Another week, another BBC media storm. As allegations of rape and other forms of sexual abuse emerged against Russell Brand, a former Radio 2 and Radio 6 Music presenter who resigned in 2008 following a prank phone call to actor Andrew Sachs, the BBC’s Director-General, Tim Davie, once again found himself having to defend the corporation’s culture.
The level of threat the BBC is under in the run-up to Charter Renewal is in danger of being exaggerated, former BBC Director-General Greg Dyke told Radio 4’s The Media Show.
Dyke was part of a panel discussing the future of the broadcaster, and added that it would be a “terrible mistake” for the BBC to stop making popular shows such as Strictly Come Dancing.
The BBC Trust "has proved itself a busted flush" as increasingly fractious charter renewal negotiations between the Government and the BBC gather pace.
Shadow secretary of state for culture, media and sport Chris Bryant MP told a packed RTS event Tuesday evening that the public broadcaster's regulator had markedly failed in its duty to protect the interests of licence fee payers since the UK general election.
The two seasoned broadcasters offered different perspectives on the recent general election to their interviewer, Media Show presenter Steve Hewlett.
"Monumentally dull" was the verdict of the erstwhile Newsnight attack dog on the campaign in which pollsters, pundits and politicians were all convinced would lead to another hung Parliament.
Paxman opined that TV networks had devoted so much attention to opinion polls because it was a "monumentally dull" campaign.
