Turning-point for the BBC? - the new DG

[Nick Armstrong]

BBC coverage now being discussed on Radio 4's 'Today'.

Ah! Missed that. Who was saying what, broadly speaking? Presumably some BBC person saying he/she/they were proud of what was achieved in difficult circumstances, no doubt, and Naughtie trying to Naught them down? Or did they have someone independent putting the 'it was rubbish' point of view?

[BBMmk2]

Why has the BBC been dumbed down? I hope that MP will make fiurther his/her statemnt more directly to the gopverment and then we might hope that the BBC will get the message(ever hopeful!?!?!?)

[amateur51]

Ah! Missed that. Who was saying what, broadly speaking? Presumably some BBC person saying he/she/they were proud of what was achieved in difficult circumstances, no doubt, and Naughtie trying to Naught them down? Or did they have someone independent putting the 'it was rubbish' point of view?

Gillian Reynolds was doing "more in sorrow than in ... no hang on, I was actually quite miffed" and Mark Damazer was saying it was "inclusive, One Show, and people are just quibbling about a few on-air mistooks".

Damazer gave the game away I thought. So many people on the BBC pay roll are ill-equipped for this sort of event but in straitened times they have to be used, and used they were. Gillian R gave some very good examples of what could have been included by way of interesting/useful commentary (history/relevance of the ships to the event, etc) and MarkD gave a repeat of his "inclusivity/welcoming" schtick.

I was persuaded by Gillian

That's not a bad report from one who was only half-awake at that time

[Nick Armstrong]

That's not a bad report from one who was only half-awake at that time

Suitably grateful we are too!

[mercia]

not sure how practical it would be to broadcast information on every one of the 1000 (?) pageant participants
but I think some of it is here

http://www1.thamesdiamondjubileepageant.org/FlotillaParticipantsLogin.aspx?ReturnUrl=~%2fFlotillaParticipants.aspx

[DracoM]

As this site reveals, the BBC could have known well in advance what boats would be where, who they represented etc, some research on a few might have yielded some excellent stories.

The structure-less, wall-to-wall drivel that masqueraded as commentary demeaned the Corporation, and the presence of Mr Damazer on Today indicates how justifiably rattled the BBC were / are by the tide of criticism. The comparison with ITV and Sky are embarrassingly apposite, given that the BBC beams worldwide and will be seen outside UK as the voice of Britain.

Blimey, heaven forfend.

[MrGongGong]

As this site reveals, the BBC could have known well in advance what boats would be where, who they represented etc, some research on a few might have yielded some excellent stories.

Maybe

but surely the big problem (and I was writing music at the time so only saw bits of it afterwards ......... and wasn't there either !) is that it's simply NOT very interesting as an audiovisual spectacle ?

I'm sure for those involved it was a great day out and a chance to chug down the river in the rain BUT as a (as my theatre theorist friends would say !) performative event ?
Personally I'm a great enthusiast for art and performance that has very little "content" (Butoh dance, Luciers music etc ) in a conventional sense BUT this seems , from the images that I have seen, just dull and without anything to hold the attention.......... watching Carlotta Ikeda take nearly an hour to walk across a stage is mesmerising and fascinating ....... maybe the whole thing should have been done in ultra slow motion ?

We could have got John Fox (from WSI) out of retirement to direct it ?

[Nick Armstrong]

but surely the big problem is that it's simply NOT very interesting as an audiovisual spectacle ?

I'm sure that's the attitude that prevailed at the BBC hence the reliance on vapid magazine programme hosts, shark wrestling and drag queens. The point is, that there was enormous intrinsic interest which needed to be brought out with proper preparation.

[french frank]

As this site reveals, the BBC could have known well in advance what boats would be where, who they represented etc, some research on a few might have yielded some excellent stories.

The structure-less, wall-to-wall drivel that masqueraded as commentary demeaned the Corporation, and the presence of Mr Damazer on Today indicates how justifiably rattled the BBC were / are by the tide of criticism. The comparison with ITV and Sky are embarrassingly apposite, given that the BBC beams worldwide and will be seen outside UK as the voice of Britain.

A résumé of the Reynolds-Damazer exchange.

[Nick Armstrong]

A résumé of the Reynolds-Damazer exchange.

Thanks, ff.

Ah yes, the cop-out: "the very conscious attempt to make the whole event informal and to use the modern idiom"... It could have been modern and informal ... and well-informed and informative...

[rank_and_file]

Well, we have been suffering the BBC’s dumbing down on Radio 3 for years, and I am rather glad that their coverage of the Diamond Jubilee has woken up many more people as to how hopeless the BBC has become. Public Service Broadcaster? They just don’t know what that means any longer. I have posted before saying that the BBC should be chopped back to size - one television channel, R4 and R3 (as was). The rest is covered more than adequately by the commercial media.

This article relates some of the quite abysmal coverage:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/the_queens_diamond_jubilee/9312670/The-Queens-Diamond-Jubilee-Alone-at-her-finest-hour-but-embraced-by-a-loving-and-fiercely-protective-people.html

[Lateralthinking1]

not sure how practical it would be to broadcast information on every one of the 1000 (?) pageant participants
but I think some of it is here
http://www1.thamesdiamondjubileepage...ticipants.aspx

Thanks mercia.

[Flay]

Ah! Missed that. Who was saying what, broadly speaking? Presumably some BBC person saying he/she/they were proud of what was achieved in difficult circumstances, no doubt, and Naughtie trying to Naught them down? Or did they have someone independent putting the 'it was rubbish' point of view?

The interview is here:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/today/newsid_9726000/9726239.stm

[Panjandrum]

A résumé of the Reynolds-Damazer exchange.

A shambles, frankly. One has to admire, I suppose, the chutzpah of the exec who said "we tried too hard". Eh? Come again. I think most would say that the failure was a result of the BBC not trying hard enough (i.e. not getting its presenters to do their homework, and coming up with embarrassing faux pas like "HRH the Queen" etc).

[Nick Armstrong]

A shambles, frankly. One has to admire, I suppose, the chutzpah of the exec who said "we tried too hard". Eh? Come again. I think most would say that the failure was a result of the BBC not trying hard enough (i.e. not getting its presenters to do their homework, and coming up with embarrassing faux pas like "HRH the Queen" etc).

Hope the exec responsible is having a nice holiday... http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2012...nd-jubilee-bbc