Oné of my favourite quotes on democracy (disowned by its originator alas), comes from British educator Derry Hannam:
Learning about democracy and citizenship in school is a bit like reading holiday brochures in prison.
Why do I trawl that quote up?
Well, BBC Director-General Mark Thompson, in an interesting and wide-ranging speech addressing the trust gap in public life, comes up with a key goal for the BBC:
to transform the way we connect British democracy – and all its many democratic institutions – to the public.
I don’t know about you, but I’m more concerned about Britain’s undemocratic institutions. The BBC, for example.
Until the BBC takes democratising itself seriously, I for one find it hard to take Thompson’s message seriously.
It’s a pity really. The BBC’s own governance makes a mockery of the values it is charged with promoting. Discuss…
And — thanks to the Telegraph — you’ll have a chance to ask him just that this afternoon at 1530 GMT (Wednesday, 16 January, 2008) when he joins them for an online chat.
I was at the speech and it was interesting that no-one seemed to pick up on how the BBC is now taking responsibility (through BBC Education) for spreading the government’s citizenship agenda. It’s not necessarily sinister but it does seem a step beyond what a broadcaster normally does.
Charlie Beckett