Tonight:
4°c
BBC puts arts back into focus
Louise Jury, Chief Arts Correspondent28 Jan 2009
THE BBC launched a bid today to reclaim the public service broadcasting high ground with a giant package of new arts and music programmes.
After a string of scandals topped by the Jonathan Ross affair, director-general Mark Thompson renewed the BBC's commitment to the arts.
Speaking at Broadcasting House, he said: "The BBC has a special responsibility to support and enable the cultural life of Britain, particularly through investment in arts and music programming. We are not only reaffirming our commitment to arts, but we're announcing a series of measures that will put this relationship on an even stronger footing.
"Through innovative new partnerships, I believe the BBC can deliver big, bold arts programming that is accessible, distinctive and enjoyable."
Today's blueprint includes new partnerships, executives to champion arts programming and details of programmes already in development.
A vast pan-BBC poetry season will include a documentary by historian Simon Schama on John Donne and a film by comedy writer Armando Iannucci on John Milton, both on BBC2.
More programmes on BBC4 include young poet and writer Owen Sheers exploring six great British works of poetry, Ian Hislop on the new Poet Laureate and poet Simon Armitage exploring Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, the Middle English romance.
Online projects are being developed to complement series such as A History of the World in 100 Objects by British Museum director Neil MacGregor. The objects will be on view in the museum while the series airs next February. The Arts Council is in talks to make its vast collection of film work dating back to the Fifties available for the public to view online. The new drive to boost arts coverage will be spearheaded by an arts board including a new arts coordinator. An arts editor will be the face of BBC arts news coverage and the BBC news website has launched an arts and culture section.
The moves come as the future of public service broadcasting is being fiercely debated.
Channel 4 has made strong presentations for more support and the regulator Ofcom this month proposed a radical reorganisation of television channels to create an alternative provider of public service broadcasting to the BBC.
The salaries of BBC stars will not be hit by the company pay freeze and the axing of bonuses for 400 senior executives, the corporation said. Jonathan Ross, who earns £6million a year, Chris Moyles who is paid £630,000 and BBC Radio 2 presenter Terry Wogan, who is on £800,000 a year, are among 20,000 employees who will avoid the cuts, aimed at saving the BBC £20million. A spokeswoman for the BBC said today: "Our talent sign a contract at the BBC and that doesn't fluctuate through their period of working."
Reader views (4)
Sky Arts has had the effect on the Beeb that it's Board of Governers should have had years ago.
They are keeping Johnathon Ross though, so it's not all good news.
- Frank H., London., 29/01/2009 00:15
Report abuse
About time.
- Ex Tv Viewer, London, 28/01/2009 16:07
Report abuse
I would rather they stopped charging us to access UK Gold, which mostly shows BBC programmes we have already paid for via the licence fee, and showed them on BBC3 or 4 instead. You can take your arts...
- Nobby Clark, Perth, the Scottish one, 28/01/2009 15:57
Report abuse
This is good news for culture and intelligent programming and bad news for reality shows and 'Strictly'
- Dhanraj, Basildon Essex, 28/01/2009 15:27
Report abuse
