup, Eu- will also be held in Manchester, Bir- From the start of the new season in August, ropa League, Football League, Carling Cup mingham and Bristol during March. 5 live will broadcast live coverage of games and internationals including the World Cup, For more information http://explore. which kick off at Saturday lunchtimes, first 5 live would still offer ‘an outstanding service gateway.bbc.co.uk/audioandmu- choice of Saturday 3pm starts, those begin- of live commentary’. sicfestival2008/
> ARIEL ONLINE: BBC NEWS AS IT HAPPENS – EXPLORE.GATEWAY.BBC.CO.UK/ARIEL< a 23·02·10 News 3 photograph: Sue P Sue photograph:
Step back in time: Visitors line up in Dorset az az
Parents and children flock to history lesson with a difference
There were queues around the event at Hartlebury Museum, for ble Histories, drew the crowds. ‘Visitor numbers totalled 1742, which included the landing wheel of Frank block for A History of the World events example, a woman arrived with a At Reading Museum, lead curator is thought to be the largest one-day Whittle’s first jet plane, the E28/39, staged by BBC nations and regions in silk shawl, made by her grandmother Matthew Williams produced hand- attendance since the City Museum which took to the air at nearby Brock- partnership with the British Museum who had farmed the worms that made outs listing Berkshire AHOW objects, opened in 1902,’ he adds. worth in April 1941. Also on display and local museums. the silk. which visitors then ticked off as they ‘The people who attended met a was a pair of cow horns from the ani- The half term specials, inspired by At BBC Lincoln’s event one of the came across them. Roman soldier, medieval surgeons, mal used by the vaccination pioneer the Radio 4 series A History of the World most popular objects was the bugle Cuda the Celtic Princess, a Cotswold Edward Jenner in his experiments to in 100 Objects, attracted thousands of that had sounded the charge of the n Radio Gloucestershire’s A History wool spinner and a wartime air-raid eradicate smallpox in 1796. people, many of whom took along Light Brigade in 1854. of the World event looks to have been warden. ‘A History of the World engaged their own artefacts telling A History of Elsewhere, personalities proved a the most popular attraction at the ‘Radio Gloucestershire and Points people of all ages and backgrounds, the World for their area. big attraction. In Hampshire, for in- local City Museum for nearly a centu- West both mounted live broadcasts, many of whom had never visited At BBC Hereford and Worcester’s stance, Terry Deary, author of Horri- ry, says producer Vernon Harwood. and an exhibition of local artefacts their local museum before.’ Questions for Gosling The play’s the by Cathy Loughran gramme next morning, he told tained that it broadcast Gosling’s Sarah Montague that he would have revelation ‘for reasons of journalis- thing for Radio 4 Nottingham’s Inside Out team has felt like a ‘traitor’, to the people who tic integrity’, adding: ‘We believe we been co-operating fully with police, had contributed to his film about dy- have handled the report sensitively Radio 4’s Saturday Play on a programme based around Byron’s following Ray Gosling’s on-air admis- ing, had he not revealed what he’d and appropriately.’ February 27 is the acclaimed North- poem Swimming The Hellespont. sion that he smothered to death his done. And he had no regrets: ‘If The presenter had been kept ful- ern Broadsides stage production of Asked what he thought the net- sick lover, and the presenter’s subse- there’s a heaven then he’s looking ly informed about representation of Othello, starring Lenny Henry. work’s ‘weak spots’ were, Damazer quent arrest last Wednesday. down and he would be proud.’ his story and understood that a rev- It will be the first full length said there was ‘a very fine line’ be- Gosling was released on bail on Some commentators have ques- elation of this nature could have a Shakespeare play to be broadcast on tween decent nostalgia and over-sen- Thursday after questioning by Not- tioned whether the frail-looking 70 number of consequences, the BBC the station for at least a decade, con- timentality. ‘Slipping gears between tinghamshire Police for a day and a year old should have been allowed to said. ‘We were under no legal obliga- troller Mark Damazer explained at a subjects which are necessarily dark – half on suspicion of murder. tell his story in the Inside Out film, tion to refer the matter to the police press briefing last week. depression, euthanasia – and enjoy- The 70 year old filmmaker was recorded last December, in these circumstances.’ Damazer said he was looking for ment and celebration of the contem- bailed until a date in April. The pro- In a statement, the BBC main- David Jordan, director of edito- ‘champion league’ British playwrights porary... sometimes we don’t get it gramme team were first interviewed rial policy, confirmed that the pro- to write drama for Radio 4, following quite right,’ he said. on the day after transmission. gramme team, under editor Tony the success of David Hare’s adapta- As for criticism that Radio 4 was too The inevitable media storm that Surprised Roe, had made ‘considerable efforts’ tion of Murder In Samarkand, starring middle class, he pointed out that while broke around Gosling, after he ad- by reaction: to reassure themselves that Gos- David Tennant. ‘In 50 years time this it tilted to an ABC demographic, there mitted in the BBC East documentary Ray Gosling ling’s story was true. will be seen as a glorious creative pe- were ‘millions of pensioners who are to the mercy killing of an unnamed ‘He was very well prepared by the riod for British theatre... and we’ve not very rich and who consume mil- young man suffering from Aids and team for the implications of what he tried to find ways of celebrating that lions of hours of Radio 4’. in ‘terrible, terrible pain’, appears to had chosen to do. No one was under from time to time,’ he said. Nor was he perturbed about the im- have taken the veteran filmmaker by any illusion about the likely conse- Ian McKellen is to star in Goldfin- minent strategy review. ‘The chance surprise. quences,’ he told Ariel. ger with Toby Stephens as Bond, while that Mark [Thompson] will recom- He had not expected his grave- ‘The film was recorded before Stephen Poliakoff is adapting his play mend a major shift for Radio 4 would yard revelation to ‘cause many rip- Christmas and his wishes would, of Playing with Trains for the network. surprise me. People... may argue about ples’, his lawyer Digby Johnson said. course, have been respected, had he David Walliams, who famously the content, but you don’t often hear Interviewed on the Today pro- changed his mind.’ swam the English Channel, will front them asking what the station is for.’
4 News a 23·02·10 Here is the news from Havana
First live location United States’ hard line on its com- politicians (after the Castros), Ricar- munist neighbour. do Alarcon. broadcasts from The BBC team is small: Havana cor- Matt Frei will tell the story of the respondent Michael Voss, producer Cuban 5. They are Cuban citizens who the heart of Cuba Rachel Humphreys and shoot-edit Rob were arrested for espionage in the McGee, with Matt Frie and Bakhurst. United States and jailed for life. Con- go out on BBC Frie will anchor World News Ameri- victed in 2001 the men have become ca from Havana during the week, co- a cause célèbre in Cuba. Frei has spo- channels this week present for the News Channel and ken to one of them, Rene Gonzales, World TV, and contribute to the Ten in prison in Tallahassee, and will in- O’Clock News. The first packaged mate- terview his daughter in Havana. A project which has been more rial will run on Tuesday February 23, But the stories won’t all be about than a year in the planning goes live and the week culminates with two politics and struggle – they will also this week when BBC News reports days of live output on Thursday and reflect the vibrant culture of Cuba, from Cuba. Friday. particularly its music. It has taken months of delicate ne- Rome Hartman, editor of World Thursday’s lives will come from gotiation with the Cuban authorities News America, says: ‘There are very the bureau in Havana, but on Friday to win permission for the first live lo- few international relationships as the team will be on location in the cation reports by an outside broad- complex, fascinating and important city, using a Cuban TV truck. The Cu- caster. The trip was Kevin Bakhurst’s as the one between Cuba and the The news team will be reporting live from the streets of the Cuban capital ban authorities are anxious, and so idea. The News Channel controller United States. The opportunity to is Bakhurst. He says: ‘I want to make told Ariel he first thought of it at the do both in-depth reporting and live The team will spend time with a report on how Cuba uses its highly this work. It has been a long time in time of President Obama’s inaugu- broadcasting from Cuba is very rare Cuban family, to see what life is like trained medical staff as a diplomat- the planning and we’ve put a lot of ration, when there was talk that the and very special, and we mean to in a state which has been under US ic tool, and there is also an interview money and effort into it; I want it all new administration would soften the make the absolute most of it.’ embargo since its inception. Voss will with one of Cuba’s most important to go well.’ Youthful The word on the ambitions Leicester street revisited in EASTENDERS might be the soap ‘We have an initial dozen or story of the week, but on a street so characters and some of the in Leicester, a real live soap is early stories on the street in- surprise taking shape that could make clude the joy of an IVF baby, the local celebrities out of its cast of tragedy of a suicide, an Elvis residents. fan who hasn’t worked since online hit The Street is the brainchild the great man died, and much of BBC Leicester presenter Tony more,’ says mid-morning host New Radio 4 series When I Grow Up Wadsworth who has gone back Wadsworth, who launched the became an online hit after an article to his roots in the city’s New- project on Wednesday with a written by its producer was featured foundpool district to take ‘a clos- live three-hour OB. on the News website front page. er look behind closed doors’ at Regular features are planned When I Grow Up looks at a study the community that now exists, to keep up with life on The run over the past 50 years to inves- 50 years after he lived there. Street: ‘We hope this can be a tigate how childhood aspirations The Street in question is Haw- catalyst to bring the community become reality. The study began in thorne Street, where Wadsworth closer together, perhaps build- 1969, and asked 14,000 British 11 year and his producer Eloise Hender- ing up to a street party this sum- olds to write an essay on how their son have literally knocked on mer,’ says the presenter, who life would be once they reached 25. doors to recruit potential regu- hopes that the new contacts The series meets a selection of the lars and tap into their stories. made will benefit output be- participants, now aged 51, to see how Among characters already yond the mid-morning show. their lives actually turned out – and signed up are Geoff and Car- Audience feedback has been whether analysis of their initial pre- ol Connelly, who’ve lived at positive, Wadsworth reports. Or dictions proved an accurate indicator number 88 for 42 years; lifelong as one listener emailed: ‘There of the course they would take. resident Elaine Swan and a 35 are some things that radio does Producer Sue Mitchell wrote up year-old grandfather of six. best, and this is one of them.’ some of the stories for News, com- plete with archive and recent photos of the people featured. Her team was surprised by the response – not just Study subject Kim (above, right) in in terms of readers (around 200,000 1969 and 40 years on (left) with her hits in two days), but also people’s mother Peggy willingness to add their own sto- ries. ‘We know interest in genealogy the News website comes from with- and family history is very strong, but in News, one new story a day usual- clearly these personal histories have ly comes from other areas like Ra- struck a chord,’ said series presenter that it highlights the benefits of writ- dio 4 and Factual. Both parties gain John Waite. ‘Within hours of the pro- ing a piece specifically for the News from the deal, said Jones: ‘The News gramme going out people had started website. ‘It’s a valuable place for pro- website gets to showcase interesting to contribute spontaneously, sending gramme makers to put their stories,’ stories, and the programme makers in their own memories of childhood he told Ariel. ‘It can get the message reach a wider audience.’ ambitions to the website.’ out about your programme, and the Any programme makers wanting Huw Jones, assistant editor at more people that know about it the to offer articles or video clips for the News Programmes Interactive, called more they are likely to watch it.’ News website should contact Anna- the article ‘a definite hit’ and argued Though the majority of content on Louise Taylor or Huw Jones. Streetwise: Tony Wadsworth makes a new contact in Newfoundpool a 23·02·10 Features 5
Asian Network hopes its new daytime line- up, the first official Asian music chart and a pan-generational appeal will reverse its flagging fortunes, asClaire Barrett reports
Family man: Husain Husaini
Right: Chart show presenter Bobby Friction (top); Bolly- wood stars Shahrukh Khan and Kajol Devgan charm the Radio Theatre audience keep it in the family You’d expect current Top 40 favour- programmes Husain Husaini. ‘We are itself with its former courting of the want to talk about.’ based on UK sales from a wide panel of ites like N-Dubz and Jedward to have all aware that there’s a strategic review young crowd. ‘The average age for the Drivetime, meanwhile, has gone digital music retailers, with the Offi- limited appeal beyond their prime going on and we are all aware that dig- British Asian population is 30-some- up a gear with Tommy Sandhu’s move cial Charts Company for two years. teenage targets. But when the Asian ital radio is in the frame, but we’re do- thing,’ he explains. ‘Influenced by this, from weekends. ‘He’s the biggest char- Bobby Friction will present the Network launches its official chart ing so much other stuff we have to put we probably got it too young and lost acter, the biggest personality,’ says three hour Top 20 rundown on Satur- show next month, listening is likely to those concerns to one side.’ what we were strongest at – being fam- Husaini. ‘He brings huge energy and day afternoons featuring artist inter- be more of a family affair. Yes, he accepts, different cultural ily friendly.’ makes you turn up the radio to hear views and reflecting the international The digital station’s own research influences hold sway among Bangla- With this in mind, the daytime line- what he has to say.’ scene. ‘The audience will hear of Rahat points to overwhelming overlap in deshi, Indian, Pakistani, Muslim, Sikh up has been revamped with a return to Musically, it’s the warmth that’s Fateh Ali Khan and Sonu Nigam live on music tastes across the Asian audience, and Hindu people, but others tran- the show from Mumbai,’ says Strippel, irrespective of ethnicity or age. scend those boundaries. Bollywood who is reassured by test charts that the ‘There is less distinction between for one, as well as many areas of news putting on a good show station’s playlist is already packed with teen and 40 plus tastes than in the – racism, obviously, but also issues audience pleasers. mainstream,’ believes Mark Strip- like health. And all groups share the n The Adil Ray Show: Weekdays n Gagan Grewal: Weekdays pel, Asian Network head of music. ‘At same perspective on the family. ‘It’s at 7-10am. A mix of popular tunes, 6.30-8pm. Celebrity interviews and A difficult time the heart of the community there is the centre of their lives,’ says Husaini. entertainment and spoofs news in Hindi/Urdu and English One favourite – Slumdog Millionaire a core of shared celebration around ‘British Asians tend to live in bigger composer AH Rahman – was the fo- music, heritage and culture. Big Bol- households – an average of five mem- n Sonia Deol: Weekdays 10am- n Friction: Mon-Thurs 10pm-1am. cus of a day’s programming in Janu- lywood hits like ‘My Name Is Khan’ or bers compared to the UK average of 12.30pm British Asian lifestyle show Asian beats plus new and unsigned ary. ‘It changed the mood and made records by AR Rahman and Jay Sean are just two. with celebrities and discussions Asian music it feel special,’ says Husaini, who’s enjoyed across the whole family.’ ‘We build a radio station partly on keen for more breaks from routine. the things our audience have in com- n Tommy Sandhu: Weekdays 3-6pm. n Love Bollywood: Weekends Like this month’s Shahrukh Day Putting concerns aside mon and partly on their differenc- Entertainment, news and music to 9am-12. Music, star interviews and when the network was host to Bolly- His comments come at a time when es,’ he continues. ‘It’s tricky, but not get you home from work reviews with Raj and Pablo. wood star Shahrukh Khan. He talked the whole concept of a single sta- impossible.’ to Adil Ray over breakfast, joined Raj tion serving disparate groups of Brit- Constant tweaks – both on-air and and Pablo before a ‘squealing’ Radio ish Asians is being challenged. Earli- backstage – in a bid to get that bal- the weekday fold for popular presenter been turned up a notch in daytime. ‘I Theatre audience and granted Gagan er this month, chief operating officer ance right may explain why audience Sonia Deol. Her new morning show – a find myself singing along to it more,’ Grewal an in-depth interview in Hin- Caroline Thomson told the House of figures have plunged; most dramati- mix of music and lifestyle – sees Deol admits Husaini, who welcomes the di. ‘You can always get on press confer- Lords communications committee cally by 15 percent to 357,000 in the interacting with the audience, speak- first official South Asian chart show. ence rounds, but to get the morning that the Asian Network’s endeavours third quarter of 2009. This led to warn- ing to guests from the Asian entertain- Previously there was no informa- with the star benefited the whole sta- to broadcast ‘in a number of different ings from the BBC Trust, delivered in ment scene and even reviving her Un- tion around UK sales of the music tion,’ reasons Husaini. languages to an audience that ranges an ‘or else’ tone, that it must improve dercover Lover romantic song feature. that was traditionally sold in special- For his part, the head is hoping for from younger to older [listeners]’ came its reach this year. Latest Rajars for the ‘She connects amazingly well with ist stores with no chart eligibility – kinder treatment in the coming weeks. with ‘difficulties’, and that the service eight year old station held steady at listeners,’ judges Husaini. The first of and no wider recognition. But this has ‘We can’t make the figures change, but would be scrutinised as part of Mark 360,000 – but still way short of its 2008 her new shows included discussion changed, with a migration from physi- we can improve what we’re doing. It is Thompson’s strategic review. high of 535,000. around the topic of keeping Asian ba- cal to online retail. a difficult time, with much uncertain- Understandably, it’s left the sta- Putting the family first could be bies indoors for their first 40 days. ‘It ‘It’s a game-changing moment for ty, but people here are working incred- tion’s 65 staff feeling vulnerable. ‘Peo- the answer, reckons Husaini, admit- touched on tradition, family pressures Asian music,’ says Mark Strippel, who ibly hard on what to the Asian audi- ple are a little anxious,’ admits head of ting that the station ‘slightly overshot’ – just the kind of issue our listeners has been developing the chart format, ence is a special service.’
6 Features a 23·02·10 all fair game in the cutting business of sport edge BILL THOMPSON BBC experts team How digital will up to report how the recession is knocking the election be? The 2010 General Election campaign some sports for six, has already begun, even though we don’t yet know the date of the election and none of the while others battle for major parties have finalised a manifesto or decided which issues to focus on. new arenas. Candida One thing that many people seem sure of is that it will be a ‘digital election’, and in- Watson reports deed the BBC has already assigned technol- ogy correspondent Rory Cellan-Jones to a temporary role of ‘digital election corre- You don’t have to be a devoted football fan spondent’, something which he announced to know about the eye-watering amounts of on Twitter, as you would expect. twitter.com/ money washing round the Premier League, BBCRoryCJ/status/8806767017 nor about the equally eye-watering debts But just calling this a ‘digital election’ that clubs like Portsmouth are carrying, begs the question of what that might mean, while struggling to stay solvent and stay in and the answer may affect more of us than the game. just Rory. But do you know how the Winter Olym- The coverage of the campaign and results pics are impacting on the economy of Van- should be discussing it with its audience.’ la 1 dreams. will, of course, be completely digital, and the couver? Or what is the most popular West- Bond, who is currently sports editor of The website is the work of the business BBC and other news organisations will use ern sport in China? Or how small sports the Daily Telegraph, has identified several unit’s Bill Wilson, who has been writing electronic newsgathering techniques de- keep going in a recession, when sponsors sport business trends for the coming year sport business stories since 2004. ‘We no- veloped over many years to report what is are even harder to find? which he hopes to cover in more depth ticed that many of the stories were well happening. Graphics and visualisations will The business unit, sport news, World Serv- when he joins the BBC. read, so there was clearly an appetite for be used to inform audiences and help them ice, news online and 5 live have joined forc- ‘I think we are going to see more them,’ he says. understand the many es to answers those questions – and many and more pressure on English Last autumn the dedicated page went complex issues that more – in a ‘loose project’ called Business football clubs over their levels online, becoming a ‘home’ for sports Anticipate face them as voters, of Sport. The brainchild of business unit of debt and owners,’ he says. business stories, no matter where they and websites, blogs editor Jeremy Hillman and part funded by ‘The sport has been in a bit originated. Richard Burgess, head of at least one and the many new of a bubble, mainly thanks sports news, says the coming of high forms of social media to tv rights, so while the rest finance to the world of sport has ‘YouTube will be used to get the ‘Sport is a of the economy has suffered changed things irrevocably. message across. they have been ok. But I think ‘Sport can’t be anything but a busi- moment’ We can also expect a correction is coming.’ ness now, but it’s a strange type of parties, candidates strange type He says a second trend will business because people will put mon- and campaigners to make use of online tools be the ongoing global expan- ey into something from which they will to get their views across, and most commen- of business.. sion of teams from all sports, and never get any return, for the love tators anticipate at least one ‘YouTube mo- all countries, as they try to tap of it,’ he says. ment’ when an unguarded comment is filmed people invest into the lucrative markets And the BBC is unique- and posted online, derailing the campaign at of China and India. One ly placed to tell the sto- least temporarily. example he cites is the ry: ‘We can bring to- The parties will have websites and will use for love of it’ American NBA, which is gether the expertise social sites like Facebook and services like more popular than the of the business unit Twitter, while the political blogs will go into Mark Byford’s Big Stories, the project hits its English Premier League and our knowledge overdrive, hoping to pick up readers and ad- stride next week, with multi-platform and in China. of sport and make vertising income. multi-lingual coverage of the issues facing Bond also expects an impact on a big But it is far from certain that this activ- sport in a time of recession. 2010 to be a key year topic across the ity will do much to affect the outcome, and ‘There couldn’t be a better time to be for London 2012: he be- whole of our out- evidence from organisations like Politics On- looking at how the global recession and lieves that if any prob- put.’ line, the well-respected US-based organisa- high finance is impacting sport around the lems with the project, Hillman con- tion, seems to show that online engagement world at all levels,’ Hillman says. He is par- either financial or logis- curs: ‘Above eve- doesn’t actually change voting intentions ticularly pleased that World Service is part tical, are going to show rything this is a – although it may encourage debate about of the project, with the language services it will be this year. great opportu- policy. contributing both stories and insights. The themes are al- nity to combine So if the digital side of the election doesn’t Global and domestic output will include ready rolling on World the incredible affect the outcome, does it matter? One area a look ahead to the business issues around Business Report and on- knowledge and where it does seem to be effective is in help- the World Cup, which kicks off in South line, where there is a contacts across ing the parties organise their volunteers, talk Africa 100 days later. For UK audiences the dedicated page cover- specialisms like to wavering voters and get people to vote focal point of the week will be a live debate ing stories – from how business, sports, when the time comes. from Salford on March 2 about the future of Sri Lanka hopes sport sports news and 5 This was certainly the case for Barack football finance. Broadcast on 5 live and the will help drive rec- live to create jour- Obama’s US presidential campaign, and I news channel, it will be hosted by Mark Pou- onciliation and re- nalism which is great- think it will be the key to the forthcoming UK gatch, with business editor Robert Peston, generation after er than the sum of its election. Rory might want to spend his time and soon-to-be sports editor David Bond, years of civil war parts.’ looking at ways the parties energise their a panel of experts and a well-informed to India’s Formu- membership instead of what they are tweet- audience. ing to the general public, as that seems to be ‘I think the debate is very well timed on New sports editor news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_ the place where going digital will really make the part of the BBC,’ Bond says. ‘This is such David Bond will depth/business/2009/busi- a difference. a big issue, and it is so important, the BBC join the debate ness_of_sport/default.stm Bill Thompson is a technology writer a 23·02·10 Features 7
The estate we’re in Foll Sue photograph: People living in the Local touch: shadow of London’s Producer/presenter Nina Richardson in giant Olympic site talk east London about their hopes and fears in a new World Service project. Kate Arkless Gray reports
When you think about the Olympics, a hous- ing estate in the east end of London isn’t the first image that springs to mind. But the World Service is looking at the 2012 games from a different perspective. Great Expec- tations is a documentary series that follows the lives of residents on an estate on the fringe of the Olympic development site in the run up to the games. ‘One of the phrases I’ve heard most often about the Olympic Games coming to London in 2012 is ‘the world is coming to London’ – but the world is already here,’ says Tony Phillips, senior commissioning editor for World Service English. ‘We wanted to capture the voices and experiences of the people living in the shadow of this huge enterprise.’ February 24) looks at sport that is already going ple living on the estate to create content for the It’s clear that residents of the estate – in While some residents on in east London (mainly boxing and football) different language services. Hackney, east London – have mixed feelings and whether the Olympics is affecting the in- An edition of World Have Your Say will be about the ‘greatest show on earth’ coming to feel inspired, others spiration of kids to continue their activities. broadcast from a boxing gym and a flat on the es- town. ‘There is excitement and there is hope The second programme focuses on ambitious tate on March 3 and will include contributions that they will have more opportunities for jobs are concerned that regeneration plans and investigates whether from guests in poor areas of Athens and Sydney, and training,’ says Nina Richardson, producer the multi-billion pound investment will actual- to learn about their experiences of living in an and presenter. Then there are the new trans- eventually they will be ly lift the east end out of poverty. Olympic city and find out whether the port links. ‘Some are amazed they’ll be able to A Great Expectations website, which launch- presence of the Games had a lasting effect travel to France from Stratford,’ she adds. priced out of the area es on Wednesday, includes an interactive map on their areas. It is also hoped that the in- But while some people feel inspired, of the estate with photographs and audio con- teractive programme will welcome Olympic they are also concerned that they won’t cilities will improve their prospects, tent, background information on the area and representatives who will discuss regeneration be able to afford to use new sports facili- whether through better transport, new housing, some of the people featured in the documen- and legacy. ties – and that eventually they will be priced or simply accessing books from the brand new taries. This will continue to evolve with the Darrell James has his own message for the out of the area by inflated rents. One of the library. project as more content is collected over the Olympic authorities: ‘We never asked the rest people who features in the documentaries is Although dramatic changes are just a short next two years and will provide an area for de- of the world to come here, but seeing as you’re Darrell James, a former gang member and re- walk away, there is little change on the estate bate of issues raised in the programmes. World coming, let’s make a party of it –just get us cipient of the Thierry Henry award for his youth itself. ‘As one resident says, his immediate view Service website users will be able to put their involved.’ work. He fears there could be more crime and a remains the same – and that is he sees kids on questions to estate residents via the website. widening gap between the rich and poor. his estate with little money or hope,’ says Rich- With more than 100 languages spoken in The documentaries go out on Feb 24 and March Others, such as 15 year-old Sintayeh ardson. ‘It’s a complex picture.’ Hackney, the World Service will make use of its 3. WHYS will be broadcast on March 3. from Ethiopia are hopeful that new fa- The first of her documentaries (to go out on various sections to tap into the rich mix of peo- bbc.co.uk/worldservice/greatexpectations
Campaigning: Anna Maxwell Martin plays Heather Brooke Making a drama out of a crisis
by Adam Bambury the MPs’ expenses saga, while not forgetting that the issue of transpar- ency in public life is something we take lightly at our peril,’ confirms writer Everyone knows that the Daily Telegraph broke the MPs’ expenses Tony Saint. ‘It didn’t prove too difficult to poke fun at MPs’ general com- scandal, its investigative team holed up in a secret bunker, releasing in- portment on this issue.’ formation from leaked files for which the paper had paid £110,000. Less Bagpipe playing, Irn-Bru drinking Martin is contrasted with disco danc- recognised is the role of campaigning journalist Heather Brooke, whose ing Brooke (scenes which the dance-phobic Anna Maxwell Martin found tenacious investigations in preceding years brought about this sensa- ‘absolutely hideous and horrifying in every way’ to film), who comes from tional disclosure – but not quite in the way she had hoped. the United States, where political transparency is more prevalent. But this Her story is the subject of On Expenses, a new 60-minute drama for BBC is more than a clash of cultures – it is the old guard meeting the new, and Four which charts Brooke’s five year quest for a scoop, after submitting a stubbornly refusing to change even when it’s clear they’ve been caught Freedom Of Information request for key MPs to reveal their expenses. Her with their fingers in the jar. adversary, the then speaker of the Commons Michael Martin (Scottish ac- Though Brooke eventually forced the request through, taking her case tor Brian Cox), blocks Brooke (played by Anna Maxwell Martin) at every turn, to the High Court in the process, publication of the expenses was repeat- convinced he is protecting the integrity of his fellow honourable members. edly delayed. Instead, an anonymous whistle blower sold the files to the The film is prefaced by a disclaimer announcing that while it is based on Telegraph, and the rest is history. real characters and events, some scenes have been imagined, ‘but mostly, ‘I met Heather many times and she has been involved right through the you couldn’t make it up’. It captures the tone of the piece: a mix of drama development and production,’ Saint reveals. ‘She’s an impressive and and wry humour which director Simon Cellan Jones hopes will evoke ‘a mix- formidable woman to whom we all owe a debt of gratitude.’ ture of shock and laughter’ in the audience. ‘I’ve tried to capture the knockabout element that has characterised On Expenses, BBC Four, February 23 8 9 BBC IN ACTION Behind you: director James Morgan, series producer N ick blogbites Hopkin and a friendly Roboidz week@work What we’ve found TRADE SECRETS while trawling the blogs this week
BBC News on iPhone Our Future Media boss Erik Huggers made it clear today that our BBC News and BBC Sport services will be the first official BBC apps to launch on the iPhone. If you want to see a demo of the BBC News app, David Madden, exec product manager from our mobile team, can walk you through. This is an exciting development for us and a how to natural progression after providing the best of our journalism – news, sport, weather, travel – on mobile devices for the past 10 years. Our approach has always been simple: web ‘Take a helping of The equals mobile; mobile equals web. If we have made great content for our websites – with Crystal Maze, a dollop of your licence fee money – then mobile is just another platform to make it available to you. survive Pete Clifton, head of editorial development, The Adventure Game and multimedia at BBC News season with a dash of bbc.co.uk/blogs/theeditors/2010/02/ bbc_news_on_iphone.html
a BBC board Doctor Who and Mission: Which side are you on? 2110 How old are you – and do you work in the Big interview coming up? If you’re having a is the result.’ private or public sector? Answer me these two questions, and there’s a fair bet I can tell you the kind of recession wobble, the journalism trainee scheme can help. In a post-apocalyptic landscape, the children you’ve had. show for children produced by BB battle with nine foot Roboidz as they jour C Scotland Today’s labour-market figures point up two - ‘Not only are we shooting aboard a raft of Week at Work asked them for some tips... ney through space and time, guided only by production for C BBC – and filming is under It is, he says, credit to the ‘fantastic produc great divides in the labour market experience container ships tethered in Loch - mentor Caleb (played by way. Striven, but tion team and film crew that we are creating of British workers in this recession. With few Stuart Goldsmith, we are also battling with nine foot Roboidz, inset). ‘It’s a hugely ambitious production for C a show that looks sensational while remain exceptions, this has been a private sector BBC pyrotechnics, C GI technology, specialist - but we certainly haven’t made things easy ing sane throughout all of our logistical chal recession – and a recession of the young. for ourselves,’ says series producer camera gizmos, stinky Shades (slaves to the - Mission:2110 is a new 13-episode sci-fi game Nick Roboidz) and a bundle of energetic and ex lenges.’ For the sake of the public finances, and our Hopkin. - ...so don’t forget to buy us a drink if When filling in the Be aware that if there are Do your research and make citable young ‘recruits’ on a daily basis.’ Mission:2110 txs in broader society, the balance needs to be you get that promotion. Thanks to form, provide strong and tailored questions in the sure that you are prepared. the spring. reversed in the recovery. recruitment manager Sian Fergu- 3compelling evidence that 6 application, they will always 9 If you are applying to a radio Stephanie Flanders, BBC economics editor son; HR and development manager proves you can do the job be part of the selection process station, make sure you’ve listened to bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/ Rani Randhawa, multi-media trainer it and know its audience. Be specific COMING UP stephanieflanders/2010/02/which_side_ Ramaa Sharma from CoJo and Claire Don’t forget to mention It is okay to use bullet points about what you could do in the role are_you_on.html Prosser, director of the journalism organisation, teamwork and on the form. Make sure that to capture the imagination of the u BBC Films and AL Films are Sebastian Coe, due to be released trainee scheme 4communication skills – they 7 your answers are focused and people who are interviewing you. developing a film together prior to the 2012 Olympics. Writer The Death Card allow you to use your specialist skills tailored to the job description. about the celebrated Olympic William Davies (Flushed Away, My ceaseless search for programme ideas Applications to best effect. Be positive and enthu- rivalry between Steve Ovett and Johnny English, Twins) has been WHAT TO WEAR has led me into some strange places and Save a copy of the job descrip- Ignore them at your peril! siastic: show them you signed up to write the screenplay, explains how I came to be in a Galashiels tion so that you can refer back to Interviews 10 have energy and ideas. based on Pat Butcher’s account of I used to want to be Danny McNama- hotel and sitting in front of a fortune teller as 1it before the interview Look at the attributes that the Before your interview, the rivalry, ‘The Perfect Distance’. Philip Smith, broadcast assistant, ra from Embrace, so when I was 15 I he flipped over a tarot card to reveal ‘Death’. job specification requires and look over the competencies Think about the current Steve Lamacq show, 6 Music went and bought the same trainers as The Reader – for that is what these dealers in If a contact is listed in the ad- 5don’t dismiss the ‘desirable’ 8 listed in the job specification trends and buzz words in him and grew my hair like him. Looking destiny are called – assured me that this card vert don’t be afraid to call them qualities – the interviewer may turn and make sure that you have 11 your field. If you’ve got back on the mid 90s, he’s not remem- rarely predicts an actual death. It was more 2– but be sure to do a bit of re- to these if they have people on the at least two examples that demon- skills in those areas, articulate them. Where did you buy the outfit you’re bered as one of the leaders of fashion. likely to signify the end of one life-chapter search first and don’t just ask about list who have all the ‘essential’ skills. strate that you have those skills Don’t take your skills for granted. wearing in the photo? and the start of the next. Having just moved things that are covered in the advert My jeans and top are from Topman, Whose wardrobe would you most from Glasgow to the Borders, I told him that Make sure you’re comfort- cardi from H&M and my trainers, from like to rummage through? this seemed like a credible explanation. I was able answering questions Superga’s, are great except when Russell Brand. Only so I can throw out trying to be polite. YOUR TOP TIPS 12 on editorial guidelines it’s raining, like today, when they get all of his flip flops. Skinny jeans and Jeff Zycinski, head of radio at BBC Scotland and know your mandatory referrals. soaked through. flip flops just don’t work. I’m not bbc.co.uk/blogs/jeffzycinski/ CHANGing having that. Rupert Brun, head Diane McGregor, Richard Use current examples PLACES Do you have to dress a particular of technology for departmental Courtice, project rather than ones you’ve Cerys Matthews (pictured) is set to return to digital way for work? Chris Evans once said What’s the worst outfit you were A&M, BBC FM&T manager, CIO technologist, 13 dredged up from your radio station BBC 6 Music to host her own weekend that everyone at 6 Music dressed like made to wear as a child? show, taking over from Jon Richardson Team, FM&T FM&T past. Try to make them relevant they were in band. So that’s the only My Superman outfit was pretty spe- three-and-a-half years to commit to his career who is as leaving a stand-up after to the job you are applying for dress stipulation here. cial. A couple of years ago I went to EDITORIAL Take ownership – if you did Don’t take the questions Go on a course: I did the ‘career and if you have BBC examples, comedian. interview the new Superman, Brandon something or led a team that did, too literally. If someone says, development’ one and met a use them – they are more likely to Are you experimental in your style? Routh, in Paris. I showed him a picture GUIDANCE Graham M say ‘I’ to make it clear it was ‘tell me about a programme idea wide range of people who had resonate with the interviewers. itchell has been appointed to the newly created post Not at all. If I could get away with jeans of me aged four, dressed as Superman of events executive producer working in the Entertainment and something you did, rather than you commissioned in which…’ and experiences to share – not just and a black t-shirt I’d be happy, but and asked him if he could feel the Editorial policy has just updated its Events Department at BBC Scotland, moving from his role of ‘we’, which can leave the panel you don’t have an example that colleagues in the same line of work If you are asked about a my girlfriend keeps trying to get me to responsibility on his shoulders. The guidance on the use of blogs and third-par- wondering whether you actually perfectly fits, look for the underlying as me. We identified our skills and time when you’ve worked series producer on ‘wear more colour’. With that in mind ty social networking sites (such as Facebook The Culture Show worried look in his eye suggested did it or just made the tea. And competency and construct your I also discovered the black arts 14 with a difficult person, be ... I’ve moved towards a white t-shirt re- he was more concerned with when or Twitter). The newly issued advice on BBC Tom G LISTEN TO THE QUESTION! answer around that. You could say ‘I of CV writing, the BBC board and very careful about your answer. The iles moves from being an executive producer for cently. That’s as experimental as I’d go. the interview was over and what oth- use of social networking, microblogs and don’t have an example of that, but if networking. interviewers don’t want a long rant, BBC Current Affairs to become the new editor of er family photographs I would be pre- other third party websites can be found at you want to know about my ability they want to know how you dealt Panorama, taking over from S Have you had any fashion senting to him. tinyurl.com/BBCSocMed and for to x, y, z, then…’ The interviewer is with it. Claire Prosser warns that this moving to become the new executiveandy Smith editor, who is nightmares? personal use the updated guidance is here: looking for evidence of your abilities, question brings a lot of people down for The One Show tinyurl.com/PersonalSocMed rather than a very specific example. as it reveals how little self-awareness . they have of their role in situations.
IF YOU HAVE A suggestion FOR who or what should be in WEEK@WORK PLEASE Email Kate arkless gray 10 Opinion/Analysis a 23·02·10 Take more local soundings and report life beyond military lines
by Cathy Loughran
When it came, as he dreaded one day it would, After his own kidnap and the Shoaib Sharifi’s kidnapping in south eastern Afghanistan happened because he went against murder of his colleague, Afghan his own best advice. ‘I was betrayed by a source – not trapped or hijacked, I hadn’t done any- producer Shoaib Sharifi urges thing wrong, gone the wrong way,’ the Afghan freelance producer recalls. the BBC to strive to tell the fuller ‘The sub-commander of the group I was go- ing to meet simply called our captors and we, story in Afghanistan in effect, handed ourselves over to them. I’d put my faith in someone else and ignored my own hard-won knowledge.’ Sharifi was taken hostage, with another Af- ghan journalist and an Iraqi photographer, by bandits in Kunar province while on an assign- ment for the Guardian. Accused of being US spies, they feared both the possibility of being handed over to a larger group in Pakistan and that they would fail to persuade their guards that they had no western affiliations. After eight days and many tense hours of pleading, the kidnappers were convinced that they were who they said they were – freelance journalists, too poor to raise a ransom. Sharifi, a former BBC Pashto presenter and BBC World News producer in Kabul, puts his survival down to having several back stories, in- cluding one to fit possible kidnapping: ‘I was one of the few kidnapped Afghan journalists to survive. Others have been shot or beheaded,’ he says, just months after the ordeal. ‘It was an unwanted experience but it cer- tainly adds to your experience and the way Shoaib Sharifi reporting in southern Afghanistan and (inset) at this year’s News Festival you’ll approach things in the future.’ It is his depth of experience, in 14 years as a frontline journalist in Afghanistan includ- ing many years working with the BBC, that led out, deserve the same status as their western home to everyone that local journalists can pay ‘The next time I have to go into a Taliban him to make such an impassioned plea at last counterparts. the price for large media organisations’ free- area, I’ll be hoping that they haven’t read those month’s BBC News Festival, to be given parity People like his former colleague Abdul Sa- dom of expression,’ Sharifi says. It also chal- headlines. As reporters for the BBC, we will get with western colleagues: ‘I’m a journalist, why mad Rohani, whose regular reports and broad- lenged the assumption that Afghans were gen- the blame for the results. That not only endan- call me a fixer? It hurts,’ he told his audience. casts for the BBC Pashto service made him the erally likely to be safer and freer to operate than gers our security, it limits our area of opera- A former editor-in-chief of the Kabul Times, ‘voice’ of the BBC to many Afghans. Despite un- western journalists, he believes. tion. It also feels to me like someone is betray- his call for a ban on the term ‘fixer’, to describe dergoing BBC hostile environment training, he A BBC safety team flew to the region imme- ing the BBC’s credibility.’ what he does, struck a chord: ‘I’ve been besieged was murdered in Helmand province in Octo- diately after Rohani’s assassination and evacu- Currently London-based, Sharifi will return by BBC ‘converts’,’ he says. ‘When I produced ber 2008 after being lured to a meeting by a ated a colleague who was working with him to to Afghanistan in coming months to work on the Downing Street debate between Brown and phone call. His body was dumped at a roadside Kabul. That journalist is still effectively in hid- special reports for Newsnight and BBC World Karzai, people were telling me they’d already the next day. He’d been shot in the head. ing. News. He doesn’t underesti- erased the word from their minds.’ His death was disowned by the Taliban who Sharifi argues that the mate the need for the best His case is that local journalists, who are of- expressed regret at the loss of a ‘fair journal- BBC and other foreign news ‘Questionable safety measures possible to ten taking the biggest risks and who are the ist’, Sharifi says. Despite several weeks’ of inves- organisations could further protect journalists, but is people left behind to face the consequences tigations, no one was held responsible. reduce risk by consulting lo- poll results critical of ‘embed-heavy re- when media organisations like the BBC pull ‘Rohani’s death was shocking and it brought cal experts before they make porting’, including of the almost any move. current Moshtarak offensive, He is critical of the an- can endanger which he believes ignores ci- ‘SURVEY CONFORMS to high standards’ nual opinion poll the BBC vilian stories, and the Tali- co-commissions in Afghan- our security’ ban/insurgents’ viewpoint. n Responding to what America and ARD of Germany ghanistan, but we also need to istan. The latest results for He accepts that the ad- Sharifi has told Ariel, BBC to ensure that the questions, tell the wider story of the im- 2009 suggest that 70 percent of Afghans are op- ditional security which might allow more off- News stressed that it takes the the fieldwork and the pres- pact of the conflict on Afghan timistic about the future; 72 percent thought base reporting would be costly, but argues: safety of everyone it employs entation of results conform civilians. President Karzai was doing a good job and 83 ‘We had ten days’ notice of this current offen- ‘extremely seriously – wheth- to the highest professional ‘We recently went to Jalala- percent said it was right for the US to bring sive. The BBC should have spoken to the Tali- er staff or local people on the standards. The methodol- bad to assess support for the down the Taliban in 2001. ban then and said, on day one, two and three of ground’, and that the industry ogy – which is published – has Taliban among the local popu- Sharifi thinks those findings are ‘questiona- the operation we’ll come live to you, with an in- as a whole is committed to not been challenged either by lation. We also focused on the ble’. Conducted by Afghan researchers, he says terpreter. The military are saying it’s a success, safety training. governments or other polling economy in a recent piece they take no account of low literacy levels and what do you say?’ The opinion polls that the organisations. Polling is car- from Herat. But this generally the likelihood that inaccessible rural areas, Sharifi insists he is a critical friend: ‘I love BBC has commissioned over ried out in every province.’ involves travelling around the with greater Taliban support, would not be sur- the BBC, I defend its values… it’s given me all recent years in Afghanistan, News also admits it is fully country, which carries a high veyed. the editorial standards I have.’ and in Iraq, are carried out by aware that embedding does level of risk, so planning such ‘Every year we’re surprised by the BBC poll. But there is one last thing: ‘I’d like us to be D3 Systems, ‘a reliable and not tell the whole story: ‘Obvi- deployments takes a great deal But the BBC is the strongest voice in Afghani- one media community in Kabul, not split into respected pollster’, a spokes- ously UK audiences are very of organisation and cost. We stan and when the Afghan media run a week of the Afghan media, Afghans working for the man said: ‘The BBC works in interested in what is happen- will continue however to try to reports that the BBC says a majority are against west (the ‘Afghan Press Club’) and then the for- partnership with ABC News of ing to British troops in Af- do this as far as we are able.’ the Taliban, the implications for local staff are eign correspondents. That would make a differ- serious,’ he says. ence.’
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Inspire not intimidate flexibility in hours I requested, or Peter Horrocks (Ariel, February 9) give up my career in order to look is quite right. Change is coming (in Beautiful locations breed the best ideas after a two year old and help care fact, it’s already with us) and we do Having just watched the Ariel online short film struck me is that they all had a study with a for immediate family members with all have to embrace it. But he fails about Kingswood Warren, I can’t help thinking peaceful garden to look out over, the kind of chronic disabling illnesses. to acknowledge that many valued I always wanted to work for the BBC colleagues will need support what a shame it is that the BBC has sold such a place where you can really ‘think’ and contem- BBC and never expected to earn big through these changes. wonderful building, in such a superb location. plate. They all had inspiring locations in which bucks. Staff benefits and working They may not have all the skills Much of the technology we all use originated at to work. for an employer who cared about its and knowledge they require and may Kingswood Warren over the last 60 years, and This idea that you can pick creative people up output and its employees made that lack confidence. What they need is more than acceptable. I’m convinced that the location helped play a from one location and put them down any- training, encouragement and good But that once caring employer is leadership and not what many will part in creating the right kind of creative envi- where else in the UK and they will still feel and now hard to find. I didn’t want to see as threats. ronment for the generations of scientists and perform the same, is sheer madness. Surround- have to choose between my family Yes, some people will choose to engineers who came up with all these innova- ings are everything. and my job, but I was told that the move on rather than change, but a tive ideas. We can’t go on simply making decisions based BBC could not accommodate any vast majority will take on new ideas flexibility in hours or occasional but and new ways of working with en- This was never highlighted more so than last on money. Giving staff the right sort of creative regular home working to allow me thusiasm (as they always have) led by year. There was a series of short films about environment in which to work can generate far to juggle my caring duties. This was good, inspiring and creative leaders. great scientists and engineers from the past on more money for the corporation in the long from a department in which I used Ed Goodridge the One Show. We were shown the houses where run than the short term sale of the land. to regularly work shifts from home multimedia sbj, BBC South West and where the output includes many they came up with their greatest ideas. What Martin Sawyer, Future Media & Technology pre-recorded, weekly or feature pro- grammes for which research etc Everyday People Is this tions issues). shop.com to buy a dvd box set of could be carried out remotely. It was interesting to read in Ariel last not in There is overwhelming evidence Mike Leigh At The BBC. Non-staff I took authorised time out from week that our director of people had stark that free gifts are an important part price: £42.49. BBC staff price: £41.99. my career because of terrible per- a jolly day working on Blue Peter to contrast of the children’s magazine package, A whole 50 pence off. Or 1.1 percent sonal misfortune, I did not intend to see what life is like at the coalface. to the for both children and parents, but it to you, guv. Add in postage and pack- end my career, but I now find myself More telling was the article pub- green is an issue that we’ll continue to re- ing and the grand total comes to the unemployed in a harsh economic lished in The Times business section agenda view so thank you for your feedback. nice round figure of £44.44. To be downturn. the day before which revealed BBC being honest, it felt like rather an insult. Count me as one of the discon- HR executives occupy 10 of the top delivered A couple of clicks away, however, tented (ex) crew to which PD James 20 best paid jobs in the world of pub- to children when they watch the Barking mad Amazon is offering the same box set referred. Whenever I hear about lic sector HR. channel, with programmes such as On a recent (farcical) report on the for £39.98 – and no postage costs. the excesses of the few in the BBC it I am sure Lucy Adams earns her Tommy Zoom (pictured), Eco-Beebies, Today programme, it was suggested I think the BBC Shop just lost makes my blood boil. £320,000, but many staff and casuals Dirt Girl and The Green Balloon Club? that dog ownership equates to the another staff customer, should it Sarah Tempest, ex-producer, general who have struggled in their dealings I appreciate that you can’t expect same carbon footprint as a family care about such matters. factual, audio and music with BBC People would like to see much with a low cover price, but in- sized car. Vaughan Simons more of the HR budget directed at stead of disappointing young read- May I suggest that, as a solution content producer, Vision Multiplatform providing a better frontline service. ers/viewers when these items rapidly to this situation, the canine in ques- Tea is cheaper than air Peter Kendall fail or fall to bits, wouldn’t it be bet- tion be hoisted onto the roof rack I wonder if one of your more intrepid senior operator, BBC London ter to stop the practice of including and ‘plumbed’ into the fuel intake Close match hacks might be despatched to Bush such free gifts? of the car engine. The flatus pro- House canteen to investigate the hole David Crickmore duced would, I expect, propel the in the space-time continuum that Toys r bust producer, BBC Leeds car not only down the road but into seems to have developed therein. Re your article ‘Investment in con- the very future of carbon neutral I speak, of course, of the so-called tent, not quick wins, sees BBC Mags Pauline Cooke, Publisher of BBC pre- technology. ‘paper cup paradox’, wherein an ride recession’ (Ariel, February 16); school magazines, replies: I’m sorry Nick Young empty disposable cup will, we are while I was delighted to read how to hear that you are disappointed BBC Look East now informed, cost you 50p. An well this arm of the BBC was doing, with the quality of some of our cover- empty disposable cup filled with tea I couldn’t help contrasting the head- mounted gifts. We spend a great deal will, however, cost you a mere 40p. line with the poor quality free gifts of time and effort to ensure that our Basket a bargain? More lookalikes… Steve Mitchell, Has Bush House canteen perfected that have been attached to recent gifts are good quality, meet all safety Despite the expenses controversies head of multimedia programmes the dark art of self-regenerating tea? editions of the CBeebies magazine standards, add value, and appeal to that are making indignant column- at Radio News (pictured right) and Or are they simply making a loss on which my wife and I buy for our this age group. We’d be happy to re- ists froth at the mouth, I’m well Giovanni Trappatoni, manager of the every cup of tea sold? Or, as my more eager three year old son. place the gifts you mention. aware that I don’t work at the BBC for Republic of Ireland football team. nefarious colleagues may suggest, is Last week’s Wiggly Crocodiles fell The environmental impact of our the staff ‘perks’ that are so much a Paul Burnell this just the latest attempt at shame- to pieces within an hour of purchase products is an issue we take very se- part of company life these days. If I’d bj, Manchester less profiteering (and an especially and we were unable to sketch on the riously: all of our paper is FSC cer- wanted those I would have got a job brainless one)? free plastic wipe clear Etch-A-Sketch tified (we were the first publisher at Enormocom Broadcasting I think we should be told. Oh, and type device. I could list other exam- in the world to use FSC paper) and Enterprises. However, a small staff Left with no choice don’t forget to take advantage of ples from previous issues, but suffice we’re exploring ways to reduce the discount at the BBC Shop is one thing My Christmas present from the BBC their special offer of two napkins for to say that they are all adding to the environmental impact of plastics to look forward to on those rare occa- this year was a stark choice. Return 20p. I believe that’s cost price. pile of discarded plastic items in the (we’ve already switched to oxo-biode- sions when I decide to treat myself. to work after a career break (which John Samuelson environment. gradable wrappings for our subscrip- Yesterday, I went online to bbc- I wanted to do) but with none of the trainee studio manager
fairs, analy- especially proud of her programme tell me she didn’t mind being persist- tor and had her own column. OBITUARY sis, features on ‘lustration’ in former Communist ent and asking questions all the time She was very proud to work for and even countries and the views and the big because that’s how you got your an- the BBC World Service and to be able valentina velevska music and debate it produced in Macedonia – swers in journalism. to make a difference with our pro- It is painful to realise that my small entertain- her favourite programmes were spe- Maybe that’s why she wanted to grammes in Macedonia. She was also team has become even smaller. Val- ment. All cial projects on global issues. spend a day – and she did – with her very proud of her family – her hus- entina Velevska, one of five produc- from a self Plagued by bouts of ill health, she favourite BBC programme, Newsnight! band Vasil and especially her young ers in the BBC World Service Mac- op and, was one of the most courageous and She was always a journalist. Be- daughter Anna who was doing ex- edonian section in London, has died most of optimistic people I’ve ever known. fore joining the BBC in London she ceptionally well at school. And very aged just 45. the time, Everybody who knew her would worked for Macedonian television quickly she fell in love with London. Valentina was part of the BBC alone in know what I am talking about. She youth programme, for youth maga- There is a big void in our small team in London for almost ten years. the cubicle. had endless curiosity, enthusiasm zines and for a popular daily newspa- team. We are missing Valentina. She worked on news and current af- She was and passion for work. She used to per, Vecer, where she was deputy edi- Zaneta Skerlev 12 Classified 020 7878 2313 a 23.02.10 a 23.02.10 www.bbcarielads.com Classified 13
(J[VU>HYTZ\UU`ILKYVVTMSH[ *OPZ^PJR 3 month let from 6 March -\SS`M\YUPZOLK[^VILKYVVTMSH[PU 3HYNLILKYVVTLKTHPZVUL[[LOne 7LYP]HSLOV\ZLZOHYL[\ILopposite, )LHJOOV\ZLMLH[\YLKPU*VHZ[ :\MMVSR^H[LYTPSS Rural paradise. .HY`4HJ)YPKLJHYWLU[LYHUKI\PSKLY FOR RENT furnished W/M+GCH. £1,170pcm Studio 2010 to mid-June. Very stylish, 5V[[PUN/PSS> located on the lower minute from TVC and Westfield. £300pw. 12 minutes White City. BBC housemates. THNHaPUL Beach 100 yards. Sleeps 6. Sleeps 10. Website SERVICES Website www.winnlimited.co.uk loft, self contained W/M+GCH. £750pcm. completely equipped small, quiet house. ground floor with private garden. One Call 07922 017373 Single bedroom £295pcm. Telephone Winchelsea Beach, East Sussex. www.thewatermillsuffolk.co.uk Reliable and Experienced. East Acton zone 2 Central line. Gated car standing, garden, all bills and calendar month deposit and one calendar 01895 634610 Email [email protected] Telephone 07932 766170 3HYNLIYPNO[JVU[LTWVYHY`Z[\KPV Email [email protected] cleaning included, convenient District month rent required prior to moving in. Telephone 07880 702959 ;\YRPZOKLSPNO[]PSSHwith pool in ILKMSH[PU7LYP]HSL,HSPUN-\SS` Telephone 07821 908664 line tube, E3 and 94 buses, Chiswick Available from 1 March. For information HWHY[TLU[PUX\PL[,HZ[(J[VU available ;\MULSSWHYRZOVY[SL[2 rooms available M\YUPZOLK4 minutes walk from tube, delightful Dalyan sleeping 4-18 in 7SHZ[LYLY Over 25 years experience. High Road. Would suit single or couple. please contact Jon 07798 525427 2 April. Fully furnished. Gorgeous, brand in house share near tube station. VMMZOVY[OHUK touch typing, 4 stops/11 minutes to TVC. Lovely *HYJHZZVUUL8 bedroom Farmhouse 3 comfortable cottages. Free quotes. Call Seamus on (SV]LS`SHYNLZ[\KPVMSH[PU,HSPUN £500pw. Email [email protected] new kitchen and bathroom. Off road £550pm. Email fladmarkjudy@hotmail. Executive PA, Secretarial (Legal and new build development. Parking space with pool. Sleeps 16. Telephone Website www.manzara.co.uk 07723 534225 or 020 8205 1048 *VTTVU£750pcm. Please contact .VYNLV\ZVULKV\ISLILKYVVT period parking space. £210pw. com. Telephone 07879 894740 Medical), Bookkeeping, Sage and included. Sky Plus. Available from + 44 (0)7860 295 574. Website Mira on 07710 040581 *OPZ^PJR Lovely, light double room in flat within minutes of west Ealing station. Email [email protected] Excel courses. Further information March/April. £995pcm + bills.
To place a classified ad in Ariel please telephone 020 7878 2313 or email [email protected]. Alternatively, you may post your ad to: Ariel Advertising, Ten Alps Media, One New Oxford Street, High Holborn, London WC1A 1NU To place an ad online go to www.bbcarielads.com Ariel Advert 22-02-2010:30th MARCH 2004 Page 12[1].qx 22/02/2010 11:37 Page 1
14 Jobs See Attachment
JOBS
—————————————— —————————————— —————————————— PROGRAMME MAKING Never a Reporter, Afghanistan Business Accounting Team HR Advisor, BBC Worldwide Kabul Lead/Arweinydd Tîm London Editor Crimewatch 8/9S/Ref: 268405 Cyfrifyddu Busnes Media Centre Cardiff London C 04-Mar-10 A 2 years 2W/Ref: 266247 10D/Ref: 265033 E C 11P/Ref: 267877 —————————————— 01-Mar-10 E C C 25-Feb-10 —————————————— dull day 03-Mar-10 Pakistan/Afghanistan Producer —————————————— Islamabad —————————————— Multi-media Creative Series Producer, Culture Show Assistant Editor (Technical) TV London 8/9S/Ref: 268403 Glasgow News, West Midlands White City C 04-Mar-10 A 2 years Wiltshire newsreader 10S/Ref: 262218 Birmingham Under Review/Ref: 267467 —————————————— C 07-Mar-10 A 10 months 9D/Ref: 268187 C A Senior Broadcast Journalist, 02-Mar-10 12 months —————————————— C 05-Mar-10 A 06 months Nicola McHugh goes Production Manager, Culture US Edition, News Website —————————————— Show Washington Programme Manager, Future SPECIALIST TECHNICAL back to her roots for a Glasgow 8/9D/Ref: 268396 Now ANDZ DESIGN SERVICES 8D/Ref: 262222 C 09-Mar-10 A 06 months London stint with Radio Ulster C 07-Mar-10 A 10 months —————————————— White City Senior Technologist —————————————— Senior Broadcast Journalist, 9D/Ref: 266456 London Production Manager, Factual News Interactive C 01-Mar-10 A 12 months 9D/Ref: 253514 Political cliff hangers and showdowns, a 600lb Development Nottingham —————————————— E C 03-Mar-10 bomb and that little matter of the First Minister’s Territory Account Manager Glasgow 8D/Ref: 254370 wife and her teenage lover. The last six months were 8D/Ref: 261710 E C Reading 05-Mar-10 TECHNOLOGY far from dull in Radio Ulster’s newsroom. C 25-Feb-10 A 12 months —————————————— 9D/Ref: 266099 —————————————— Newyddiadurwr Darlledu C 28-Feb-10 A 06 months I came on attachment from a local station in Script Editor, EastEnders Cardiff —————————————— Manager, Transmission England where I’d been news reading, but in Bel- Senior Audience Planner, Elstree 7D/Ref: 265812 Operations fast the radio rota also involved reporting and pro- Knowledge 7P/Ref: 267925 E C 25-Feb-10 A 06 months London ducing. I was thrown out of my comfort zone but E C A London 07-Mar-10 2 years —————————————— Bush House it meant I left with better skills and a grip of new —————————————— Breakfast Producer (Broadcast Media Centre 11S/Ref: 256499 Development Editor, equipment. Journalist), Radio Kent 9D/Ref: 265536 C 01-Mar-10 A 12 months EastEnders E C 01-Mar-10 It was good being back in my home patch though. Tunbridge Wells —————————————— Elstree —————————————— Manager, Transmission I am from Northern Ireland and, oddly enough, the 5/7D/Ref: 266230 Metadata Resources Manager 7P/Ref: 267924 Developments first story I was sent to report on was in mytiny E C A C 02-Mar-10 Manchester 07-Mar-10 2 years London —————————————— —————————————— 9D/Ref: 264718 Bush House District Journalists Broadcast Journalist, BBC C 08-Mar-10 Belfast - Broadcasting House Radio Humberside —————————————— 11S/Ref: 256496 7D/Ref: 259467 Hull Commissions Co-ordinator C 01-Mar-10 A 12 months —————————————— C 01-Mar-10 Various 5/7D/Ref: 263637 London Test Analyst —————————————— E C 28-Feb-10 TV Centre Vision Operator —————————————— 7D/Ref: 268380 London Broadcast Centre Media Village Glasgow Broadcast Journalist / C 01-Mar-10 A 06 months 6H/Ref: 251940 Newyddiadurwr Darlledu, —————————————— 7D/Ref: 268408 E C 07-Mar-10 WIWO Marketing Campaign Manager C 03-Mar-10 —————————————— —————————————— Cardiff London Production Co-ordinator White City Web (Front End) Developer – 5/7D/Ref: 262021 Belfast - Broadcasting House 7D/Ref: 266324 Solutions Team, Fabric E C 07-Mar-10 A 09 months 5H/Ref: 266760 E C 01-Mar-10 London —————————————— C A —————————————— White City 01-Mar-10 10 months Multi-Media Researcher, BBC —————————————— Marketing and Fundraising 7D/Ref: 267003 World Service Music Co-ordinator, 1Xtra Executive C 04-Mar-10 A 06 months London London London —————————————— Yalding House Bush House White City Interaction Designer 5D/Ref: 267209 5D/Ref: 266926 6D/Ref: 268452 London C 08-Mar-10 A 09 months C 28-Feb-10 A 06 months C 02-Mar-10 A 12 months White City —————————————— —————————————— 7D/Ref: 267002 BBC North Job Opportunities Marketing Planner C 04-Mar-10 A 06 months home village. (That flood had nothing to do with BUSINESS SUPPORT London London / Salford Quays —————————————— me...) Ref: NTP207351 ANDZ MANAGEMENT White City Developer – Solutions Team, The shifts were busy – fast paced and at times 6D/Ref: 266481 Fabric E C intense. I rarely worked with the same team for Head of International Training 01-Mar-10 London JOURNALISM —————————————— more than a week at a go and had to keep altering London Assistant Accountant White City Bush House 7D/Ref: 267001 my focus between programmes and bulletins. Deputy Head of Newsgathering London 11S/Ref: 267821 C 03-Mar-10 A 06 months One of the benefits of such a relentless pace and London White City C 07-Mar-10 switching roles is that people are then much more TV Centre 5P/Ref: 268144 —————————————— C A aware of the demands of others in the overall out- SM2/Ref: 268388 01-Mar-10 06 months BBC WORLDWIDE Senior Economic Adviser, Fair —————————————— put and daily there’d be meetings between bulle- C 01-Mar-10 Trading Regional Officer, BBC Children —————————————— tins and programmes about how stories would be in Need Talent Accounting Business Executive Producer, Current London covered. I couldn’t have asked for a more interest- London Project Manager Affairs White City Bush House London ing period in which to have worked in Northern London 10D/Ref: 268264 5D/Ref: 268126 1W/Ref: 267632 Ireland. SM2/Ref: 267700 E C 08-Mar-10 —————————————— E C 04-Mar-10 A 12 months E C 04-Mar-10 The night the current affairs programme Spotlight C 03-Mar-10 A 12 months Marketing Planning Manager —————————————— —————————————— broke the Iris Robinson sex scandal was fascinating – —————————————— Business Coordinator, Global Senior Production Coordinator, London Editor, US Edition, News News Channels as was the fallout over the next few weeks. White City Website London London My final shift was on the bulletins desk at mid- 10D/Ref: 266320 Washington Bush House Media Centre night on February 4 – less than five minutes after E C 01-Mar-10 10D/Ref: 268395 5D/Ref: 266155 2W/Ref: 267022 the DUP announced they’d found a way to do a deal C 09-Mar-10 A 12 months —————————————— E C C 25-Feb-10 A 05 months 07-Mar-10 with Sinn Fein on policing and justice, and in do- —————————————— Head of Audiences, Vision —————————————— —————————————— ing so keep the devolved government running. Head of Multi-platform and Multiplatform Team Assistant, Executive Unit Audience Feedback and Development London London Compliance Assistant The newsroom was still buzzing at a quarter to London Media Centre White City London two and I knew I’d miss it. I’ve been lucky to have 10D/Ref: 267547 10D/Ref: 265541 4D/Ref: 266605 4W/Ref: 266784 had a great experience on attachment. I’m back C 03-Mar-10 A 06 months E C 01-Mar-10 E C 01-Mar-10 A 11 months E C 07-Mar-10 at my substantive post in Wiltshire now, and have —————————————— —————————————— —————————————— —————————————— brought with me out of the buzz of Northern Ire- land a greater sense of calm and more confidence FULL DETAILS AND HOW TO APPLY EXTERNAL APPLICATIONS to suggest stories and treatments.
Full details and how to apply are on Gateway at: Vacancies published on this page are open to BBC Staff. https://jobs.bbc.co.uk/fe/tpl_bbc02.asp Where indicated (E ), external applicants may also be considered. Send your For assistance contact BBC Recruitment’s Response Please contact (quoting the appropriate ref.no.): Recruitment BBC Been anywhere nice? Team on: 0800 082 8080 or 0370 333 1330 HR Direct, PO Box 1133, Belfast BT1 9GP Tel: 0370 333 1330. attachment stories to Clare Bolt
C Date which applications are to be received byE External applicants considered A Attachment/contract
14 OCTOBER 08 ARIEL What am I doing here a 23·02·10 15 ELLARA WAKELY foreign Learning Manager, BBC Proms and BBC Symphony Orchestra report
Do you have a musical background? What does a learning manager for the Proms I was given a violin when I was eight, and and Symphony Orchestra do? as I grew up under the Greater London Au- It’s all about audience participation and LORNA MILTON thority I got a free place at a Saturday music getting people involved. Often people see school. Mum encouraged me, but we’re not learning and they think that’s kids, but On a memorable trip to a one of those musical families. If the London our focus is also on young people, fami- school system had been doing home eco- lies and amateur musicians. The family or- kenyan orphanage nomics I might have ended up as a cook! chestra is a perfect example: we have a five ‘That’ll never work!’ Standing in a Luton year old who is learning the violin and car park I could not see how three bits of folded Did you intend to become a professional an 85 year old who plays the clarinet. out plastic was going to get me on air for a two musician? and half hour live show from Kenya. I joined a local youth orchestra when I What are you working on now? ‘That’ was a satellite ISDN – kit never seen was a teenager and started writing my We run a young composers scheme before at BBC Three Counties, let alone used. own music, which I went on to study for 12-18 year olds with Composer We’d borrowed it to cover the opening of at university. My mum is Colombian Labs and I spent last weekend with an orphanage, the culmination of a Bedford about 70 teenagers, all keen compos- woman’s campaign to help Aids orphans in ers. My job is getting musicians to the village of Utange, [reported in Ariel, Janu- take part, finding the young compos- ary 26). I’ve covered her work for two years ers and marketing the whole project. on Lorna Milton in the Afternoon. We arrived to intense, dry heat, and began recording material in and around Utange. I and I’d been to the coun- wanted to capture the real Africa. When a taxi try as a child, so after universi- driver in the rundown village of Shanzu said: ty I went out there to teach Eng- ‘Are you sure you want to go here? OK, well lish. Only when I arrived they invited just be very careful,’ I felt we’d left the tour- me to work in the music department. ist trail. It was uncomfortable, tense and as a white woman I was a novelty. ...and you built a career in music education The contrast between the comforts of People who studied music go into all sorts What are the best bits about your job? our tourist hotel of careers – I find that musicians are eve- Being face-to-face with the audience. I ‘The contrast and local life was rywhere. Within the BBC I think we could talk to them on the phone, meet them stark. Stand- probably create countless orchestras of and take them through the whole event. between ing in a confined people who aren’t full time musicians. People are often surprised that the BBC Utange mud does these events and creates opportu- tourist comfort hut, home to a How did you come to work for the BBC? nities like this for people to take part. woman and four The Proms operate with a small core team, photo and local life children, seeing but for two months in the summer they What do you like doing outside work? the effects Aids double their numbers to cover an inten- g I like making my own clothes, which is was having on
raph was stark’ sive period of events. I thought it would be coming in handy as I’m having a baby her, the journal- an exciting place to work and I applied. in July and many of them no longer fit ist side of me went out the window. I was in : SU me. I still play piano although haven’t tears. The wine bottles outside her home And was it exciting? E FOLL done any composing for a while. told the story. Like many she had no educa- It exposed me to a world of work around mu- tion, little money for food, or to travel to find sic and live performance that I had no idea Are you playing music to your baby? work, or send her children to school. She existed. That job opened lots of doors, includ- Yes, although I’m not quite sure if it lived day to day, drinking cheap wine and ing touring with orchestras, which was a can hear yet! I’ll start developing its selling herself to local men. 100 shillings (£1) highlight of my early 20s. I spent three weeks tastes in the next few months. for sex with a condom, 500 shillings (£5) in central America with a baroque ensemble without. This is why Aids is spreading round of 15 mad Italians, in cockroach filled buses. What will you (both) be listening to? the village, why one in 25 children in this part Because I work in classical music, at home of Africa are orphans and how the children at Do you have any regrets about not being a I listen to 6 Music and people who are alive her feet came to be born. full time musician? at the moment. I also find myself listen- I broadcast for a week from Kenya for Not at all. I was never a performer and it’s ing to 1970s rock, which is probably a bit of Three Counties, thanks to that satellite ISDN, very much a lifestyle choice. Lots of musi- my parents’ generation ingrained in me. ending with the triumphant opening of the cians end up married to other musicians and orphanage. touring makes home life tricky. I work with Do you think all kids should be given The adventure continued to the end. As I the BBC Symphony Orchestra and I’m always music lessons? waited at Mombasa for a delayed flight, air- impressed with how much the musicians Yes, because I’ve seen the benefits. port security approached. My passport was do – 13 Proms, a season at the Barbican and But it’s not about becoming a musi- taken and I was marched onto the runway. about 90 concerts a year. That’s a lot of play- cian, and I would steer clear of getting There sat my purple suitcase, cordoned off, ing. It’s high pressure and your lifestyle has them to be the best in their class. and I was repeatedly accused of being a spy to work around being part of a huge group. or a terrorist. Terrified, I pulled out all the So what’s next for you? broadcast equipment and tried to explain. Right now it’s the young composer labs, I’ve never had such a reaction to the words, CV which are happening all around the ‘BBC’. Now security wanted to know if I’d met BA Music and History, country. We’ve just done London and the the Queen! I decided having seen Her Majesty Degree: next stop is Cardiff, then Truro. being driven out of Buckingham Palace while University of Birmingham On April 22 we’ll launch the whole pro- on a day trip to London counted. ‘Yes, yes I First job: Sandwich-making gramme of Proms events for the sum- have!’ I screamed. Suddenly I had five new at the Tower of London mer. And then I’m having my first sum- ‘best friends’ and the next minute I was back mer off in five years to have a baby, so in Departures. That sat kit was great, but it Career highlight: Working for I’m trying to slightly slow down. also landed me in the most frightening but the British Council in Colombia memorable situation to date. Interview by Sue Llewellyn
> CONTACT SUE LLEWELLYN to suggest a colleague for this feature 16 a 23·02·10 green room ▲ THE ARIELAT0R WE HEAR THAT. . . A weekly take on life at the BBC: Spotted: Dragons’ Den host Evan Davies ▲ who’s up, who’s down, who’s off being mobbed by star-struck ten year-olds as he DOWNSIDE The ritual consumption of treasure struggled to get through the turnstiles at White ▲ pancakes last Tuesday – traditionally City underground station after coming off air marred only by arguments about whether at Radio 4. Who knew Today was so popular with ▲ to use an instant or homemade batter and the kids? the occasional miss-flip – proved surpris- ▲ ingly controversial... A mysterious pizza arrived at main recep- hunters tion in TVC last week, apparently ordered by the Blue Peter presenter Joel Defries caused Business Unit. With no one claiming it, the team ▲ a stir in the Buckinghamshire market town went to work on the cheesy treat, only later con- of Olney by running in their world famous sidering that they were victims of a publicity- ▲ seeking pizza delivery company. Did they spit out the dough? Perhaps not straight away… ‘We ▲ all tucked in... And then realised that it was prob- ably a PR stunt,’ says our mole. ‘Who cares, free ▲ pizza!’ ▲ Fast-talking fashionista Gok Wan’s appearance on Desert Island Discs has ▲ upset some fans of the show. Though Gok ▲ Shrove Tuesday race. Since 1445 the pan- (left) discussed his cake race has officially only been open weight problems, dif- ▲ to women who live in Olney, but commit- On the run: Anneka Rice, ficult childhood, and tee members let Joel run on the condition presenter Becky Betts and even delved deeply ▼ that he donned an amusing costume and BA Alexajain Wills-Bradfield into the complex issue didn’t win. Reports in the Telegraph of what he was currently ▼ that residents were ‘furious’ with A surprise encounter for Radio Becky. ‘It’s Anneka flipping Rice’ she wearing, he failed to im- this break from tradition were re- Norfolk presenter Becky Betts last screamed on catching sight of the press correspondents to Ra- buffed by the Northampton Chron- week when celebrity jumpsuit wearer presenter at Norfolk Castle, before dio 4’s Feedback who worried his presence was ▼ icle which pointed out that past Anneka Rice turned up on popular Sun- bursting into tears. Anneka remained symptomatic of a ‘dumbing down’ of the series. runners have included ‘male day morning show Treasure Quest. unflappable – ‘Can I just say listeners, One listener even branded the stylist’s achieve- ▼ actors from the tv comedy An homage to 80s series Treasure she’s crying – and I’m dribbling slight- ments ‘slight and unimportant’. He evidently ‘Allo, ‘Allo’ and 1940s come- Hunt, in the BBC version Betts must ly,’ she purred. hasn’t seen what the man can do with a cheap ▼ dian Wilfred Pickles. travel Norfolk in the station’s radio Assistant editor Martyn Weston high-street handbag and set of bangles… car solving clues set by the dastardly was upbeat. ‘It made for terrific ra- ▼ Radio 1’s Huw Stephens (right) Questmaster with the help of studio dio,’ he said. ‘Fortunately we only had Look out on the slopes! Word reaches us by simply wanted to cook a pancake bound presenter David Clayton and one complaint from a listener with alpine horn that both deputy dg Mark Byford and ▼ on air during his Tuesday night the guidance of listeners. tinnitus due to Becky’s intense business and economics editor Jeremy Hillman new music show – but there Racing against time across Norfolk screaming on spotting Anneka.’ But have suffered accidents on their respective ski- was the small matter of Health with no map every Sunday morning what did Anneka herself think? ‘Who ing holidays… ▼ & Safety to attend to first. After would be taxing enough for most peo- needs a helicopter when you have a reading out the many regulations ple, but it seems meeting the origi- radio car and the Norwich one-way ▼ he would need to follow before nal skyrunner was a step too far for system?’ she quipped. even getting a pan warm, includ- ▼ ing having security on standby in the studio with a fire blanket and Win New York ▼ notifying authorities about the singing in the square amount of cooking oil he was go- Delhi snacks ing to use, he told listeners The EastEnders live episode on one square forever’... ‘quite frankly, we couldn’t be Friday may have been a first for the Two years later Songs of Praise de- New York Delhi sup- bothered’. series, but one thing remained pre- cided to have a go with a religious take ply Indian snacks and recorded – the classic theme by on the theme, Glory be to God. Don’t spices which blend the Simon May. So classic, that it’s been re- worry – the chorus stayed true to the authenticity and qual- leased as a single three times… emerging seven-syllable rule by adding ity of real Indian cook- EARWIGGING First in 1986 was Anita ‘Angie Watts’ the words ‘on high’ to the song’s title. ing with the style and Dobson’s (pictured) paean to the long- Best of the bunch is the jazzy coffee- elegance of top New OVERHEARD AT THE BBC term relationship, Anyone Can Fall in table soul of the Sharon Benson/Simon York delis. Seasoned Love. This funky number comes com- May effort I’ll Always Believe In You from with their own in- …you’re supposed to take plete with outrageous guitar solo from 1993, which scores extra points for at house spice blends, it out of your underpants… Dobson’s husband, Queen’s least having a hint of subtlety and for its their ViPnuts come Brian May, which segues prodigious use of saxophone. in three flavours: Hot …you know that story effortlessly into the Strangely, there’s an overriding Chilli, Chilli Lemon, about the man who likes to resigned ‘weeee wow theme of positivity to each song and Masala. They are wee wow’ whistle at quite at odds with the grim reali- available at Waitrose, shower with the squirrel on the end of the ties of daily life in Albert Square. Fortnum and Masons his head... do you have a theme. It also There’s obviously room for a and other outlets contains the new grittier attempt, and across the UK, USA and contact number for him?… remarkable today’s new breed the rest of the world, as well as at the BBC bar. lyric ‘Side by of streetwise pop- We have one case filled with packets of nuts and …I’m a lawyer, I don’t get involved in moral side/ Satisfied/ stars are just the Mumbai mix (rrp £36) on offer, plus two runners issues… To stay right ones to do it. An up prizes of half a case each. To enter to win, here N-Dubz version just answer this question: peanuts are not actu- …She’s a woman at a bad age… in can surely only ally nuts. To which plant family do they belong? be around the Email ariel.competitions by March 1. …You just pour it like a Yeti… corner. newyorkdelhi.com
> IF YOU HAVE A STORY FOR THE GREEN ROOM, CONTACT ADAM BAMBURY