You’ll no doubt have noticed already various bits and pieces about the BBC on this blog. Yes, i know I sound bitter, maybe as though I’m jealous of what they do, but that really isn’t the case. I’m more than happy to acknowledge that I enjoy a great deal of what the BBC does, both in radio and television. Indeed, much of the BBC’s radio output is a source of inspiration to me. Of the national radio networks I particularly enjoy much of Radio 2, a fair amount of Radio Five Live, and occasional programmes on Radio 4. I don’t deny in any way the quality of what the BBC produces. But there are some things about this broadcasting giant that really irritate me. Not in a Daily Mail reading “you really ought to be offended by this” way either. That sort of BBC bashing is probably more annoying than the actual things that irritate me. It’s a couple of things in particular that I find frustrating, and patronising.
First of all, the disproportionate level of industry recognition the BBC gets for its work, as though no other sector can possibly do things as well as they do. In many ways, it’s not about being as good as, or being right or wrong. It’s doing things differently, that really ought to be acknowledged. This in particular becomes noticable at things like the Sony Radio Academy Awards. As I’ve reblogged below, Simon Walker has made a blog post on this very subject. Have a read. The number of awards the BBC applied for, and the amount of (licence fee!) money they spent, is frankly shocking. It’s quite right that the BBC should win awards. But submitting 500+ entries? Is that reasonable? Commercial radio, community radio, student radio, hospital radio, prison radio… all of those other bits of the radio industry added together barely compete. The BBC were even nominated for an award for best radio ad or trailer! Come on! A part of what makes this so annoying is that it seems money is no object for the BBC. They can make as many applications for Sony awards as they like to maximise their chances of winning. Here at Tameside Radio, we had a serious discussion about whether the application fee of £100 was worth it to make just one application. Had money been no object, there were probably half a dozen categories that we could have made a reasonable entry in. But we couldn’t justify the money, or the time involved to put those entries together. Not only do the BBC enter their national networks for these awards, but the 40 local/regional radio stations also enter. In this instance, I really do think that the sheer number of entries they make is the reason they’re so well represented, rather than any huge difference in quality over the other sectors. It would not be a like-for-like comparison for me to say “Tameside Radio is better than BBC Radio Manchester.” The truth is, our stations do different things. But I do think what we do deserves recognition. I’m sure Tameside Radio is connecting with an increasing number of a wide range of people in our area, whilst stuffy old Radio Manchester carries on doing the same old same old. The problem is, the radio industry as a whole, and in particular the BBC, have a perception that community radio is a great idea, because it gives everybody a chance to “have a go at radio”, but that the quality of the output will be poor because of that. Some community stations are like that. But others, like ours, have real production values, with the listener at the heart of what we do. There other radio industry awards, namely the Arqiva’s, which the BBC are not involved in. That’s because they’re for commercial radio only. Oh. We can’t enter those either, despite, I’m sure, being able to compete well in terms of quality of output. Perhaps there ought to be a “local radio awards” or similar, so the smaller stations, of different sectors, can compete, and be recognised, without having to be up against the huge national BBC networks, or be excluded on the grounds of not being members of a particular trade body. Simon obtained the information about the BBC’s Sony entries by making FOI (Freedom of Information) requests, which were then discussed on the Radio Academy’s podcast. There’s a link to that below as well, if you’d like to have a listen. Although, the way the questions are dodged, the people on the panel could have a good career in politics ahead of them if they choose not to work in broadcasting!
Another link i’ve posted below is to an article on The Times Online about the Media City development in Salford. Some poor BBC staff in London are in need of counselling at the thought of moving North! Get a grip! Why is London the centre of the universe? For so long, if you want to work in national broadcasting, you pretty much had to be in London. I think it’s quite right that the national state broadcaster should have a major presence somewhere other than the capital. The BBC’s London-centric attitude has long been debated. I can even remember watching Blue Peter as a child, and asking my mum why all the exhibitions and interesting places they suggested visiting seemed to be in London. Only last week, I tweeted the question that I was wondering what proportion of editions of Question Time were from London and the South East, compared with other parts of the UK. It seems so far, some things don’t change. I hope they do in the future!
