Hmmm I see no problem with the present organisation, after all, it represents what might happen in a large PLC. You would have the Directors whose job it is to set policy and the Management whose job it is to carry out that policy. For Directors read Trustees in the case of the BBC. As for the regulators, you get those in quite a few lines of business, for example, in my life as a financial adviser you had FIMBRA whose job it was to ensure the statutory regulations were upheald -0 they were there as the consumers' policeman. The only problem was that FIMBRA was full of box tickers who had never done the job and they were probably targetted to find as many things wrong as they could - so sometimes it became petty (and potty!).
As for how you impose sanctions on a PBS which is funded from public money, I see the problem but don't have an answer.
I do think the BBC is a treasure, something I wouldn't have said 40 years back. It is able to cater for minority issues without being shackled by audience figures. BBC4 TV is a glowing example of quality programming that's just superb.
Having said all this, I know where you're coming from about layers of management and supervision. The example I think of as management and leadership at its best in broadcasting is David Attenborough when he was Controller for BBC2. He surrounded himself with visionary. creative programme makers and let them have their head - his was a light touch on the tiller and under his tenure, that channel had some great achievements. But those were different times.
As for educating the public, a wholehearted "yes" - that's what I try to do in my small way. I enjoy my job but I have to say that the public at large (especially those over 40/50) are generally just bewildered by the technological developments.
On the subject of BBC iPlayer, I wouldn't know about what was insisted by the EU. I think it does the job started by BBC Radio's "audio on demand" very well and is another shot in the arm for consumer choice. I've been waiting for this for ages, am delighted the facility is there and spend time preaching the message of that and ITV Catchup to my public whenever it is appropriate.
The subject of BBC and catering to audiences is one we've visited before. What I have said before still stands. Radio 2 is pandering to an audience in its 30s and 40s and ignoring the baby boomers of my age and older - not sure of the exact figures but I'm pretty sure that the over 50s are the largest group in the country - if not yet then soon. Local radio may well cater for some of the content I would love to hear but it is largely talk-based and that is NOT what I want, thank you very much. Personally I think there is a market for a Pirate BBC Essex format, but extended to include the Rock'n'roll years. I know what you think of that music, but to be honest, I speak for those like me who believe the world didn't start with Sgt Pepper in 1967. Anyway, I've long since given up wishing the BBC to cater for that need. I get my kicks by downloading appropriate material from the net, putting that on my memory stick or iPod and playing it in my car when I'm on my travels or at home through my system. My listening to BBC radio is generally restricted to the specialist programmes broadcast in the evenings, Mark Lamarr, Suzi Quatro and various special features which are always interesting whether they're Dylan's Radio Theme Hour or features on particular atists. The last time I listened to live radio in any quantity was Pirate BBC Essex last year! To summarise, technology has been a big part of my life, both professionally and personally and I applaud developments as they happen - any organisation has to take change into account to stay relevant and alive. Certainly one of the biggest changes in my lifetime is that consumer expectations have grown and that is no bad thing as long as one doesn't pander to the lowest common denominator. As I said earlier, beacons of excellence exist (such as BBC4 TV) even if they are
surrounded by the crass and mindless.
Alan
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