digibyte - BBC boss bombs over Apple comparison, but TechUK has the right idea
- Summary:
- BBC's Director of Digital fails to make the case for the Corporation. TechUK's got a better angle on this.
Couple of quick follow ups to the BBC Charter review consultation story from yesterday, both with a tech/digital angle, one positive, one hopeless.
The hopeless one comes from James Purnell, the BBC’s Director of Strategy and Digital, who was wheeled out on current affairs show Newsnight to make the case for the BBC and its current operating model.
Defending the fact that the BBC’s revenue from its various interests has risen from £3.7 billion to £5.1 billion over the past 10 years, Purnell’s line was to argue that the Corporation needs to earn more money as it’s not doing as well as Apple!
He said:
In the time of the last charter we’ve gone from being the same size as Apple, in terms of global revenues, [to] 25 times smaller.
Hmmm…perhaps if the BBC had invented the iPod, the iPhone and the iPad, things would be so much different.
Chump! The BBC will have to do better than this nonsense to fend off its enemies in the coming months.
Certainly there was no love lost on Twitter following his TV appearance.
A better idea
A more articulate and convincing argument comes from IT industry trade association TechUK, whose director of operations Paul Hide says:
Technology has had a profoundly positive impact on our lives over the last decade. In the context of the media world, the way people are watching TV, listening to radio and consuming content and services have changed dramatically – with widespread internet access making on-demand, on-the-go access to content and services more and more available.
This is a positive opportunity to make sure that the next BBC Charter fully takes into account the impact of technological advances. As one of the largest and most innovative public service broadcasters in the world, the BBC is capable of having a significant impact on the UK consumer technology market. Decisions taken by the BBC with regards to technology roadmaps and distribution methods not only have an impact on the cost of devices and services enjoyed by UK consumers, but on the very competitiveness and sustainability of the UK technology sector itself. Just as the BBC has a remit to support the UK creative economy, a similar such remit for the tech economy must be included in the new Charter.
We also believe that it is in the interest of licence fee payers and viewers that the BBC should look to European and Global common standards and platforms, particularly relating to Digital Terrestrial TV, on which to deliver their content and not develop bespoke UK-specific technologies that drive up unnecessary additional cost.
The review of the scale and scope of the BBC must take into account these issues to ensure that the BBC supports the wider creative and digital industries.
My take
If Purnell’s performance is the best the BBC could manage, then there’s a lot of work needs to be done. The PR mishandling of the letter to the government from stars of stage, screen, music and literature supporting the BBC, also points to some inept processes in place inside the Corporation that need sharpening up.
At least TechUK makes a positive case for some potential benefit to emerge from the Charter Review consultation.