23·03·10 Week 12 explore.gateway.bbc.co.uk/ariel photograph by Jingye Luo Jingye by photograph THE BBC NEWSPAPER
NEW DOCTOR SAYS ‘JOIN ME a ON THE JOURNEY’ Page 5
KEEP UP OR THE BIRD GETS ◆IT: Andy Rees, Bonnie Williams, Abby Turner, Gabi Bolton, Charlie Osborne and Derek the ostrich do the Caversham conga at monitoring HQ to complete their freestyle mile for Sport Relief.
sport relief SP ECIAL page 16 MORE FUN, BY A MILE ◆ SuperPower could ◆ HD on Freeview – ◆ Disabled teens keep be a glimpse of the in reach and ready for a weather eye on global future Page 3 action Pages 8-9 filmmaking Page 6
> NEWS 2-4 FEATURES 5-9 OPINION 10 MAIL 11 JOBS 14 < 162 News aa 00·00·08 23·03·10 NEWS BITES a Team told it is going Tribute has been paid to commentator Harry Carpenter, who has died aged 84. Barbara Slater, director of sport, described him as Room 2316, White City to Salford after all ‘one of the standout voices of sports 201 Wood Lane, London W12 7TS broadcasting’, and said that while he 020 8008 4228 Thirty two people in BBC Learning’s cam- ment and would want that even if we were in would be remembered primarily as Editor paigns team have just six months to decide if London.’ a boxing commentator, he ‘should Candida Watson 02-84222 they will make the move to Salford after con- He adds: ‘It’s a really hard decision; there is be hailed’ for his work on Sportsnight, Deputy editor troller Saul Nasse’s surprise announcement no getting away from that. It’s not right for eve- Grandstand, Wimbledon, golf, the that the whole division will relocate. ryone. We will lose some good people and that Boat Race and the Olympics. Cathy Loughran 02-27360 The late decision – which affects the teams be- will be sad, but we felt it was right for Learning Chief writer hind the Bang Goes the Theory roadshow, cam- .... I don’t think anyone can look at their jobs The BBC wants the Commonwealth Sally Hillier 02-26877 paigns for Breathing Places, Headroom and oth- and expect that they will be doing exactly the Games to become a ‘category A’ Features editor ers related to BBC programmes – has been met same thing or necessarily be in the same loca- event, meriting live coverage on Clare Bolt 02-27445 with mixed feelings by the people concerned, tion in five years’ time.’ free-to-air tv. Currently it is in the Broadcast Journalists including project managers, events staff and One of those affected said the news had ‘B’ category (can be shown on pay Claire Barrett 02-27368 team assistants. come ‘out of the blue’: ‘To say some people tv, provided secondary coverage, Adam Bambury 02-27410 It wasn’t one Nasse took lightly, he told Ar- were in shock is an understatement,’ she said, such as highlights and delayed Lisette Johnston 02-27630 iel, but the co-siting of content and campaign adding that people understood that an assur- broadcasts, is available free-to-air), Rumeana Jahangir 01-43756 teams made sense for Learning as a whole. ance had been given in the past that non-for- and the BBC has called for it to AV Manager Campaigns staff, who were told in 2005 they mal learning would be staying put. be upgraded in its response to would not relocate to MediaCityUK along with ‘To be facing the reality that people will the government’s consultation Peter Roach 02-24622 formal learning colleagues, have been given six either have to relocate, or find another job, is dif- on a review of listed events. Art editor months’ notice to make up their minds. ficult to comprehend. There are a lot of conflict- Ken Sinyard 02-84229 ‘I think when you announce something as ing emotions running through our department.’ A report on maternal mortality Digital Design Executive big as this it is going to take a while to sink in,’ Around a dozen project managers will stay in Afghanistan earned World David Murray 02-27380 Nasse says. ‘That said, I think everyone can fol- in nations and regions where they are now. News correspondent Lyse Doucet low the logic – it’s about getting a single cen- l Senior managers from relocating divisions and BBC World News America the Guest contributors this week tre for Learning instead of having people across are visiting Salford this week, to see buildings A David Bloom Award, presented the country. I want a shared learning depart- and B, which have been handed over. at the Radio and Television Correspondents’ Association dinner Mark Sandell, World Have YOur Say in Washington last week. The film editor, on a Global News experiment in was commissioned by Newsnight. London’s East End Page 3 Scaled back site will be Former BBC News executive Jo Burn of Radio Kent on a creative Richard Ayre is to be a BBC trustee, project with a difference Page 6 effective from August 1, replacing Sarah Gibson, head of BBC easy to use – Huggers Richard Tait. Ayre is currently the Russian, goes on tour Page 15 Ofcom content board member by Cathy Loughran for England and chair of Ofcom’s Broadcasting Review Committee. Ariel mail A consistent and user friendly design will be part He will step down from that role. [email protected] of BBC Online’s future, wherever the site is accessed in the internet tv age, says Erik Huggers. The BBC Trust would be happy to Ariel online explore.gateway.bbc.uk/ariel The universal template, created by the BBC consider the National Audit Office BBC Jobs 0370 333 1330 future media team and newspaper designer as official BBC auditor, should it Jobs textphone 028 9032 8478 Neville Brody, will be rolled out over this year wish to tender for contract when BBC Jobs John Clarke 02-27143 and next, and ultimately will be adapted to all next renewed (around 2012), trustee Room 2120, White City, London W12 7TS devices, Huggers told the Guardian Changing Jeremy Peat told MPs last week. Advertise in Ariel Media Summit last week. However, the NAO would need to Ten Alps Media 020 7878 2313 Its first outing will be on News Online in May demonstrate it was best for the job, www.bbcarielads.com and the gradual integration will be in tandem Peat explained to the Public Affairs with the scaling back of 200 BBC website sec- Committee, and the trust would Printing tions, as outlined in the recent strategy review. not allow ‘unfettered access’. Garnett Dickinson Group ‘In thinking through our design principles for Rotherham 01709 768000 each user environment, we give careful consider- BBC Worldwide is launching Subscribe to Ariel ation to what the audience wants when they ac- three channels in Malaysia. BBC Six months: £26, £36, £40 cess the content: one BBC experience across dif- Knowledge, BBC Lifestyle and Twelve months: £50, £60, £68 ferent platforms and territories,’ Huggers said. CBeebies will be available on Telekom ‘It’s a clean new design that introduces consisten- Malaysia Berhad’s (TM) HyppTV (prices for UK, Europe, rest of world cy of style, usability and accessibility.’ platform starting on March 29. respectively) Features include a move away from left hand Cheques to: Garnett Dickinson Print, navigation to consistently placed, horizontal The communications and media services With Easter approaching, BBC Brookfields Way, Manvers, navigation across the site. company Arqiva is to join Project Canvas, the Good Food magazine has launched a Wath Upon Dearne, Rotherham S63 5DL As the future of internet tv emerges, BBC On- proposed venture to develop free, internet- new campaign to encourage children Tel 01709 768199 line’s ambition will be to make the BBC rele- connected tv based on common standards, to cook. The April issue includes the INFORMATION IN AN EMERGENCY vant to everyone in the UK – without crowding it was announced on Monday. Alongside the first in a cut-out-and-keep guide. Telephone 0800 0688 159 out the market, said the director of FM&T. existing six partners of the BBC, BT, Channel So far, with no common standards, a frag- 4, Five, ITV and Talk Talk Group, Arqiva will Prince Charles will host the Ceefax Page 159 www.bbc.co.uk/159 mented market was developing, with tv man- take an equal stake, and provide equal funding. Great British Menu finale banquet Ariel is produced by Internal ufacturers, set-top box manufacturers, gaming The BBC’s involvement remains subject to BBC this summer. The popular Communications for people at the BBC consoles, linear tv platforms and new market Trust approval. cooking competition, which entrants all looking to ‘create a foothold in the Meanwhile, the companies involved in celebrates British produce and connected-tv market’. Project Canvas have submitted analysis to the is made by Optomen Television, ‘We don’t yet know how this is going to play Office of Fair Trading setting out why the pro- returns to BBC Two in April. out. It could be that, as Apple did in mobile and posed joint initiative does not constitute a digital music, one company creates an end-to-end qualifying merger under the Enterprise Act The BBC Academy, in collaboration user experience and creates a de-facto market 2002. Operators such as Sky and Virgin have with key Bristol based organisations PLEASE RECYCLE YOUR COPY OF ARIEL standard that the consumer and content provid- expressed their opposition to Canvas, and the that together form The Bristol/BBC ers will follow. Or, an open platform like Canvas, OFT is examining the planned venture. Anchor Partnership, is hosting a can create an ecosystem that allows the wider The Canvas partners are clear that [it] does series of events this week exploring market to set its own terms, free from third-party not qualify as a merger and we welcome the op- how new innovation and technology gatekeepers,’ Huggers told the summit. portunity to clarify this position formally,’ says is revolutionising the broadcast Read his presentation on the Internet Blog. project director Richard Halton. and digital media industry.
> ARIEL ONLINE: BBC NEWS AS IT HAPPENS – EXPLORE.GATEWAY.BBC.CO.UK/ARIEL< a 23·03·10 News 3
Global news to have fewer managers and fewer boundaries in a new pan-divisional structure photograph: mark bassett mark photograph:
BBC Brasil assistant camerawoman Carolina Oliveira films SuperPower Nation blogger and Iranian political Integrate to student Amir Biabani in Shoreditch collaborate better, says Horrocks by Cathy Loughran replaced by two integrated global news posts as business director The shedding of a quarter of sen- and controller, digital and tech- ior management in global news is nology. less about cost-cutting than shap- All the new jobs are being ad- ing up for the division’s move to vertised internally across the BBC, Broadcasting House in two years’ but not externally. Horrocks says time, says Peter Horrocks. the current team are well placed The global news director has an- to compete for the new roles but nounced the closure of five out of there needed to be an appoint- 20 senior jobs, including the role ments process that was ‘open, he jointly fills as director of World tough, fair and speedy’. He wants Service, saving £600,000. the new jobs filled by April. Even though his ‘Becoming The Horrocks package also More Global’ changes directly plans for around 40 people in affect only the top tier, the new World Service future media to structure would impact on eve- transfer to the FM&T division – ryone in the division, he said, probably after the W1 move – through ‘less duplication, less with no job losses, he says. waste, fewer boundaries and few- ‘Global news can draw on the er constraints’. benefits of BBC-wide capabilities Some further job losses among on mobile, apps and more. If the lower grades were ‘inevitable’, BBC can deliver on that technolo- Horrocks told Ariel, ‘but more gy in 32 languages from the start, likely to be driven by funding and at marginal extra cost, that’s commercial pres- a huge advan- sures’. Grant-in-aid tage.’ funding decisions ‘I want to deliver While the won’t be made un- World Service til after the gener- a SuperPower and BBC World al election and it’s News, as well not known wheth- Nation every day’ as their sepa- er that will be a rate accounta- three-year or one- bility, would be year settlement. protected, the As the Chinese blogger said In his more integrated division, changes reflect the fact that audi- all board level roles will span both ences talk about ‘the BBC’, rath- World Service and BBC World er than separate entities, Hor- News. There will be a net loss of rocks says. They also meet the to the lovelorn Burmese… five posts and the creation of four BBC Trust’s aim to trim all senior new amalgamated roles. management by almost 20 per- Sian Kevill’s job of director BBC cent, but were ‘not a savings pro- by Mark Sandell freeze running through his veins. tv equivalent of crowd-surfing: eaves- World News and the post held by gramme in their own right’. A total of 11,711 messages from us- I didn’t want an over-arching ques- dropping and developing conversa- Gwyneth Williams, director BBC Last week’s SuperPower Nation ers in 2078 geographic locations and tion (like what is democracy?) and I tions in the room and connecting World Service English, will close. day (right) was the kind of collab- as the six-hour experiment that was did want it to be an experiment – a with people outside, sometimes us- Two new global news roles will oration Horrocks wanted to see SuperPower Nation drew to a close, chance for the 32 language services, ing the most popular kit in the room be created as controller English on a daily basis. With the clock people were dancing at East Lon- Persian, Arabic and BBC World News – a video wall with 25 people around services and controller, languag- ticking down to the multimedia don’s Shoreditch Town Hall. to try things a bit differently. the world waiting to take part. es, with one of the four regional news centre in W1, it was ‘not a The idea was straightforward: I also wanted to make the event There were moments of magic. language service heads expected moment too soon’ to start think- stage a global conversation between enjoyable. To that end Karnie Sharp I loved it when Persian tv present- to fill the latter post. ing about ‘commissioning strate- every one of our audiences around recruited a team of actors to perform er Pooneh Ghoddossi and her Arabic The divisional posts of control- gically’, pan-global news, he says. the world, using translators and an Romeo and Juliet, each role in their counterparts Sam Farah and Liliane ler, FM&T and distribution (Mike ‘World News won’t sudden- online translation tool. The kind of native language (Romeo was Polish, Daoud, plus Alice Muthengi from Af- Cronk) and head of governance ly start doing World Service-style thing about which people say ‘only Juliet Japanese). Musicians were hired rica Have Your Say, appeared simulta- and public affairs (Hugh Saxby) arts documentaries, but Hard the BBC could do that’. to collaborate in the same way. neously on each other’s shows with will go. Cronk and Saxby are both Talk, a mainstay of World News, So that was the idea, but six weeks An hour to go and we’re told we Sam and Pooneh translating fluently. to leave the BBC. is now on World Service in Eng- ago when it came my way, it looked like may have to evacuate the building Picks of the day? Afghans and Ira- Also to close are the BBC World lish. There are other opportuni- a poisoned chalice/excellent opportuni- due to a gas leak and half an hour to nians discussing net connections and News-only roles of director, digit- ties like that to share content.’ ty, depending on where you were. The go, the power fails and the plasma the Iranians envious of what the Af- al content (currently James Mont- Horrocks also expects there best thing I did was recruiting World screens go blank. ‘I’m all over it,’ says ghans have; Chinese and Burmese gomery) and commercial direc- to be more movement of staff, Have Your Say (WHYS) bj Krupa Thakrar ‘Ice Cold’ Sales and as people arrive people discussing whether it was ok tor (Colin Lawrence), as well as across global and domestic news, to the cause and the second best we’re back online again. to find love online; Eritreans and Ba- Jim Egan’s job as controller, strat- more career opportunities, better thing was getting Sony award-win- WHYS presenter Ros Atkins, also jans talking about whether the West egy business and development planning for development and ning James Sales on board – a man of BBC World News, then spends the is too fast to help Africa. across global news. They will be training. so unflappable he seems to have anti- next six hours doing the radio and Mark Sandell is editor of WHYS
4 News a 23·03·10 Where have all the women gone? by Cathy Loughran The London panel discussion, dren, compared to a UK workforce av- and working patterns’. man on the panel, to call for policy- Women Working in TV: Is it a Young erage of 62 percent. Joining Morrison on the high pow- making to address a ‘genuinely horri- If family friendly policies at the BBC Girls’ Game?, heard that flexible Age was also a factor, their re- ered panel of mostly women tv ex- fying’ loss of female talent. were ever in doubt, take it from Anne working options were disappearing search shows. Industry-wide, there ecs, BBC One controller Jay Hunt said He wanted to see industry inter- Morrison, they’re better than most. across the industry as the economic was a drop in women employed af- that the Skillset figures were ‘shock- vention, in the way the Cultural Di- ‘When I ran a big production downturn bit, with freelances, and ter the age of 35, in common with ing but entirely understandable’. versity Network had acted on eth- department, I could see people com- particularly those working for small- other sectors, but a massive dip af- ‘On most days, the conversation nicity and disability by establishing ing to the BBC to have their babies,’ er indies, worst affected. ter the age of 49, with women repre- [between working mothers] is how pledges from broadcasters to im- the director of the BBC Academy and By contrast, part time working senting only nine percent of over-50s. to keep all the balls in the air. I think prove representation. ‘There is clear former controller of documentaries among women at the BBC is slightly Conversely, in BBC Vision there are about that balance on a daily basis, but discrimination and it needs to be ad- and contemporary factual told a sem- up over the last two years, to 2282 last slightly more women aged 50-plus there are ways through it. You need a dressed,’ said Shaps, chairman of in- inar on women in tv last week. month – almost 20 percent of the to- than men, including at senior level. pragmatic approach, but you won’t die A Brand Apart Television. She was speaking as Skillset con- tal female workforce. But more wom- Skillset chief executive Kate get it right all the time,’ said Hunt, Morrison agreed there needed to firmed its latest workforce census, en than men left over the last year O’Connor told the Media Guardian/ whose own young family had been be ‘concerted action’, including offer- which shows that an alarming 5000 (2236 compared to 1897). Bafta seminar that she couldn’t pin- the reason she had left the demand- ing women the training updates they women (20 percent), compared with Skillset found that only 21 percent point why the female exodus had ing news environment, she said. might need after a career gap. The 750 men, have left the television in- of women (and 34 percent of men) been so dramatic since 2006 but It was left to ITV’s former director BBC Academy was keen to share its re- dustry in the last three years. working in tv had dependent chil- thought it was about ‘status, culture of television Simon Shaps, the only sources with the industry, she said. A poem and a song for Record RTS haul makes for dramatic night by Candida Watson Success: James Nesbitt and Liam Neeson ern Ireland, said: ‘We want to at- God’s Own in Five Minutes of Heaven tract more of these high quality The BBC swept the board at the productions to Northern Ireland RTS programme awards last week, and to develop the scale, impact County with a record haul of prizes for and sustainability of local network drama, documentaries and enter- production activity in partnership. tainment. ‘Northern Ireland is putting in The BBC has launched an In a joint statement applaud- place an infrastructure that will de- ambitious musical project ing the results Mark Thompson and liver more network commissions for Yorkshire. Jana Bennett said: ‘Thanks and con- across a range of programmes.’ ‘We are putting together gratulations to all those who have The success ran across all chan- A Symphony for Yorkshire contributed – it is wonderful that nels, with BBC Two and BBC Four which will involve musi- the efforts of so many colleagues getting four awards apiece. cians from all over the coun- have been recognised in this way.’ The Thick of It was named best ty getting together to play BBC One took nine awards, in- scripted comedy. Louise Theroux a new anthem,’ explains cluding best drama for The Street, was best presenter for A Place for Pae- Helen Thomas, BBC head of best entertainment for EastEnders dophiles, while Charlie Booker beat Yorkshire. and best documentary for Wounded, ITV’s The X Factor and Britain’s Got ‘First of all though we an unflinching look at the struggle Talent to take the best entertain- need words for the anthem for rehabilitation by young service ment gong for Newswipe. so we want people to sub- personnel injured in Iraq. Children’s output also got in on mit poems/lyrics of between The awards also highlighted the the act, with CBBC’s Roy named best eight and 12 lines long de- popularity of Northern Ireland as a ter, and sections of Small Island were two men trying to accept the hor- children’s drama and CBeebies Big scribing what exactly York- drama location. Occupation, a BBC NI also filmed there. Five Minutes of rors of Northern Ireland’s troubled and Small – blame it on the drain tak- shire means to them. production for BBC One, was entire- Heaven, a BBC Two drama starring past, was filmed on location in NI. ing the award for best children’s ‘We are looking for some- ly filmed in Belfast’s Titanic Quar- Liam Neeson and James Nesbitt as Peter Johnston, director North- programme. thing a little unusual, some- thing creative, with some flair – but also something that people around the county will recognise and re- CBeebies goes ape as it launches musical sensation spond to. Yorkshire men and women live in God’s Own by Lisette Johnston Other highlights in the spring/autumn County and we want to cel- season include Mighty Mites, which show- ebrate that fact with a rous- A new series encouraging the under cases activities from circus skills to skiing ing musical tribute.’ sixes to learn about music will start on and kite-flying to tree planting, and The Oc- The poem does not have CBeebies next month. tonauts, a band of heroes who rescue sea an- to rhyme but does need to ZingZillas features a group of imals and explore underwater worlds. be original. People of any primates who live on a tropical island and Then there is Let’s Celebrate, focusing on age can enter and the clos- give a daily performance on the beach. religious and cultural festivals around the ing date is April 19. During each episode, a different guest UK, such as Chinese New Year, Christmas, The winner’s verse will be arrives to lend a hand, from opera star Eid al-Futr and Diwali, and Same Smile, in set to music, composed by Sarah Connolly to jazz singer Cleo Laine. which presenter Nisha Anil cycles across Benjamin Till, and played by The sounds used will range from a full the UK to ‘discover that we are all the same, musicians of all kinds and concert orchestra to a lone saxophonist and but different’. Same Smile is a collaboration ages across the county. bottle neck guitarist. involving BBC teams from Scotland, Wales, The premier of A Sym- The show aims to introduce youngsters Northern Ireland and London, phony for Yorkshire will be to different instruments while encourag- ‘CBeebies remains the UK’s most watched broadcast on television’s ing them to create their own music. channel for under-sixes,’ said Godwin as he Look North and on the four ‘We wanted a show that would handle unveiled the season. ‘Almost half of all pre- BBC local radio stations music in a really different way,’ says execu- schoolers tune in each week, but we are not across the county – Leeds, tive producer Alison Stewart. ‘Our starting resting on our laurels. We’ve already in- Sheffield, York and Humber- point was an understanding that children creased our investment in children’s side – on Yorkshire Day, Au- love all kinds of music so we didn’t restrict programming and the strategy review gust 1. ourselves to any single musical genre.’ is proposing an additional spend of £10 More details of the audi- ZingZillas is one of a number of shows million per year...We hope this will help tions will be announced launched by Joe Godwin in his first season us make even more outstanding pro- next month. as director of BBC Children’s. grammes.’ Happy clappy: ZingZillas should hit the right note with young viewers a 23·03·10 Features 5
Different A chance to tour the level: the Tardis set and meet the has been redesigned latest Time Lord was and now contains a too good to miss. swimming Rumeana Jahangir pool. Thrill was among the lucky seekers: Matt Smith ones invited to Cardiff and Karen Gillan at the for a sneak preview preview
‘Sorry,’ says Matt Smith as he moves to allow me a better look at a khaki-green Dalek. I’ve joined a group of journalists on a tour of the Doctor Who set and I’m confident that if anyone should stand between me and the kill- ing machine, I’d choose the latest incarnation of the Time Lord. The Dalek reappears in episode three of the model was kitted out in rich one’s skin, no matter what you do, there’s al- new series, where the Doctor revisits World War Familiar figure: a Dalek colours such as red, purple ways going to be a line there that you can’t re- II – the first time since Christopher Eccleston reappears in episode three and green. ‘Because we’re ally get rid of.’ It has meant working closer with took on gas-mask wearing zombies in ‘The Emp- of the new series working in high defini- camera and lighting teams to ensure that the ty Child’. That award-winning two-parter was Get the message: Matt tion, they seem to work countless special effects appear seamless. penned by Steven Moffat, who now replaces Rus- Smith in to his new role as on the set,’ head of cos- sell T Davies as lead writer and the programme’s the Eleventh Doctor tumes Ray Holman ex- Cameo from Patrick Moore ‘showrunner’, becoming the ultimate creative plains. The unit has created some of the new characters, authority for the show. High definition has including the Smilers, with their creepy ventril- Moffat heads a new production team that in- also changed the way oquist dummy-like faces which flip between cludes former Ashes to Ashes producer Beth Wil- that the special effects smiles and frowns. ‘When you get the angry lis and BBC Wales head of drama, Piers Wenger. department applies face, very, very, very bad things happen,’ teases Change, it’s clear, is today’s buzzword. ‘I think prosthetics for the al- executive producer Willis. we were ready for it to change,’ Wenger says. ‘And ien characters. ‘It But viewers will also see the return of the Cy- it’s a series that changes every week in many allows us to con- bermen, the Daleks and the stone angels from ways. It goes to different worlds and it has built vey much more the episode ‘Blink’ which featured recent Bafta into its format the ability to change the leading detail,’ says Char- winner Carey Mulligan. The profile ofDoctor Who man without changing the leading character.’ lie Bluett from Mil- has turned it into the tv equivalent of the Har- Or as Moffat puts it: ‘A brand new Doctor, lennium FX. ‘When you ry Potter films when it comes to casting British a brand new companion, a brand new Tardis. stick something to some- actors, with cameos from Annette Crosbie, Nina That’s exactly the job I wanted.’ Wadia and the astronomer Patrick Moore in the first episode alone. Prosthetics for aliens A team of 50 people work in the art depart- The new Doctor’s attire ment, which is considered large for a tv produc- has already provoked Dr who tion. ‘We’re lucky to have one of the best art de- much debate: one jour- partments in the country at the moment,’ says nalist described his fact box head designer Tristan Peatfield. ‘It’s a phenome- bow tie and tweed jack- n Aged 27, Matt Smith is the youngest nal team of technicians. I’m very proud to work et combo as ‘Indiana actor to play Doctor Who here – we all are.’ Jones on his day off’. Ac- The unit was involved in the redesign of the tor Matt Smith suggested n Karen Gillan’s nine year-old cous- Tardis, making it ‘even bigger’ on the inside, the bow tie, much to the hor- in, Caitlin Blackwood, features as with an extra two levels and a swimming pool. ror of the producers who initial- Amy Pond’s younger self in the first ‘It rebuilds itself in the very first episode,’ ly imagined a ‘punky rock star’ episode Moffat explains. ‘And because the Doctor is, of look for the new Time Lord. course, completely mad, the Tardis builds itself ‘When he said, ‘can I try a n The Vampires of Venice two- around his madness.’ bow tie on?’ we all went no!’ parter later in the series was But when many parts of the BBC are experi- says Beth Willis, the show’s filmed in Trogir, Croatia encing cutbacks, how has the flagship drama executive producer. ‘I fared? ‘We’re in the same boat that everyone is,’ went to the loo thinking n Richard Curtis and Mark Gatiss says Wenger. ‘We’ve managed our way through ‘Oh, I’m glad that’s gone have each written an episode for that, I hope, so that you’ll hardly notice a dif- away,’ and then came this series ference. We are quite lucky in that Steven is not back in and there’s Matt the writer who puts Daleks over Canary Wharf wearing a bow tie – looking n Smith’s two predecessors shared or uses huge amounts of CGI. It’s useful to have so happy and suddenly look- screen time in the BBC Films co-pro- that feel for this series but there’s still an awful ing like the Doctor.’ duction Jude in 1996. David Tennant had lot of scale.’ A rail of outfits for his co-star a bit part as a drunk student taunting But what does the man playing the Eleventh Karen Gillan’s character Amy Pond stands Christopher Eccleston’s eponymous Doctor himself think? ‘I hope that people come in a studio lot (‘short and short,’ quips apprentice on the journey,’ says Smith. ‘I do hope that peo- one male journalist referring to her ple are thrilled.’ much-talked about skirts). The former Doctor Who, BBC One, April 3
6 Features a 23·03·10 Leave us out? No way by Rumeana Jahangir Bayman, who assists with her Her mentees decided local Brownies and enjoys working that their film should be ‘I attended eight schools as a child with young people, thought it would a campaigning one, fo- because my family often moved be fun to get involved. cusing on PE lessons. house, but I can’t remember ever see- Also: ‘I would love to have learned This was in light of ing a fellow pupil who was in a wheel- camera skills at that age and I want- research published chair – or indeed with any disability,’ ed to share what I’d learnt from my by the disabled chil- says Hannah Bayman. own video journalism courses.’ dren’s charity The Look North weather presenter vol- Whizz-Kidz show- unteered to mentor a group of disabled The group made ing that many teenagers as they made a film, learning disabled pupils production skills along the way. a film about PE, are left out of The project was coordinated by school sports. BBC Connect & Create, which helps from which many The group staff gain skills through volunteer- filmed a football ing, and involved BBC mentors train- disabled pupils match and boxing ing disabled youngsters in Birming- lesson and quickly Team work: Hannah Bayman with 15 year old Daniel. Left: Brigit, 12, presents the weather ham and London. are excluded picked up camera skills. ‘They got some really nice shots. One lad was so determined to whether they could get media jobs spondent Frank Gardner, who uses a get a shot from a particular step he with their disabilities. ‘I heard one wheelchair after being shot during couldn’t reach in his wheelchair that say that a person in a wheelchair an assignment in Saudi Arabia. ‘It’s he pulled himself out and filmed could never present the weather be- not that usual for teenagers to watch with the camera on his knees.’ cause they wouldn’t be able to reach the news but they really pay attention The project turned out to be an the map. But when they had a go when they see someone on air with eye-opener for Bayman, whose grand- in the studio, we found that all we a disability. A colleague recommend- mother uses a wheelchair. ‘One of needed to do was lower the camera ed that I contact Frank and he sent a the teenagers wanted some water, and zoom in. I didn’t appreciate fully message with lots of good advice.’ but there were no cups at the water before how much more difficult life The completed film on PE was fountain and it was too high for him is made for them simply because of shown to teenagers and their fami- to reach. It was a case of, what do you thoughtless design and lack of sim- lies at BBC Newcastle, and will be pre- do? But for them, it’s nothing new. ple adaptations.’ sented by Whizz-Kidz to children’s They never complained and just get The presenter also noticed that secretary Ed Balls. ‘I think it’s excel- on with it.’ one of the teenagers was reading lent that people in the corridors of But the teenagers did wonder the autobiography of security corre power will see it,’ says Bayman.
Radio Kent has joined Memories are made of this forces with When young and old gather to talk ine 1950s radio and put an mp3 player Margate’s Turner about their teenage years they often Tuned in: in it to loop the audio. Our engineer, find they have more in common than Jo Burn and Rom, took it home as a project and is Contemporary they thought. the re-built so proud that his work will be in the For example, 80 year-old Margaret 1950s radio, Turner, but even more proud that you museum to Hall, from Margate, re-read her dia- with added can still tune in the radio. ry from the 1950s for our art project mp3 player A couple of elements in the ‘teen- create an and revealed that she was every bit as age bedroom’ developed from two ses- wild as many a teenage girl now. She sions in which our participants learnt interactive view found references to staying out un- about making creative audio and per- til 4am, and using a friend’s house to suading reluctant interviewees to tell of teenage life make a dress for a party that her par- their stories. ents knew nothing about. Two Thanet women in their 60s, from the 1950s She said: ‘My mother and father Marylyn Lafford and Meryl Hawkins, would never have approved of my go- recorded young and old talking about until the present, ing to a ball in Oxford with a man the music and memories that were they had not met, so I bought some significant in their teenage years. as bj Jo Burn, material and went to an older girl’s Meanwhile Margaret Hall record- flat and made myself an evening ed several of her diary entries and who helped dress. Then she brought it to the scanned them into a talking photo al- office for me in a box.’ bum charting a period of a couple of volunteers to Margaret and a group of people The diary revealed that I think is relevant to teenagers months around her 21st birthday. aged 60 plus joined under-25 year olds then and now. They are experiencing record their to work with artist Lucy Steggal to cre- different things but in the same way.’ ate a ‘teenage bedroom’ for Margate’s she was every bit My involvement, and Radio Kent’s, The teenage bedroom installation stories, explains Turner Contemporary museum. has been to help the participants with is open to the public until March 28 Lucy Steggal said: ‘One of the as wild as many a interview and recording skills. Having (from Wednesday to Sunday, 10am ladies [remarked on] how fast the teen- to fill a live space with sound was new to 4pm) at Droit House, Stone Pier, age years pass. It’s this [sense of] speed teenage girl today territory for me. We bought a genu- Margate, Kent a 23·03·10 Features 7 School’s out for class of 2008 4 They were branded ‘the 10 brightest and best’. 14 Now it’s time for the BBC’s 3 18 elite production trainee 6 15 scheme graduates to show 11 what they’re made of 2 7 12 1
8 16 17
9 13 5
LETTING THEIR HAIR, but not the side down, latest graduates have just finished an intensive cas will do a stint at Radio 1, Chloe Fairweather at Pictured in party mood are Cathy Edwards (1), the first production trainees to come through 18-month course covering tv, radio and online BBC North events and Sameena Misbahuddin at Charissa Coulthard (2), Rosie Childs (3), Ben Cot- the BBC’s revived gold standard scheme are with placements in Audio & Music, comedy, chil- BBC Scotland to work on the election. tam (4), Sameena Misabahuddin (5), Will Smith already landing some choice first jobs. dren’s, drama, entertainment, factual and sport. The class of 2008 were selected from a field of (6), Thom Billington (7), Becky Anderson (8), The training programme that launched the ca- Among those now spreading their wings are 3000 and applications remain open until March Kate Verghese (9), Deanne Cunningham (10), Will reers of Mark Thompson, Peter Salmon and Lor- Kate Verghese, who is to be a script research- 29 for the 2010 scheme. Shortlisting will take White (11), Toby Bentley (12), Chloe Shipman (13), raine Heggessey among other luminaries was er on Holby City, and Kieran Yeates, who is going place between March 30 and May 14. For full Kieran Yeates (14), Daniel Lucas (15), Siddarth restored in 2008 after a six year break. The 19 to music tv as an assistant producer. Daniel Lu- details go to bbc.co.uk/jobs/pts/ Khajura (16), Chloe Shipman (17), Ellie Bury (18).
To Jupiter and beyond…via Global News video exchange
When a bomb went off in the services to share their vid- different markets and it’s fascinat- Pakistani city of Karachi on Feb- eo content with the rest of ing to see what works on different ruary 5, two reporters from the the BBC. Content from Bush sites.’ Urdu section were dispatched House can now be fed into Ju- The video exchange project was to the local hospital to speak piter (the main BBC News video originally set-up in March 2007 to to survivors. As the pair were system) – an improvement on the help get video material for World interviewing a man being treated previous video-sharing scheme. Service language section web- for his injuries, the emergency en- ‘When the Brazilian service in- sites to use, but as the number of trance of the hospital was rocked terviewed President Lula of Bra- language services producing their by a second blast. zil in September for the After- own video rapidly increases, it’s This time the explosion was shock series, the interview had to becoming an increasingly two-way caught on camera. Within two go to Television Centre from Bush street. hours, the footage had been sent House by tube,’ Pruszewicz recalls. ‘The great thing about this is that to Bush House for the Urdu service ‘Hopefully those days are gone for the World Service language servic- to run online. Fifteen minutes af- good.’ es provide content that is exclusive, ter their online editor flagged up its Sarah Watson, video producer to the wider news operation – like existence and the footage was live at Global Newswire, looks for inter- the footage of the Karachi bomb, on BBC World News. esting content from the language where no-one else was at this hos- None of that would have been services, feeding it into Jupiter pital when the attack took place,’ possible without the Global News and ensuring that people in News say Pruszewicz. ‘It showcases the video exchange. World News ed- know where to find it. ‘The creativi- BBC’s unrivalled newsgathering ca- itor Marek Pruszewicz spent six ty and expertise of the World Serv- pability around the world, of which months developing the project, ice language sections is amazing,’ video from the World Service is an Jaffer Rizvi, (right) producer with the Urdu service, interviews a survivor moments which allows the language she says. ‘They are working in quite increasingly important part.’ before a second bomb blast in Karachi 8 9 High time to put you in the picture illustration: stephen collins stephen illustration: With extended coverage and receivers now readily available, HD on Freeview has become a reality. It’s It’s not just natural a good result, particularly as the World Cup is just around the corner. Adam Bambury reports history that looks great
If you think you can just plug your says James Jackson, head of broad- to be implemented and tested by the as head of HD Danielle Nagler Decision HD-ready tv into your Freeview box cast infrastructure. ‘In fact what has manufacturers. Under the chairman- For decides what goes on the BBC’s sin- maker: and instantly enjoy the ‘five times happened is the trust, Ofcom and ship of Nick Wells of R&D, it was gle HD channel, as well as what gets Danielle better’ picture quality and 5.1 sur- the BBC have all worked together to done and dusted in three, in line viewers made in HD in the first place. She Nagler round sound offered by the wonder- find a solution which enables not with Ofcom’s request to have servic- is responsible for what people who ful world of HD, you better put the just the BBC to launch an HD serv- es running by December 2009. tune in to BBC HD on their Freeview remote away and put your hand into ice, but the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and It was also necessary to make sure it’s time to boxes for the first time will see – and your pocket instead – it’s going to someone else to do it as well. That the new standard could be actually after three years of the channel’s ex- cost you. Yes, the new technology means consumers get a service range broadcast. Originally the plan was to get a new istence, it’s not all Life. ‘The percep- behind Freeview HD means that for which is attractive enough to go out upgrade each of the 1150 transmit- tion is that sport, movies and natu- consumers it’s time to get a new set- and buy a set-top box – they get the ters around the country as switcho- set top box, ral history are very important in HD,’ top box, costing between £100 and maximum value out of what they’re ver occurred. As this won’t be con- says Nagler. ‘All those things look £200. An inconvenience perhaps, investing in.’ cluded until 2012, it would have great, but when you ask the audience but nothing compared to the huge To make this happen, R&D and been as well for set-top manufactur- costing the genre profile you get is actually amount of work put in by people the European DVB consortium came ers to bide their time and wait for very similar to that of standard def- from across the BBC to make HDtv up with a new standard –T-2. ‘If HD the market to grow until they between inition.’ not merely the province of satellite is roughly 10 mega bits per second released their devices. This would Leisure programming, modern and cable, but available terres- (mgbps), with existing technol- have been bad news for the nascent £100 and drama, soaps and cookery all ap- trially as well. ogy we could only deliver platform, as in the meantime many parently come high in the list of re- First on the list was the two HD channels. Within consumers would no doubt look £200 quested genres. ‘With drama they small matter of developing the same spectrum the new elsewhere for their HD needs. get a greater engagement with the a new standard in terrestrial standard gives us approx- To convince manufacturers there characters – they can see how their digital video broadcasting, or imately 40 mbps,’ says would be a big enough market for faces move and what their emotional DVB. There are currently six Phil Layton, principal their HD receivers, the BBC decided life is,’ reckons Nagler. ‘They also get multiplexes (which bundle technologist, digital to accelerate the build out of trans- a detailing which is not just relevant groups of channels togeth- services. ‘It’s much mitters. Thanks to five new ones, to landscape and to animals. It’s also er for broadcast) in the UK, cleverer in format- large parts of the country that would relevant if you’re passionate about and the BBC operates two of ting the data that have got HD only in 2012, such as Lon- something – whether it’s antiques them. In 2007 comes out of the don, can now get them in the coming or cookery.’ you can’t makes it all the more real. 2009. January viewing figures for Ofcom announced that transmitter.’ months. ‘If we’d done nothing else, Of course, this detail, blown Yes, there was a certain degree of 2010 showed 3.4 million people were broadcasters would not be al- Normally it for the World Cup we would have got up on to a 38 inch screen (the nervousness on the Doctor Who team watching BBC HD. lotted more capac- takes about about 23 percent coverage and by the current average UK tv size), is and from us that by moving into HD It seems they’re actually watching ity for HD chan- five years to end of this year 26 percent,’ says Jack- all well and good when you are there’s the potential to lose the mag- as well, not just putting it on in the nels. As HD takes propose, son. ‘Now 50 percent of the UK popu- broadcasting vases and cheese. ic of the show, but I think it becomes background while they browse the up a lot more specify and lation can get coverage for the World But what if, in the case of Doc- more terrifying, not less – though the internet: ‘I think HDtv is a throwback space than stand- ratify a new Cup in June this year and 60 percent tor Who, mundane reality is viewers will have to judge that.’ to when we all sat and watched the tv ard definition, television at the end of this year. This makes the the last thing you want to Despite the challenge of learning in a very concentrated fashion,’ says this was a prob- standard, market big enough for the manufac- evoke – will viewers suddenly how to get the best out of the new Nagler. ‘It might not always be the lem. and then turers to sell into.’ And sell they are. be returned to the wobbling HD cameras, it seems people are pre- case, but at the moment HD sets are ‘The BBC it has The first wave of set-top boxes and creakiness of early sci-fi? pared to adapt for the format. Nagler the main big sets in the living room could have just Freeview HD tvs – built to specifica- ‘You do sort of expect in claims she meets ‘very few’ who are and if people watch HD they do it as launched BBC HD tions negotiated by R&D at the cross- HD that you’ll be able to not eager to work in HD. It’s just as their main focus rather than as a sec- on Freeview, and industry Digital Television Group – is see the cracks and see it’s well, because the format is growing. ondary activity. That’s great because left no space for already on sale with plenty more to just make up and simula- The number of HD connected homes it’s about audiences engaging with anyone else to follow. Perhaps it’s time to upgrade tion,’ Nagler admits. ‘But tripled last year, with 12 percent of the great programmes that we’re mak- launch an to that 48” monster you’ve been you can’t, and the fact homes having access by the end of ing, and I hope HD facilitates that.’ HD service,’ eyeing up. Get your discounted kit here sharper viewing is all in the detail Freeview is organising a MyDeals from early April. Other [email protected]. HDtv is broadcast at a while Freeview+ HD recorders Media’s V+ box. discount on a selection of Freeview products are likely to be added to A Freeview HD roadshow to help higher resolution than standard will be available later in Spring. HD products, with discounts likely the offer as Freeview HD rolls out. If staff learn more about the platform definition, with ‘up to five n Through Freesat, the free to be between 15 percent and 30 you would like to be alerted when will tour the UK from March 24 – see times more detail’ according satellite service operated by the percent (depending on the product). the staff offer goes live on MyDeals, Gateway for details. to manufacturers. Audio can be BBC and ITV. No subscription is The first three products in this offer email: delivered in Dolby 5.1 surround required, but viewers will need will be: sound. to buy an HD receiver and have a n a Humax Freeview HD set-top box HDtv programming is satellite dish installed. n a Sharp Freeview HD set-top box The first Freeview HD set- also available on a number of n a Sharp tv with a built-in Freeview top boxes became available in different outlets, all of which n Through a monthly HD tuner. February 2010. Televisions with require an HDtv to watch: subscription to satellite service These discounted products built-in Freeview HD tuners were Sky+ HD, which currently has the will be available to BBC staff via released at the start of March, n On cable, through Virgin largest range of channels. 10 Opinion/Analysis a 23·03·10
MICHaeL LYONS CHAIRMAN Who are the trustees? They are people with backgrounds which make them capa- ble of challenging the BBC, asking the right questions and the trustees standing up collectively to governments which might seek to put the independence of the BBC at risk. So they include As the BBC Trust gets to grips with Mark Thompson’s people with experience of programme making, news, reg- ulatory bodies and the regulatory framework of the broad- strategy review proposals, Robert Wilson met its casting industry. How do you become a trustee? chairman Michael Lyons and four of the 12 trustees to The culture ministry advertises publicly, then candidates appear before a panel which includes DCMS representa- find out who they are and what they do p
tives and the chairman of the trust. The panel’s recommen- h dations go all the way through the secretary of state, to the otog prime minister, the Privy Council and finally to the Queen. ra p h
Are the jobs part time? : mar So they tell us! A trustee works two days a week, the chair- k b man three to four. They can feel like full time jobs. There a ssett is an awful lot of reading, a fair bit of travel and you would not be able to do the job unless you kept up with BBC out- put. How do the trustees represent audiences? There are audience councils in each of the nations and re- gional councils throughout England. The trust spends a lot of time researching public interests and views, and engag- ing directly with the public janet lewis-jones trustee for wales A former member of the S4C Authority, Janet Lewis-Jones is a native Welsh speaker. She is a member of the finance and com- pliance and remuneration and appointments committees
‘The support for the BBC in Wales is tremendously high. But because licence fee payers in Wales view the BBC with considerable affection, their capacity to be disappointed by it is correspondingly great. ‘One of the biggest issues in Wales at the moment is just the difficulty a lot of viewers and listeners have receiving the BBC’s services. There are quite a lot of people who can’t get Radio Wales on FM or digital, and they can’t get Radio Cymru on digital. There is no local radio in Wales, there’s very little commercial radio, so when people can’t actually receive these services it does matter very much indeed. We Main photo have challenged the executive this year to take a good look Michael at the problem. Lyons ‘I sit on the finance and compliance committee and I’m From left: the lead trustee on fair trading. These are important issues – Janet Lewis the way the BBC works with and to the benefit of other parts -Jones, of the industry rather than in head to head competition.’ Jeremy Peat, Alison Hastings, ROTHA JOHNSTON Rotha trustee FOR NORTHERN IRELAND Johnston Businesswoman and entrepreneur Rotha Johnston grew up and built her career in Northern Ireland. She chairs the Finance and Compliance Committee and is also a member of the Stra- tegic Approvals Committee
‘The Finance and Compliance Committee approves the BBC ‘One of the key things that the trust has done in the last jeremy peat budget and recommends it to the trust, making sure it’s ap- three years is help the BBC become more aware of the con- trustee for scotland propriate and meets the strategic priorities. We also moni- sequences of its actions. You have to think about that ten- tor value for money. Last year, for example, we reviewed stra- sion between what is publicly valuable and where that Jeremy Peat is an economist and former BBC governor. His tegic contracts with the private sector, really drilling down as might have market impact. trust responsibilities include membership of the strategic to whether the value for money anticipated at the outset was ‘People want their licence fee pound spent equitably approvals and finance and compliance committees being delivered. We also watch the technology and property across the land. Affection for the BBC diminishes some- strategies, which are obviously very important. As is fair trad- what the further you get away from London and the BBC ‘What we all want to achieve is the best value in pro- ing – is the BBC using its very privileged funding mechanism needs to be very mindful of that if it wants to continue gramme and service delivery for licence fee payers. Efficien- appropriately and not distorting the market. with this unique way of funding. cy has to have quality built in. It is false economy to claim ‘Issues in Northern Ireland include universality of ac- ‘The progress of BBC North is a key issue. It is a huge efficiency gain by reducing quality. cess and the quality of output. Audiences don’t want what project and is one of the big ways that the BBC is able to ‘The network supply discussion about enhancing network they perceive to be dumbing down. They want high quali- get to its 50 percent target out of London. commissioning from the nations is also terribly important in ty output and it’s no different here than in other parts of ‘So there is a huge amount of interest in the North of Scotland. There is progress but it has been very slow. the UK.’ England as to what that means and also interest from oth- ‘There is a big discussion at the moment about whether er parts of England to make sure that people in the South BBC Alba, the Gaelic service, should be launched on Freeview. West, for example, still feel that they have the same chanc- Universality of access is also an issue. In large swathes of Scot- Alison hastings es and opportunities. land there is difficulty in getting the basic services on the ba- trustee for england ‘The Audience Council takes a close interest in local radio, sic platforms. I have constant complaints that you can’t get ra- which only exists in England. It is well loved and it has an au- dio on the A9, the main arterial route up to Inverness. Alison Hastings lives in Birkenhead and has many years of ex- dience of seven million people. ‘Since publication of the King Report there has been a perience as an editor in the regional press. She chairs the audi- ‘For many it is the only way they engage with the BBC great improvement in the accuracy and indeed in the balance ence council for England and is a member of the audiences and on radio.’ and spread of reporting. But we have to keep on that case.’ performance and editorial standards committees
> IF YOU HAVE A VIEW ABOUT THE TOPICS ON THIS PAGE, PLEASE EMAIL ariel mailbox a 23.03.10 11
This is the page that everybody reads. Please email [email protected] You can also contribute to the mail page directly from the Ariel Online home page mail Living with complaint Body shock As the reporter on the Panorama pro- Amazing how quickly things move gramme on ADHD recently criticised Our 17 million viewers are all different on. When the dg presented the strat- by the BBC Trust’s editorial standards Ian Pollock’s letter (Is Danny Cohen bigging up reached 17 million different people a week. egy review live, and talked about bbc. committee, I would urge Andrew Hill Three’s viewers?) is inaccurate in the extreme BBC Three is the most-watched terrestrial serv- co.uk, he proposed to ‘spend 25 per- (Ariel, March 16) to think about the cent less on the site per year by 2013’ effect this flawed finding will have on (March 16). To explain concisely, our weekly ice for young people in its broadcast hours, and (quote taken from the downloadable the sort of investigative journalism reach figure of 17 million comes from Barb, the is building a strong reputation for its quality, version of his presentation). that many of his colleagues in BBC audience measurement tool used as standard range and willingness to take risks and innovate. The strategy review document it- News are expected to do. across the industry. This is a great story for the BBC and will help self also proposes ‘spending 25% less Is he aware that there is no right of on the site per year by 2013’. A quick look at the Barb website clearly shows safeguard the licence fee in the future. It would appeal for programme makers either in Imagine my shock when I see that the ECU or the trust’s complaints proc- that a channel’s reach is calculated as the be wonderful if people could get behind this the ‘short guide to the key propos- ess? The referee’s decision is final and, amount of people in the UK who watch a chan- success story and support BBC Three in its con- als in the review’ in last week’s Ariel it seems, must be accepted by senior nel across a week. They are not double-count- tinued growth. talks of ‘25% cut in budgets and staff- BBC management. ed, and in BBC Three’s case this figure has now Danny Cohen, controller, BBC Three ing by 2013’. In this case, the complainant was Actually, I am not shocked. It’s no ordinary viewer but an eminent clear that there will be drastic staff QC who presented his case from the To suggest that black people can’t the cover of a publication available ing stronger collaboration between cuts at bbc.co.uk, but it doesn’t outset as if it were litigation and bom- connect to an advert or a programme in thousands of outlets, and which the English and languages services. say so in the strategy review, so it barded both the ECU and the trust because there are no black people in seems to perpetuate the myth that Is this not directly at odds with last shouldn’t say so in your short guide. with correspondence and documenta- it is patronising in the extreme. The smoking pot is ‘cool and harmless’. year’s decision to ‘become more Jerry Chester tion which must have cost a great deal billboards feature some universally Whatever happened to the BBC’s local’ by offshoring jobs and trans- BBC Hereford and Worcester in both time and money. loved sporting stars from all different responsibility towards our young missions from London to places like The programme team had no le- walks of life; they are famous faces people who might look at the cover? Delhi, Islamabad and Dakar? The strategy review document does gal advice and simply responded to everybody can appreciate. They are greatly influenced by the in- And has ‘World Service’ suddenly say ‘the BBC will spend 25% less on requests for information while mak- Diversity is important, especially fantile behaviour of such ‘stars’ and become a dirty word, or does calling BBC Online by 2013, with a corre- ing programmes at the same time. It to a public service broadcaster, but this does nothing but fan flames. it Global News help make it more sponding reduction in staffing levels’. was only after the trust’s draft find- suggesting a campaign needs ‘more Jill Wallace, senior researcher, BBC global, whatever that means? Interviewed in Ariel (March 9), Erik ings were published last month that black people’ or ‘more disabled peo- Monitoring, Caversham Russell Newlove Huggers said that it was too early to the team discovered we had not been ple’ isn’t constructive. studio manager, WS Languages tell whether the budget cut would lit- shown much of the material used as Unfortunately, on this occasion, I erally mean a quarter less staff work- evidence against us or, indeed, that we have to agree with the comments MP No seniors in Salford? ing in online production – Ed had been denied the same opportu- Philip Davies made in the Daily Mail: Coroner Nigel Meadows has asked Give it silent treatment nity as the complainant to make our ‘The BBC still don’t get it. They are so for a BBC executive to attend PC Ian Now that the proposals to axe 6 case directly to members of the ESC. obsessed with political correctness Terry’s inquest in Manchester to per- Music and the Asian Network have Slick business I now have to live with the effects they have still got the blinkers on. sonally apologise for using a still of been announced am I the only one Rotha Johnston, trustee for Northern of this ruling for the rest of my career, People want the best person for the the deceased, captioned ‘Mr Plod’, in disturbed that members of senior Ireland and chairman of the Finance but I would like for my colleagues in job, irrespective of age or colour.’ a Six O’Clock News report. management have come out of the and Compliance Committee, wrote BBC News to understand that if this Chris Barker It has been reported in the press woodwork to tow the party line? in Ariel that the move from Maryle- can happen to me, it can happen to interactive that no-one ‘was able to make the Recent pronouncements made in bone High Street would save licence you too under the present deeply 250 mile trip to Manchester claim- the press by Tim Davie and Caroline fee payers £300m (March 16). flawed complaints procedure. ing there was ‘difficulty’ in coming Elliot give the impression that this Is this right? It is a long time since Shelley Jofre Keep off the grass up from London’. is a done deal and can only serve to I did work experience at GLR and a reporter, Panorama My long-suffering colleagues are Do we not yet have executives undermine the BBC Trust during its few years since I used the training used to me displaying the tendencies based in Salford able to do this? strategic review consultation. facilities there, but it always seemed of a grumpy old woman on a regular Ian Hillson Senior BBC management should like a medium to small central Lon- Different opinion basis, but I had to write to Ariel after Retired staff either have the courage to engage, don office building, to me. Nick Tulip criticises the Sport Relief seeing the words on the front cover face to face, with licence fee pay- So how does vacating it save advertisements for featuring an ‘all of the Radio Times (March 13-19). ers who object to these plans or just £300m? white cast’ and no disabled people How can the RT justify publicity Best of both worlds? keep quiet until the trust releases Did we strike oil under Robert (March 16). The BBC’s critics bemoan for Robbie Williams’s loves of his life Peter Horrocks has announced plans the findings of its review. Elms’ studio? what is often seen as in-your-face, – ‘mum, marijuana, the missus...’ for the World Service to ‘become Eddie Pitman Michael Cole shoe-horn diversity. It is irresponsible to put this on more global’, it seems by encourag- senior studio director, 5 live BBC Sport
always like broadened to encompass a whole London show Honky Tonk throughout self ‘D.P. Costello’, and I absolutely the music he world of wonderful sounds, virtually the 1970s, but personally too. know where I was and what I was OBITUARY loved; warm, inventing the idea of world music, My first experience of going on doing (washing my car!) one Sunday honest, a lit- and championing artists from Portu- air was being invited onto Charlie’s in July 1977, when I was captivated charlie gillett tle down- gal to Mali, Cape Verde to Cape Town. show to talk rock n roll. My buddy by a band with a stunning guitarist Charlie Gillett was a man of music. home, full of But it was never obscurity for its own Stuart Colman and I also organised sounding like a cross between James Writer, manager, publisher, compil- soul rather sake; Charlie had a flawless ear for a mass campaign to convince Radio Burton and Django Reinhardt. After er, presenter, but above all lover, of than techni- a tune and a musical nous which 1 to have a rock n roll show in its giving their tape its first of several music of so many kinds, and such a cal polish. meant he could spot a future star. schedules. Charlie happily gave us airings, Charlie made one of his typi- kind and gently effusive man that he Then His illness meant that he hadn’t time on his show to drum up sup- cal dry comments. ‘I don’t know how touched people with his passions. when I be- broadcast on BBC London for a port. The success of the campaign well they may do with a name like Charlie has been associated with came a col- while, yet when he passed my show and the fact that Stuart and I were Dire Straits, it may be better if they BBC London radio in its various in- league he was flooded with emails from listen- given the show, was in no small call themselves ‘The Sultans Of Swing.’ carnations from its earliest days. was exactly the same; open, gener- ers who just wanted to share their measure due to Honky Tonk. But Charlie Gillett, the person, is His relaxed intimate shows, show- ous, encouraging, always eager to memories of Charlie. Most of them But it was his commitment to what anyone who crossed paths with casing American roots music back talk about some new artist he’d dis- had never met him, but nearly all the music that I will most remem- him will remember most. With not in the 70s, were an education and covered, using his incredible knowl- of them said he felt like a friend. He ber Charlie for. Starting from a base a hint of ego or star attitude, Charlie an inspiration for me, and many edge as a gift to give away freely. The was a true friend to anybody who where he was playing amazing rock was the antithesis to the ‘celebrity others. If Charlie recommended a wry smile on his face seemed to be wanted music in their lives. n roll, rockabilly and rhythm & deejay’ culture. To him, the music record you went out of your way to a permanent feature, and the silver Robert Elms blues, heard nowhere else on radio and the musicians mattered most find it. Here was a man who could grey hair a trademark. in those days, he then began play- and it is the true world of music make the radio sound like a particu- Most of us get rather set in our Geoff Barker writes: I have much to ing tapes sent in by musicians and that has lost one of its finest champi- larly welcome friend, who had the ways and tastes as we get older, but thank Charlie for – not only for all bands around town. ons and authoritative ambassadors, best record collection and wanted Charlie went exactly the other way. the great music he introduced us to I well remember hearing the ba- quite apart from several millions lis- to share it. His presenting style was Always an aural explorer, his tastes on his ground-breaking BBC Radio sic demos from a guy calling him- teners in countries right around the
14 Jobs See Attachment
Is it far to Bristol? Mariko Oi visits some unusual ‘tourist’ sites on an internal Business Unit job swap My colleague Melissa Cockrill and I have nev- er met. Yet, I have been living in her shared flat for the last month, while she has stayed in my apart- ment in Singapore. I’m a reporter for Asia Business Report and Mel works at the Business Unit in Television Centre. We have swapped houses and offices to gain experience of working in another country. It may sound like an unusual arrangement, but in fact this is the second of three ‘job/house swaps’ within our unit. It has been an opportunity to put faces to names, or more precisely, voices. I speak to my London col- leagues who produce World Business Report on a dai- ly basis. Now I know how they look, aside from their Facebook photos. I admit, at first I was nervous about where I would stay and which stories I would be given to cover. The first assignment was on the latest UK un- employment figures. Phew! It cannot be too differ- ent from reporting Asia’s jobless rates. But the huge difference was, I could compare my piece with how senior correspondents from the do- mestic channel covered it, and learn from them. Another advantage was the training that I could receive, and I rehearsed my actual script with my voice trainer and my tv packaging coach. I’ve also spent some time with the online team and learnt how to write a better piece for them. By the time this article is published I will have spent time at Bush House, too. Sightseeing has not been high on my list. I have, however, managed to see some of the country through work – filming at Carlsberg’s Northamp- ton brewery and Tilbury Docks in Essex as well as Airbus’s supplier factory in Gloucester. All right, they are not your typical tourist spots, but I had a blast. I am grateful to all my London colleagues who had to put up with my ‘is Bristol far?’ to ‘what does William Hill do?’ questions. Special thanks to Peter Eustace and Pauline Mason who made this oppor- tunity possible. As I return to Singapore with new knowledge and experience, I also look forward to meeting Melissa in person. Been anywhere nice? Send your attachment stories to Clare Bolt
14 OCTOBER 08 ARIEL a 23·03·10 What are we doing here 15 photograph: stephen gibson stephen photograph: foreign report
sarah gibson head of bbc russian goes back to university
It grew out of an idea for a marketing campaign – BBC journalists visiting Russian university journalism faculties to showcase Jodie Troup & their work. But it turned into a major under- taking, with live programming, masterclass- es and presentations of bbcrussian.com. Francesco Barzanti The team spent two weeks visiting four cit- ies, meeting 700 mainly young Russians. The BBC in Russian used to have large, Coffee baristas, 5th floor, pacific quay dedicated audiences. But, recently, with the anti-western rhetoric of former president How did you both come to work chat and we know various spend part of my spare time but I’ve been asked a couple and now prime minister Vladimir Putin, for- at Pacific Quay? things, such as what goes on reading scripts. It’s something of times. It was good fun. eign broadcasters have been greeted with Jodie – I had done my degree in in the studio, and what’s go- for which my degree comes scepticism, and sometimes even hostility. Aberdeen, moved to Glasgow, ing on in their personal lives. in useful, and I hope it might Do you have any other hidden Despite big changes in Russian service didn’t have any work and this They tell us what happened lead to other opportunities in talents? output – a multiplatform website, new radio was the first job I was offered. when the dog went to the drama. Francesco – I did a Children in programmes and generally a more dynamic That was nearly four years ago. vet, for example. It’s an op- Need talent competition, Scot- approach – reaching out to a wider audience Francesco – I finished my portunity to make friends… How did you get involved in land’s Got Talent. They asked can be difficult, given tight marketing budg- degree in foreign languages work outside the coffee bar? me what I could do and I was ets, the lack of the BBC in Russian on FM, and in Florence and moved here. You’re a pretty sociable pair Jodie – It started with peo- thinking ‘absolutely noth- the sheer size of My English was very rusty so then? ple coming along and talk- ing to be honest!’ I said I’d We found Russia. But we I thought I needed an easy Jodie – I think it’s fair to say ing about T in the Park. I just played football for 20 years feel we have a lot job and this is what I found. that much of our social lives said: ‘Can I come and help? and they asked if I could do black ice and to talk about. involve people from the BBC. Can I work for free?’ and ever keepy ups, so I did that and it We wanted to Florence is one of the most Most of my friends are from since then people know that was good fun. I’m still wait- killer falling draw attention beautiful cities in the world, so Pacific Quay or are peo- if there is something going ing for the dvd to come out. not just to our what brought you to Scotland? ple we’ve met through on they can ask us to assist. Jodie – Simon Cowell’s icicles in St news and current Francesco – I came here for the the building. Francesco – It’s similar with looking for you now… affairs, but also first time seven years ago for Francesco – When I came me for translations. Peo- Petersburg to the English a 15 day holiday and fell in here I had no friends and ple come for coffee, find We have to ask: who makes the language learn- love with the country, most- didn’t know anyone, but out I’m Italian and say ‘you best coffee? ing material on bbcrussian.com, and to Col- ly because of the people. Ital- now my friends are all pret- know what? I need your help Jodie – Me! lege of Journalism resources. ians can be arrogant and rude ty much from the BBC. with this translation’. Francesco – You should The bbcrussian.com ‘University Tour’ sometimes and I can’t stand ask the customers… started in St Petersburg, where black ice that. I respect people and like You don’t just serve the coffee, You do your bit for the sports Jodie – Me! and killer falling icicles had left the pave- to be respected as well. The though? teams, too… Francesco –Just consider I come ments treacherous. We had two days of places here are so amazing Jodie – I’ve worked as a run- Jodie – I don’t do sport! from a country which created masterclasses, and also a broadcast of our and the people are so lovely. I ner on Celtic Connections, T Francesco does, I don’t. cappuccino, latte, macchiato. Vam Slovo (Have Your Say) programme. don’t even mind the weather. in the Park and some drama Francesco – Yes, I play sport Jodie – I put more love into the In Ekaterinburg, the discussion moved productions and I’m also part like football. I’ve got a seven- coffee than he does and I think on to Modernisation – a concept promoted How many languages do you of a script reading pool. This a-side match tonight with the that comes across in the taste… several months ago by Russian president have? involves reading potential tv guys from sport. They even Francesco – No, really, I Dmitry Medvedev. Jodie – Francesco speaks drama scripts and writing a asked me to play cricket, be- wouldn’t say who’s best. In Moscow, there were more master- Italian and Spanish, and report about them. I had to ap- lieve it or not, because I don’t Jodie – Yeah. But it’s me. classes in the beautiful journalism faculty his Glasgow slang is pret- ply to join the pool, and now really know what cricket is, building opposite the Kremlin, where the ty good now as well You’re quite a double act aren’t BBC’s editorial values are part of the curric- Francesco – ... and a bit of Polish. you? ulum. There was also an audience discus- Jodie – We can both have a con- CV Jodie – We do get a lot of sion about the internet as a social force. versation about coffee and stick from people. They say Finally, to snowy Voronezh where the sub- the weather in Gaelic, too. we are like a married cou- ject of the interactive programme was local Francesco – I get people ask- Jodie Troup ple, but I think if we were we versus global media. ing me to correct their Ital- Degree: English literature (MA with honours) would have been divorced a Many students acknowledged that life as ian. There are a lot of Italian First job: Dog walker long time ago. They also call a journalist in Russia won’t be easy or safe. speakers here and people who Career landmark: Meeting David us Laurel and Hardy, More- Many were not persuaded by the relevance want to learn Italian – I don’t cambe and Wise and lots of of the editorial guidelines in the face of understand why to be honest – Tennant, Simon Pegg and Nick Ross other comedy duos that Franc- likely pressure from all sides, but I was and they ask how they should (David had a small black coffee with hot milk) esco has never heard of. struck by how passionately the students say certain things in Italian. Francesco – Yeah, I don’t know discussed their chosen profession. o Barzanti them so I just smile and The tour generated a lot of interest in You must have a good window on Francesc agree. We usually put on a the Russian blogosphere, with pictures, what’s going on at Pacific Quay. Degree: Foreign languages (English and Spanish) bit of a show between us, and comments and general discussion. Do you hear all the gossip? First job: Barman I think people like that. So what next? Hopefully to meet more Francesco – I’m not Career landmark: Working here, in Scotland, journalism students, in Siberia this time. really into gossip. is great – absolutely the best ever move Interview by Kate Arkless Gray But we’ll wait until it’s a bit warmer. Jodie – Well, people come and
> CONTACT Clare bolt to suggest a colleague for this feature green room
16 a 23·03·10 SPORT RELIEF: your pictures Across the UK, BBC staff got active to help raise millions for Sport Relief. As well as the Sport Relief Mile, there was Bollywood dancing in Birmingham, longboat racing on Salford Quay and cake-eating in Glasgow
Staff brave dreary conditions and London traffic for the inaugural Bush House Sport Relief Mile
Asian Network presenter Tommy Sandhu and two Midlands Sport Relief co-ordinators warm-up for Birmingham’s Bollywood Mile
BBC Berkshire staff, on a fundraising run at - Newbury race course, are joined by the Bas ingstoke Bisons ice hockey team mascot
Leeds United fan and Rado Leeds reporter North West Tonight presenter Tony Livesey’s- Daragh Corcoran with Rio Ferdinand’s boots, team beat weather forecaster Dianne Oxber which he’s taken round the county to inspire ry’s crew in their Salford Quays boat race local school kids to run a mile BBC Coventry & Warwickshire’s weekend racers Marian McNamee, Mark Powlett, Sue Curtis, Tim Boswell and Tom Cooke
Staff from Monitoring, BBC Berkshire and Written Archives celebrate raising £275 in Look North presenters Harry Gration, Tanya the Caversham Park ‘Freestyle Mile’ Weather presenter Alexis Green doing her Arnold and Paul Hudson, who competed in Sport NI presenter Denise Watson and portion of an 85 mile ‘virtual relay’ run by a the BBC Yorkshire Celebrity Heptathlon, plus Sport’s Austin O’Callaghan (on bike) with NI 13-strong BBC South team Heptathlon champion Jessica Ennis staff at Belfast’s spin cycling session
The Wales Today team show off their bling Media Village staff get set for the beginning after running a mile in Cardiff of their Sport Relief Mile, started by CBBC’s Dick and Dom Loading up on carbs at an energy-boosting cake sale at Pacific Quay, organised by Fiona Goodall from New Media, which raised £515 > IF YOU HAVE A STORY FOR THE GREEN ROOM, CONTACT ADAM BAMBURY