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Stars could quit as BBC transfers shows to Scotland
Danny Brierley16.10.08
THE BBC is facing a revolt from some of its best loved stars over plans to move production of many of its most popular shows away from London.
Question Time host David Dimbleby is said to have expressed "dismay" to the corporation's executives over their decision to make the show in Glasgow from 2010. It is thought the broadcasting veteran could leave the programme in protest.
Managers are preparing to shift half of the BBC's network television production spending out of London within eight years. More than £1 in £6 of its £900million annual budget will be spent in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland by 2016.
Other well known faces that are likely to be affected include Anne Robinson, whose Weakest Link show is also due to move north of the border.
Crimewatch, presented by Kirsty Young, will move to Cardiff, while production of the Chelsea and Hampton Court flower shows will go to Birmingham. The BBC said it was also exploring the possibility of moving hospital drama Casualty from Bristol to Wales.
The BBC is also planning to relocate 1,800 staff and five departments, including children's, sport, Radio Five Live and future media and technology, to Salford.
In a speech in London, BBC Vision director Jana Bennett said: "Our intention is nothing less than changing the DNA of the BBC to bring the production of programmes closer to the audience we serve. That means permanently increasing production and commissioning of programmes in other parts of the country."
"Growth in the nations will not come at the expense of the English regions, which we expect to account for one-third of network production by 2016. And London will still account for just under 50 per cent of network production."
A senior BBC source said: "In my view it is about as politically inept as it gets to move the most popular British political programme to Scotland, which is riven with nationalist fervour."
Mr Dimbleby was not available for comment last night.
Gerry Morrissey, general secretary of the broadcasting workers union Bectu, said: "We understand the need for the BBC to reflect its audiences across the UK. However, we want these changes to be meaningful and we don't want to see programmes made by independent companies based in London. It is our belief that this can be achieved without the need for any redundancies."
Reader views (16)
This'll be the BBC's version of diversity then. Suits playing musical chairs with the programmes (or shuffling the Titanic's deckchairs), in fact, anything rather than
admit the BBC has had its day.
The licence fee is an insult to the nation, a disgrace to democracy and a nasty reminder of how much we abhor freedom of choice.
- Michael, brightlingsea england
I wouldn't be sorry to see the back of Dimbleby, we might then see some political balance on Question Time, instead of his carefully steered left liberal bias.
- Keith Lonsdale, Doncaster
It is about time the BBC is put out of our misery. It is an inefficient, biased and tired organisation which no longer adds any value to the nation.
- Mark, Liverpool
I'm old enough to have seen this process happen 3-4x times before... so this is what happens
Self-righteous provincial gets in charge and makes the moral decision to "support the regions".
Administrators take the opportunity to get rid of the clapped-out shows, and the most obnoxious "stars" away from London.
The sensible "stars" respond enthusiastically but point out that the move will be very expensive to do properly. They are then not disturbed further.
Several months later the plans are watered down and budget for the move is cut.
The really crummy shows eventually move to Provincia on the cheap. The locals are delighted, and claim they are are now "world-class" media centres
The budgets for Provincia are cut and the shows that have moved fade away fairly rapidly.
Two years later, an expensive report points out that the whole move has been an expensive fiasco. The self-righteous provincial is sacked with large compensation but then gets an important-sounding but useless job in Provincia
The whole scheme fades away and is forgotten, until next time.
- Richard Stevens, London
Move them, whatever but do it sensibly and logically with financial savings in mind. What on earth is the point in producing the Chelsea and Hampton Court flower shows in Birmingham??? The flower shows aren't going to uproot just for the BBC and this just means a whole load of extra costs ferrying the camera crews, presenters and god know who else up and down to London whilst it's on. Nuts.
- Isabel, Woking
Its the Londoners who are xenophobic not the other way around. The BBC has been influenced too much by its London base since its creation to the detriment of the rest of the UK. Its about time the BBC sttood for the British people as a whole.
- Mark Clark, Rainham, Kent
Does this mean yet another programme will be dumbed down or be presented by somebody with an unintelligible regional accent. My wife is not a native English speaker and she enjoys Question time immensely as everybody speaks clearly and it's well made, intelligent TV.
- Mark, London
"Growth in the nations will not come at the expense of the English regions, which we expect to account for one-third of network production by 2016. And London will still account for just under 50 per cent of network production."
Note to Jana Bennett (and by the way what exactly is a "Vision Director and why do we have to pay for it?):
The country is which you gave your talk is called ENGLAND - it is not called the English Regions.
Also, England is itself just as much a nation as the others - thus rendering your statement "Growth in the nations ... etc" no better than gibberish.
- Johnse18, London, England
The political capital of the UK is Westminster, question time is a political programme and should be based in London. Quite happy for the programme to tour the UK as a whole, but not to move. Also Jana Bennett either needs help with maths or English when she says "Growth in the nations will not come at the expense of the English regions, which we expect to account for one-third of network production by 2016. And London will still account for just under 50 per cent of network production." Does this mean English reagons will acclunt for 1/3 of network production? If so how can London produce just under 50%??? Clearly communications are not her strong point.
- Jeremy E, London
But will the programmes be any better ?
- Mike Melbourne, Bedford
Who the hell cares where these journalists are required to ply their trade?Many of them are enjoying ridiculous salaries and perqs.for little visible talent.
- C Adams, pont l abbé france.
Big deal! The difference between a big star and a nobody is around three weeks in front of the cameras. Dimbleby can't control or won't control the debates anyway so who would miss him? The sooner we get the BBC out of London and into the real world the better for all including "if you don't play it my way I'm taking my ball home" Dimbleby. And when are we going to get rid of all the rest of the overpaid has-beens and in most cases never-have-beens like Jonathan Ross, Wogan, Lenny Henry, and all those other useless excuses for the real talent that is out there but can't get in past the doorman from the 1980's? If there is one thing the BBC needs desperately it is massive redundancies to make the staff better match the population demographics of the people who pay their wages.
- John, Dundee, UK
Judging by Mark Thompson (BBC General Manager's) recent comments about the BBC's commitment to Islam, if the intention is "to bring the production of programmes closer to those audience we serve" could they please state when they are going to open up offices in Pakistan and Saudi Arabia?
John Simpson is right, the BBC is doomed.
- Big Andy, London
Oh great. Now all the planes between London and Scotland will be full of luvvie darling media types, instead of investment bankers. Not sure which is worse...
- Nobby Clark, Perth, Scotland
You list a couple of names who may leave the B.B.C. if it relocates.None of those names give me a problem and indeed I will be looking for more like Ross, norton, Ramsey and I could go on, I watch B.B.C. so little now because of the standards I won't know many of them. Take note of what others are saying like John Simpson and "ACT" A separate space for us to say our piece would be good my comments to the relevant authoritites go unanswered or acknowledged.
- H.Peaper, Stubbington......U.K.
Boo Hoo Dimbleby, seems to be the attitude of a typical Little Englander who thinks the world revolves around what is inside the M25.
If he doesn't want to come he should be sacked at once and replaced by someone cheaper and less miserable.
- Weegie Boy, Glasgow
