Voice of the Listener & Viewer Working for Quality and DiversityBulletin in Broadcasting Autumn 2006 Issue 86 A Changing BBC: accountability Tony Robinson to and creativity open VLV’s conference VLV’s 23rd Annual Autumn Conference diversity of high quality indigenous programmes Tuesday, 28 November 2006, and seeks permission from Ofcom to drop all but two hours of its children’s output at weekends 10.45am – 3.30pm The conference will consider the far-reaching Overseas House, Park Place, implications of this development which will affect off St James’ Street, London SW1 the future quality, cost and accessibility of children’s broadcasting services throughout the The BBC is in a period of intense flux. Although United Kingdom. What will be the impact on our its Royal Charter has been renewed for another children of the loss of output reflecting their own ten years, a settlement on the licence fee has society? How will Britain’s cultural identity be yet to be reached. No decision is expected preserved by programmes whose subject-matter, before the end of the year. In the meantime, treatment and language are aimed at a global rumours abound that the Corporation will not market? The BBC’s future plans for its children’s channels and children’s changing use of the media be given the amount it asked for - 2.3% above are also on the day’s agenda. retail price inflation (RPI), about a fifth of which may be needed to cover the cost of Among other confirmed speakers are: helping the nation to switch to digital • Richard Deverell, Controller, BBC Children’s television. Pending an announcement, the BBC • Anne Gilchrist, Creative Director, CBBC cannot finalise any of its plans so the proposed • Michael Carrington, Creative Director, CBeebies move of some departments to Manchester and • Nick Wilson: Controller, Children’s & Youth investment in its Creative Futures programme Programmes, Channel Five and Creative Archive are now stalled. Children’s Television: • Anna Home: Chief Executive, Under the new Charter and Agreement, the Children’s Film and Television Foundation governance of the BBC will change from 1st Where Now? • Tim Suter, Senior Partner, Content & January 2007. The Board of Governors will then be Standards, Ofcom replaced by a Board of Trustees distanced further Thursday, 2 November • John McVay, Chief Executive, PACT from the BBC’s daily operations. Michael Grade, at The Royal Society, Carlton House • Nigel Pickard, Director of Family currently chairing the Board of Governors, will Terrace, London SW1, 9.45am-5pm. Entertainment, RDF Television become Chair of the new Trustees and three of • Camilla Byk, parent and VLV member the present Governors will accompany him: Tony Robinson, well known broadcaster, performer Speakers from ITV, Disney World Television Dermot Gleeson, Richard Tait and Jeremy Peat. and actor whose work has included writing and and Turner Broadcasting have been invited. With great interest in the conference a Recruiting for the outstanding vacancies is now starring in several children’s programmes, will capacity audience is expected. going on, following a public search for candidates, open VLV’s 12th Annual conference on VLV’s autumn conference will focus on all Children’s broadcasting on 2nd November For tickets & information contact aspects of the changing BBC. Among the speakers Children’s Television is in crisis as ITV seeks to [email protected] or 01474352835 will be Mark Wakefield, Head of Performance and end its distinguished record of providing a wide Chris Woolard, Head of Compliance and Value for Money in the newly-formed Governance Unit. Other speakers, from the creative content and Inside other divisions, have yet to be confirmed. The programme will also include a short update on Naomi Sargant Editorial Comment VLV Summer Conference digital issues. VLV’s 4th AGM Guest Contributor Letters For tickets and details please VLV’s 2006 Appeal VLV Awards Digital Update contact [email protected] Save Kids’ TV Who’s Who Competition or call 01474 352835 ISSN 1475-2948 Naomi Sargant 10.12.33 – 23.7.06 Although some channel’s blueprint. In Volume 6 of the History of Voice of the Listener & Viewer of us were Independent Television in Britain, Paul Bonner aware that listed the priorities she set out for the new service Working for Quality and Diversity in British Broadcasting Naomi was before it came on air. They included Arts and VLV Patrons gravely ill, news History, Basic Skills, The Environment, Health and Lord Barnet PC JP of her death Family, Workers and the Unemployed, Leisure, Archbishop Lord Eames of Armagh in late July Science and Technology, and Programmes for Sir Francis Graham-Smith FRS came as a shock: Children. Without sacrificing her prime Lord Inglewood MEP the abrupt commitment to education, she succeeded in Sir Charles Mackerras, KT, CBE extinguishing producing programmes many of which earned their Dame Mary Peters DBE of a brightly- place in the mainstream of the output. Her efforts Lord Phillips of Sudbury OBE burning flame. were frequently tempest-tossed, but ultimately Lord Puttnam of Queensgate CBE The metaphor proved a truly handsome fulfilment of the Lady Solti has a particular resonance since a fiery spirit channel’s obligations to innovation and diversity. Lord Thomson of Monifieth KT PC had sustained her throughout her life. The range She richly deserved the place given to her in its Sir John Tusa of her interests, most of them better described Hall of Fame by the Royal Television Society. as enduring commitments, was broad. Children In 1988, at the time of the White Paper on Directors and their families at Great Ormond Street, Broadcasting, Naomi’s concerns for the interests of Jocelyn Hay CBE (Hon Chairman) young people with learning difficulties at the citizens and consumers led her to join VLV. She Colin Graeme Thompson FCA, FIRM (Hon Treas.) Harington Scheme in North London, consumers was a tireless member of the management team Robert Beveridge at the Gas Council, students at the University of before and after the formation of VLV Ltd, a step John Clark East London and the Open University: these for which she had been a staunch advocate. Her Professor Bob Franklin, PhD were only a few of the groups to whom she membership of the Board of Trustees was marked Terry Glover gave outstanding public service. by equal energy. Throughout that time she Professor Máire Messenger Davies, PhD, FRSA, When in 1980 Jeremy Isaacs invited Naomi to continued to be inspired by her conviction that Warren Newman leave the Open University and become Channel 4’s broadcasting should remain a source of education, Dr Andrew Taussig first Commissioning Editor for Education, she left especially for the under-privileged, as much in the behind her a decade-long record of distinguished coming digital age as in the fading analogue era. Company Secretary work at the O.U. At Channel 4, she was to oversee VLV offers its deepest sympathies to Naomi’s Waterlow Registrars Ltd the development of educational programming husband, Lord McIntosh, and their sons in their The Voice of the Listener Trust which formed a prominent feature of the new great loss. Colin Shaw (reg charity 296207) VLV’s sister charity leading role. We have good reason to be very which supports VLV’s educational work Changes to the Board - grateful for what he has contributed to VLV so far. Chairman: Elizabeth Smith OBE Retirement of Vincent Bob Fletcher, who was Secretary: Jocelyn Hay CBE formerly with the British Trustees: Porter and Bob Fletcher Council, also served on VLV’s Michael Barton We are very sorry to be losing the services of two Management Committee and Professor Sylvia Harvey long-standing members of the VLV Board. the Board of VLV Ltd. Indeed, Dr Andrew Taussig Vincent Porter retired last he kindly volunteered to serve VLV office hours: year as Director of the Centre as Honorary Secretary to the 9.00am - 5.00pm Mon-Thurs for Communications & former and Company Information Studies at the Secretary to the latter in the Voice of the Listener & Viewer Ltd (VLV) University of Westminster. formative years after represents the citizen and consumer Over the years he has served incorporation. His knowledge of technical and interests in broadcasting and works for for three terms on the VLV engineering matters proved especially valuable on quality and diversity in British broadcasting. Management Committee and issues arising from the move to digital switch-over. VLV is free from political, sectarian and later on the Board of VLV Ltd. For many members he will be a familiar figure as commercial affiliations. VLV is concerned During that time he has he deployed those practical skills to manage the PA contributed invaluably in many different ways to with the issues, structures, institutions system at numerous VLV events. We thank him for VLV’s policy making. We are particularly grateful to and regulation that underpin the British his much-valued support and wish him well. him for sharing his special expertise and knowledge broadcasting system and in particular of politics and the broadcasting industry. He has to maintain the principles of public been remarkable for the time and care he has put service in broadcasting. into drafting many impressive briefings and VLV does not handle complaints. submissions. They have contributed enormously to VLV’s 4th AGM the respect in which VLV is held by Government, the The 4th AGM of VLV Ltd will follow the autumn Design & Production regulators and the broadcasters. It is reassuring to conference at 4pm on Tuesday, 28th November High Profile Ltd, Tel: 01474 533077 know that he will continue to serve on VLV’s policy at Overseas House, Park Place, St James’ Street, Published by Voice of the Listener & Viewer Ltd, and strategy committee.