Speech by Sir Michael Lyons, BBC Chairman, to the Voice of the Listener and Viewer seminar.
30 June 2010


Go to:-

http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbctrust/news/speeches/vlv.shtml

for the whole speech.

"So today I can announce a number of initiatives that address these concerns.

Firstly: on financial responsibility.

........ the second area where we want to see the BBC doing more: the area of efficiency.

......  The third area where we are asking the BBC to go the extra mile is in increased transparency over how the BBC spends the public's money.


...... The fourth area where the Trust wants to see tougher action by the BBC is on pay."



There are clear signs that things are moving in the right direction on the pay agenda – as of the end of May, the number of senior managers has been reduced by 24 leading to £7.76 million off the pay bill.


The speech ends as follows:-

"In conclusion, let me outline the vision that we have for the BBC's future.
The Trust exists to get the best out of the BBC for licence fee payers. So we strongly support the Director General's commitment to high quality content that audiences love, whether that be Doctor Who, the recent election coverage or Wimbledon.

But we think there is further to go. We want to see a relentless drive to fill the whole BBC with a clear sense of a public service mission.

As I said at the beginning, the BBC has to recognise the responsibilities that come with being a publicly funded body in turbulent economic times and also recognise its own potential to work with industry partners to contribute to the reshaping of the UK economy.

We must be vigilant in resisting any temptation to act like an international commercial organisation, either in terms of our salary policies or our priorities. We must have a better relationship with the industry, building trust and working collaboratively in the transition to digital.

We think there is further to go in delivering demonstrably better value for money by the BBC; in making more of the BBC's spending decisions open and transparent.

Above all, the BBC must focus its energies on what really matters: commissioning and producing the highest quality new ideas. Ideas that are significantly different from what other broadcasters provide, across the full range of BBC programming. Ideas that don't necessarily mean seeking the biggest audience for each and every programme.

These are bold and ambitious goals. But by reaching them, and by doing so in a way that displays acute and continuing concern about value for money, the BBC will make the case for continued public funding with unanswerable force.

Thank you for listening."



What do members of the forum think? Please post your comments.

More hyperbole, more waffle, which, I suppose, will result in another useless round of chaotic and badly-planned reorganisations. Ever since 'Producer Choice' (remember that?) the BBC has been tearing itself apart because no-one can get a grip on what they're doing.

The only slight glimmer of hope lies in the phrase 'We want to see a relentless drive to fill the whole BBC with a clear sense of a public service mission.', which, if you strip away the New Labour style of rhetoric, sounds more like Lord Reith's original concept of the BBC. Sadly, the Corporation seems more concerned with making a profit from selling DVDs or other services rather than being the 'public service broadcaster' that it once was. But time will tell...