Initial thoughts about the #BBC. It is not just another crisis. The closest parallel is Thatcher + Peacock committee in 1986, where Checkland and Birt had to secure the future of the corporation (amid much internal opposition to their culture and methods). This is worse 1/
The biggest challenge is dealing with a PM who is personally entangled with commercial media, makes policy announcements on Facebook Live and leads an administration openly hostile to the BBC. Public support for the BBC matters less and is weaker than previously 2/
The new DG has to deal with the political challenge and restore the morale and (journalistic) integrity of its key departments. Not sure this exists in one person. Editorial job is to break silos, restore attention to standards, create right goals, make better progs 3/
We already know what the BBC-less future looks like. Facebook, Google, Amazon, Apple etc. Weaker journalistic institutions, death by market enterprises, a swamp of unaccountable vested interests and no investment in civic alternatives. It is a bad moment 4/
The BBC is partially an author of its own situation: issues with journalistic standards, horrible HR practices around equality and diversity, weak bargaining with politicians, no real determination to prioritise digital transition through policy and investment. 5/
Yet the case for a new social contract which includes issues like news provision, children's services, and innovation in civic communication could not be more important right now. New DG has to define that mission. ends/
