28·07·09 Week 30 explore.gateway.bbc.co.uk/ariel THE BBC NEWSPAPER ‘WE CAN DO A WHOLE LOT BETTER’: LUCY ADAMS ON RESULTS OF HR SURVEY a Page 10 On a scale of zero to 120 feet…
HOOVERMAN, aka ◆inventor/presenter Jem Stansfield, inches his way to the top of the BBC White City building with the aid of only a pair of home-made vacuum gloves. The strictly ‘don’t try this at home’ experiment features in BBC One’s new science series Bang Goes the Theory, which started its run this week. : mark bassett photograph > NEED TO KNOW 2 TECHNOLOGY 6 OPINION 10 MAIL 11 JOBS 14 GREEN ROOM 16 < 162 News aa 00·00·08 28·07·09 NEED TO KNOW the week’s essentials NEWS BITES
a will return as The Master, John Simm Salford site for the BP garden arch villian time-lord and sworn enemy of the Doctor, in David Room 2316, White City u The Blue Peter garden will definitely move Percy Thrower revisits the Tennant’s final episodes of 201 Wood Lane, London W12 7TS north when BBC children’s relocates to Salford, the garden in 1980 with Blue Doctor Who this Christmas. Peter presenter Sarah Greene 020 8008 4228 BBC has confirmed. Managing Editor Unveiled by presenters Peter Purves, John Noakes THe guidelines for handling royal and Lesley Judd in March 1974 the garden was designed deaths have been updated and placed Stephen James-Yeoman 02-84222 by Gardeners’ World presenter Percy Thrower. It start- on the news site on Gateway. They Deputy editors ed life as a working vegetable garden but five years lat- can be found via the following link: Sally Hillier 02-26877 er was redesigned to incorporate an Italian sunken gar- http://news.gateway.bbc.co.uk/obits Cathy Loughran 02-27360 den, complete with fish pond. Features editor In 1979 the team commissioned a bronze BBC Russian has opened its Clare Bolt 02-27445 bust of Blue Peter dog Petra from ‘Guy the Go- radio archive of key historical Reporters rilla’ sculptor William Timym. For many years the moments covering nearly half a bust stood outside Television Centre but when century. The collection features a Laura Scarrott 02-84224 the building was extended in 1984 Petra found recording of Alexander Solzhenitsyn Peggy Walker 01-43940 a new home in the garden. George the Tortoise reading his seminal work One Day Production editor was interred there following his death in 2004. in the Life of Ivan Denisovich. Claire Barrett 02-27368 In 1983 there was a national outcry when the Art editor garden was vandalised – plants trampled, flag- Radio 3’s Free Thinking festival will Ken Sinyard 02-84229 stones hauled up and stonework smashed. Sev- ons was however critical of the executive over an be in Gateshead from October 23-25 Ariel online eral fish died after oil was poured in the pond. appearance by Sugar with the children’s secretary and speakers include Tanya Byron The culprits have never been caught. Ed Balls at an event to promote apprenticeships. and Ken Livingstone. The weekend of Alex Goodey 02-27410 In 35 years the garden has been home to Lessons should be learned from that for the future, free cultural events includes specially Business co-ordinator three time capsules. The first, assembled in 1971 Lyons said. commissioned radio drama, panel Silvana Romana 02-84228 and the second in 1984 were both unearthed in debates, talks and workshops. Ariel mail 2000 as part of the millennium celebrations. A u Original UK-produced children’s pro- [email protected] third capsule was buried that same year and will grammes have taken a big hit in the last four Woman’s Hour presenter Ariel online explore.gateway.bbc.uk/ariel be reopened in 2029. years, new Ofcom research shows, with com- Jenni Murray has received The garden is used by other programmes and mercial PSB channels spending 70 percent an honorary degree of doctor of Guest contributors this week BBC Breakfast broadcasts the weather from there less than they did in 2004 and BBC spend letters from Brunel University, west every morning. down by a fifth. London. At the graduation ceremony BILL THOMPSON leans towards the The third annual Ofcom report on PSBs also she advised new graduates not to trend of multimedia multi-tasking u The BBC Trust has made it clear that they want highlighted cuts in nations and regions news be afraid ‘to start at the bottom’. Page 6 the BBC One schedulers to look again at running investment over the period – down 15 percent the next series of The Apprentice in the run up to for BBC services and 25 percent for commer- Only Men Aloud, winners of BBC Jemma Hardy of BBC South gets a general election, with its star Alan Sugar now cial Channel 3 licensees. Spending on network One’s Last Choir Standing contest, fired up on attachment to the green fulfilling his new role as Labour peer and Gordon news across the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Five will perform at the BBC Proms In team in London. Page 14 Brown’s enterprise champion. also fell by 13.5 percent over the four years. The Park in Swansea on September Even though it found there was no conflict of Overall, the main PSB channels spent 12, BBC Wales has announced. The interest nor breach of BBC guidelines in Sugar’s almost 15 percent less on original UK pro- BBC shop at TV Centre has tickets dual role, the trust decided that the approach of a grammes – down from £3bn in 2004 to £2.6bn for the London Proms In The Park BBC Jobs 0370 333 1330 general election, possibly before May, increased in 2008. Total hours of UK original content event at Hyde Park on September Jobs textphone 028 9032 8478 the sensitivity of that position. The Apprentice is broadcast by the main channels fell by three 12. Tickets are £25, staff price £20. BBC Jobs John Clarke 02-27143 normally screened from March onwards, percent to 33,177 hours a year. Room 2120, White City, London W12 7TS Any final decision – which would also affect The good news was that, over the last two BBC Worldwide has announced scheduling of Junior Apprentice – would be for the years, audience appreciation of the public a licensing agreement with Advertise in Ariel BBC executive to make. service broadcasters has actually increased, in Shine Television to manage the Ten Alps Publishing 020 7878 2314 As a matter of course, the BBC reviews all of terms of quality, trustworthy news and cover- MasterChef brand in the UK and www.bbcarielads.com its schedules to ensure that output is suitable for age of big national events. Ireland. The three year deal include transmission during the period before an elec- BBC One retained its core strengths, Of- live events and publication of Printing tion. The corporation said that if polling day is com reported, and BBC Two continued to be branded books and website. Garnett Dickinson Group announced in the first part of 2010, the executive rated highly. Perhaps more interestingly, audi- Rotherham 01709 768000 would bear the trust’s view in mind. ence opinion of BBC Three and BBC Four has BBC Switch is going on the road. The trust clearly disagreed with complaints strengthened since 2007, with regular viewers From August 2-7 Switch djs Annie Subscribe to Ariel made by shadow culture secretary Jeremy Hunt, rating the PSB characteristics of the digital Mac, Nick Grimshaw and Aled Six months: £26, £36, £40 that Sugar’s government appointment – of itself services as highly, or even more highly, than Haydn Jones will be appearing Twelve months: £50, £60, £68 – put BBC impartiality at risk. Chairman Michael Ly- the main channels. at club nights around the UK. (prices for UK, Europe, rest of world respectively) Cheques to: Garnett Dickinson Print, Brookfields Way, Manvers, olympic SCREEN TEAM TAKE LEAVE OF THEIR SENSES Wath Upon Dearne, Rotherham S63 5DL Tel 01709 768199 by Bren O’Callaghan, box featured vintage BBC news plement key moments in Bill For- manager Big Screens reports donated to the North West syth’s hormonal classic. INFORMATION IN AN EMERGENCY Liverpool & Edinburgh Film Archive at Manchester Metro- An audience of 300 laughed, Telephone 0800 0688 159 politan University. They included gagged, grinned and spluttered in Ceefax Page 159 www.bbc.co.uk/159 It was with cautious optimism Morecambe & Wise judging a response to the stink of deodor- Ariel is produced by Internal that I approached London 2012 bathing beauty contest and curly- ant, cut grass, boiled sweets and Communications for people at the BBC open weekend, having nursed not permed teens at a travelling fair boys’ toilets - by far the biggest one but two new commissions for spinning manically to the blare of reaction! The star of the show was the BBC Big Screens in Liverpool Blue Monday. our volunteer Penguin (it makes and Edinburgh. Shoppers immediately grasped sense if you’ve seen the film), who Places of Public Resort is a gi- the voting interface, stepping into wielded corresponding placards ant interactive video jukebox in hotspots and using hand move- and was mobbed by children. Liverpool’s Clayton Square and ments to scroll between clips. Intended to reflect the Olympi- PLEASE RECYCLE YOUR COPY OF ARIEL the first BBC project to receive an Once satisfied, I could leave it ad themes of excellence and inno- Olympic Inspire mark - the gold to run unattended as I was off to vation, the screens team and our medal of the Cultural Olympiad. Scotland, where, with the indis- In a collaboration with culinary external partners are leading the Didn’t you hear the starting pis- pensable help of the screen team, event company Bompas & Parr, world in outdoor programming. tol? It went bang a year ago... we unveiled Scratch’n’ Sniff Cin- free numbered cards were printed Thanks to everyone involved; I At the weekend the video juke- ema Presents Gregory’s Girl. with eight mystery whiffs to com- couldn’t have done it without you.
> ARIEL ONLINE: BBC NEWS AS IT HAPPENS – EXPLORE.GATEWAY.BBC.CO.UK/ARIEL< a 28·07·09 News 3 New film Off-air community action can probes rape case help pave the way in Salford in light of by Claire Barrett said that significant volunteering which involved 10,000 school chil- A priority for next year, there will opportunities would be established dren on one day, and 25,000 over be high profile, quarterly awareness Targeted outreach activity will raise for staff heading for Salford. ‘We the year, literally making the news, campaigns to get staff on board, and retrial law the profile of the BBC in the north want to maximise existing good- to the Accessibility for All project greater focus on environmentally of England ahead of the move to Sal- will through a range of volunteering which improved access to the web sustainable programme production. ford, believes Alec McGivan. packages – whether helping a char- for disabled people. ‘We’ll be looking at things like low by Sue Llewellyn More strategic and effective use ity make a video or working with But it was a genuine report, insist- energy lighting and the movement of off-air projects such as BBC Blast young people.’ ed Yogesh Chauhan, chief adviser, of workers – where programme qual- A BBC One documentary to be and Your Game – aimed at disadvan- Volunteering was an effective way corporate social responsibility: ‘The ity will not be affected,’ said Chau- shown this week revisits the taged young people – can help give of getting familiar with the commu- facts and figures are accurate and ro- han. case of a horrific attack on an the BBC a foothold in some of the nity and its issues and of bringing bust and also reflect where we’ve not It was also a year of impressive elderly woman 12 years ago. harder to reach northern commu- people back into the BBC, he said. done so well.’ Like the environment, fundraising effort: ‘£116m was raised And the BBC has won the nities ahead of the 2011 relocation, The report represents a ‘snap- where in the first year of a five year which is staggering, considering the right in the House of Lords said the head of BBC Outreach. shot’ of the off-air activity over the strategy, the BBC improved its waste economic climate. It’s a reflection of to name Wendell Baker, the ‘By the time we open the Salford last year to connect with audiences and recycling but fell short on its as- the trust people have in the BBC.’ man accused of the rape of offices, we want a more intimate re- – ranging from BBC School Report, pirations for energy and water use. Raising money would remain a Hazel Backwell at her home lationship with the local and wid- priority next year, Chauhan added, in east London in 1997. er community. We want people to when the BBC Wildlife Fund and When the case came to see real value from the move, but it Thames river rescue squad Sport Relief would join Children in court at the end of the 1990s, takes time to build that kind of rap- Among the opportunities offered by the BBC’s connect and create initiative Need among the high profile cam- DNA evidence was deemed in- port.’ are bespoke team challenges, allowing colleagues to work together and with paigns. ‘And every penny will be ac- admissable and Baker was ac- Speaking to Ariel following last outside bodies to give something back to the community. For instance, chief counted for,’ he insisted. quitted of rape and burglary. week’s publication of the BBC corpo- operating officer Caroline Thomson and her operations group team have See the report at http://www.bbc. But the House of Lords rate responsibility report, McGivan been cleaning up the Thames shoreline recently, with the Thames 21 charity. co.uk/outreach/index.shtml later ruled that the DNA ev- idence should have been ad- mitted even if it had been Bank deposits: wrongfully obtained, and in Caroline Thomson and 2005 the 800-year-old double Peter Farrell, head of jeopardy rule was swept away legal affairs in prop- in England. Until then any- erty, get stuck in to one found not guilty could
photograph: anna gordon clean up the Thames never be tried again for the foreshore at Hammer- same crime. Now, though, smith. people may be retried if the offence is serious enough and the new evidence suitably compelling. Two cases have so far been retried.
Cameraman attack Richard Bilton, presenter of the documentary, which has been made by Mentorn, has told Ariel: ‘It was a truly aw- ful crime. Wendell Baker nev- er faced justice, the jury never got the chance to see the DNA evidence, and we believe that this could be the basis for a re- trial under the double jeop- ardy rule.’ He continued: ‘We tracked Baker down to talk to him and he attacked the camer- aman with a stick. We hope our documentary leads to a thorough re-examination of this case and a bit of justice, even after her death, for Ha- zel Backwell.’
Double Jeopardy, 10.35pm. July 30, BBC One. Holst archive on air Kavanagh takes top job at CBBC
Rare footage giving an insight into the life of Gustav Holst, composer of The Damian Kavanagh, head of planning He replaces Anne Gilchrist who missioning for the CBBC channel and Planets, featured on various BBC outlets last Friday, thanks to BBC Glouces- and scheduling for daytime and an exec is joining BBC Vision’s comedy de- two dedicated blocks on BBC One and tershire reporter David Bailey. The films include interviews with Holst’s producer on programmes such as Es- partment as creative and business di- BBC Two. daughter Imogen and a number of other composers, including Michael Tip- cape To The Country and Hospital Heroes, rector after deciding not to relocate l Owenna Griffiths took over on Mon- pett, who died in 1998. A tip-off led Bailey to the archives of the Holst Birth- has been appointed controller of CBBC. with children’s to Salford. day as editor of Newsround, succeed- place Museum in Cheltenham, where he found the footage, shot as part of He will take up the role, initially on a 12 Kavanagh will oversee all pro- ing Sinead Rocks who has moved to a unfinished filming project on Holst during the late 1970s. month attachment, later this year. grammes and multiplatform com- current affairs as an exec producer.
4 News a 28·07·09
Hairy moment: Julian Fowler interviews Deal opens captain Klaas aboard the Europa way for BBC video on newspaper websites by Sally Hillier All content will have clear on-screen branding, with The BBC has taken its part- link-backs to BBC online. nership ambitions to a new The corporation is not level this week, announc- making available either ing that it is to share some ‘white-labelled’ content of its online video news (which third parties could content with leading news- brand as their own or paper websites. editorialise), or ‘bespoke’ The radical develop- material. ment means that The Dai- ‘The way the public ly Telegraph, Guardian, In- is consuming audio and dependent and Daily Mail video online is changing,’ – the titles with the largest says deputy director gener- online readerships – will al Mark Byford. Tall stories from Atlantic challenge become the first to feature ‘Audiences are increas- certain BBC video news on ingly expecting news con- By Peggy Walker crew and has been sending back video and grips with being at sea, but broadcasting their sites to complement tent to be available wher- audio reports, as well as updating a blog live from the Atlantic is something else,’ their own material. ever they are, rather than An astronaut has twittered from space and his twitter page. he says. ‘A lot of BBC broadcast engineers They can start doing this always having to navigate (kind of – he sent an email back to ground He has described seeing seals and have helped to ensure that the technol- with immediate effect; lat- to destination sites. We control who posted it on his behalf) and whales off the bow, and stunning sunsets ogy works, but they are on dry land and er other newspapers are ex- hope this wider distribu- BBC Newsline reporter Julian Fowler has over the stern, as well as ‘a night sky full of not being thrown about by waves. If the pected to follow suit. tion will extend audience been twittering from the Atlantic ocean, galaxies and shooting stars’. pictures are green it might not be the sat- They will be able to reach to BBC content. How- which is still pretty good going. Fowler is He has also found time to finish writing ellite link playing tricks with the colour!’ choose material in a ever, we are only providing on board the Europa heading for Belfast his best man speech which he was due to Read and watch additional reports, number of key subject ar- material already produced from Halifax, Canada. give but will now have to record onto dvd blogs and photographs on the BBC News- eas that has been already on [our] news website and The BBC Northern Ireland reporter is as he will be mid-Atlantic on the day of the line website, and follow Julian’s progress generated for the BBC and restricted to certain core taking part in the Tall Ships Atlantic Chal- wedding. ‘Bad timing or what,’ he tweets. on Twitter: @bbcjulian
Rail fares and hotel bills accounted mingham and commutes to London, The chairman’s costs incurred son Hastings (£12,762) followed by on a six monthly basis. Trustees are for the bulk of the £19,116 claimed by and by its nature his job entails a sub- while carrying out duties for the cor- Jeremy Peat (£11,654), the trustee for expected to observe the ‘the highest Michael Lyons, chairman of the BBC stantial amount of travel and over- poration were revealed last week by Scotland. standards of propriety with respect Trust, in six months. night stays. the BBC Trust as part of its commit- At the opposite end of the scale to the stewardship of public funds Between October 2008 and March His entertainment bill, though, ment to transparency and openness. Mehmuda Mian claimed £859 and and the governance of the BBC’. 2009, he claimed £9,616 for accom- was a relatively modest £662 exter- The second highest spender Anthony Fry a mere £249. The details follow the recent pub- modation with a further £5,379 nally and £118 for internal entertain- among the trustees between Octo- The Trust decided in April 2008 to lication of expenses claimed by the spent on rail fares. Lyons lives in Bir- ment (for BBC staff members). ber 2008 and March 2009 was Ali- publish trustees’ individual expenses BBC’s senior executives. a 28·07·09 Features 5 treading on thin ice HARDtalk went to Greenland to get the cold facts on climate change, as presenter Stephen Sackur explains
In the land of the midnight sun a Michelin 2am wake-up call isn’t greeted with a man: curse. This is not a Greenlandic prov- Stephen erb, but it should be. Having just re- Sackur turned from ten days of filming in- dresses for side the Arctic Circle I’m still buzzing the job with the energy gained from the pure air and dazzling summer light of the far north. With producer/director Ian O’Reilly and camera woman Zoe MacDonald my mission was to give climate change the HARDtalk treatment… We’d been granted access to the world’s environ- ment ministers, gathered in Illulis- sat, western Greenland, for a ‘candid’ exchange of views designed to hasten a new international treaty on climate change. But having done a series of rigorous interviews with the politicians striving to agree on emissions cuts we want- ed more. So we took HARDtalk onto the ice. Which brings me back to the 2am wake up call. The early start was needed to get us onto a US air force flight from Greenland’s main airport at Kangerlussuaq to the international science station known as Camp Neem. Our second time around was more bal warming… and that was before we mate change may bring to Greenland. efforts to tell this story involved boat, Neem is in the far north of the Green- successful. We waddled out of the quizzed the world’s top climatologists A longer growing season is a boon for prop-plane and helicopter. land ice sheet. The only way in is to plane onto the two kilometre thick ice about the effects of rising temperatures Greenlandic agriculture. A reduction It didn’t always go to plan, and it hitch a ride on a Hercules transporter wrapped from head to toe in BBC-issue on the northern hemisphere’s most im- in the amount of winter sea ice makes wasn’t always easy, but it was enor- equipped with landing skis. Unfortu- cold weather gear: Michelin-man coats, portant mass of ice. for easier transportation and logistics; mously rewarding to report from the nately the first time we tried it the skis salopettes, furry boots and hats. We But in truth HARDtalk going on the that is encouraging oil, gas and met- planet’s northern frontier. were never tested. Two and a half hours were equipped for polar conquest. In- road in Greenland was designed to be als prospectors to intensify their ex- The arguments about the scale in the bowels of a rackety prop plane stead we discovered it was just one de- counter-intuitive. We wanted to report ploration efforts in what could be the and impact of global warming will ended with the pilot apologetically an- gree below freezing and soon beads of not just on the hard science behind all most resource-rich island in the world. continue, but Greenland already nouncing that the NEEM landing strip sweat soon began to form. Somehow it the talk of the ‘melting’ ice sheet, but In a vast territory with no paved roads feels like a country coming in from was fog-bound. We had to go back. was becoming easier to believe in glo- also on the new opportunities that cli- connecting its sparse settlements, our the cold.
Under shelter: refugee children Tent aid: how one DETERMINED in Mogadishu woman made a big difference by Cathy Loughran Somalia’s second biggest city. He per- militia has intensified around Mogadishu suaded a plane-load of fellow passengers and more flee their homes. When Somali service journalist Kati on a flight from Gatwick to carry a tent ‘The families get tickets and come Isse wanted to deliver 40 badly needed each as hand luggage, having got airline up to collect their sheeting when their tents to homeless families in her native company Daallo to agree. Heavy number’s called,’ Isse says. ‘They even Mogadishu, the shipping costs threatened fighting meant that the the dress up if they know local tv is to scupper her one-woman relief opera- tents were stuck in his going to film them. It makes you tion. The charity dash was to provide shel- Mogadishu office for a want to cry.’ ter for some of the most vulnerable peo- week before distributed Next year, she plans to be ple displaced by Somalia’s civil war. them to 40 families. first in the queue when the ‘I’d bought as many of the lightweight Isse had previously organisers of the Glastonbury £15 tents as I could afford, but the cost of sent $1000 to the re- festival give away hundreds transporting them was beyond me,’ says gion for scarce plastic of abandoned tents to good Isse, who was inspired to help after hear- sheeting to shelter 200 causes. Meanwhile, she ing Somali service broadcasts about the families. The cost of hopes to set up her own plight of children dying for lack of shelter such materials has charity to organise more in seasonal heavy rains. now doubled in help to ease her country’s Fortunately a businessman friend, Ab- Somalia, as fight- Kati Isse’s mounting humanitarian dirishid Duadi, was travelling to Hargaysa, ing between rival big plans crisis.
6 Features a 28·07·09 ph o t Rtyty ty tyty ty ty ty ty ty ty ty tyty ty tyty ty ty ty ty ogr aph
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cutting d o edge n BILL THOMPSON Which way do you lean?
In the ongoing debate about how televi- sion will adapt to the digital age, a contrast is often drawn between the ‘lean-back’ attitude of a family watching EastEnders on the sofa and the ‘lean-forward’ position of someone hunched over their computer. Long-form entertainment, documenta- ries and serious news programmes are, it is sometimes argued, best experienced from the semi-recumbent posture parodied in The All ideas Royle Family. Those of us who prefer the iPlay- Beat the bullies: Fergus Crow from er, 4oD or itv.com are a minority, the sound the National Children’s Bureau with of our Tweets merely amplified by report- senior content producer Hugh Garry ers keen to exaggerate the impact of online and facilitator Naomi Luland work viewing on established tv-watching habits. on Radio 1’s anti-bullying campaign The iPlayer audience, although impressive, is welcome certainly a small proportion of total tv view- ing, and the actual numbers who engage with online services around helped us understand each oth- ocratic’ – everyone has their say, a show relatively Suffering a creative block? Trying to er’s ambitions for 2012,’ he says. regardless of rank. I rarely modest compared to Radio 1 producer Philippa Ay- With a project as complex as those who seem con- tell the same story in a fresh way? It’s lott called on the network to the Olympics, they began by ask- watch tv tent to watch without time to call on the creative network... help with its anti-bullying cam- ing participants for a favourite blogging, messaging, paign. ‘We needed to find a memory: a race, an opening cere- without twittering, updating strong idea we could hang the mony, anything to help ease them Facebook or visiting campaign on,’ she says. ‘Having a into the topic. People are often a second programme websites. by Sue Llewellyn like last year’s Digital Olympics, facilitator made us much more asked to bring something to the But the division which looked at how best to use focused; we achieved more in one session which could be used as an screen between lean-back and Tucked away in an eerily quiet resources in 2012. hour than we could have in three icebreaker – from cds to Lego. lean-forward is itself corner of White City is a tiny depart- Jason DaPonte, managing edi- and we came up with five real- Good ideas, the facilitators being challenged by a ment: part of the newly created BBC tor of BBC mobile platforms, is one ly strong ideas. All we need to do stress, are not the sole preserve hybrid approach, common in my house. My kids Academy, creativity and audiences of the network facilitators. With less now is develop them.’ of development departments. and I lean back to watch tv from the sofa while is a small cluster of six desks, home than three years until the start of Facilitators do not have to be Their sessions are designed to also using a laptop, netbook or smartphone to to the BBC’s creative network. the 2012 games, he brought togeth- experts in the areas they work on, give people a chance to step out surf the net, chat to friends or engage with the It may look unremarkable, but er mobile phone operators, hand- but they must be able to look ob- of the usual mindset and give interactive elements of the show. if you’re stuck for ideas the net- set manufacturers, the BBC and the jectively at a problem. Often they free rein to their imaginations. It’s now rare for me to watch any television work can almost certainly help. Us- mayor’s office for the ‘Mobile Olym- just need to help people identify And amazingly, in these budg- show without a second screen, although it ing creative tools and techniques, pics’. the right questions to ask, before et conscious times, the service is can go to extremes. During the 2008 US pres- the network tries to find inspira- ‘We wanted to get everyone in they come up with answers to the completely free. idential election I found myself using a desk- tional solutions for programme the industry in one place. The idea wrong one. And because they oc- top computer, tv and two laptops to keep up. makers suffering the deepest cre- was to share ideas and see how we cupy neutral ground, DaPonte Meet the team at their next open One interesting side effect of two-screen ative block. could work together, which has promises that they are ‘very dem- day on September 28. viewing may be that it encourages more ‘We can’t claim credit for any of people to watch their favourite programmes the big ideas,’ creativity consultant as they are broadcast, because that is when Linda Cockburn says modestly. ‘We the community is active. This is also true if a simply facilitate them. For us it’s show has online elements that are updated not actually about being creative... Wu-How the winning idea as the programme is broadcast in simulated in a weird way it’s quite the reverse. real-time, like the news website that accom- The art is in designing and provid- ‘Ninjas have protect- ly flimsy’ idea to the fi- had to sound good on panied Spooks Code 9. ing the stimulus, so that other peo- ed their knowledge for nal piece, a slick blend the sixth floor of TVC: Getting the right sort of online services ple can have the big ideas.’ centuries,’ confides of animated graphics meeting Cohen and and content to support programmes is far The network has around 40 AP Andy Mosse. ‘They and archive clips. his scheduler felt a from easy, especially as different audiences members around the BBC, all of were distracted by Hol- ‘There are lots of little bit like Dragons’ may want different things from the same whom are trained as creative facil- lywood in the ‘70s, but ‘how to’ films on the Den . ‘They really tried show, but we should bear in mind Samuel itators. Each must be willing (and now they’re revealing web, but we’re assum- to unpick my idea - I Beckett’s refrain from Worstward Ho: Ever able) to take time out of their nor- their secrets...’ ing a certain level of don’t think they were tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. mal day to run brainstorming or Wu-How – Mosse’s Danny Cohen. base knowledge ,’ he persuaded until they Fail better. away day sessions when required. idea for a Ninja-led Mosse (above) had says. ‘We’re showing saw the taster clip. But The BBC is far better placed to experi- Last week the creative network ‘how to’ show aimed at two weeks to work on people how to build it won, and the multi- ment and fail than the commercial sector. It was asked to help Radio 1 devise 16-34 year olds – won an idea: runner Mike invisible shelves and platform commission- is important that it is able to do so and that a a new anti-bullying campaign the internal ‘Make your Bower helped with make sushi, not use er thinks it could work culture of experiment and innovation is main- (main photo). But they’ve also moo-ve’ competition, ‘concept develop- scissors.’ well as a joint tv and tained, since the future of tv now relies on helped Working Lunch to generate a chance to submit a ment’ over lunch, and But an idea that online proposition.’ failing better, not getting it right first time. fresh ideas for the programme re- programme idea to in a fortnight it had sounded good in the More on the competi- Bill Thompson is a technology commentator launch, run a comedy away day BBC Three controller evolved from a ‘slight- Bristol canteen also tion at ariel online and worked on pan-BBC projects a 28·07·09 Features 7 Is your family as Design matters dull as Katy Richard, make-up trainee Parky’s? Currently working on The Thick of It for BBC Two
I’ve just finished work on Margot Fonteyn, a film about the life of by Sue Llewellyn the ballerina, which was filmed at Alexandra Palace in London and Beaconsfield in Buckinghamshire. On a typical day I’d be on set by As an ardent fan of Who Do You 6am preparing the lead actors, including Anne-Marie Duff, before Think You Are, Michael Parkinson was moving on to the 20-30 extras playing ballerinas. For the rest of delighted to get a call from the pro- the day I was responsible for make-up changes and keeping an gramme. Did he want to take part? Of eye on continuity between takes. course he did, although he pointed It was a departure from my previous placement at a prosthetics out that his own research had un- company called Animated Extras, making silicone pigs for an ab- earthed nothing of note in the Par- attoir scene in Guy Ritchie’s new film, Sherlock Holmes. kinson genealogy. Not to worry, they I enjoy working on fantasy and science fiction as it allows me to replied – everyone says that, but we be more creative and bring characters to life. always find something interesting. A few years ago I did work experience at a theatre and loved it so Not this time. ‘Six weeks later they much I decided to study it at college. I started training in 2005 so phoned to apologise...my story was it has taken a while to get where I am today. The scheme has been so boring they had to cancel the a fantastic opportunity and has fast tracked my career. When it entire project,’ Parkinson told Radio finishes I’m hoping to work with some of the designers I’ve met Times in an interview that was widely on my placements, or do more trainee work. picked up by the rest of the press. This set us thinking. If Parky’s family was boring, what about the rest of us? A quick online appeal revealed a selection from the family Philip Brown, set trainee archives of BBC staff. Currently working on Survivors for BBC One Paulette Edwards at Radio I used to be a set dresser on Hollyoaks, so I Sheffield was ‘quite excited’ that was keen to work on a different type of pro- her family wasn’t boring like Michael gramme. Desperate Romantics was that. One Parkinson’s. ‘I think they might of my tasks was to recreate the Royal Acad- have been on the run. My mum and emy in the mid 19th century. I was responsible for granny came from Jamaica and quite 100 paintings which we had on loan. We recreated one scene a often the family would pack up and number of times so I had to remember their exact positioning. leave at the drop of a hat. They kept I’m working on Survivors at the moment and have been given an moving around and nobody knew insight into the special effects used. The first series was filmed why, but I’m so proud of them for in Manchester and they relocated to Birmingham for the sec- making an effort to be unusual.’ Quick touch up: ond, so we had to take pictures of both skylines and make sure make-up artist that they looked the same on screen. The scheme has acted as Her Sheffield colleague Katrina Katy Richard a springboard for my career and provided me with security in a Bunker from the Bigger at Breakfast on set difficult climate. show volunteered a spot of scandal. ‘My great, great grandfather George Pepperdine shot his wife on Lady’s Bridge in Sheffield. In a public house. Lex Wood, costume trainee Rumour has it she’d been having an Why young creatives are fighting to Currently working on Gracie! for BBC Four affair with the landlord.’ get a place on the BBC’s scheme I made a lot of contacts while studying for my BA in costume Not wishing to be outdone on design. When I started the scheme a costume designer I’d met the body count, 5 Live producer Ian by Laura Scarrott The scheme was set up ten years on work experience asked if I’d be interested in working on Red Shoesmith came up with a hor- ago when the BBC shut down its in- Tails, George Lucas’s new film. It’s set in World War II so I helped ror story that made headlines. ‘My Whether it’s teasing Peggy house tv design department and be- the designer source original garments and fabrics from the wife’s great, great, great grandma, Mitchell’s wig into coiffured perfec- came reliant on freelances. It was a 1940s and make replicas, before we flew to Prague for the six Catherine Flanagan, was a serial tion, or sourcing opulent velvets for way for programme makers to main- month shoot. killer who poisoned members of the Pre-Raphaelites of Desperate Ro- tain a relationship with the design I also worked on The Supersizers Eat – there were lots of period her family, including her own son, mantics, a skilled designer can el- community, and is now the only costumes which I loved, as I’m interested in social history. The with arsenic from fly-paper back in evate a kitchen sink drama into a place where aspiring designers can programme had a small budget, so we hired in everything we the late 1800s. It was an insurance Bafta-winning production. go to get both training and hands- could and made the rest of the pieces look outstanding. There scam. Convicted along with her sis- It’s that kind of talent that the on production experience (BBC cos- were only two of us working on it and I learnt a lot. ter Margaret, the Black Widows of BBC’s design trainee scheme aims tumes and wigs closed last year). Liverpool were hanged following a to nurture. From make-up artists to The placements, which are part- huge public outcry. set designers, costume makers and funded by Channel 4 and Five and ‘To this day, the joke whenever webmasters, graduates like costume supported by Skillset, aren’t restrict- Chris Maslin, interactive trainee we visit my mother-in-law’s house designer Natalie Humphries – nom- ed to BBC productions. Currently working on Project Canvas is ‘never try the soup’. I’ve seen pic- inated for a Bafta for BBC Four’s bio- ‘We’re providing training for tures of the woman, and the resem- pic of Barbara Cartland, In love with the entire industry, so we want the I’m designing all the channel icons for blance to my mum-in-law is particu- Barbara – are much in demand. trainees to get experience and make Canvas, a partnership project that will larly striking.’ And aspiring designers are bang- contacts outside the BBC,’ explains combine tv and broadband. My job is to make ing on the door. This year, 1035 ap- Alice Skidmore, the scheme’s coor- sure that they are clear and aligned when If Parky’s feeling hard done by, plied for 11 work placements in cos- dinator. users flick through the pages. I also worked on he can take comfort from Working tume, make-up, set and interactive ‘Because many of them will come the Radio 1 website redesigning the djs and shows page, which Lunch presenter Declan Curry. ‘My design. The successful ones begin back to work for us in the future, it’s goes live soon. aunt is tracing our family tree back,’ their year long placements in Oc- in our interests to ensure that their When I left university I had the imagination and creativity to he told us. ‘She has got as far as tober and will get to dip their toes work is of a high standard.’ work in design but I didn’t know how to apply those skills in a Glasgow tenements in the 1840s... in children’s, comedy, drama, enter- Ariel has caught up with some of practical sense. I’m much more employable now. and so far there’s nothing remotely tainment and online. last year’s trainees (see panel). interesting.’ BBC IN ACTION 9 QUAY blogbites EVENT What we’ve found week@work while trawling the blogs this week
Monday RESOURCE OF THE WEEK 2020 VISION Are you confused by the swine flu advice? Later this morning the health secretary, As swine flu spreads, the UGC who aren’t concerned, and yellow Andy Burnham, will try to clarify swine flu team in news has been mapping both people actually affected by H1N1. advice to pregnant women and parents the number of people affected and By clicking on the pins you can read of young children after conflicting advice their attitude to the virus. The red their comments. over the weekend caused confusion and markers denote users worried by the concern. People’s travel plans could also pandemic, the blue markers those tinyurl.com/newsswinemap be thrown in doubt after British Airways and Virgin Atlantic said they want to ban people with swine flu from flying but doctors say the policy won’t work. Harriet Oliver, Radio 5 Live assistant editor bbc.co.uk/blogs/fivelivebreakfast/
Tuesday Dragons’ Den on HD At one level Dragons’ Den is a business show, about projects, profits and margins. Above all it is a blind dating show in which every blink and twitch and bead of sweat The Jackson brood in EastEnders tells a story. In HD I felt I got the sticking Pacific Quay was under siege last weekend as plaster on the flying machines, every a pirate ship and a procession of rubber ducks BBC Scotland welcomed 10,000 visitors. They tried their hand at ‘historical’ news Wallace. The themed activities tied in with u Is your perception of Britain a little slight frown as the Dragons reviewed was unleashed on the River C BBC S face painting .‘This is the second year we’ve lyde. reporting (the surrender of Robert the B cotland’s year-long campaign, Scotland’s London-skewered? Do you shy away from their position, the wild desperation that It was the annual G ruce) been involved in the festival,’says marketing lasgow River Festival and and produced radio plays on the life of W History, remembering the country’s past. inviting old people into your studio audience or flickered through contestants’ eyes, the illiam coordinator Susie Miller. ‘A lot of people turned As well as running tours of the site staff offered (subconsciously) pick blondes over ‘ginger’ actors? blankness as they realised that they were up to work on Monday with blue fingernails.’ Vision is running workshops around the coun- cornered. try that it hopes will open people’s eyes to diver- Danielle Nagler, head of HD sity ‘in its widest definition’, says Daniell Morrisey, bbc.co.uk/blogs/bbcinternet/ COMING UP SPEECH PATTERNS WHAT TO WEAR who helps run the diversity action group. ‘We look at ethnicity and disability, but also socio-econom- Wednesday u Dai4Films is to make a 3 x 60 minute u This week Speech Patterns is u Alison Cresswell ic difference, geography, age and sexuality...’ He Panorama Producer Imprisoned series following boxer Joe Calzaghe fostering peculiarity, idiosyncrasy, senior advisor, White City stresses that the sessions aren’t about box-ticking, Maziar Bahari (pictured), the Iranian film- as he adjusts to life after boxing. The stubborn-mindedness – all tied but a genuine opportunity for everyone involved in maker who worked with Jane Corbin on Calazaghe Clan was commissioned together with some brilliant ‘left- Where did you buy the outfit you’re wearing in the programme making to question whether modern the Panorama film, Obama for BBC One by Judith Winnan, factual of-centre ‘thinking. photo? Britain is reflected in their output. ‘We want eve- and the Ayatollah, commissioning executive, and will be exec Before the shadow culture sec- Dress from French Connection, shrug ryone to contribute, irrespective of their role,’ he that ran before last produced by Neil Davis. A transmission retary picks up the phone, Speech from M&S, glasses from Tiffany and says. ‘If you’re sourcing contributors, where are you month’s fateful date is yet to be confirmed. Patterns isn’t promoting a liberal necklace from Covent Garden. The getting them from? If you’re involved in any aspects elections, was agenda or contributing to a leftie jewellery is from all over but mainly of storytelling, what narratives are you telling?’ arrested in u Controller of BBC Three Danny Cohen ‘monoculture’ at the BBC – two ac- Bolder and Wiley in Richmond. The sessions, devised by the entertainment de- Tehran on 21 and factual exec producer Harry Lansdown cusations levelled at the control- SPEAK velopment team, are short and sweet. And if you June. His laptop have commissioned The Seven Ages of... ler of drama commissioning, Ben Do you need to dress a particular way think you know your modern Britain, you’ll be put was also taken for BBC Three. The 3 x 60 minute series will Stephenson (pictured), who sug- for work? u The political crisis in Honduras, Roberto Michelettiaker: rob- to the test – each session opens with a quiz, written by men who didn’t look at three key events in women’s lives: gested that creatives should en- I try to be individual and when I’m pronounced hon-DYOOR-uhss (-dy AIR-toh mee-tchell-ETT-i by the Weakest Link’s chief question writer, Simon identify themselves. dating, marriage and pregnancy. Made by gage in ‘left of centre’ thinking. training people I’m known to wear as in duty; est. anglicisation) has (-tch as in church) Magson. Maziar is a film maker in Renegade Pictures it will be shown in 2010 With his detractors determined very high shoes - I’m not sure featured prominently in the u Mediator and president Peter Salmon, director of BBC North, is encour- his own right, with at least 10 films to his and exec produced by Victoria Watson and to overlook the yawning seman- why. news. Below is a list of the of Costa Rica Óscar Arias aging everyone in Vision to go along. ‘It made me credit. Alex Cooke. tic gap between ‘left of centre’ and key pronunciations you Sánchez: OSS-kar ARR-i-ass realise just how much I don’t know about our audi- Sandy Smith, Panorama editor ‘left-wing’, Ben issued a riposte, field next time....the worst that can Are you experimental in should bare in mind when SAN-tchess ence and the population in general,’ he said. ‘Every- bbc.co.uk/blogs/theeditors/ u The Silence will form part of more than explaining that he often used the happen is he’s accused of inciting your style? covering the crisis: (-arr as in marry, -tch as one needs to look at diversity as a creative oppor- 20 hours of new drama on BBC One next expression to encourage people staff to make progressive house Very, but I have a low u Ousted president in church) tunity.’ Thursday year. The 4 x 60 minute series about a deaf to come up with ideas from a new music fused with reggae in the boredom threshold. I Manuel Zelaya (pictured): For pronunciation The first workshop will be held in Birmingham Day 4 – Down on the farm girl who witnesses a murder will be made perspective. manner of ‘Leftfield’ - famous 90s particularly love changing man-WELL sel-IGH-yuh queries contact on August 13. Visit the website for a complete list of The latest location was revealed to me by Company Pictures. An exec producer is We reckon he should try ‘left- electronica pioneers. my hairstyle and colour. (-s as in sit, -igh as in high) pron.gateway.bbc. sessions. tinyurl.com/twentytwenty this morning as usual by Chris Moyles. yet to be confirmed. u Former speaker of congress co.uk or 02 82277. From bridal shops, to making smoothies, Have you had any fashion then getting my legs waxed at the nightmares? beauty salon to something completely I’m sure my friends would say different - shovelling cow poo. I’m finding ONE MILE RADIUS yes but it’s all about wearing CHANGING PLACES AI SCORES* it interesting travelling the length and something that makes you feel breadth of the UK and seeing the variety of unications Caroline Boots, head of comm good. You can’t get it right all Bj Matt Cole (pictured) The third series of Jimmy McGovern’s The Street is off to a things young people are getting up to. midlands, east and London the time but you can learn from has been appointed the new strong start, building on the second series’ closing AI score. Greg James, Radio 1 dj your mistakes. Europe correspondent for the The last episode in the second series scored an AI of 85 compared bbc.co.uk/blogs/gregjames/ During the summer a trip to the beach (yes, beach) in nations and English regions. to 89 for the opening episode of the third series which also Birmingham’s Chamberlain Square is the perfect way Whose wardrobe would He will replace Chris Mason attracted 5.02 m viewers (a 22.3 percent share). Friday to while away a lunch break. Complete with deckchairs, you most like to rummage at the end of the year... The second episode increased on this again with an AI of 90 and Friday’s quote of the day buckets and spades it’s a must for all landlocked through? Executive producer in current an average audience of 5.9m (a 22.5 percent share). ‘I’m probably 5ft 2in to 3in tall. But my hair Midlanders. But if the hustle and bustle is too much you The costumes from Priscilla affairs, Samantha Anstiss, Audience comments about the programme include ‘well-acted does make a difference’ - Amy Winehouse. don’t have to roam far from the Mailbox to find a more Queen of the Desert. I begins an attachment as and thought-provoking’, ‘gritty true-life drama’ and ‘BBC drama at The singer alludes to her iconic beehive tranquil setting. The Peace Gardens, created in 1995, love theatrical items – BBC Three commissioning its best’. while defending herself at her trial for commemorate the 50th anniversary of the end of World alternatively it would executive in September. Series producer Sam To access viewing figures and read audience comments on BBC assault, for which she was later acquitted. War II. After a short stroll round the gardens you can have to be Vivienne Westwood. Bagnall covers her attachment... Senior broadcast Bob Hoskins programmes visit audiencesportal.com. Magazine Monitor stop off for cakes and a cuppa at the tea rooms at engineer Adrian Hughes leaves BBC Oxford to in The Street * Appreciation index bbc.co.uk/blogs/magazinemonitor/ Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery. become a production editor based in Hull. IF YOU HAVE A suggestion FOR who or what should be in WEEK@WORK PLEASE Email clare bolt 10 Opinion/Analysis a 28·07·09
Only 17 percent of Bassett photogrpaph:mark people in the BBC a are satisfied with view the HR service they’re getting, according to SALLY a staff survey. HILLIER The new BBC Small steps to People director who asked the social mobility questions sees Some years ago, at the Sheffield documen- tary festival, there was a bit of hand wring- plenty of room ing over the socio-economic backgrounds of those working in broadcasting. ‘Everyone is for improvement. so middle class,’ sighed one senior exec. ‘Why ‘We’ve been guilty of a doesn’t our industry attract more working Cathy Loughran one-size-fits-all service’: class candidates? There must be talented peo- Lucy Adams wants to dou- ple out there. Perhaps we’re just not looking in reports ble staff satisfaction rates the right places to find them.’ A fair point since at the time virtually all tv and radio jobs were advertised in the Guardian ‘THE INFRASTRUCTURE behind rather than, say, the Sun or Daily Mirror. making content would, in an ide- When it weeks faster than before, will It was also the case (and still is to some al world, be a silent enabler, but now roll out to other areas. degree) that many budding producers and sometimes feels, as one produc- Among other quick wins journalists gained a toehold in the business tion manager recently said to me, is a war on jargon: ‘I think we through placements or unpaid work, secured “like a process of programme pre- comes to HR, should ban HR jargon – terrible because their parents ‘knew someone’ at the vention”.’ words like “operationalise” and Beeb or Channel 4 – an option not generally That was controller of produc- even our own “process simplifi- available to the poor and unconnected. tion operations Sally Debonnaire, cation project”: that just means Memories of the Sheffield discussion were writing in Ariel seven months ago, ‘no can do’ “making life easier for managers”.’ revived last week when Alan Milburn published about the back office systems and Longer term, she says, there his report on social mobility, finding that pro- outsourced services that too often are ‘systemic’ improvements to fessions like the law, medicine, the civil serv- frustrate colleagues like hers, at be made and her teams are hav- ice and, yes, the media are dominated by the the core of the BBC business. is not the ing discussions with outsourced middle classes and often privately educated, Complex hiring processes, partner Capita and HR Direct prompting Milburn to urge those lower down delays in payments and contracts about how the service they deliv- the social scale to get pushier, raise their aspira- and multiple forms and emails er can be made more relevant to tions and set their sights on the top jobs. were some of the HR problems right answer individuals and teams. A change of thinking by employers them- that Debonnaire and her teams – selves wouldn’t go amiss either, and in this re- working with BBC People – were Respondents were asked to rate pecting some negativity but we’re THE SURVEY showed that expert spect the BBC is al- trying to tackle. statements on a sliding scale from really up for making changes.’ knowledge, accessibility and face- ready a trailblazer. And her complaints resonated one to five – the lower the score, On the plus side, the survey to-face contact with HR profes- Bid to It has introduced with dozens of colleagues across the more negative the perception. had a 21 percent response rate – sionals were what people valued various initiatives the corporation who shared their On the scale of opinion between much higher among managers, most. A service that was remote, over recent years, experiences with Ariel in 2008. BBC People ‘is overly bureau- with 34 percent of grade tens and faceless and impersonal was a shake off in a bid to shake cratic’ and ‘keeps things simple’ above wanting to have their say.. huge turn off. There’s a dilem- off its reputation An ambitious HR plan, Get- perceptions were mostly negative, Was she personally surprised by ma there for the BBC when pres- image of as an organisation ting the Basics Right, has already registering a score of 2.1. An allied what staff have been saying? sure of efficiencies mean that the almost impossi- simplified some day to day busi- question – ‘overly rule bound’ or ‘No. The clues were in the ques- days of the HR expert down the ble to join unless ness – introducing emailable ‘generates creative solutions’ – tions I was keen to ask.’ she says. corridor are gone. an elitist you’re already part contracts, simpler checks before produced the same result. ‘It appears that where the service ‘But faceless HR via email to of the elite. people are hired and automat- Only slightly higher (2.2) was is relevant and fit for purpose, it someone who doesn’t under- Its famous pro- ic ending of contracts. There has the assessment of whether BBC delivers well. But we’re too often stand your situation is demor- BBC duction trainee also been good progress in speed- People focuses on HR priorities guilty of offering a one-size-fits-all alising,’ she concedes. ‘We have scheme, which ing up payment to freelances. or understands individuals’ busi- service when this is a very com- to try to create a sense of “some- kick-started the careers of Mark Thompson, But if the results of a survey to ness needs. plex organisation.’ one who knows me and cares Peter Salmon and Nick Robinson, has been re- test staff perceptions of HR at the On the ‘computer says no’ about me” within a modern, out- launched. The scheme still seeks the ‘brightest BBC are anything to go by, there question (BBC People says ‘you In her second month in charge, sourced model.’ She clearly wants and the best’, but does that via college, uni- is still a way to go to persuade can’t do that’ versus ‘how can she also suspects the BBC is guilty a closer relationship with HR Di- versity, regional and community websites, so people in the organisation that we make this work?’) – again, a of responding to a crisis with rect and Capita. broadening the field. There is no age limit, nor the HR division is on their side. pretty negative outcome of 2.4. measures that are ‘highly compli- Adams came to the BBC from minimum educational requirement. The survey was launched last It was the same swing towards ant’ but perhaps not appropriate the same role at an internation- The BBC has opened itself up in other ways month by new director of BBC ‘makes my life harder’ as opposed long term. al legal firm. If she’s brand new, too. Take School Report, allowing hundreds of People Lucy Adams, just a few to ‘is easy to do business with’. Adams has already reversed she says she already sees great children to get involved in news production, and weeks into the job. Overall, more The HR function was seen to be the system whereby she had to potential for changes that will BBC Blast, offering teens a chance to develop than a third (37 percent) of the risk averse and too fond of jargon. approve anyone who was rehired make people’s working lives here their creative skills. Not in themselves a route 4,700 who took part in the on- Staff were neutral on whether or after being made redundant. easier. So do her colleagues. Even to a broadcasting career, but both ways to get a line questionnaire said they were not BBC People adds value and on She would rather trust people in though BBC People were not new generation from varied backgrounds think- dissatisfied with the service from whether the people answering divisions to make that call and included in the survey, Adams’s ing of the BBC as a potential future employer. BBC People. Only 17.6 percent HR queries usually tell us what reduce layers of process, she says. own colleagues completed the The BBC still has a long way to go to change expressed satisfaction. we want to hear, or give ‘candid What else does she feel is most questionnaire and returned iden- its demographic make-up (ask around the of- More detailed results will be advice’. urgent to fix? ‘Things that drive tical views – ‘doubly frustrating fice and see how many people’s parents worked published later, but the headlines The new HR chief is certain- managers mad.’ Adams cites the for them,’ she says. as lorry drivers, cleaners or kitchen assist- show a predictably big thumbs ly candid about the feedback: recruitment authorisation forms Her team will study staff feed- ants) but it is doing more than most to try to down for red tape, no-can-do at- ‘Satisfaction levels are not great. (RAF) that have to be filled in to back over the summer. When the change things and promote Milburn’s vision titudes, unfriendly systems and a This is a clear mandate for give approval to hire someone. survey is re-run next year Adams of a more upwardly mobile society. perceived lack of understanding improving service delivery,’ A pilot of a web-based system in then wants to see twice as many Sally Hillier is deputy editor of Ariel of business needs. Adams told Ariel. ‘My team was ex- news, which filled vacancies two people satisfied with the service.
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Little glory in Gillards Arena and not taken from Janeane’s Chris Baxter is right to question performance at the Latitude the amount of time and money we Has the BBC created its own monsters? Comedy Tent, which I believe your spend compiling radio award entries correspondent refers to. (July 21). However, rather than kick The BBC says more scrutiny is needed over particularly special the danger is it will into touch the idea of competing for ‘top talent pay’ so perhaps a good idea lead them to think they can ‘cross the Sony Awards, surely the time has would be to stop referring continually to a mark’ in the way that Russell Brand, Good home wanted now come for the Gillard awards very small number of people as ‘top talent’. Jonathan Ross and, most recently, My husband John Uphoff, who to be quietly dropped from the died last year, was a popular early schedule. In fairness to presenters, if this is the Hardeep Singh Kohli all acknowledge they morning presenter on BBC Jersey. It is far more meaningful to be way they continually hear themselves have. He was known for his no-nonsense, judged against your peers from described they are inevitably going to get Individually they are all responsible for anti-establishment and outrageous across the whole industry, from the an inflated sense of their worth, not to their actions, but in terms of the culture humour. largesse of BBC network radio to the mention their negotiating power. created around ‘top talent’, He’d previously worked for smallest community stations, rather That is not to say that presenters aren’t the BBC itself has been the Frankenstein Pennine Radio, Viking, Classic than just other BBC local stations. Gold, The Pulse and on Jersey’s As a result, I fail to see how talented but the BBC’s output is as creator of the monster that got out commercial station, Channel 103. winning a Gillard can be thought good as is it is because there are whole of control. He had a large and cherished of as a real achievement – it sounds teams of talented people behind collection of radio mugs, dating a bit daft when referred to on talented presenters. Heidi Williams, music and factual back to the eighties, which I set air and has more than a whiff of If any group of people is made to feel programmes, BBC Wales out to find good homes for. The ‘photocopier salesman of the year’ final mug, yet to find a home, is about it. a Gwent Broadcasting mug. My With all due respect to Frank research suggests that many of the Gillard, a man to whom we owe a Claire Perry, head of employment video journalist, Northampton the same material from Ms Garofalo, broadcasters formerly with Gwent lot, I believe we should concentrate policy and freelance legal affairs, BBC sport has told Ariel: ‘News this time with the audience rolling have ended up with the BBC. our limited time and money on an replies: Flexi contracts were programmes credit all broadcasters around in hysterics, hooting with If any of your readers is interested award that really matters. originally created to reflect a world for their sports footage; it therefore laughter at every punchline. in having this mug, please contact David Butcher where the BBC competes for work seems consistent to credit the BBC Some detective work involving me at [email protected]. engineer, Radio Suffolk and as such could not guarantee sport footage, and this also makes Google and iPlayer revealed that Jan Uphoff hours to people in advance of viewers aware of the events bought this wasn’t the performance we’d winning that work. It would be by the BBC with the licence fee.’ witnessed, but one recorded earlier. irresponsible to offer more hours And a comedy producer friend Bang to rights Flexible friend? in the initial contract than the BBC confirmed that the material had I am surprised that Sue Llewellyn Flexi contracts are great, they said. could guarantee employment for. Who’s laughing? indeed been ‘sharpened’. swallowed the PR line that the ‘Bang’ You get holiday pay and sick pay, There were many highlights at the If a comedian dies on their feet, is promo was ‘the BBC’s first ever live they said. recent Latitude Festival. One of it right to dub on canned laughter to trail’ (Ariel, July 21). It was certainly You get a minimum guaranteed Giving too much credit them, in all the wrong ways, was the make it sound as if it elaborate, but far from being number of days, they said. Why do we need constantly to credit performance of Janeane Garofalo in was funny? the first. The BBC has been making Ok, then. Guaranteed number of ‘BBC Sport’ when we run pictures of the comedy tent. Richard Leeming live trails since 1923 (on radio) and days 20. Days worked 108. sporting events on the news? She came on nervously, delivered exec producer, music interactive since 1936 (on television). Oh, didn’t we tell you? You only I’m sure viewers are baffled when some rather weak material about All of the BBC’s radio services in- get the holiday pay and sick pay for they see that credit on the top left bidets and flip-flops when, realising Caroline Raphael, commissioning clude live trails for a number of pro- your guaranteed number of days, not of the screen – unable to understand that the audience wasn’t laughing, editor Radio 4, replies: There was grammes on a daily basis, and BBC the rest, they say. why we seem to treat ‘BBC Sport’ as committed comedy suicide and fled. more than one performance by One and Two include live trails for Message to BBC People: walk the an external broadcaster. So imagine my wife’s surprise Janeane Garofalo at this year’s news and sports programmes several walk or don’t talk the talk. We are not a divided organisation, when listening to 4 In A Field, Latitude Festival. The one broadcast times a week. Duncan Hess but those astons suggest we are. ‘featuring the best comic talent at on Radio 4’s 4 In A Field programme Tony Currie director Joel Mapp the 2009 Latitude Festival’, she heard was recorded in the BBC Radio announcer-director, BBC Scotland
Glasgow University with fellow conferences, Donald became a OBITUARY students who were in future years major member of the touring to sit opposite him in the tv studio: presentation team who set up their Donald maccormick John Smith, Donald Dewar, Menzies studios at the various seaside When the red transmission light Campbell and former Lord Chancellor venues. It wasn’t surprising that when went on Donald MacCormick was in Derry Irvine. George Carey was setting out to edit his element. Live television, political Away from the studio, around his a new nightly news programme to debate, the great matters of the dinner table, he would debate and be called Newsnight that he decided moment – when Donald was in the argue with great advocacy, passion that MacCormick was the man to join presenter’s chair no one could better and humour, for Donald was no dour John Tusa and Peter Snow as its trio of him for teasing out the arguments Scot. Laughter and anecdote were very heavyweight front men. The authority and issues. much part of his character, and he and clout that they brought to those Donald, who has died aged 70, had revelled in the fledgling days set the tone of Newsnight a style that was calm and thoughtful, political gossip of the moment. that survives to this day. never gladiatorial. The questions he He arrived in Lime Grove, then In later years he moved to LWT posed were never more important home of BBC current affairs, via STV, as presenter of their political than the answers he sought. Ever Grampian Television and BBC programming, returning to the BBC courteous to his interviewees, his Scotland. It was from Lime Grove in and presentation duties on BBC rich Scottish cadence, perceptive 1975 that Donald first became a face World. Donald was married twice, questioning and formidable on the network, co-anchoring the first to Lis MacKinlay, with whom knowledge of the politics of the day revived Tonight programme with Sue he had three children. His second won him an audience of regular Lawley and Denis Tuohy. marriage was to Liz Elton, herself a viewers who valued and respected his In the days when current affairs well known Lime Grove producer. skills. mounted extensive programming They had two children. They were skills he honed at Donald MacCormick behind the desk at Newsweek in November 1980 from the autumn political Ron Neil
a 28.07.09 14 Jobs See Attachment
Event planner Jemma Hardy, PA at BBC South, joins the green team in London On the hottest day of the year, I made my way to my Hot Shoes destination on the fifth floor of White City. In a far cry from my day job as a PA at BBC South, I had entered the world of internal communica- tions. My two-week placement was with green goddess Christine Brown and the BBC environment project team. As the ambassador for all things green at Southampton I had leapt at the chance to apply for the placement – hoping to learn new skills, be inspired and gain experience. I was not disappointed. My placement coincided with preparations for the first BBC Environment Day, a year after Mark Thompson set targets to be attained by 2012 (20 per- cent cut in energy consumed per person, 20 percent reduction in CO2 emissions per person, 25 percent cut in water used per person, 25 percent savings in waste per person and to recycle 75 percent of waste). I quickly got stuck into the nitty gritty planning of the day, and was pleasantly surprised at how much responsibility was vested in me from the start. As well as helping with the organisation of the event I got I’ve returned to my job more fired up than ever time to research green issues (something I rarely get much time to do back in my normal life). The event, hosted by chief operating officer Caroline Thomson, brought together environment champions and ambassadors from across the BBC at London Broadcasitng House. Speakers shared their insights and experience of addressing sustainabili- ty issues in the current economic climate, with the keynote speech by Jonathon Porritt (programme director of Forum for the Future). It was a great day, full of enthusiasm, tinged only slightly by the reali- sation that the BBC has a way to go to keep up in the green stakes. But where there’s a will there’s a way – and it was evident from those in attendance that there certainly is no lack of will. My fortnight was over far too soon and I was sad to say goodbye to the team who’d made me so welcome, but I’ve come back fired up and more determined than ever to make Southampton BH more environmentally friendly. It was great to have time away from the day job to refocus and get inspired with new green ideas that might make a difference. The Hot Shoes scheme is an unrivalled way of delving into another part of the BBC and I’m huge- ly grateful for the opportunity. Oh, and my top tip to anyone else going on one: wear interesting footwear – it’s the first thing people look at when you say why you’re there (I bitterly regretted only taking my comfortable yet uninteresting tan pumps). And White City – sort out the random room numbering system please. Been anywhere nice? Send your attachment stories to Clare Bolt
14 OCTOBER 08 ARIEL a 28·07·09 What am I doing here 15 PH O T O GRAPH; ANNA G ANNA GRAPH;
ROLAND TAYLOR O foreign RD O INTERACTIVE EDITOR N R3 and BBC Proms report A former teacher and social worker, he now has a new string to his bow as producer of the Ukulele Prom yuri kushko bbc ukrainian producer goes into battle
A dog came out of nowhere, barking in the summer evening calm a minute before we went on air. Unusually, the BBC Ukrainian Friday interactive programme was coming not from our London studio, but via satellite from a field near Poltava in north Ukraine. The barking turned out to be the least of our problems that soon arrived in the shape of torrential rain, thunder and lightning. What lessons could be drawn from the Swedish-Russian Poltava Battle that took place on this spot exactly 300 years ago? Listeners from Ukraine, western Europe and the US joined in our conversation. In an interview for the BBC Ukrainian serv- ice on the eve of the battle’s anniversary, Swedish historian, Peter Englund had told Tell me about the prom you are challenging, as long as you their respect. I’d turn up on worth their weight in gold. I us that it marked the end of Sweden’s era producing featuring the Uku- know your audience and get shift and every window in the wanted to become a producer. as a European superpower. After winning lele Orchestra of Great Britain the context right. house would have been broken. Those jobs were like gold dust, the battle, Russia went on to became an We know from various bits of Or I’d see another worker’s car though. empire while research that there are a lot How did you take to teaching? had been smashed to pieces. I I had a lucky break in Armed with Ukraine had lost of ukulele players out there. I taught for the best part of always parked round the corner. interactive, because I was what was left of The ukulele is a very trendy ten years. The holidays were The press knocks spending interested in creating music umbrellas its autonomy. instrument at the moment, definitely attractive, but I money on teenage offenders, learning applications for kids. Had Swedish so it’s the perfect time to do particularly loved teaching but from my two years in the I did that for a bit, went off to and mics, the King Charles X11 it. It’s really caught the public composing; that was my pas- job I think it’s invaluable. The learning, came back, then got and not Peter the imagination. There has been a sion. I began with two years majority of the kids that came a job as a producer at Radio 3 team stood Great of Rus- lot of press coverage, not just in the state sector then did through the units I worked doing a children’s programme sia won, Europe about the Ukulele Orchestra some supply teaching which in...well, you’d see their lives called Making Tracks which was its ground today would look performing at the BBC Proms, took me into some very turn round. a huge amount of fun. quite different, but the fact that people can challenging schools. Then I When that came off air Englund said. join in. taught at a private girls’ school, How did you start at the BBC? I was put back onto the The rain got heavier, but at first made For an interactive editor it’s which had its own unique There was a production pan- general producers’ rota at little impression on our guest, the deputy wonderful as we get to create demands. When I moved into el which was like an inter- Radio 3 and ended up doing director of the museum of the battle, Lud- some fantastic online content. social care my boss told me I’d nal temping agency. I was stuff like the Proms, which I mila Shendryk. At this stage we used two If you can’t come to the prom be eaten alive. I said that he mostly doing admin, some get an incredible buzz out of umbrellas borrowed from the museum, with your ukulele, you can should go and teach 11-18 year of it fun and some not. I be- producing. Then a year ago just to keep our mics and the satellite dish, play along live at home listen- olds in a girls’ school. came a temp at Radio 3, then the guy doing my job decided providing a connection to London, dry. ing to Radio 3 or online after a trainee broadcast assistant, to move on and I thought I’d But halfway through the programme, the event. You can join in prac- Still, your two years as a so- both still on the production go for it. the rain became a torrent and the wind tically anywhere on August 18 cial worker must have been panel. Around 1999 I picked up. Studio manager Dmytro Pylyp- at 10pm. You could even host tough? officially became a member You write music yourself chyk and driver Valeriy Zakusylo desper- your own ukulele party. I basically did 48 hour shifts of staff – a very proud day for What kind of music? ately juggled the umbrellas to keep the and had five days to recover, me. I was on the princely sum It’s minimal, just simple guest and presenter (ie me) dry. In vain. Isn’t it a bit random? but actually I found I never of about £13,500. piano music. I recently London ordered us to use the five Well, a few producers from Ra- recovered. I worked in recorded a couple of albums minute news break to regroup under the dio 3 came up to me and said various secure units across the How did you work your way up worth which at some point nearest roof. What they did not know was that they couldn’t believe I country – houses with a usu- the ranks? I’ll probably get round to that at 9pm the museum of the Poltava actually asked to produce the al ratio of three staff to two It was just a case of working sticking up on the internet. It’s a battle was shut. Even the deputy director ukulele prom. I told them it kids. A lot of the time the kids hard. As broadcast assistant I personal thing that I enjoy couldn’t let us in. was at the top of my pile. were bigger than me, and I worked on all sorts of shows. I doing; it’s not for commercial ‘Had we been standing here 300 years had to use all my wits to gain think broadcast assistants are reasons. I’m not manacled ago, who would be shooting at us, the In interactive at Radio 3, you by the ambition of youth Swedes or the Russians?’, I asked our use new technology with anymore. I no longer feel the guest. ‘Both,’ she said. The BBC team, what can be very old music… pressure to try to push myself armed only with mics and umbrellas, There is literally something CV roland Taylor forward as a composer and bravely stood their ground exactly half for everyone at Radio 3 from prove myself. I wouldn’t way between the positions of the oppos- core classical to absolutley Degree: Masters in music composition, music degree, PGCE call myself a composer; I ing armies from the June 27 1709. experimental. My back- [post graduate certificate of education] define myself as a sharer of Literally a few minutes after the live ground is in teaching, so I’m music, and in my current programme ended, the weather changed a firm believer that context is First job: Wearing tights and performing at mediaeval banquets job I couldn’t be better and the dark, quiet Poltava night fell. everything. I think that Career landmarks: Directing an all-female production of ‘the placed. We were soaked and exhausted, but you can present any kind Scottish play’ which inspired actor Edward Petherbridge to proud that the BBC held its positions not- of art or music to someone, compose three sonnets in its honour. Interview: withstanding nature’s assault. however abstract, however Adam Bambury
> CONTACT peggy walker to suggest a colleague for this feature 16 a 28·07·09 green room ▲ THE ARIELAT0R WE HEAR THAT. . . A weekly take on life at the BBC: Salford superhero Peter Salmon has who’s up, who’s down, who’s off an arch nemesis - mild mannered school- ▲ girl and pop sensation Hannah Montana, UPSIDE aka Miley Cyrus. Unlikely foes you may ▲ ‘Led largely by think, but the forces behind the Media smell, I eventu- Guardian Top 100 have brought them to- ▲ ally found a furry gether. Salmon recently acknowledged backside stick- the fact by signing off an email with ‘Peter ing out from Salmon, the 93rd most important person ▲ behind a filing in Media, after Miley Cyrus/Hannah Mon- cabinet,’ re- tana’. Cyrus is yet to respond, but then her ▲ counts engineer global viewing figures are equivalent to James Daniel. the fifth largest population in the world. ‘It was so still I ▲ was concerned it had managed to ac- PAPARAZZI SHOTS of Matt Smith as the cidentally throttle itself on some cables new Doctor Who have had online fans all ▲ but, after a gentle prod, it realised it a-twitter. Not necessarily about his outfit had been found and emerged, skittered (which, with the natty bow-tie, is generally across the floor and obligingly ran into agreed to be Troughton- ▲ the trap.’ So it was that James managed esque), but because to capture, and subsequently release, of the TARDIS sit- ▲ the notorious White City fox that had ting behind him. caused untold damage to office furni- Some have ture over the weekend. For his contri- praised the po- ▲ butions to the (entirely humane) sport lice telephone of indoor fox hunting, Paul receives the box’s retro styl- ▲ golden Up Arielator. ing and white trim, while oth- As do BBC Radio Lancashire, for saving ers have decried ▲ the Tram Sunday Festival in Fleetwood. July 1989 BLACK/WHITE Back l to r: Mike Curtis (instructor), Kevin Burden, Cathy that it all looks too The event was close to cancellation last Killick, Richard Lawrence, Rob Norris, John Venables (instructor), Andrew Edwards, shiny and new. ▼ year due to a lack of volunteers, but Branwen Jeffreys, Neal Dalgleish Front l to r: Zoe Hodgkinson, Catherine Cross, Tracy Whatever the verdict, the thanks to the radio station’s promotion- Molloy, Shari Vahl, Liz Goddard July 2009. COLOUR Back: Kevin, Cathy, Richard, TARDIS has plenty of room for the team ▼ al help it went ahead this month and was Andrew, Neal Front Zoe, Catherine, Tracy, Shari, Liz to hang up their new certificate from the a big success, with an estimated 70,000 Guinness World Record for the ‘most ▼ attendees. successful’ sci-fi series. DOWN ARIELATOR It’s a line that Hollywood’s A-list often ▼ Little did tech- IT WAS 20 years falls back on, and it seems the chairman is nology corre- following their cue. ‘I try to avoid reading ▼ spondant Rory negative stories in the press any more,’ he Cellan-Jones re- ago this month told our mole wearily. Media blackout at alise what dan- the Trust towers then... ▼ ger he would be Madonna’s Like A Prayer and the Bangles’ Eternal Flame was storming the in when he went charts, the Tiananmen Square protests were brewing in China, but for 1989’s intake ▼ to see Britain’s of trainees to the Trainee Reporter Scheme, the year meant manual typewriters, oldest working Revox tape recorders and a distinct lack of internet access. win a dvd box television in Twenty years after they began their BBC odyssey, the group was reunited in a ▼ action at a North Worcestershire restaurant. Of the original 12, eight are still at the BBC: health cor- set of carl London house. ‘They were known as respondent Branwen Jeffreys, World producer Neal Dalgleish, Rob Norris at World widow makers in the tv repair trade,’ the Service, Cathy Killick (Look North), Learning producer Zoe Hodgkinson, Liz Goddard sagan’s cosmos ▼ owner gleefully informed him as they (Midlands Today), Radio Four’s Shari Vahl and Andrew Edwards at Radio Leeds. watched the 1936 Marconiphone. ‘You ‘A couple of us didn’t need a lot of catching up,’ said Andrew. ‘I lured Cathy to the ▼ touched them once and that was the cinema on the first weekend of the course - to seeWomen on the Verge of Nervous To coincide with last thing you did.’ Rory appeared un- Breakdown, before you ask - and we’ve been together ever since.’ the 60th anniver- fazed, though his final words to camera sary of the moon ▼ – ‘after two hours, you really do need landings on July to turn it off’ – did sound a touch more 20, astronomer ▼ commanding than informative... Carl Sagan’s classic Catch the chicken documentary Cos- Summer time is the silly season, and it laughter from spectators in the office, mos has been re- seems our animal friends are happy to with bj Hannah ‘I’m good with birds’ leased on dvd. First EARWIGGING oblige in keeping things amusing Johns eventually grabbing hold of broadcast in 1980, – even while W1 was preoccu- the elusive fowl. the 13-hour series OVERHEARD AT THE BBC pied by the White City fox last Green Room is assured the describes how nearly 15 billion years of week (see Arielator), BBC chicken is now ‘living hap- cosmic evolution transformed matter …I studied Pretty Woman at A level… Lincolnshire had their own pily ever after in Gainsbor- and life into consciousness – and does animal encounter in the ough’ which we hope isn’t it hugely entertainingly. Sagan part- …He got hospitalised by guise of a particularly a euphemism for being wrote and presents the series, taking his own cat… slippery chicken. inside someone’s stom- viewers on a voyage through space The hen had found ach. Anyway, this week’s and time in his Star-Trek style ‘ship of …Personally, I love a itself in a park next to outbreak of nature has the imagination’ to a suitably cosmic bit of chopper… the Production Office, given us a hankering soundtrack of Vangelis, Pink Floyd and and it was up to a motley for further creature fea- Mozart. …I’m not having much luck with crew of assorted staff tures. Send us your finest To enter to win one of five Cosmos dvd Peruvian Radio, if I’m honest… to capture it and take it workplace animal tales box sets, answer this question: What …What happens in the car park, stays to safety. A chase ensued, and we’ll print the best over is the second closest star to the Earth? sound tracked by gales of the next few weeks. Email ariel competitions by August 3. in the car park… > IF YOU HAVE A STORY FOR THE GREEN ROOM, CONTACT adam bambury