Comments on: Democracy, markets and the BBC http://adrianmonck.com/2008/05/democracy-markets-and-the-bbc/ views on the news business Sat, 27 Feb 2010 20:58:02 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Adrian Monck http://adrianmonck.com/2008/05/democracy-markets-and-the-bbc/comment-page-1/#comment-740 Adrian Monck Mon, 02 Jun 2008 20:58:39 +0000 http://adrianmonck.com/?p=978#comment-740 <b>@Nick</b> Democracy <i>is</i> the point of democracy. It doesn't 'do' much for the UK as a whole, but I haven't heard many people advancing that as an argument for dispensing with it. Reforming it, maybe... @Nick Democracy is the point of democracy.

It doesn’t ‘do’ much for the UK as a whole, but I haven’t heard many people advancing that as an argument for dispensing with it. Reforming it, maybe…

]]> By: Nick Reynolds (BBC) http://adrianmonck.com/2008/05/democracy-markets-and-the-bbc/comment-page-1/#comment-736 Nick Reynolds (BBC) Mon, 02 Jun 2008 09:28:58 +0000 http://adrianmonck.com/?p=978#comment-736 Giving licence fee payers a share in the governance of the BBC wouldn't change much. The BBC is not a government department - it doesn't need to be "democratic" in this way. It's not the NHS - its a creative, media organisation. Licence fee payers don't care that much about governance and seem to be happy with what they currently have got. What they do care about is content, programmes, creativity. They need to be given a share in the BBC's creativity, not its governance. They need to be let in so that they are a part of the creative process, not the governance. Giving licence fee payers a share in the governance of the BBC wouldn’t change much. The BBC is not a government department - it doesn’t need to be “democratic” in this way. It’s not the NHS - its a creative, media organisation.

Licence fee payers don’t care that much about governance and seem to be happy with what they currently have got. What they do care about is content, programmes, creativity. They need to be given a share in the BBC’s creativity, not its governance. They need to be let in so that they are a part of the creative process, not the governance.

]]> By: links for 2008-05-31 « A little Jack with that? http://adrianmonck.com/2008/05/democracy-markets-and-the-bbc/comment-page-1/#comment-727 links for 2008-05-31 « A little Jack with that? Sat, 31 May 2008 16:38:11 +0000 http://adrianmonck.com/?p=978#comment-727 [...] Democracy, markets and the BBC — Adrian Monck Kevin: Adrian Monck reflects on his recent talk at the BBC College of Journalism. “I’d argued that the BBC’s polling on trust was symptomatic of its top down, authoritarian governance.” (tags: BBC governance trust) [...] […] Democracy, markets and the BBC — Adrian Monck Kevin: Adrian Monck reflects on his recent talk at the BBC College of Journalism. “I’d argued that the BBC’s polling on trust was symptomatic of its top down, authoritarian governance.” (tags: BBC governance trust) […]

]]> By: Adrian Monck http://adrianmonck.com/2008/05/democracy-markets-and-the-bbc/comment-page-1/#comment-719 Adrian Monck Thu, 29 May 2008 21:39:09 +0000 http://adrianmonck.com/?p=978#comment-719 An elected trust/or D-G is at least a start. The issues then <em>are</em> the politics. And political devolution might address that from outside the British Broadcasting Corporation... An elected trust/or D-G is at least a start. The issues then are the politics. And political devolution might address that from outside the British Broadcasting Corporation…

]]> By: Alan in Belfast http://adrianmonck.com/2008/05/democracy-markets-and-the-bbc/comment-page-1/#comment-718 Alan in Belfast Thu, 29 May 2008 21:31:41 +0000 http://adrianmonck.com/?p=978#comment-718 Or to offer suggestions :) Or to offer suggestions :)

]]> By: Adrian Monck http://adrianmonck.com/2008/05/democracy-markets-and-the-bbc/comment-page-1/#comment-717 Adrian Monck Thu, 29 May 2008 21:17:36 +0000 http://adrianmonck.com/?p=978#comment-717 That's a great argument for not starting...I'd say the BBC is just one big, fat multi-billion pound example of the UK quango-cracy. Or, more politely, in an excellent position to occupy a leadership role in the governance reform of UK public life. Quango-cracy benefits=low corruption, 'Great and Good' managed inclusivity. Drawbacks=alienating, elitist, enervating effect on public life. I didn't become an academic to draw conclusions! That’s a great argument for not starting…I’d say the BBC is just one big, fat multi-billion pound example of the UK quango-cracy. Or, more politely, in an excellent position to occupy a leadership role in the governance reform of UK public life.

Quango-cracy benefits=low corruption, ‘Great and Good’ managed inclusivity.
Drawbacks=alienating, elitist, enervating effect on public life.

I didn’t become an academic to draw conclusions!

]]> By: Alan in Belfast http://adrianmonck.com/2008/05/democracy-markets-and-the-bbc/comment-page-1/#comment-716 Alan in Belfast Thu, 29 May 2008 20:58:12 +0000 http://adrianmonck.com/?p=978#comment-716 So name one organisation - commercial, public sector or charity - larger than 1000 people that looks democratic? (Cunningly, Parliament is <1000!) Does City University London practice absolute democracy? Student Councils? I know in the post above you've consigned (1) to the romantic notion bin, but how might you go about introducing more (informed) democratic say? Give Scotland a referendum on a Scottish Six? Allow the NI audience to vote on whether to pour the sports budget into GAA, Football, or both? I do fancy a balloon debate (Big Brother style) to choose the next Blue Peter presenter! So name one organisation - commercial, public sector or charity - larger than 1000 people that looks democratic? (Cunningly, Parliament is <1000!)

Does City University London practice absolute democracy? Student Councils?

I know in the post above you’ve consigned (1) to the romantic notion bin, but how might you go about introducing more (informed) democratic say?

Give Scotland a referendum on a Scottish Six? Allow the NI audience to vote on whether to pour the sports budget into GAA, Football, or both? I do fancy a balloon debate (Big Brother style) to choose the next Blue Peter presenter!

]]> By: Adrian Monck http://adrianmonck.com/2008/05/democracy-markets-and-the-bbc/comment-page-1/#comment-715 Adrian Monck Thu, 29 May 2008 19:27:56 +0000 http://adrianmonck.com/?p=978#comment-715 @Alan - There are plenty of ways the BBC solicits public opinion and input but none of them equate to democracy. Their nearest analogue is the kind of consultative despotism practised in some Gulf states. Surely we can do better! @Alan - There are plenty of ways the BBC solicits public opinion and input but none of them equate to democracy.

Their nearest analogue is the kind of consultative despotism practised in some Gulf states.

Surely we can do better!

]]> By: Alan in Belfast http://adrianmonck.com/2008/05/democracy-markets-and-the-bbc/comment-page-1/#comment-714 Alan in Belfast Thu, 29 May 2008 12:49:52 +0000 http://adrianmonck.com/?p=978#comment-714 > 1) The public gets let in to bring more direct democractic accountability over resources and priorities, and so legitimacy to the licence fee Isn't that the <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbctrust/about/audience_councils/index.html" rel="nofollow">Audience Councils</a> for England, Scotland, Wales and sunny Northern Ireland - expanded from the previous Broadcasting Councils, and now embedded in the BBC Charter settlement - councils' bringing a wide range of licence fee payers' perspectives to bear on the work of the Trust, and hence on the BBC's services in the UK. "... identification of audience priorities for BBC services (based on feedback and research within their respective nation) and the assessment of the BBC’s performance against its service licences, Public Purposes and annual Statement of Programme Policies." It's not the only way that the public are listened to (by the Trust or the day-to-day Executive), nor the only way that the public influence the course that the BBC sets, but seems like one of the ways. And I guess it's not absolute democracy - but it's an intentional and listened to method of feeding audience perception and desire into the services that are funded by everyone's licence fee. > 1) The public gets let in to bring more direct democractic accountability over resources and priorities, and so legitimacy to the licence fee

Isn’t that the Audience Councils for England, Scotland, Wales and sunny Northern Ireland - expanded from the previous Broadcasting Councils, and now embedded in the BBC Charter settlement - councils’ bringing a wide range of licence fee payers’ perspectives to bear on the work of the Trust, and hence on the BBC’s services in the UK.

“… identification of audience priorities for BBC services (based on feedback and research within their respective nation) and the assessment of the BBC’s performance against its service licences, Public Purposes and annual Statement of Programme Policies.”

It’s not the only way that the public are listened to (by the Trust or the day-to-day Executive), nor the only way that the public influence the course that the BBC sets, but seems like one of the ways.

And I guess it’s not absolute democracy - but it’s an intentional and listened to method of feeding audience perception and desire into the services that are funded by everyone’s licence fee.

]]>