23·06·09 Week 25 explore.gateway.bbc.co.uk/ariel THE BBC NEWSPAPER

HOW TO REPORT THE VIRUS THAT IS NEITHER ‘PLAGUE NOR PUSHOVER’ a Page 8 photograph bassett : mark

Global call from tent city GLOBAL NEWS put up its tents at White City and put ◆on a show that included live programmes and lively debates. Here Nadia Arshad, assistant editor for BBC World News, records a piece to mark the tenth anniversary of the World Service Trust. Report Page 3

Top slicing is Right place at Nice work if on the agenda the right time you can get it WE MAY HAVE REACHED an historic MARCUS GEORGE a Farsi speaker IF IT’S NOT THE BEST JOB in the world ◆moment in the history of the BBC with ◆in World Service, went to Iran to ◆(see P15), Ryan Morrison’s is surely the government officially putting forward find stories during the Iranian elections. a contender for best job in the BBC this a plan to give around £130m a year of Suddenly he found himself filing reports summer. He’ll be spending it beside the licence fee money to other broadcasters. to many outlets as the post-election sea, painstakingly updating BBC Jersey’s Implications of Digital Britain Pages 2, 10 demos transformed the story Page 3 online beach guide Page 8 > NEWS ROUND-UP 4 WEEK AT WORK 8-9 OPINION 10 MAIL 11 JOBS 14 GREEN ROOM 16 < 162 News aa 00·00·08 23·06·09

NEED TO KNOW: the carter report COMMENTaRY a September showdown The bigger Room 2425, White City looms over top slicing threat to 201 Wood Lane, London W12 7TS u Digital Britain is the Digital Britain is largely of the BBC Trust in an email to the BBC 020 8008 4228 government’s attempt to map the the work of Stephen Carter, everyone made it clear that UK’s communications needs for minister for communications, the licence fee should not be BILL Editor the next five years. From a BBC technology and broadcasting, regarded as a ‘slush fund’ and Andrew Harvey 02-84222 perspective the key issue involves who says it should be seen as that his trustees would ‘not sit THOMPSON Deputy editors a proposal to take around £130m ‘resoundingly good news’ for quietly by’ while the govern- Sally Hillier 02-26877 from licence fee revenue each the BBC which the government ment raided the kitty. u The debate Cathy Loughran 02-27360 year and give it to independent is encouraging to be a ‘bigger Since then the temperature about how we Features editor regional news providers. and broader’ media player. has cooled a little and the BBC build Digital Brit- Clare Bolt 02-27445 The report also recom- That, of course, sets to one has ­until early September to ain reflects the im- Reporters mends an expanded role for side the licence fee ques- accept top slicing, suggest a portance of connected computers in Carla Parks 02-27630 BBC Worldwide as a ­global tion and here Michael Lyons workable alternative or try to our lives, but I like to think that I’ve Laura Scarrott 02-84224 ­business but with ‘greater sep- positioned himself on a col- force the government to back been living in my own digital Brit- Peggy Walker 01-43940 aration’ from the BBC. lision course. The chairman down. Debate: Page 10 ain for a while. I’ve been online for Production editor 25 years, and remember the BBC’s Claire Barrett 02-27368 first internet connection as well as Art editor u WHERE’s THE MONEY COMing FROM? u WHAT HAPPENS TO THE BBC’S PART- the first world wide web conference. Ken Sinyard 02-84229 Until 2013 the government wants to use any under- NERSHIP OFFER TO ITV? In the event that top Today I am rarely offline and Ariel online spend (estimated to total £200m) from the digital slicing happens, Mark Thompson has said the BBC on an average evening there are Andy Walker (editor) 02-84227 help scheme for two purposes: to help achieve a would probably take its offer to share content and seven or eight computers, phones Alex Goodey 02-27410 universal broadband network and to fund three facilities with ITV ‘off the table’. However, if non- and games consoles sharing my Business co-ordinator pilot news operations in Scotland, Wales and an licence fee funding is found to help either ITV or 20megabit home internet connec- Silvana Romana 02-84228 English region by independently financed news new IFNCs, the BBC would extend a helping hand. tion. I am a wired citizen of the net- Ariel mail consortia (IFNCs, see below) . The pilots would work age, or something like that. [email protected] ­establish how much funding might be required by u TIMESCALE The government wanted to Like many early adopters I am Ariel online expore.gateway.bbc.uk/ariel new entrants into news provision. It is anticipated ­announce top slicing as a done deal until Michael having to work hard to keep up as that they could work more cheaply than the tradi- ­Lyons objected so forcefully. Instead, the pro- new tools, services and technologies Guest contributors this week tional news gathering operation of ITV. posal to take a 3.5 percent portion of licence fee emerge and toys that were once cut- – the­ ‘contained contestable element’ – has been ting edge become commonplace, FERGUS WALSH the BBC’s medical u WHAT ABOUT LONG TERM? After 2013, opened for consultation until early September. from email to social media. correspondent on reporting swine when licence fee levels will be renegotiated, £130m Carter is convinced regional news needs support This is also a problem for organi- flu and what will happen this autumn a year would continue to be drawn from the licence from somewhere (although Sky is unconvinced) sational early adopters like the BBC, Page 8 fee in what Carter calls ‘a contained contestable and has ruled out direct treasury grants. The gov- since being a big web publishing suc- ANNA CASSAR of Radio 4 explains the element’ (colloquially top slicing) and given to ernment says it is open to other suggestions but if cess story is no guarantee of survival enduring appeal of messageboards IFNCs. Carter says the BBC remains the gold stand- nothing viable emerges by September the BBC will in the age of social networks, while Page 6 ard for broadcasting and should not be weakened. either have to accept or fight the plan. success in streaming conventional The money he wants to go to regional news would television doesn’t ensure relevance be in addition to the BBC’s licence fee settlement. u WHAT’S THE PLAN FOR RADIO? in an always-on, two-way world filled BBC Jobs 0370 333 1330 The Conservatives are opposed to top slicing but The government wants to move all national and with connected devices. Jobs textphone 028 9032 8478 threaten to reduce the licence fee. large stations away from FM and AM to DAB, switch- This may become a serious issue BBC Jobs John Clarke 02-27143 ing off analogue in 2015. The reasoning is that the for the BBC if Carter’s proposals are Room 2120, White City, London W12 7TS u WHO PROVIDES ALTERNATIVE NEWS? nature of audio ‘puts it at the forefront of device implemented, because they include The government will invite local groups to form and platform convergence’ with availability through plans to provide next generation Advertise in Ariel ­IFNCs as news providers across the UK. These could the internet, mobiles, digital tv where it will need its broadband to the whole of the UK, Ten Alps Publishing 020 7878 2314 include existing commercial tv companies, local own digital medium. With 9m DAB sets already in and once the whole country has 50 www.bbcarielads.com newspapers, news agencies, other publishers. They use in the UK, switchover is the chosen route. or 100mbps available the iPlayer is would bid for a franchise in much the same way that The government is asking the BBC to extend na- going to look very old-fashioned. Printing the old regional television companies divided the tional DAB coverage so that it is at least comparable The plan for comprehensive next Garnett Dickinson Group territory – only this time successful bidders would to FM radio; it wants manufacturers to come up with generation access was a welcome Rotherham 01709 768000 receive licence fee funding. A licensing body would receivers that cost no more than £20 and it wants improvement on the widely criti- be responsible for allocating money and ensuring car makers to move to DAB no later than 2013. cised suggestion that 2mpbs univer- Subscribe to Ariel high editorial standards. (This is a role envisaged for Although there has been criticism of the quality of sal broadband might suffice. Six months: £26, £36, £40 the BBC Trust by Peter Bazalgette, see Page 10). the signal and environmentalists have complained The fast network will be part- Twelve months: £50, £60, £68 that DAB uses four times the power of traditional ly funded by £6 a year levy on ordi- (prices for UK, Europe, rest of world u HAS LICENCE FEE MONEY PREVIOUSLY radios, the BBC is supportive. nary phone lines. Since it will raise respectively) GONE ELSEWHERE? Yes. The present licence only a small portion of the billions Cheques to: Garnett Dickinson Print, fee includes a sum of around £150m a year to help u WHAT ELSE DOES CARTER SAY ABOUT such a network will cost, perhaps it Brookfields Way, Manvers, pay for digital switchover, principally providing the THE BBC? should be seen not as a ­policy but as Wath Upon Dearne, Rotherham S63 5DL elderly with set top boxes. The BBC agreed to this BBC Trust should encourage the BBC to exceed its a nudge, as used by Cass Sunstein Tel 01709 768199 because the spending was allied to its mission to 2012 targets for network production in Scotland, and Richard ­Thaler in their book on help drive digital uptake. Michael Lyons predicts Wales and Northern Ireland. (The current plan is for ‘improving decisions about wealth INFORMATION IN AN EMERGENCY that once government starts using licence fee 12 percent of network spending to go to the three and happiness’. It tells ISPs that fast Telephone 0800 0688 159 money for other things it won’t stop at tv news. nations by 2012 and 17 percent by 2016.) broadband allows companies to work Ceefax Page 159 www.bbc.co.uk/159 on the ­basis that marginal ­areas Ariel is produced by Internal will be subsidised and so should be Communcations for people at the BBC included in their plans, and offers What’s in it for Worldwide? those providing content and services due notice that high speed connec- u In a word, expansion. chief executive who has led a possible sale of part of the tivity will be made available. Carter says it would be a missed growth policy and who business. Today’s levels of internet access in opportunity to ‘limit Worldwide to pulled off the acquisition of How expansion could be the UK have already forced a ­rethink PLEASE RECYCLE YOUR COPY OF ARIEL a narrow supporting role’ to the the Lonely Planet business. achieved while protecting of the need for a public service BBC. He says the future route for Carter seems to say ‘go and promoting the BBC brand broadcaster and a re-evaluation of the company is ‘not to restrain it forth and multiply’ although at and at the same time avoid- the BBC’s role. Forget top slicing the but to give it more freedom and the same time he’s calling for ing ­undue market ­impact, he licence fee: building a high speed more breadth’. greater separation between doesn’t say. ‘Please go away network is a greater threat to the This will probably be music Worldwide and its parent, even and have a look,’ he says. BBC’s continued existence. to the ears of John Smith, WW’s to the point of suggesting the Ariel View: Page 10 Bill Thompson is an internet commentator

> ARIEL ONLINE: BBC NEWS AS IT HAPPENS – EXPLORE.GATEWAY.BBC.CO.UK/ARIEL< a 23·06·09 News 3 photograph: mark bassett mark photograph: Ideas and My surname in Arabic means issues to Bedouin so I feel match inside quite at home Zeinab Badawi the big tent by Sally Hillier gathered expectantly for a recording of HARDtalk. Roll up, roll up, the circus has come Stone couldn’t make it due to film- to town. Not really, but the tents that ing commitments, Sackur explained, were erected at the Media Village last so architect Richard Rogers had been week certainly provided an ­unusual lined up instead. ‘But he got into a venue for Global News Live, a one-day punch-up with Prince Charles, so our conference and showcase for the BBC’s third choice is Richard Eyre.’ international operations. The show must go on and all that, The canvas surroundings went which nobody understands better down well with some. ‘My surname in than Eyre, former director of the Arabic means bedouin so I feel quite ­National Theatre and a one-time BBC World Debate at home,’ smiled Zeinab Badawi, who governor. He proved an engaging sub- L-R are Mark chaired one of the sessions inside the ject, describing how he had grown up Byford, Nakhle ‘big top’ aka Tent 1. in a culturally impoverished house- El Hage, pre- And was that a sandstorm out- hold, with no books or music, and senter Zeinab side? No, just exceptionally strong how television had been his salvation. Badawi, David winds which, combined with the ‘I saw drama and classical ­music, and Plotz & Alison roar of traffic on Wood Lane and, at it changed my life.’ Smale one point, a helicopter overhead, cre- A socialist, he was also candid ated a lot of noise. Hardly ideal con- about why he had accepted a knight- ditions, particularly as some of the hood: ‘Vanity.’ sessions, including Business Daily Over in Tent 2 there were more Future gazing: debating the future of global news reporting with Mark Byford, deputy dg; Nakhle El Hage, director and World Have Your Say, were being ­illuminating moments when Persian news Al Arabiya; Zeinab Badawi, presenter; David Plotz, editor online magazine Slate; Alison Smale, exec editor IHT ­recorded for broadcast. TV highlighted some of its most pop- It’s also not ideal when an inter- ular output, and who should pop up viewee lets you down; even worse on screen but Michael Palin and Jeremy James, Marcus du Sautoy, professor But it was Zizek, whose books in- keep up, and if that wasn’t enough when the replacement fails to show Clarkson – dubbed into Farsi. of maths at Oxford University, and clude The Sublime Object of Ideology, Sautoy couldn’t ­resist throwing in a as well. For those who didn’t understand the philosopher Slavoj Zizek. ‘I don’t who proved the real handful, ­barely maths puzzle and asking delegates ‘Some of you may be scratching a word, there was almost the same know how I’m going to control them,’ pausing for breath as he opined on to solve it. Being clever BBC people, your heads wondering where the problem during a recording of the said Bridget Kendall introducing the communism, censorship, life in his some of them did. bloody hell is Oliver Stone,’ said pre- World Service programme The ­Forum, panel, complete with du Sautoy’s native Slovenia, literature, cinema, Big brains and big tents; it was senter Stephen Sackur as a crowd with ‘intellectual powerhouses’ Clive trumpet, which he proceeded to play. and multiculturalism. It was hard to that kind of day. Iran drama gave reporter unexpected role It’s back to the regular routine this week for and who was back in Iran for the first time and Jackie Martens [producer in the ­Tehran MEANWHILE BACK IN IRAN... senior broadcast journalist Marcus George since a study trip there 13 years ago, had, as he bureau]. The BBC is trying to accredit another corre- whose name now has a certain familiar ring. puts it, ‘to get on with it’. ‘It was useful for Jon to have me there spondent, following the expulsion of Jon Leyne. Normally based in the Bush House news- He reported for the World Service, 5 Live, ­because it freed him up to get out and about He had been in the country for two years, room, where he writes stories and produces the News Channel and BBC World News, and more. Things changed very quickly, from the and was waiting to have his resident’s permit bulletins, he unexpectedly found himself play- contributed blogs and updates for the website. easy-going, almost festive, atmosphere before ­renewed for another year. ing a crucial role in Iran, joining John Simpson ‘It was his big moment, and he did a great job the election to the violent clashes afterwards. But the reporting restrictions imposed on and Jon Leyne on one of the biggest and most in difficult circumstances,’ notes Jon Williams, ‘On Tuesday [June 16], the authorities foreign journalists last week, followed by the challenging stories of the year. world news editor. imposed severe restrictions, barring foreign ayatollah’s denouncement of the BBC as A Farsi speaker, with a couple of reporting George says: journalists from covering anything other than ­‘satanic’, were an ominous sign, and at the ­attachments under his belt, George was sent to ‘It was an official events. It was difficult to go out and weekend Leyne was told to leave. Tehran initially to help with World Service cov- extraordinary report after that.’ His work will be continued by Middle East edi- erage of the presidential election and to produce experience, There were more tricky moments on Sat- tor Jeremy Bowen, who is in Iran on a temporary some lighter items about the place and its people. pitched into urday when George arrived at Tehran airport visa, and the BBC bureau, in the heart of Tehran. He left the UK on June 11 on a ten-day visa, which something like to fly home and was held at passport control. will remain open. The small local team that is meant he was still in the country for the worst that and asked ‘They had a good hard look at me and disap- based there will be key in helping the BBC to of the bloody confrontations between pro-gov- to do live ­after peared with my passport. I wondered wheth- report the story, says Jon Williams, world news ernment militia and supporters of ­opposition live after live. I er they recognised me from my World News editor. candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi. had great support reports and had me down as someone who In an email to colleagues, he expressed his More experienced colleagues, including Lyse from Jon Leyne had, in their eyes, helped to foster unrest.’ sorrow that Leyne’s posting had ended in such Doucet, who had arrived in Iran some days ear- But after an anxious wait, he was allowed to a way. ‘He deserves better. Jon’s reporting has lier, had had to leave, their visas having expired. proceed. been of the very highest standard, never more So George, whose interest in the Middle East Marcus George: Now back in London, he hopes that his expe- so than during the past two difficult weeks. His inspired him to take a degree in Farsi at Lon- the right place at riences will stand him in good stead the next measured tone, full of insight and nuance, has don’s School of African and Oriental Studies, the right time time a reporter’s job comes up. been in the finest traditions of the BBC. ‘

4 News a 23·06·09

NEWS BITES Partners on the Clyde... The issues facing Pakistan and Afghanistan are the focus of a week by Sally Hillier He adds that ‘significant reciprocity’ is questions, but after the meeting some people of special output, across radio, tv and expected from STV, which will have to bring as expressed alarm at the proposals, wondering online, that began on Monday. Today, BBC Scotland’s rivalry with STV has taken on much to the arrangement as the BBC, particu- what could be ‘in it’ for the BBC. Others though Newsnight, Panorama and the main a new twist, with a partnership agreement larly over the pooling of pictures, and that any were more philosophical. news programmes are all involved. that could see them sharing material and final agreement will have to ensure that the ‘For years we have set out to beat STV, but on ­resources. editorial integrity of both broadcasters is pre- the plus side there seems to be no question of BBC Two’s Iran and the West: The The broadcasters, neighbours at Pacific Quay, served. Exclusive stories and features will not doing anything that will damage our own out- Pariah State, marking 30 years since Glasgow, have signed a memorandum, paving be shared. put,’ one producer told Ariel. ‘In reality, there’s the Iranian Revolution, won the the way for possible collaboration in six ­areas: How all this will work in practice is not yet reasonable opportunity for sharing cameras, tv documentary prize at Monday’s news pictures; facilities; training; content and clear, nor is the likely impact on respective pro- feeds, trucks etc, as long as there’s a sensible One World Media Awards. Crossing production; archive programmes; online. grammes (STV’s flagship evening news broad- protocol to cover what happens when editorial Continents: Dharavi, a Radio 4 current On news, they will consider sharing some cast airs at 6pm; Reporting Scotland at 6.30pm). priorities change, and the two sides don’t nec- affairs special from Asia’s biggest raw picture footage and live OB resources. ‘I can understand that people might find it essarily agree what to do next. slum, was best radio documentary. ‘We have identified areas where we see odd for the BBC to be embracing a rival broad- ‘There’s a feeling of let’s wait and see what ­potential for working together,’ says Ian Small, caster, but nothing that has been suggested so the detailed arrangements are.’ University Challenge rules head of public policy, Scotland. Unlike the mem- far will affect the healthy competitive relation- Talks with STV will continue over the sum- have been changed by production orandum between the BBC and ITV on ­regional ship between the two,’ says Small. mer. As well as sharing material and ­facilities, company Granada to ensure that news partnerships, Small says the agreement Scotland staff had a chance to quiz Mark the two sides are looking at their properties contestants are current students. is not financially driven, but is about trying to Thompson about the deal when he visited and at teaming up to support students through In the last series, shown on BBC provide better services for audiences. ­Pacific Quay last week. He faced few tough placements and work shadowing. Two, Oxford’s Corpus Christi team was disqualified after it emerged that team member Sam Kay had graduated before the BBC Three could Sport keeps its cool as Formula 1 latter stages of the competition. Ben Preston, executive editor start at 3pm to at The Independent, is the new editor breakaway threat comes to head of Radio Times, and will take over from Gill Hudson this summer. He attract more teens has held various senior positions on It could be national newspapers, including The Change is both imminent and on the horizon the pits if this Times, where he spent eight years as as a result of the BBC Trust’s review of the serv- goes ahead: deputy editor and a year as editor. ices provided for younger audiences. Coming Jonathan soon is a change to the 1Xtra schedule where Legard, Jake Adam Shaw, business presenter the weekday Max programme of news and dis- Humphrey of Today, has been named cussion will be replaced by two 15 minute news and David broadcast journalist of the bulletins at lunchtime and drive. Coulthard year by the Association of These will be modelled on the successful discuss off Investment Companies. Newsbeat format on Radio 1 which draws an track drama audience of more than 10m a week. The trust, at Silverstone Patrick Dowling, the former in its review of Radio 1, 1Xtra and BBC Three, BBC producer/director whose accepted that listeners to 1Xtra did not want a credits included Vision On and long news programme. The Adventure Game, has died in In what was a broadly supportive review, Australia, aged 89. He joined the the trust said the BBC faced a ‘growing chal- There is a discernible air of non-panic in BBC teams in Paris this week a solution is thought BBC in 1955. rising to become a lenge’ to deliver news to young people and sport at the threat of a breakaway from For- to be the likely outcome. senior producer in children’s. to reach teenagers on television. It said both mula 1 by eight top racing teams. If this were to As a live sporting event, F1 has attracted big ­Radio 1 and BBC Three had an important func- happen as a result of the row with motor rac- audiences since the BBC regained the rights Alan Sugar has been confirmed tion in this area, and is asking the radio sta- ing president Max Mosley, the BBC’s five year from ITV at the start of this season. The com- as presenter of the next series of tion to come up with new ideas targeted at the rights deal would be thrown into confusion, to bination of tv, radio and online coverage has The Apprentice after the BBC said 15-19 age group where numbers have ‘fallen say the least. proved hugely popular with nearly 6m people it was satisfied there would be no significantly’. But it’s clear that everyone – and that watching the British grand prix on BBC One conflict of interest with his new The long term change could see BBC Three ­includes Mosley – expects the issue to be on Sunday. For the first four grands prix of the job as enterprise champion with starting its schedule at 3pm instead of 7pm to ­resolved, perhaps with the powerful president season BBC audiences have on average been a seat in the House of Lords. be more available to teenagers. Although there standing down. Bernie Ecclestone, the other 90 percent higher than ITV managed last year has been no formal application the trust says it big player, is emerging as peacemaker and when Lewis Hamilton was a big attraction as a BBC News School Report won the understands ‘the logic and potential benefits’ when he and Mosley address a meeting of the rising star. innovation category at the Royal of an earlier start time. Television Society Educational Television Awards at Bafta.

More than 20 up and coming artists and bands will be showcased Lumsden and Murphy reunited Dotun and Deborah’s MBEs at the BBC Introducing stage at Glastonbury this weekend. Lucy Lumsden, controller of ­comedy and Stacey, Psychoville, Harry & Paul, ‘It was a complete surprise. I just commissioning, will leave in the Mitchell & Webb, Lead Balloon, Two Pints, got a letter out of the blue. It’s ­autumn to become head of com- Man Stroke Woman and Newswipe. not the kind of thing you expect edy at Sky – a role that will ‘I’ve absolutely loved being at to open,’ says Deborah Cohen of Listen to reunite her with Stuart Mur- the BBC, but Stuart’s unstop- the MBE she was awarded in the phy, former controller of BBC pable enthusiasm for comedy birthday honours. this deal Three. is infectious and I am look- Editor science, audio and During her time at the ing forward to working with music, she got the award for the BBC Symphony Orchestra corporation, where she was him again,’ she says. services to broadcasting and sci- Birthday surprise: Deborah will perform at various London the first person to hold the With Murphy, when he ence. She works on programmes Cohen and Dotun Adebayo locations on June 25, including post, Lumsden commissioned too was at the BBC, they such as Material World and Case St Pancras International and shows for BBC One, Two, worked together to Notes on Radio 4, as well as edit- Spitalfields Market, as part Three and Four – includ- bring Mighty Boosh, ing four science and technology of BBC Proms Out+About. ing Outnumbered, Gavin Ideal, Nighty Night, strands for the World Service. Those attending the concert at Pulling and Tittybang- Radio 5 Live’s Up All Night pre- Westfield shopping centre at Call of comedy: bang to the screen, senter Dotun Adebayo also received 7pm will receive a ten percent Lucy Lumsden is among others. the MBE. Both will receive their discount on BBC Proms tickets. leaving for Sky honours later in the year. a 23·06·09 Features 5 Steffi Graf: The Kingston years: champion Rafael Nadal: Boris Becker: 1985, 86 in 1988, 89, 2008 winner and 89 winner 91, 92, 93, 95, 96

Venus Williams: 2000, 01, 05,07 and 08 champ

by Claire Barrett in HD is likely to be the biggest yet. ‘The technical infrastructure is rad- While an Andy Murray win at ically different this time round,’ he Wimbledon could kick-start a new says. ‘Everything we touch, from era for British tennis, behind the scenes production trucks to ­cameras and another era is drawing to a close. vision mixers, has had to change.’ Once the 2009 champions have GREAT TENNIS It’s an advance in keeping with a been crowned, lead engineer man- tournament that Kingston has seen ager Adrian Kingston will be leaving develop at pace. Massive invest- the green, green grass of SW19, and ...AS SEEN FROM THE CAR PARK ment has resulted in recent years what has become something of a in a new Court One, rebuilt Centre, second home, and trading tennis for m PHOTOGRAPH: impressive clubhouse and a broad- 2012. After 25 Wimbledons, he’ll be cast centre that he reckons is unri- heading east to a new role master- Adrian Kingston is in valled in the world. ‘The club still minding BBC sport’s outside broad- strives for the English country gar- casts from the London Olympics. ar den feel, even though the infra- charge of the BBC’s k b

The SIS Live (former BBC OBs) a structure is thoroughly modern.’ sse

man’s first job at the champion- OB operation at tt This year a new court two – ‘a ships was as a vt editor. But it was a fabulous, bowl arena’ – will be baptism of fire when, a decade ago, Wimbledon. It’s his unveiled and, momentously, a roof he took charge of the BBC’s techni- on Centre Court. ‘It takes around cal operation there. 25th year but you’ll ten minutes to close, 30 min- He was in his office, reflecting on utes for the humidity to stabilise,’ that year’s successful transition from seldom see him in the explains Kingston, ‘so rain delays analogue to digital, while Venus Wil- will be shorter and the BBC’s stand- liams fought Lindsay Davenport for company of the stars by material likely to be packaged her first title out on Centre Court. for these half hour slots.’ Then news reached him that the The engineer, who will marshal main transmission truck was on 70 cameras, four OB scanners, 50 fire. ‘I sprinted over to discover the miles of signal cable, a 65 metre acrid smell of smoke,’ he recalls. hoist and eight circuits routing the ‘Turned out the incoming mains pictures to TVC, says he gets little wiring was burning, which posed a time to watch the action on court. serious threat to our coverage of the But he picks out last year’s men’s final. Fortunately, we managed to ­final as the highlight of his tenure. engineer our way out of that one…’ ‘Federer and Nadal finishing the He’s engineered his way through match in near darkness, lit by the a few challenges since then – the flash photography from spectators move to widescreen in 2001 and in the stands, was televisually stun- high definition trials in 2006 among ning and emotionally electrifying.’ them. But this year’s decision to Wimbledon live on BBC One, Two, HD ­cover the action from all nine courts channel, 5 Live, Red Button and online Forget musicals – I found a far bigger stage If it was the smell of the greasepaint that jobs weren’t better dancers; they were skinnier.’ for any training courses going. ‘My brain wasn’t lured Hild Myklebust to London from her Nor- With paid work scarce, and after ‘more Cats getting quite enough exercise, though,’ says Hild, wegian homeland, it’s the hum of the radio auditions than I care to count’, she called it a day who then discovered the Open University. She transmitter that has kept her here for 15 years. – a decision made simpler because she’d dam- studied maths, then electronics, before embark- Hild arrived in England with a performing arts aged her eyes through overuse of contact lenses. ing on an engineering degree. Seven and a half degree and dreams of becoming a dancer, but ‘And dancing with glasses was not an option.’ years later she graduated, having worked full- it was another degree in engineering – studied A short secretarial course landed her a job as time throughout for VT Communications, which over seven years via the Open University – that an admin assistant at Merlin Communications – had bought out Merlin. saw her plans take a wildly different turn. the company made up of former World Service ‘Now I’m one of a very select band of people ‘I was optimistic I’d make it big, although and BBC Transmission staff that had bought out who can take the entire World Service off air,’ she ­hardly anyone does,’ says the senior broadcast sys- the World Service’s transmitter network. boasts. ‘You’re not a proper engineer until you’ve Myleene Klass did astrophysics, Lenny tems specialist, responsible these days for keeping ‘I was doing all the office stuff for ten engi- done that.’ ­Henry English literature – for 40 years the World Service on air, as she reflects on her early neers. They were overworked and I didn’t have She’s even dancing again – purely for fun. ‘I the Open University, in partnership West End ambitions. ‘I remember my ballet ­teacher enough to do, so I asked if I could help…’ love what I do now,’ she says. ‘As a dancer, unless telling us that if we could think of anything other This appetite for learning led to promotion you’re Darcey Bussell, you’ll be skint and on the with the BBC, has been broadening than dancing we’d like to do, we should do it.’ to technical operator, working shifts in the Bush shelf by the age of 42.’ horizons. As BBC Four marks this As it turned out, Hild wasn’t quite what the House control room where programmes are Claire Barrett month’s anniversary, Ariel spoke to one casting directors were after. ‘The problem wasn’t ­routed to their far-flung destinations. After work, woman whose career, courtesy of the my dancing, I was just the wrong shape – or ­rather she’d ‘hang around like a bad smell’, gleaning n Are you a graduate of the OU? Email Clare Bolt OU, took a dramatic change I had a bit too much shape. The girls who got the knowledge from wiser colleagues, and sign up with your experiences.

6 Features a 23·06·09 A bit like real life, once The strain shows as HD they’ve got sharpens up the action the message

Anna Cassar of Radio 4 interactive Face off: The BBC’s HD channel is on finds an old format alive and well England’s Ricky Flutey a growth spurt as viewers Let’s face it, messageboards are pretty old- and Gethin hat. The smart people have moved on to Jenkins of develop an appetite for detail Twitter, and blogs, and of course we’ve all Wales got loads of friends on Facebook. And yet here at Radio 4, our audience is still keen to participate on our messageboards: the technology is simple to master and once they’re registered they’re on their way. They love meeting one another and talking about our programmes, but what gets them really excited is when programme makers engage with them on the boards. The qualities you need as a messageboard host – besides being a fan of the programmes you’re representing, and learning the edito- rial guidelines – are really the same that you need as a host in real-life. You greet people, introduce them to each other, keep the conver- sation going, steer them away from dodgy top- ics and chuck them out if they’re offensive. I’ve been a host on the Radio 4 boards since they started and I must admit that at first we were opening topics without much thought; some worked, others didn’t. ­We’re a lot more scientific about the way we do things now. We can still react quickly when needs arise. For instance, we used a board for a live web- The beads of perspiration, before it, HD has moved from you can see all the effort on the that making a programme in chat about the property market with Evan the furrowed lines of concentra- something extraordinary to a players’ faces.’ high definition will be no more Davis – that took one person (me) a couple of tion, the explosion of joy at the service that those who have it The channel started life as what expensive than today’s standard hours of liaison and then working with Evan winning shot. Wimbledon’s glad- take for ­granted. Not only that, Nagler calls ‘coffee table tv’, a show- definition. And by that time for an hour or so when the audience were able iators will be captured in vivid, HD is proving to be a recession- case for expensive dramas and fac- high definition will in effect to put their questions to him and he was able all-revealing detail over the next proof consumer product. Prices tual programmes like Planet Earth. have become the standard. to answer them (via my speedy typing). fortnight, when the tennis cham- are coming down, with HD-ready Now the BBC is leading the way Our messageboards run the whole time but pionships are fully covered in high tv sets selling for less than £200. in the UK as the country’s biggest THE STORY SO FAR we’ve also opened definition for the first time on the Sky has been driving its custom- producer and commissioner of HD BBC HD Channel launched: topics for spe- BBC HD channel. ers towards its 33 HD channels content. At present, this is shown December 2007 You can’t cial projects: last It will be much the same at while Freesat has sold most of its only on the HD channel but Broadcasts: 4pm-1am daily year we had cam- Glastonbury and the Proms, set top boxes with HD capability. Nagler predicts that by the time Most viewed programmes: beat the paigns for breast as the channel extends its live By the World Cup next summer of the 2012 Olympics it will be Eurovision Song contest; cancer (with Wom- events coverage and widens its Freeview will be offering high possible to watch all of BBC One Doctor Who Easter Special Mornington an’s Hour) and schedule to include comedy, fac- definition in a number of urban in HD. By then, it is ­likely that the Best viewing figure: for care in the tual and culture. areas. BBC will be making 70 percent of Doctor Who Special Crescent topic UK (with You and Eighteen months after its ‘People like big picture tel- inhouse content in HD with at 240,000 (10.5 percent Yours). For projects launch, high definition is ‘on evision and they like HD,’ says least half UK households able to share in HD homes) for surreal fun like these, the the verge of entering the main- ­Nagler. ‘It takes away the ­barrier receive the signals. Best sport: Wales v Eng- Radio 4 interac- stream’, says HD channel con- of watching a screen and it’s The costs of filming in HD land Six Nations 2009 tive team works troller Danielle Nagler. Like ­especially effective with sports are coming down and within 185,000 (7.5 percent share) with the production team, drawing up clear breakthrough technologies such as tennis and golf, where the next five years it is likely objectives and procedures, liaising with edito- rial ­policy, getting subject experts registered so they can participate and feeding the resulting postings back to the on-air programmes. We’re in the middle of a three-week pros- R&D comes up with a way to save the archive tate cancer project with You and Yours and The Food Programme so you can see how it works in For 15 years a dedicated cadre of engi- The story began three years ago, when enhancing the platform and possibly incor- real time: bbc.co.uk/dna/mbradio4/F13847018 neers and managers from R&D has been R&D started looking at the best ways to store porating elements of the Dirac video codec Word of Mouth presenter Michael Rosen working to develop tools which will preserve large amounts of AV content in digital form. (also produced in R&D). admirably hosts his own topic on our boards: the BBC’s vast archive into the future. We produced a huge amount of data as well as In September the kit, plus its trusty band bbc.co.uk/dna/mbradio4/F2766781 which is a place The latest product of their efforts is the recommendations and proposals, but it was of demonstrators, will take to the road once where our audience meets to talk about the Eng- ASTOR demonstrator – (aka ‘the world’s clear that the digital storage industry couldn’t more – this time to Amsterdam for the lish language, usually with a great sense of fun. heaviest laptop’) which is currently being match the needs of our archive, nor the needs European forum for broadcast For the ultimate in fun, you need to go to tested by the archive and network media of the thousands of other broadcasters who tech, IBC. Ant Miller, technolo- our Mornington Crescent topic at bbc.co.uk/ research engineers. faced the same challenge. gist, research and development dna/mbradio4/F2766775. This is one of the earli- It’s big, runs pretty hot, weighs close to Led by the technologist Richard Wright, est we started – and the best example of trying half a ton, and can store dozens of hours of R&D joined forces with academic research- something on a whim and seeing it succeed. HD content, but perhaps most amazingly is ers and industry experts to develop a new For more details on the Avatar Hold on a minute, someone’s just called to that in its brief few months of existence, it’s system which could manage the vast vol- project or to take a look at say they need a messageboard topic for a visu- clocked up more than 10,000 miles. That’s umes of digital data. This became known the demonstrator and to see alisation of radio project – looks like message- because in April, Rajitha Weerakkody and as the ‘Avatar-M’ research project, and we if it could help solve issues boards are set to be the thing to have again. I took the prototype box along to NAB (the revealed the first technical prototypes at around storage for you, Anna Cassar is assistant content producer, world’s largest broadcast technology con- the NAB. We’re hoping to thoroughly test the contact John Zubrzycki or audio and music interactive ference and exhibition) in Las Vegas. kit at Kingswood over the summer, before Rajitha Weerakkody in R&D a 23·06·09 Features 7 photograph: steve gibson steve photograph:

Wonder what I’m doing in a room like this? John Maxwell Hobbs at Pacific Quay

John Maxwell Hobbs is head of technology at Pacific Quay, a role that’s in harmony with his electronic music making master of the ambIent by Reece De Ville century broadcasting facility or and Philip Glass, produced DJ and Prisoners of Grace evoke certain the first 21st century one. It is a Spooky, played with funk bands cinematic settings and vistas. While Gary Numan wondered if very special place and technology- across New York, sat on the board It’s telling that a huge influence friends were electric, Phil Oakey wise, it’s leading the way,’ he says. of several arts committees and is Steve Reich – a Pulitzer Prize promised we’d always be together Maxwell Hobbs is used to being awards schemes and produced winning New York minimalist in electric dreams. With the cur- at the forefront. He’s spent 20 a vast body of electronica work composer – but who inspires rent ­resurgence in electronica prov- years at the cutting edge of art and currently residing on his Cinema him among the current crop ing popular commercially and a technology, and is in the curious Volta site. His tracks, he says, ‘aren’t of electronica revivalists? number of BBC staff creating their position of auteur artist working about a beginning or an end or a ‘One band that I find incredible own ­music without producer or for a major corporation. Turning progression, but an instant’. For his Soundscapes: Hobb’s Cinema Volta is Sigur Ros – they can bring tears record ­company, Numan and Oakey complex mobile strategies and Daily Ambience series he released to my eyes. And internet music may have had a point… technical topics into palatable a new ambient track online every sites like lastfm which throw ‘I’m not exactly the typical boffin universal language has often day from 2005 to 2006. ‘I don’t make things your way that you didn’t or technologist in the BBC,’ smiles been at odds with his personal very commercial music, so this was I thought reaching ask for, are powerful. They lead BBC Scotland’s head of technology, approach to music. In creating for a selective audience,’ he explains. you down unexpected paths…’ John Maxwell Hobbs. ‘I’m fortunate soundscapes that don’t always ‘Reaching 30,000 people without 30,000 people Watch the full interview on to have an extremely interesting unfold in obvious ways, his work a push from a record label on my the FM&T intranet via Gateway. day job to support my sort of more asks us to construct our own story, own was quite a remarkable thing.’ without a push non-commercial ventures,’ he says, our own explanations, our own He’s also in the process of scoring John Maxwell Hobbs Cinema Volta ­ from Glasgow’s shining centre of language. Minimalist but engaging. several film projects (the latest being from a record label albums are available on iTunes and via broadcasting, Pacific Quay. ‘The As a self taught musician, he’s an upcoming Brazilian short film), cinemavolta.com/, where anyone can choice was to build the last 20th worked with John Lee Hooker and tracks such as Columbus Circle was remarkable create compositions online.

Tour guides: Terry Deary, On the road, who are you Jo Claessens and Simon Callow get spooky going to call... ghost writers

There’s a ghost in your car Claessens. ‘People use audio books, while Thomas himself has called Thomas Grace, and he wants to but this has the advantage that it been brought to booming life inform, educate and entertain your knows where you are. We’re able by actor Simon Callow. children. Don’t worry, he has plenty to give you a sense that Thomas is The technology behind of ­experience; in life he was a Norman coming along on your journey.’ the ghostly guide is relatively tour guide who took pilgrims around The initial trial covers a route straightforward, with the sat- the country. Problem is, he didn’t do a from London to Salford, one that nav triggering specific audio very good job, and has been sent back Claessens acknowledges ‘a lot of whenever a place is passed until he gets it right… people are doing at the moment’. that has been marked as part Grace is the fictional creation It will be freely downloadable of the tour. There’s no need to of learning development, who are from the learning development worry about Thomas cutting in looking to use sat-nav systems to website from early July, ready with a quirky fact when you’re add interesting anecdotes about to be installed on practically desperately trying to negotiate places you are passing in your car, any in car navigation system. a route out of London. The team much to the amusement of any Partly funded through the have been careful to place his youngsters who would otherwise BBC’s learning campaigns, chats at less hectic parts of the be slumped bored in the backseat. the project has been scripted journey, and the sat-nav guidance ‘From a family perspective it’s by author Terry Deary, whose takes precedent at all times. quite stressful to take kids on Horrible Histories brand is Adam Bambury long journeys,’ says producer Jo hugely popular with children, tinyurl.com/cartours BBC IN ACTION 8 9

YOU SAY... Personal Affairs blogbites Is BBC Three’s new series Personal Affairs representative of the life of a real PA? week@work Monday Chris’s veg round-up The office in Personal Affairs is uncannily quiet – no I’m not long back from Gardeners’ World Live telephony, hardware, deliveries or visitors in the and I’m completely shattered, so here’s a quick background. And as far as I remember my bosses always round-up of the latest news from the balcony. acted professionally (only one or two tried it on when I Carrots: apart from my disaster of a couple of was in my 20s, a couple of incidents in my 40s). But you Reporting swine flu weeks ago, I’m pretty happy at the moment, could argue that I wasn’t as stunningly attractive as the so hopefully they’re pretty happy too. I have girls featured in Personal Affairs. a lovely full pot of carrot tops, and can only Barbara Pollitt, assistant, FM&T The BBC’s medical correspondent Fergus BE OPEN There is a lot we don’t know imagine the goings-on under the soil. Strangely, Walsh provides five tips on reporting the 4 yet about H1N1 swine flu, so it pays despite being a flame-headed type (yes, ginger), Sexism and male superiority were well drawn on H1N1 virus. to be open and admit this. It’s important I never did get the ‘carrot-top’ taunt. as I think they’re still alive in the workplace today. that we are upfront about uncertain- Chris Howard, CBeebies presenter Although, I think most women are stronger-minded BE CLEAR It’s vital that our audience has ties such as when, exactly, Britain will bbc.co.uk/blogs/digin/ than the programme suggested and would stand up for 1 a clear idea of what is likely to happen in face a full scale epidemic (most proba- themselves in the face of harassment. The issue of the the months ahead. A pandemic is simply a bly the autumn), whether the virus may Tuesday PA feeling inferior when applying for an internal position global epidemic but we don’t know yet when mutate into something more serious To the bride and groom... is a real problem. PAs are often looked down on and the ­virus will spread to every street in Britain. (no sign yet but it’s early days), how My favourite meals apart from me ma’s hotpot under appreciated by senior staff. The girly banter and Businesses – including the BBC – need to pre- many people might get infected (per- and me wife’s lamb shank are: a full monty fry office bitchiness was also true to life. It’s not a realistic pare for high rates of absenteeism, even if the haps one in three people) and what up, fish and chips and a rack of lamb. Now to depiction as it was sexed up and over the top but that’s disease remains mild to moderate. Govern- percent – have required hospital treatment. proportion will face complications (so have just one of those bad boys these days what makes great tv. ment estimates from 2007 suggested that, at The virus is tending to affect the young and far just a minority, perhaps 2 percent induces a good 24 hours of guilt and at least two Laura Carter, PA To head of media planning the peak of a pandemic, up to one in five of spare the elderly, unlike seasonal flu. Many of of recorded cases, but if you add in sessions in the gym; but yesterday we had all the workforce could be absent, either sick or those who’ve died also had chronic lung or the unrecorded cases that percentage three – in that order – and two cheese courses The PAs appear to spend the majority of their time looking after relatives. circulation problems, but some were fit and would be far lower). and two desserts. Natasha and I were attending away from their desks, indulging in idle chit-chat or healthy. the wedding of two very good friends of ours – copulating with their colleagues in the stationery BE BALANCED There is a risk in reporting BE PERSISTENT I started my blog I was best manning – did a poem. It went down cupboard. There is, however, a tiny element of realism. 2swine flu that you either scare the hell BE INFORMED Do you know the difference 5 – Fergus on flu – a few weeks u Life’s a beach for new media producer quite well and everyone was grateful for its When über PA Grace goes AWOL we see the extent out of people or encourage complacency. 3between a vaccine and an antiviral? The ago. By then the first initial wave of Ryan Morrison who has been tasked with tions he will compile facts and figures, inter brevity. Now the heaviest I have ever been in my to which her boss depends upon her as the office The virus is neither a plague nor a pushover. former – not ready yet – will prevent you get- stories about the virus had finished. updating BBC Jersey’s online beach guide. view locals and produce audio and film for - want the map to contain everything there is life is 13 stone 6 – also after a weekend in Ireland descends into chaos. Striking the right balance is crucial. The vast ting the virus altogether. The latter (­Tamiflu) But the disease is here to stay so it’s Morrison will spend a month visiting the a new interactive map and accompanying to know about the beaches,’ says Morrison, with the same genial host while watching the Miriam Reeves, PA to controller of Learning majority of those infected so far have experi- will reduce your symptoms once you are important we don’t let it go com- island’s 39 official beaches as well as those radio series expected to launch in August. pictured above at St Aubin’s Bay. ‘But I won’t rugby two years ago – I fear this time however enced a mild flu-like illness which has lasted infected. Confusingly, it can sometimes also pletely off the radar. That’s what only accessible by boat. At each of the loca ‘It’s one of the most challenging single- complain – I’m getting to spend the he has stuffed me on to a new personal best. Created by former PA, Gabbie Asher, various a few days and not caused them any lasting prevent you getting the disease in the very the blog is about – keeping tabs on - handed projects I’ve embarked on because I summer on some of the most Chris Evans, Radio 2 dj relevant issues are touched on: juggling a career and problems. A minority – probably less than 2 short term. the virus. beautiful beaches in Europe.’ bbc.co.uk/blogs/chrisevans/ family; the glass ceiling; office hierarchies; and of course, the PA snack break and bitching session. While Wednesday elements of the career of a PA are embellished (what All-party musical chairs in top job PA could honestly afford their outfits and a breezy loft An amusing footnote on Simon Lewis’ apartment), some aspects ring true. Some PAs have TRAVELLING BACK COMING UP learning curve what to wear appointment as the new Downing Street ambitions beyond their role but often find it hard to director of communications. Lewis served as make that step. u BBC Archive is over the moon u To coincide with the BBC’s u The aptly named u Davina Earl, up in director of communications for the old SDP Jennifer Clapp, PA to head of programmes and with its latest online collection. Year of Science in 2010, Anne FTSE 100 is a new script editor, Wensleydale from 1986-88, a period when his friend and services Entitled Moon Landing, it commem- Gilchrist, controller of CBBC, scheme for staff in Manchester and the new colleague Peter Mandelson did the very orates the 40th anniversary of man’s has commissioned Space finance offering short nearest big same job for Labour (more precisely, from If you work in an office that has a catwalk runway as first steps on the moon. Hoppers for the channel. placements in other Where did you buy the town was 1986 to 1990). And another colleague of a corridor and a boss that resembles Amy Winehouse, Launched to coincide with the Presented by Professor Brian areas of the division. outfit you’re wearing in an hour theirs, the Northern Ireland Secretary, Shaun only then is it a representation of PA life. There are two BBC’s month-long moon season, it Cox the 7x30 minute series will FTSE 100, which in the photo? away, so I Woodward, who plays a big advisory role in things from the show that ring true, though: firstly, contains tv and radio programmes see travellers Dan and Steve this case stands for The dress and belt are bought all Downing Street these days, held the exactly the bond between us and secondly that our role goes that reveal some of the hidden stories investigate worlds beyond ­finance taster skills and from a lovely, and very my clothes same post for the Conservatives from 1991 beyond assisting, organising and making our bosses’ behind the lunar missions. Earth. Made by CBBC and the experience, has 100 reasonable, vintage out of my to 1992. day go smoothly. Yes, it’s fictitious but I was hoping to Selections from The Sky at Night London factual department, it placements over the next year including the shop in Liverpool called mum’s Michael Crick, editor Newsnight see something that would reflect my own experiences. archive sit alongside a Panorama that will be exec produced by Peter opportunity to work with vision and the internal Raiders. The boots are catalogue: bbc.co.uk/blogs/newsnight/ Wafa Jawad, PA to director and head of training showed protests against the first Davies and Andrew Cohen. audit team. As part of the scheme, finance board from Top Shop and my jeans that michaelcrick/ ‘moon shot’, as well as a radio docu- 1969 and all that: Patrick Moore, Cliff Michelmore and James Burke members will also take part in a ‘back to the floor’ necklace was a present came up The characters successfully draw on the different mentary that uncovered the story of who featured in a special Sky at Night in the Moon Landing archive u Commissioning editor day where they will work in operational areas. from Grand Central, also to my arm Thursday personality types of real life PAs but were one- the first female astronauts who, despite for arts, Mark Bell, has For more information about the placements and to in Liverpool. pits, polo Thursday’s Quote of the Day dimensional, under-developed and stereotyped – as an passing all the regulatory tests, weren’t were edited out. commissioned a Georgian apply visit finance.gateway.bbc.co.uk/hr/ftse100 necks, ‘They are the devil’s vegetable’ – Royal Oxford graduate, I would never dream of being as poncy allowed in space. The collection also contains inter- Moon Landing will form part of a permanent resource costume drama for BBC One. Where have you taken too tight Navy Captain Wayne Keble, who has as character Sid. Some other elements were true to life views with three astronauts who were filmed for BBC available to UK audiences. For more information visit bbc. Garrow’s Law is set in the inspiration from? dresses. banned Brussels sprouts aboard HMS such as the chasm between boss and PA, the office love Two’s documentary James May on the Moon but which co.uk/archive/moonlanding Old Bailey and is based on real Predominantly my When I Bulwark. This has nothing to do with interests and, particularly, the camaraderie and chatter cases from the time. The 4x60 colleague Kristian. He’s reached those flatulence, says Capt Keble. He has taken among the PAs. But I’d like to have seen more about the minute series will be made by a fashion maverick difficult puppy fat umbrage against the vegetable simply Ariel advert:Layout 1 24/3/09 10:52 Page 1 CHANGINGPLACES rubbish treatment of PAs and more about how they deal Twenty Twenty and Shed Media and bears more than a years I looked like because he hates it. with office crises – less melodrama. SPEECH PATTERNS Scotland and is expected to tx passing resemblance a pig in a poke. Magazine Monitor Ruth McGarahan, PA to Blue Peter editor LAST chance later this year. Bell will oversee Ariel online editor, to Stephanie from The bbc.co.uk/blogs/magazinemonitor/

Chitra Bharucha BBC TRUST vice chairman EXECUTIVE BOARD BBC DIRECTION GROUP u Diane Coyle Mark Thompson, director general Non-executive directors: Mark Thompson Ken MacQuarrie, Mark Byford its production. Goonies. reveal little: in mining director, Scotland Andy Walker What’s the worst Thanks to Digital Mark Byford, deputy director general Marcus Agius Anthony Fry Alison Hastings Lucy Adams, director, BBC People Val Gooding Lucy Adams Zarin Patel Patricia Hodgson Sharon Baylay, director, MC&A Mike Lynch Sharon Baylay Menna Richards, ARIEL GUIDE Jana Bennett, director, Vision David Robbie Jana Bennett director, Wales Rotha Johnston Janet Lewis-Jones Tim Davie, director, A&M Samir Shah Helen Boaden, director, News Richard Sambrook, The PAs all supported each other and in MC&A we’re the everybody’s engineering it’s a method Erik Huggers, director, FM&T Robert Webb Tim Davie director, Global News (left), has been outfit you were Friday Britain, David Liddiment Mehmuda Mian Zarin Patel, chief financial officer Erik Huggers Bal Samra, director, Jeremy Peat John Smith, chief executive, BBC Worldwide Roly Keating, operations and rights WHO’S WHO Michael Lyons chairman director, Archives John Smith 02 89388 Richard Tait Caroline Thomson, chief operating officer Peter Johnston, director, Caroline Thomson u same. But we don’t all sit together like they do; we have talkin’ about top slicin’. of digging out ore, there’s Northern Ireland Alan Yentob, creative director Chef Nigel Slater will provide appointed Today’s Are you experimental in made to wear as a Bollywood Boys Return – what a week David Jordan, director, AT THE TOP editorial policy and standards OBs - Mobile Broadband - Uplinks to sit with the people we work for. Their outfits were But what, wondered the some incomprehensibleWebcasting - IPTV - Special Cameras recipe ideas for fruit and website editor... your style? child? Well what can we say – we are back, feeling all 01753 588088 [email protected] www.sislive.tv OF THE BBC fabulous. All PAs make an effort but there’s no way we folk on Yammer, does the tax talk from the good vegetable growers in Nigel London assistant Not really. I like girlie My mum once bought exhausted, exhilarated and elated. The IIFAs VISION AUDIO & MUSIC CREATIVITY FUTURE MEDIA & TECHNOLOGY Peter Salmon chief creative officer vision productions could afford couture like that. And we’d never bring our term really mean? Cakes people at HM Revenue 02 68460 Slater’s Simple Suppers. editor, Duncan dresses, lots of me and my sister (International Indian Film Academy) were a Richard Jana Jay Hunt Janice Hadlow Danny Cohen Richard Klein Simon Nelson Roly Keating Bal Samra George Claire Dresser Deverell Tim Davie Andy Parfitt Bob Shennan Roger Wright Mark Adrian Alan Yentob Erik Huggers K e r s t i n Mo g u l l J o h n Li n w o o d Matthew Seetha Kumar Nic Newman Keith Little Bennett controller, controller, controller, controller, controller, multi director, archives director of Entwistle chief advisor to controller, director controller, controller, Radio controller, Damazer Van-Klaveren creative director director chief operating chief technology Postgate controller, FM controller, chief information director BBC One BBC Two BBC Three BBC Four platform and 02 62754 operations and controller, the director children's 02 54561 Radio 1/1Xtra/ 2 and 6 Music Radio 3 controller, Radio 4 controller, Radio 02 67932 02 81779 officer officer controller, BBC online journalism and officer 02 58483 02 61622 02 56621 02 59483 02 63197 portfolio rights knowledge 02 61235 02 61280 Asian Network 02 54462 02 54928 and Radio 7 5 Live 02 85050 02 84961 research and 02 84892 digital 02 81980 02 59591 02 60517 commissioning (both appointed 02 52147 02 53836 02 48938 development distribution 02 67019 to BBC North - 02 85104 02 84773 personal traumas into the office, although I’m sure we came to mind, the icing and Customs, but best is see below) The 6x30 minute cookery Williamson, flower prints and long matching leather show stopping spectacular, and as always we

George Dixon Mark Linsey Lu c y Lumsden Liam Keelan Michael James Nick Betts Anne Jon Beazley Mark Freeland William head of controller, controller, controller, Carrington Lancaster head of Morrisson controller, head of comedy Greswell Paul Smith John Moran scheduling entertainment comedy daytime controller, head of rights commercial and controller, entertainment 02 68074 controller, archive head of editorial head of legal 02 64228 commissioning commissioning 02 63199 CBeebies and business business network productions Richard and rights standards affairs all have our secrets. Emma Swain 02 62527 02 67394 Anne Gilchrist 02 57968 affairs development productions N&R 02 59512 Williams strategy 02 51207 02 50653 waistcoats from feel privileged to be there, flying the BBC Asian being removed from the urbandictionary.com’shead of Ben Liz Cleaver controller, CBBC Danielle 02 69485 02 25353 02 82871 Nick Brown head of 02 56924 Chris Burns Miles Hosking series will tx on BBC One in becomes tv news necklaces. I buy clothes knowledge Stephenson controller, 02 59269 Nagler Claire Evans Sally Tom Archer director, drama multiplatform Paul Almond group manager controller Anthony Rose Mark Rahul Richard James Sarah Hayes commissioning controller, drama learning head of HD head of ops and Debonnaire controller, factual production productions head of Graham Ellis Mark Friend Jo Brindley Caroline Elliott 02 51477 operations and FM controller, Kortekaas Chakkara Halton Micklethwait controller, 02 67138 commissioning 02 83737 02 67720 business affairs controller, productions 02 60178 02 12264 communications controller, controller, finance director head of business Will Jackson technology vision and online FM controller, controller, tv programme programme information 02 64078 fiction productions 01 46660 02 57496 production multiplatform and 02 51865 continuity head of strategy 02 53233 media group audio and music platforms director, IPTV director, iPlayer and archives 02 58110 operations 02 54455 interactive 02 52232 02 51059 02 84603 and mobile 02 85065 02 83680 platform 02 82250 Nicky Cheung, PA to director of audiences sponge below, or perhaps lovely image of a woman 02 56240 02 51403 02 81996 02 80592 LONDONSeptember and mark the end editor for the west that don’t need ironing Darlington indoor Network flag. Among all the glitz, glam and stars, JOURNALISM NEWS NAT IONS GLOBAL NEWS SPORT 2012 Mary Hockaday Jenny Baxter HEADS OF Mike Hapgood David Lloyd Clare Hudson Behrouz Afagh Philip Bernie Gordon head of controller, REGIONAL South East Yorks and head of head of Asia head of tv sport Turnball multimedia production news AND LOCAL 01 74256 Lincs programmes Pacific region, 02 61920 head of radio cream being skimmed ‘top-slicing’ a portion of newsroom 02 68937 P R OGRAMMES Tim Bishop 01 34580 (English), Wales 02 72340 Ben Gallop 02 56206 of the BBC’s Dig In campaign. midlands. Pacific and flat shoes because I market. We looked like a it was great to catch up in person with the Love 02 48950 Peter Coles East Phil Roberts 01 22212 Nikki Clarke head of James Porter Fran Unsworth controller, Mike 01 84302 NE & Cumbria head of Americas interactive and head of sports Mark Byford Richard Addy David Jordan Pete Clifton Vin Ray Andy Griffee James Heath Helen Stephen head of ops & technology MacFarlane J a n e McCl o s k e y 01 41202 Ken Menna Keith Jones Peter Johnston Richard Peter and Europe region Sian Kevill Caroline ChrisWestcott Bar bara Slater Formula One news Roger Mosey deputy chief advisor to director, editorial head of editorial director, college editorial director head of strategy Boaden Mitchell newsgathering 02 61355 London South West Lucio MacQuarrie Richards head of director, Northern Sambrook Horrocks 02 72511 director, World Nursey director, BBC director 02 57866 02 48629 director director deputy director policy and development of journalism project W1 02 67613 director, news head of 02 68830 David 02 89235 01 14536 Mesquita director, Scotland director, Wales programmes Ireland TEAM director director, World Jerry Timmins News director, World Monitoring 02 56364 Da v e Gordon Marney 02 62012 general general standards 02 67619 02 27400 02 51043 02 67178 multimedia Sue Inglish Holdsworth Cath Hearne Aziz Rashid West 01 26100 01 22380 (Welsh and new 01 38200 02 71400 Service head of Africa and 02 31270 Service Trust 02 86209 head of major Shears Amanda 02 67600 02 67601 02 81806 programmes / head of political controller, English West Midlands North West 01 46645 media) 02 72801 Middle East region 02 73974 events acting head of Farnsworth You still hear inappropriate comments, but I’ve never from the surface of a cash from a found wallet deputy dir news programmes, anal- regions 01 76154 01 47101 StuartThomas Donalda 01 22003 Ailsa Orr 02 72600 02 56233 sport production project It will be made by BBC Bristol Quay’s contracts can’t walk in heels. Status Quo tribute band. Bollywood fans from the UK, Australia, New 02 49859 ysis and research 01 76241 Mick Helen Thomas East Midlands MacKinnon head of 02 56167 executive 02 36145 Rawsthorne Yorkshire 01 21832 head of programmes, 02 62013 South East 01 47101 programmes, 01 38400 01 75627 01 26512 found it to be an issue. Personally I feel appreciated as pail of milk. Both these before she hands it OinPERAT toIONS BBC NORTH BBC STUDIOS & POST PRODUCTION BBC WORLDWIDE and was commissioned by manager Jim Preacher leaves the BBC after Zealand, Hong Kong and India – but a special Keith Beal Clive Hodge/ joint project Craig White director, BBC at joint head of TEAM mediacity: uk operations 02 24985 02 61656 Alice Webb John a PA – without our skills the place would slowly grind to notions point to position the police. The differenceCaroline Chris Kane Nicholas John Tate Alix Pryde ArielCa r o l i n e Go v e r Fraser Steel Alecstill McGivan Tom Sleigh hasPeter Salmon R i c h a r d De v esome r e l l joint project Mark Thomascopies Sarah Mackey Eileen Warren availableO'Callaghan ofJessica the Cecil 2009John Smith Marcus Arthur Darren Childs Paul Wayne Garvie Steve David Moody Peter Phippen Neil Chugani Sarahchannel Cooper controller Jay Hunt 34 years... Elizabeth Austen, TVC tour Have you had any Whose wardrobe would shout out to the Birmingham Boys – you guys Thomson head of Eldred director policy controller head business head, editorial head, Outreach chief advisor to director, COO, BBC North director, BBC at CEO strategy director Chambers Newbert and Paul head of director chief MD global MD global Dempsey MD content and Macallister MD digital media MD magazines chief financial chief operating chief corporate real group general and strategy distribution continuity complaints unit 02 26761 the COO BBC North 02 61280 mediacity: uk 02 49429 02 49457 hr director finance director Austin general's office executive brands channels MD home production MD sales and and director of 02 33552 officer officer operating officer estate counsel 02 24861 02 26056 02 84565 02 24510 02 81804 02 68460 07801427465 02 64509 02 67105 joint head of 02 83946 02 33533 0233218 02 32474 entertainment 02 31645 distribution strategy 02 32207 02 32781 02 81801 072 81601 02 81886 commercial 02 32030 02 33849 02 33829 management a halt. As for the girlie banter, we like a good gossip, but prejudice – ‘The top is here is that everyone is all wallchart – your guide to the02 60784 sometimes bewilderingNon-Executive Board Members: Etienne de Villiers Chairman, Thomas Geitner, Simon Clift, Zarin Patel, Jana Bennett, Nicholas Eldred and commissioning editor guide, also becomes a broadcast assistant fashion nightmares? you most like to rum- rocked! bitchy comments? Never. being sliced? But that’s too aware of the amountBBC PEOPLE complexity of the BBCMARKETING,’s COMMUNIC departmentsAT IONS & AUDIENCES FandINANCE job titles. for in house production Nick in the BBC Weather Centre... Nora Wilson, My teenage years were mage through? Raj and Pablo, Asian Network presenters

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top-slicing definitions purse. Mike Gooddie employee relations and people strategy director 02 25200 produced by Pete Lawrence. after 25 years. fashion faux pas. I grew always looks amazing. Project Broadcast Solutions Sales

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+44 (0)845 820 0000 www.gearhousebroadcast.com u Nikolay Davydenko and Philipp Kohlschreiber are names likely to leave Wimbledon reporters tongue-tied. But that’s where the Pronunciation Unit steps in... The unit’s four phoneticians advise the BBC on the pronunciation of anything; from tennis players to diseases and song titles. The unit’s online database, which provides guidance on thousands of pronunciations, has recently been upgraded. It now lets you cut and paste advice into emails and documents and includes pronunciation advice in BBC Text 10 Opinion/Analysis a 23·06·09 aview Is the BBC right to put up a fight over the licence fee ? The government proposes to use money raised through the licence fee to ANDREW HARVEY subsidise independently funded regional news providers. Michael Lyons, chairman of the BBC Trust, is strongly opposed to the idea and we asked two Green light for commentators to argue the case for and against this version of top slicing commercial BBC

Digital Britain is claimed by its chief author Stephen Carter to be an important YES: a mistaken idea No: give news a share document that sets the direction for the UK’s by Ray Connolly by Peter Bazalgette future as a world leader in communications technology. In that, the broadcasting minis- So, the Government wants to find funds to subsidise com- In all of this, the first thing to secure is the BBC as the cor- ter may be right. mercial public service broadcasting, mainly regional news nerstone of public service broadcasting, producer of trusted, Since its publication last week he has also coverage, probably to be aired on ITV or other digital chan- reliable news and information, an organisation central to our said the report is ‘resoundingly good news’ nels. Good. The more news coverage the better, and it can’t culture, democracy and economy. I would never argue in favour for the BBC. That is, like his proposed funding be healthy for the BBC to have a monopoly on these services. of damaging the BBC. mechanism for local and regional news, con- Nothing sharpens the wits quite like competition. The biggest fear raised by Digital Britain’s ‘contained contest- testable. We discuss on this page some of That being said, it seems to me it would be a massive mis- able element’ of the licence fee is that it is the thin end of the the arguments around top slicing the licence take for any part of the licence fee to be sliced off the top to wedge. If you can call for £130m now, then you can come back for fee and there is hardly universal glee at the provide these funds. Let the government find the new money more later. That is a danger, and the way of guarding against it is CHRIS DUGGAN CHRIS plan to switch off the analogue radio signal elsewhere if that’s what it wants. Keep the BBC and the licence to make the BBC trustees guardians of how the contestable ele- by 2015, even though the BBC has been a fee quite separate. ment is spent. Then you need to enshrine it at exactly the £130m pioneer and champion of DAB. It isn’t just that top slicing is the thin end of the wedge, level – roughly 3.5 percent of the licence fee. That’s not a sum that Aside from these two big policy propos- a tool which, in years to come, might very well be used by will harm the BBC but it could make a huge difference to other als, Carter’s observations about the future later governments to prise away more money to pay for providers of public content. direction of BBC Worldwide are intriguing. non-BBC services. It’s more immediate than that. And here’s the broader argument. It is absurd to say A year ago criticism of the company was It would, I believe, rupture at a stroke the com- today that the BBC, or the BBC and Channel 4, are on the boil. It was being attacked for being pact we, the public, have with the BBC --- our the only contributors to public service content. too expansionist and too careless about BBC, diluting as it would the purpose of Ofcom makes great play on plurality but two its impact on the market. The Lonely Planet the licence fee in the nation’s conscious- suppliers is nothing like plurality. ­acquisition attracted particular irritation and ness. Even the term psb is somewhat redun- parliament’s media committee concluded We never think about ITV or Sky or dant because we should talk about psc – that Worldwide needed reining in. A review any newspapers as ‘ours’ in the way we public service content. It’s being produced by the BBC Trust is still going on but in a do the BBC. Because they’re palpably by cultural and arts organisations – from preliminary comment it said the company’s not ours. They’re there, first and fore- Tate Media and the Royal Opera House ­remit needed to be more tightly drawn. most, to make money for their own- transmitting opera to cinemas, to the pod- Now, along comes Carter with an alto- ers and shareholders. Indeed in bet- cast called Philosophy Bites, which gets gether different approach. Although he says ter times some of them liked to boast, millions of downloads. his views are unlikely to clash with those of albeit jokily, that they were a licence to the trust, he’s promoting the idea of World- print money. Money goes outside wide as an expanded global rights business The question of how big or small the BBC making a greater contribution to help fund Monkeying around should be can be left for another day, but it public service content (another way of say- The BBC isn’t like that. Independent is time to take a fresh view of the public serv- ing the more Worldwide makes the less the politically and unrestrained by commer- ice terrain. Look at partnerships. The BBC has public would need to contribute through the cial links, it exists simply to serve. It has no any number of partnerships already – brilliant, licence fee). Loosen the bonds with the BBC, other purpose. At the same time the licence fee worthwhile partnerships with indies, cultural bodies think big and bring in as much profit as it can is the only tax we pay with full knowledge of what it and training organisations. What is the difference between is the new message. is funding. Monkey around with that and, in next to no time, that kind of spending outside and what Michael Lyons objects Carter emphasises that there should be it will be seen as just another form of hated taxation, like the to so strongly? He and BBC management are rightly happy that clearer commercial separation between the poll tax. From there it would be but a few steps to the begin- money goes outside for, say, training but they resent handing BBC and its commercial activities but he ning of the disintegration of the corporation. over £130m for regional/local tv news. doesn’t offer clarity on how that might best We may not always like what our licence money buys, we The only difference is that the second example is outside the be achieved. He’s still keen on a joint venture may despair when we see naïve executives gulled by clever BBC’s control and it makes them nervous. So the answer is to between Worldwide and Channel 4 to help agents into paying silly money salaries to glitzy presenters; leave the dispensation for news in the control of the trustees. Let ease the broadcaster’s likely money prob- and we may scratch our heads and wonder why the planners them continue to be the guardians of the licence fee and let the lems, though in Digital Britain he doesn’t give so abhor a digital vacuum that they cannot resist creating new news providers be accountable to them. the proposal a huge push. The best he can channels, stations, platforms --- call them what you will --- as A sum of £130m is perfectly reasonable, and the precedent is offer is to raise the borrowing limits for the soon as new technology makes them possible, whether or not there, contained in the 2006 licence fee settlement. I don’t see BBC and C4 if that would help secure a deal. they are needed. this as any kind of attack on the BBC, on its integrity or on BBC But first the parties must work out the details But for £142.50 a year (and if there ever is any sur- jobs. This money is going outside already. I understand concerns themselves – a process that’s taken most of plus, rather than hand it back to the public, as has been about opening the floodgates. If this set portion of the licence fee this year and is still far from resolved. ­suggested, please can it be channelled to underfunded ­radio was not under government control, but under the control of the On the two key points relevant to World- drama where stoic staff and writers work for a pittance) we BBC trustees, they could, by law, ensure that the 3.5 percent fig- wide the government is saying encouraging must get the best value in the world. Don’t let the top-slic- ure was not exceeded. things without mapping out a route. Carter ers screw it up. It could be a way forward that works for everyone. has not offered an answer to the conun- drum of how Worldwide can be given greater freedom to build its business without hav- ing a correspondingly heavier imprint on the market. But the fact that he is backing global growth where others have urged restraint will probably bring a smile to the faces of the executives in the Media Centre, W12. Ray Connolly is a commentator and writer. Peter Bazalgette, a media consultant and Andrew Harvey is editor of Ariel His next play for Radio 4 is God Bless Our Love digital investor, was in conversation with Cathy Loughran

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Different perspective the Carlisle players would queue Interesting to read two different ver- up to be interviewed by Derek. It’s a sions of how successful or otherwise Tories sweet on Boris but don’t want Sugar huge loss to his family, Carlisle and the BBC is seen to be at reflecting to local radio. diversity (Ariel, June 16). The Conservatives have Sugar’s role is within Nick Alliker Southend United commen- I got an insight into external been quick to complain Labour’s. tator, BBC Essex views on this when I represented the about Alan Sugar not be- And presumably Have I Got BBC at a recent Council of Europe n I met Derek a number of times and ing dropped from The Appren- News For You would have diversity conference in Seville. stories of him have entered local I was there with 40 other European tice in light of his new role been a programme with radio legend. media professionals and representa- within the government. more scope for making Last season he came down to tives of cross-cultural organisations However they seemed less partisan political comment Grays for an FA Cup tie in midweek. to share best practices on reporting concerned on the various on screen than The Apprentice A long journey was made worse by diversity and discrimination, exam- the floodlights going out and him occasions Have I Got News For ever would be. ining media treatment – locally in having to come back down for a sec- Andalusia and across Europe. You was hosted by Boris Johnson when he was a But of course it’s only the BBC that has double ond time for the replayed match. It was clear that other delegates prominent Tory MP and at one point a member standards, isn’t it? But he didn’t moan or groan and saw viewed the BBC as taking a leading of their front bench team – a position far more James Clarke the funny side of it all. role. They were intrigued by the way, senior within that party’s structure than Alan sbj, BBC news interactive, Birmingham He will be missed on the circuit. at Radio Leicester, we create a sense Glenn Speller of community by taking an interest sports producer, BBC Essex in, and reporting on, various religious and cultural events. The From Newsround to Revealed on BBC not for the use, once again, of (green room, June 16), but I’m afraid use of individuals from diverse back- Switch, Newsbeat on Radio 1, and its intrusive background music. In I have to stake a prior claim to your Object lesson in safety grounds as experts, within a range of accompanying online site and 1Xtra some parts of the programme it suggestion of I’m Sorry I Haven’t a ‘While there was a hot spell, a myste- professional fields, was also seen as News and BBC Three’s 60 Seconds. drowned out the voice of the narra- Cue, which I coined about ten years rious heavy metal object with holes innovative. Newsbeat’s recent Drugs Week was tor and interviewees which, believe ago while struggling to keep the in it‚ was used to prop open some fire By contrast, the Spanish experi- a good recent example of credible, it or not, is what we actually want World Service news on the air in the doors’ (green room, June 16). ence was stark. Spanish regional tv accessible news coverage for teenag- to hear. fraught early days of ENPS. Was that safety no-no written and radio devotes three percent of ers and early 20-somethings. Revealed What was even worse was the less Meanwhile I hope Kathy won’t without a trace of irony? airtime to coverage of minority com- – which goes out on BBC Two on Sat- than bright idea to use music from mind if I adapt her idea for local use At least that mysterious heavy munities – predominantly negative urday afternoons – has notched up the Pirates of Penzance in sections as Radio3minus2letters; Rough the metal object wasn’t a fire reporting. some fantastic pieces of journalism of the programme. Given this opera Night with John Shea, anyone? extinguisher. The BBC hasn’t got everything aimed at younger teenagers from was written 30 years after the events John Shea Matthew Marks right in reflecting diversity and how to beat spots to young entrepre- in the programme, I could not quite presenter, Radio 3 Through the Night Kingswood Warren should in no way be complacent, but neurs, teen poverty and the impact of grasp the connection; or was W S it seems it has something to offer the recession on jobs for teenagers. Gilbert a closet pre Raphaelite? Europe in terms of guidance on prac- We are constantly reviewing and There have been numerous com- Our friend in Carlisle Missing Symphony tical approaches that reap benefits. improving our offering for young plaints in these columns and, more I was shocked to hear of the sudden The BBC Symphony Orchestra will Hasan Patel audiences and our improving audi- importantly, from our audiences over death of Carlisle United’s legendary be celebrating its 80th birthday next broadcast journalist, Radio Leicester ence insights are helping that, too. the use of background music in BBC commentator, Derek Lacey (see year. We’re pulling together archive This is work in progress and we programmes. However, I’ve yet to see below). I used to see him several footage of all of the chief conductors want to do more – so suggestions are any of the individuals responsible times a season while covering South- to date, but we’re missing one: Can Taking teens seriously always welcome. come forward and defend the prac- end United. you help? Reading last week’s letter, ‘No News Is Rod McKenzie tice. Perhaps they’d like to start now. He was a warm and friendly man We would like to hear from any Bad News for Today’s Teenagers’ I feel editor, Radio 1 Newsbeat Nick Serpell who used to welcome you as a long- colleagues who might know the a reply is in order. Far from news for obituary editor lost friend when visiting commenta- whereabouts of footage of the young people on the BBC being in ‘a tors made the trip up to Carlisle. It is orchestra with Antal Dorati (chief dire state’, I think the opposite is Hijacked by pirates always a fixture I looked forward to, conductor 1963-66). demonstrably true. BBC Four is running what would be She’s taken my cue due to its extraordinary length and If you can help us please email ali- Many of the techniques the corre- an excellent and well researched Hats off to Kathy Clugston for the the company of Derek. [email protected] spondent suggests are, or have been, series on the Pre-Raphaelites. At alternative programme titles of her It showed just how the club Alison Dancer marketing assistant, BBC used across our range of output: least, it would be excellent were it Radio4minus1letter game on twitter viewed him as, after the matches, Symphony Orchestra

OBITUARY cupied such as den and untimely passing. special place in To get a flavour of his character, from the vault the hearts of sup- the Day in the Life of Degsy video Derek lacey porters. diary on our BBC Cumbria website June, 1992 To follow England’s furthest flung He most cer- captures him as well as anything. Or The BBC is usually over enthusiastic about its own anniversaries, so football league club, Carlisle United, tainly was not an listen again to his defining moment it is surprising that no one has mentioned the fact that it is now 25 home and away for more than a dec- orthodox com- – when goalkeeper Jimmy Glass years since the first colour pictures were transmitted on BBC Two. ade, commentating on more than 500 mentator. The scored the last minute goal to save These came from Wimbledon 1967, where CMRC1 with four cameras matches, and absolutely, genuinely, heart was some- Carlisle from being relegated out of stood alongside the black and white cameras which carried the main thoroughly loving it – well, most of times engaged the Football League. coverage. The Wimbledon coverage was pioneering in every way. It it – takes a special person. And Derek before the head, but you knew he Everyone felt they knew Derek. was a testing environment for the new colour cameras which used Lacey was a legend. cared. If Carlisle lost, as often they And to those who were privileged to plumbicon tubes for the first time (a standard for colour cameras This has to be true, because a did, his pain was your pain. Which know him as a friend and colleague, which has only recently been superseded). The white lines on green local business paid good money to made the good times – the finals, we can be certain Derek would not have the phrase ‘Lacey is a Legend’ the promotions – even more special. want us to be sad, but to have our grass showed up every hint of misregistration between the red, displayed on their prominent adver- Which other commentator could glasses half full, as he always did – green and blue tubes, and the contrast between the white clothes tising board behind one goalmouth claim to keep in regular contact in every sense. and the dark corners of the stands was huge. at Carlisle’s ground, Brunton Park. with a succession of ex-players and But above being a commenta- The change of colour balance when the sun went in and out was When Carlisle made it to a cup managers, who queued to pay trib- tor, he was very much a man who noticed for the first time, and people had difficulty judging what col- final at the Millennium stadium, his ute following his death, the day put his family first. Derek the proud our the grass should be. At one stage, in desperation, the vision name was on supporters’ flags – it after suffering a stroke? If you’re not grandad. Our thoughts are with his supervisor dug up some turf (presumably not from the Centre Court) was even chanted on occasion from a Carlisle United supporter or not partner Hilary and his family. We and set it up by the monitor, saying, ‘It’s got to look like that!’ the terraces. I can’t think of anoth- from Cumbria it’s hard to convey the share your loss. Geoff Dawe, OU production centre er football commentator who oc- sense of loss we feel for Derek’s sud- Graham Moss

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a 23.06.09 14 Jobs See Attachment JOBS

————————————————— ————————————————— PROGRAMME MAKING BUSINESS SUPPORT ANDZ MANAGEMENT Regional Officer, Project Manager, BBC Children in Need BBC World Service Radio Content Producer, Nottingham London Director of Procurement Coinneach 5D/Ref: 12911109 Bush House In at the & Revenue Management Stornoway, Isle of Lewis E C 13-Jul-09 8D/Ref: 8924809 London ————————————————— C 24-Jun-09 A 12 months 7D/Ref: 12538609 White City Local Radio ————————————————— E C 28-Jun-09 Technical Project ————————————————— SM1/Ref: 13169109 Administrator, deep end Manager, Content Producer, C 05-Jul-09 A 06 months BBC Lincolnshire ————————————————— BBC World Service Speech Lincoln Senior Finance Contract London, Bush House Bj Peter Maude Aberdeen 5D/Ref: 11710609 Manager E C 26-Jun-09 A 06 months 8D/Ref: 8696509 7D/Ref: 11242609 Multi Location ————————————————— C 24-Jun-09 A 12 months swapped Bush House E C 28-Jun-09 A 09 months ————————————————— ————————————————— 11D/Ref: 13169609 PA to Head of Brand & Project Manager for the TVC newsroom C 28-Jun-09 Planning Multi-Platform ————————————————— Manchester Researcher, Newsround Library Partnership London 8D/Ref: 13105509 White City C 05-Jul-09 On the day the SpeakeR of the House of Com- London Manager ————————————————— mons resigned, I was (allegedly) in charge of the White City London 4D/Ref: 13075709 E C 01-Jul-09 A 12 months Business Analyst recordings operation for Mediawire. It was my first 5D/Ref: 12728709 9D/Ref: 4108609 ————————————————— London day on attachment from the World Service news- C 30-Jun-09 A 06 months C 28-Jun-09 A 2 years Communications Broadcast Centre Media room and I’d been hoping for a soft landing. ————————————————— Co-ordinator, BBC North Village Instead I found myself responsible for all the Taxonomy Manager, new picture feeds of MPs reacting to the news. JOURNALISM Manchester 8D/Ref: 13104509 Information & Archives C 05-Jul-09 A 2 years There was a mass of new material coming in from London 4D/Ref: 13027209 ————————————————— outside the Houses of Parliament and the phones SBJ – Africa Business E C 29-Jun-09 A 12 months Broadcast Centre Media ————————————————— Senior Broadcast were going crazy as new material arrived from Mill- Report Village Team Administrator, Systems Specialist bank and the regions, where MPs had been speak- London ing to local film crews. The pictures were run on 9D/Ref: 12993209 BBC Children in Need London, Bush House C 02-Jul-09 A 12 months the News Channel, and the One, Six and Ten o’clock 8/9S/Ref: 13121709 London 8D/Ref: 12585709 C 05-Jul-09 A 09 months ————————————————— E C 02-Jul-09 bulletins as well as BBC World. ————————————————— Partnerships & Off-Air White City ————————————————— There’s nothing quite like being thrown in at SBJ/Reporter, Project Manager 3D/Ref: 13118409 Junior Project Manager the deep end on West Bank and Gaza C 29-Jun-09 A 06 months Manchester your first day in a London ————————————————— Multi Location - Non UK White City 7D/Ref: 13104809 new role. Team Assistant, BBC C 05-Jul-09 A 08 months The next few 8/9S/Ref: 12611309 ————————————————— 8D/Ref: 12842409 World Service weeks brought C 02-Jul-09 A 2 years E C 06-Jul-09 A 11 months Head of Platforms ————————————————— London the MPs’ expens- ————————————————— London Multimedia SBJ, Resource Manager, Bush House es scandal and the Broadcast Centre Media Technology Index News Production 3D/Ref: 12865709 flurry of cabinet C 29-Jun-09 A 06 months Village resignations and Facilities London ————————————————— Under Review/Ref: reshuffles and it’s 8/9D/Ref: 12801109 London Broadcast Appeal 4109509 not stopped since C 01-Jul-09 A Continuing 8D/Ref: 12729409 Manager, BBC Wildlife E C 30-Jun-09 then. Not that I’m ————————————————— C 28-Jun-09 A 06 months ————————————————— complaining – it’s Senior Broadcast ————————————————— Fund Network Engineer always exciting Production Managers London Journalist/Europe London to be working as White City Correspondent Belfast - Broadcasting Broadcast Centre Media major news stories Brussels Office House Under Review/Ref: Village are unfolding. 8D/Ref: 13072109 8D/Ref: 12728409 12929009 Under Review/Ref: I got the attachment via the newsroom swap E C 30-Jun-09 C 06-Jul-09 A 11 months C 05-Jul-09 A 2 years 4109309 scheme. I’ve always felt proud to be working for the ————————————————— ————————————————— E C 30-Jun-09 World Service, but I’ll admit I was a bit of a radio Uwch Swyddog Ymchwil Producer, Dari, Afghan NEW MEDIA ————————————————— dinosaur before joining the Mediawire team. For a Technical Architect Stream Cardiff while it was a culture shock to find myself working 7D/Ref: 4109809 London in the hustle of the newsroom at Television Centre. London E C Client Side Developer 05-Jul-09 Broadcast Centre Media As a bj in the Bush House newsroom, I write sto- Bush House ————————————————— (Web Developer) Village ries and produce hourly news bulletins and pro- Brand Executive, 7D/Ref: 12872709 London Under Review/Ref: grammes like World Briefing, as well as working on C 28-Jun-09 A 06 months English Regions ————————————————— Broadcast Centre Media 4109209 Global Newswire. While I’m confident in my writ- London E C 30-Jun-09 Monitoring Journalist Village ing skills and editorial judgement, the attachment White City has really opened my eyes to a whole new world of (Persian) 7D/Ref: 11782609 7D/Ref: 13068209 E C 27-Jun-09 BBC WORLDWIDE pictures. Mediawire’s remit includes cutting the Reading C 29-Jun-09 ————————————————— latest agency pictures for the News Channel and ————————————————— 6D/Ref: 1286209 Web Researcher Lead Technical Design BBC World, as well as taking in material for the C 25-Jun-09 Publicist, BBC Sport London national television bulletins by liaising with satel- ————————————————— Architect (Jobshare) London lite trucks in the regions and foreign correspond- Broadcast Journalist, Media Centre London Media Centre ents on location. Hereford & Worcester 5D/Ref: 4108909 TV Centre C 28-Jun-09 A 06 months SENEX/Ref: 12993309 I’ve not only had to grapple with new technolo- Hereford 7D/Ref: 12728509 C 28-Jun-09 gy but also learn all the jargon and copyright issues C 24-Jun-09 ————————————————— associated with television. It’s almost been like 5/7D/Ref: 4108309 TECHNOLOGY E C 03-Jul-09 ————————————————— Head of Product & learning another language with people talk- ————————————————— Business Development Marketing, UK ing about SOTs and OOVs and spotting aspect Weather Presenter Associate Senior Designer London ratio problems relating to the height and width of (Broadcast Journalist) London London Media Centre images. Southampton Bush House Henry Wood House SENEX/Ref: 12921409 There’s been a lot to take on board, but I now feel much better qualified for working in a mul- 5/7D/Ref: 12330209 7D/Ref: 12304509 9D/Ref: 4110309 E C 23-Jun-09 Continuing 06 E C 06-Jul-09 A 09 months C 30-Jun-09 C 27-Jun-09 months timedia newsroom environment. All this will ————————————————— ————————————————— ————————————————— ————————————————— undoubtedly help in the coming years as BBC News prepares for the forthcoming move to W1.

Been anywhere nice? Send your attachment FULL DETAILS AND HOW TO APPLY EXTERNAL APPLICATIONS stories to Clare Bolt 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. Please contact (quoting For assistance contact BBC Recruitment’s Response Team on: 0800 082 8080 the appropriate ref.no.): Recruitment BBC HR Direct, PO Box 1133, Belfast BT1 9GP Tel: or 0370 333 1330 0370 333 1330. Textphone: 028 9032 8478

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14 OCTOBER 08 ARIEL a 23·06·09 What am I doing here 15 vernon grech photograph : ro He trained as a b wil foreign k in

musician and was s call centre on champion in a band, but now report bbc Vernon Grech works for the 047 AGNIESZKA workplace call centre – and PIOTROWSKA rides a cool Vespa PRODUCER/DIRECTORPHOTOGRAPH gets lucky in QUEENSLAND : m

I wokear up in what felt like the middle of the k b

night.a I looked at my watch and it was 3.30am. I lookedsse around and felt disoriented. Where was I? tt This was definitely not my bedroom in west Lon- don. Then I remembered: I was in Brisbane, Aus- tralia, having arrived the night before following Ben Southall, the UK finalist for theB est Job in the World. This was the competition to find a care- taker for a beautiful Barrier Reef island. The job promised sunshine, sandy beaches, free accom- modation and a £70k salary for six months’ work. I was jet lagged and couldn’t sleep. I tossed and turned, texted my production co-ordinator, Helen Baird in Cardiff, for company and tried to sleep again. No good. My mobile bleeped with a text. This time it was not Helen, but Ben, who wrote: ‘Are you asleep?’ I texted: ‘Nope. What are you up to?’ Ben responded: ‘Writing my blog, and Hello Vernon... your name can cause problems CV vernon grech you?’ ‘Working! Breakfast at 6am?’ People often mishear my name on the phone. Born: 1977 in Portsmouth With hours still before our breakfast date, I got I say ‘Hello, you’re through to Vernon’, and Education: London College of Music out my notes and looked at Ben’s competitors: 15 they say ‘Hello Glen’ or ‘Dan’... Career landmarks: becoming call centre champion for the BBC; getting one of candidates, the youngest being 20 (Hayley from his bands gossiped about in the Daily Sport Australia) and the oldest 40 (Eric from Vancouver). What do you do? First job: private music tuition while still at school So who had the best chance? Ben, of course, We keep people at their desks, so they don’t Family: married to Rachel with 19-month-old daughter Poppy, who keeps them but I had to have a safety net. If he did not win, have to worry about the number for the elec- both busy and entertained who should I feature trician or the guy who will fix the leak or the too? ‘You have 16 bril- broken window, or the cleaning and porter- Here I was liant people, one crew, age, or booking a room. It’s easy to just sit been done in error, and we rely on Away from the job, you were in a band? one Z1 camera and an at your desk and think, ‘Something needs information from the people calling I previously worked in an independent about to fly AP – good luck!’ said doing, I’ll call 047’. That’s us. through, particularly room numbers record company, and we ran our own my London friends. and locations. We always like to take a band called The Lovelies. When I started to one of the But as the job appli- How many of you are there? phone number in case there’s been any my current job I’d already been to some cation process set up We’re a team of 12, dealing with the London misunderstanding. of the BBC buildings to record stuff. Barrier Reef by Tourism Queens- and Scotland buildings primarily, though This is going back a bit, but we did a land delivered a clever we do a limited service for the nations and Do you get to know regular callers? digital Top of the Pops spin-off that barely islands marketing campaign regions as well. We take a job, log it and put There’s a lady in Media Village whose anyone would have seen. We also did 5 for the islands of the it in the hands of the right person. The call voice I recognise as soon as she starts Live, and I remember being really disap- Great Barrier Reef, they centre is in Waterlooville, near Portsmouth, speaking. We know which departments pointed that they recorded it and put it would certainly consider the markets they were and it’s open 24/7, 365 days a year. The BBC are going to be busier than others. The out the next day – it’s meant to be live! targeting. With six of the 16 finalists from Asia, it doesn’t stop, so we don’t switch off. news team might not have as much time meant one of those had to be a serious contender. Our main concern is that the BBC doesn’t to log a job, but the CBeebies people are Do you still play? But who would it be? Perhaps the lovely Miko go off air; we prioritise broadcast-critical situ- really good fun – they’ll always stop and I’m in a new band now, but it’s for fun from Japan, or the delightful and clever Anjan, a dj ations, like when a comms room gets too hot have a chat – and you get your regular these days. We do original songs and a extraordinaire from India. Perhaps wild card can- and the equipment has the potential to fail. callers who like to speak to us. couple of Bonzo Dog Band covers and didate Clare, from Taiwan, who secured more than get the ukulele out. People generally 150,000 votes online (about four times as many What’s your most common complaint? Any memorable calls? laugh in the right places. as the runner up), and spoke Mandarin as well as Keeping people comfortable in the building Well, I wouldn’t really like to say. Some In the past I’ve taught music at col- perfect English? Or maybe Juewon, the Korean – the hot and colds. Someone will complain of the bad ones, yes. People can be quite leges. It went hand in hand with being educated in Texas, who was both extraordinarily about being too hot and they’ll be sat next to rude over the phone. Usually when in a band because it kept money coming charming and clever at the same time? a colleague who’s too cold. It’s very difficult someone goes to see them face to face in and allowed you to be flexible with At breakfast, Ben and I met the competition. to keep everyone happy. they’re a lot calmer. You do get called your time, which was good for tour- It was exciting and scary. I filmed them as they I always read the letters page in Ariel. If names from time to time. People don’t ing. Now that the band’s not so serious changed into their Best Job in the World outfits. I someone has written in with a problem, you always see the call centre as being sepa- there’s no need to go on tour. Also, I’ve was rushing around with my Z1, filming more for might be a bit more sympathetic if they call. rate from the actual bloke who does the got married and have a baby, so I think myself as a research tool rather than thinking it You can do more to help them and bring it to job. If it’s not gone absolutely perfectly, the musical lifestyle would be very diffi- would find its way into the film (it has). the attention of the building manager. then we will often get the first attack. cult to get back into. And then – I had to pinch myself – how lucky is this? Here I was in Australia, chatting to some How long is a typical call? Oh dear… What about unusual calls? Nice scooter, by the way… of the most exciting young people on the planet, We can take a call in under two minutes. Sometimes they can be very specific. Last The Vespa’s brilliant. Someone owed about to fly to one of the islands of the Great Bar- If it’s something simple and we’ve got week someone got asked to source a pile of me some money, but I let them give me rier Reef. What an amazing privilege. During 20 the caller’s details on our system ­already, vegetable peelings. a rusty old wreck of a Vespa instead. I years of making films, I have camped in the Kala- then they’re away in 60 seconds. ­Often They were making Maestro last year and restored it in my garage bit by bit, hari desert, got arrested in Madagascar and vis- by the time people say, ‘Why do you a lady would ring up perhaps requesting a rebuilt the engine. Now I like to think ited Angkor Wat, and now this. As for the winner need to take my name and number, why room with white sash windows that didn’t I’m driving a recycled vehicle. Tax is of The Best Job in the World campaign – well, you do you need all these details?’ we could look like an office. She was very exacting. free, insurance is £100 for the year, I might think you know who it is, but, hey, wait until have logged the job. We didn’t know what we were booking the spend less than a fiver a week on petrol you see my film. We need this because there’s ­always rooms for, so when it came on the telly we and I can fix it myself if I need to. The Best Job in the World, BBC One, July 2 the chance that something may have tuned in to see what it had all been about. Interview by Adam Bambury

> CONTACT carla parks to suggest a colleague for this feature 16 a 23·06·09 green room P hotograph THE ARIELAT0R WE HEAR THAT. . . ▲ A weekly take on life at the BBC: : R

who’s up, who’s down, who’s off W ob while the colour palette of the BBC homepage

▲ il wouldn’t normally set off a chorus of tweets,

the truth is k Karen inson there was some heavy duty twittering when the ▲ Buchanan backdrop changed to green during the Iranian and Graham protests last week. Was the BBC showing soli- ▲ Barnard of out there darity for the Iranian protestors? Nope – just BBC Norfolk ‘pure coincidence’, says ed Ashley Stewart- ▲ Noble, who tells us the colour is tied to the col- our of the default picture in the highlights box and isn’t made to reflect the news agenda. Green Upside Elton John left his ‘castle’ in London for ▲ room notes that although the home page revert- a concert to which BBC Norfolk got exclusive ed to a green palette this week, it was probably access. The piano man was at Holkham Hall, enter- ▲ more about matching Court One than Tehran. taining a crowd of 14,000 a week ago on Sunday, and the station was given exclusive access to the ▲ 5 Live pundit Michael Stich has said that the audio and post-concert highlights. They were also grunting of female tennis players detracted allowed to broadcast extensively from backstage. from their ‘sex appeal’. ‘Just play it back to the ▲ ‘It was all a rather super achievement for us,’ said women,’ he said. ‘It sounds disgusting, ugly, assistant editor Martyn Weston. ▲ ­unsexy.’ Hnnngggrrrrmmph is all we say. Our congratulations go to Jonathan Izard who ▲ ran the Bupa London 10k race, to raise money Last week’s Big Debate caused a stir with those for the Alzheimer’s Society. The fifty-something watching via subtitles. ‘Anyone watching on wine ▲ World Service announcer completed the race in an can email now,’ announced host Nicky Campbell, impressive 51 minutes, which is better than many evidently looking for people with lowered inhibi- people half his age. Jonathan hopes to raise more tions to ignite the proceedings. Later on, Greg ▲ awareness of dementia, which affects one in three Dyke’s infamous ‘hideously white’ comment was people over 65, including his late father. ‘I’ve seen The Stig is finally rendered ‘hideously wide’, evoking management ▼ how devastating this condition can be, not only for ‘revealed’ as Michael prejudice of a different kind… the person with the illness, but also for their family Schumacher.... ▼ and friends,’ he said. Radio Leeds’ mid-morning ▼ Downside Radio Derby’s Shane O’Connor came Little did green room realise The Stig’s handlers have grown presenter up against Nelson, a police dog who took the job when we were ushered into the wary of professional camera-wielders Graham Liver a bit too seriously. During a tour of Derbyshire’s new World of Top Gear Exhibition ever since a motoring magazine experienced ▼ police headquarters, the breakfast presenter was at the National Motor Museum in caught a glimpse of his face using a what it’s like to asked to don a special padded sleeve while the po- Beaulieu, that as well as meeting well-placed indoor flashbulb. Though get a spray tan, ▼ lice gave the order for Nelson to attack. ‘He the mysterious Stig, we would also the snap didn’t reveal much more all in the name didn’t seem very keen to let go of my arm,’ be meeting F1 superstar Michael than the fact the Stig is human and of work. Pro- ▼ panted Shane. Breakfast producer Aftab Schumacher– both one and the same not some kind of robot/animal hybrid, ducer Johnathan Gulzar was astounded by the number according to a shock ‘unveiling’ on future photos could reveal whether I’ anson says the ▼ of police offers turning up to see Sunday night’s show. he is one man, many men, or Michael sprayer wanted a ‘BBC local radio presenter Unlike his fellow Top Gear Schumacher. to give Graham ‘a ▼ ­attacked by one of their presenters, the silent Stig appeared So the question remains, did right good going own’. Or maybe they to be there in the flesh. But when the Top Gear fork out to get a seven over’. ‘We think it’s a beautician’s technical term,’ ▼ are just resentful of tour moved inside, the press posse times F1 champion and German he whispers. We can tell you it beats a bit of the licence fee. was suddenly banned from taking multimillionaire to stand in the New waxing. any further pictures of the man more Forest for two hours? And is he even ▼ elusive than Michael Jackson after a the real Stig? It’s like the X Files. Green Beijing correspondent James Reynolds has nose job. room is no closer to the truth. to justify his existence daily. ‘A number of extremely well-edited videos kindly pointing out my many alleged failings as a reporter have been posted on various websites,’ he laments. Through The latest video, shown on the Chinese version of YouTube, shows James grappling with umbrella- EARWIGGING wielding security forces in Tiananmen Square on the anniversary of the massacre – watch him at OVERHEARD AT THE BBC the worst tinyurl.com/umbrellaman …and don’t forget mate, Only a few weeks into the job, and Look North’s new anchor in Newcastle Win a subscription if there’s any problems, has commentated on the most by a team in South Africa. The new no problem… bizarre ‘sports’ event he’s ever been record stands at 1019 and it will ap- to Waybuloo to. Jeff Brown (covering for Carol pear in the Guinness World Records. … don’t go home without ­Malia, who’s on maternity leave) Scarred by his experiences, Jeff Waybuloo, the new pre-school found himself grasping for words naively thought the whole thing series on CBeebies, has been my husband, will you?... during a world record attempt for the would be over in two minutes. ‘For launched as a BBC magazine longest tunnel of human legs a dog me and Dawn, our new record was that helps children learn about …they’ve got a dog that responds can run through without stopping. filling for about an hour and a quar- feelings and understand when you wave a pink thing Luckily, he had the support of sports ter. Never again will I complain about emotions. Through their presenter Dawn Thewlis, who pro- Look North being 30 seconds light at engagement with the Piplings in front of it… vided some extra commentary. the end of the programme.’ Perhaps in the land of Nara, Waybuloo The North North- he can give some timely tips to Sue Magazine aims to encourage happier, …is your hard drive still humming?... umberland Dog Barker at Wimbledon. She also has to confident children. Available fortnightly, the Training Club did do filling during the rain delays. title launches on June 24 (priced £2.35). …in the lingo of your world, break the cur- To win one of two six-month subscriptions I leveraged my contacts... rent record of to the new title, tell us the names of the four 935 pairs of Dog days: Jeff Brown and Pipling (Waybuloo) characters. Email ariel …do you smell cat wee?... legs, held Dawn Thewlis competitions by June 30.

> IF YOU HAVE A STORY FOR THE GREEN ROOM, CONTACT CARLA parks