The BBC - Bringing Us Sunshine since 1922

I've always been a keen fan of the BBC as I mentioned previously in this blog here.

Like with any institution, it has had its fair share of ups and downs over the years but its most recent trailer, to me, manages to epitomise in 60 seconds, all that is great about the BBC.

It manages to combine the rich heritage of the BBC with the modern programming of today.

Beginning with the legendary '4291' clip from One Foot in the Grave, we then move forward into the Morecambe & Wise signature tune 'Bring Me Sunshine' with the imaginary twist of seeing our modern day BBC heroes mouthing those famous words sang by the immortal Eric and Ernie some 40 years earlier.



It's a great BBC trailer and most importantly, it made me smile and reminded me why I love the BBC so much.

It brought me sunshine so, job done!

Brian Hanrahan - 1949-2010

Brian Hanrahan, one of the most insightful of BBC journalists, has sadly passed away at the age of 61.

He covered, with his carefully crafted words, some of the major world events of the past 30 years. He was well respected by his peers and will be missed by those of us who have much respect for journalists of substance.

It is ironic that just a week after Britain's Harrier Jets were de-commissioned, the man who famously 'counted them out and counted them back in' during the Falklands War, has passed away.

To get around Ministry of Defence restrictions, he cleverly stated: "I'm not allowed to say how many planes joined the raid, but I counted them all out and I counted them all back - their piolots were unhurt, cheerful and jubilant".

For me personally, because of my tender age I suppose, I mostly associate him with the fall of the Berlin Wall. Those glasses and that calm delivery whilst hysteria and delirium was breaking out all around him will forever stay with me.

There's nothing better than excellent journalism which becomes as much a part of the story as the story itself. It isn't a matter of saying too much but a matter of knowing what to say, when to say it and when to shut up. The BBC have got the best reputation for this in my opinion and Brian Hanrahan epitomised that excellence.

As has just been reported on the BBC News, he was "A very decent man who will be much missed".

RIP Brian Hanrahan - 1949-2010

A Russian World Cup? England, Get Over It.

It would've been nice to have seen a Football World Cup in England I must admit. 44 years and waiting and it will be another generation until there's another opportunity.

But, please....calm down!

It really isn't the end of the world. The Universe hasn't come crumbling down on us.

There are actually rather more important things that we need to get right, right now. We're told that a World Cup here would've brought hundreds of millions of pounds into the British economy. Well, that's as well as maybe but there was no guarantee that we'd got it in the first place so we haven't actually lost anything. Indeed, the FA paid £15m in bidding for the tournament and as this BBC article shows, English Councils paid £2.1m themselves as a part of the bid.

FIFA Bias?

I think there can be little doubt that Sepp Blatter, the FIFA President had little enthusiasm for an Enlgish World Cup. Certainly, his association with these Isles have always seemed to have been luke warm to me. The Panorama revelations of last week certainly didn't help and would've given Sepp more power to his elbow.

Panorama has in my opinion, every right to publish what they felt were the facts. Admittedly however, I think it would've been wiser for them to have held back just one week until after yesterday's result. They could still have told the world about their investigations but not imperilled England's World Cup chances whilst doing it.

But in a way, that's by-the-by. England only got 2 votes out of the 22 in the end and were unceremoniously knocked out in the first round of voting. I doubt they'd have got much more even if it wasn't for the controversies that surrounded the vote.

Horizons New - Eastern Europe & the Middle East
FIFA are clearly keen on expanding their World Cup vision to new, untapped commercial lands. Their giving the 2010 World Cup to South Africa was controversial at the time but it turned out to be an excellent competition with security concerns allayed.

Not we're looking eastwards at Russia for 2018 and quite incredibly, Qatar in 2022.

Did Russia use their 'resources' to ensure that they won the vote? Quite probably. What about Qatar? It's as much of a gamble for FIFA as choosing South Africa had been or as it had been for the IOC when they chose China to host the 2008 Olympic Games.

The questions about human rights will arise from the Qatari bid and indeed the 'mafia' culture that is said to exist in Russia should've held more sway with those who voted right? Well, clearly not. The commercial call is a powerful one and breaking into new territories has been the way with FIFA for some time now since they broke into Asia with the Japan/South Korea World Cup in 2002.

Chin Up, Move On

This is the world we live in. FIFA are looking further afield and there's no point getting too het up about it. Until they decide to look again at the more 'traditional' footballing nations to host the game's centrepiece then there's no reason why England need care or bother.

Because at the end of the day, if England are good enough to win the World Cup, then like the likes of Brazil, Germany, Italy, Argentina, Uruguay and Spain they will be able to win a World Cup on foreign soil.

Or is that the problem...do English fans only think they can win the World Cup in their own country as they did in 1966? Maybe there's a deeper sense of insecurity there than they'd care to admit...

A Chilean Fairytale

I stayed up until 5am this morning to watch the start of the Chilean mining rescue mission. I'm so glad that I did and even in my small way here in Cardigan, in years to come when the world looks back at what is one of its greatest achievements, I'll be able to say 'I was there'.

Forget the talk of tuition fees, October 12th 2010 will go down in history throughout the world, and in Chile in particular, as the day when a great tragedy was turned around to become a human triumph for 33 men and for mankind.

Chile's Finest Hour
I've been memerised my this developing story ever since that face was seen pressed up against the camera that had been sent down to find signs of life after the mine collapse on August 5th. After 17 days of expecting the worse, suddenly, there was jubiliation at the knowledge that the miners were still alive. Since then, there's been the slow but gradual progress towards getting them back to safety.

I wasn't going to miss the start of this rescue operation so I've been awake all night, watching the excellent live coverage on BBC News 24. Its been a humbling, moving, emotional, wonderful experience.

Because this really does touch us all. Yes, they're miners and this is what they do, but no-one has ever survived being effectively buried alive in this way for such a length of time. When the final miners come up tomorrow, they'll have been down there, over 600m below ground in an air-less cavern, for 70 days.

A 19th century Disaster in a 21st century world
What has made this disaster turned fairytale something unique from past experiences of hope over adversary, is the fact that technological advances have meant that we've been far more in touch with the minutiae of developments. We've been able, for example, to watch the miners in their 'new' homely surroundings, deep underground during their incarceration. We've been able to see the messages that have been sent down to them below from loved ones. We have watched as the President held aloft to the camera for his father to see, the new born baby born above ground to a miner, half a mile below it. We have watched as a quiet Chilean corner has suddenly become the centre of the media universe. Has the South American continent ever seen anything like this level of world-wide coverage since the days of the Falklands War in 1982 or the days of Eva Perón in the immediate post-war days of the late 40's and early 50's?

This has surely put Chile on the map for the best of reasons. Not since the days of General Pinochet has this nation found itself caught in the glare of public interest. Thankfully, as opposed to those dark days of the 70's and 80's, this time it's there for the right reasons.

Florencio Avalos - A Name for the Ages
The sight of the first rescued miner, Florencio Avalos, making it back to the surface at 4am this morning in that tiny, remarkable capsule, Phoenix 2, was incredible. It was not just the arrival back of the first of the miners, but it was the knowledge that this feat of engineering had worked to rescue one of the miners and therefore gave the families waiting in 'Camp Hope', the confidence that it would do the same for the remaining 32.

Florencio looked so calm and physically strong on his return after such an ordeal. An incredible sight. But what we all wanted to see, was the happy reunion between father and family. We weren't let down and I for one have to admit to sheding quite some tears at this moment of ecstasy, joy and relief.

10 saved, 23 to go
We're not finished yet of course. At the time ot typing, 10 of the miners have been winched to safety. There's still another 23 underground as well as the technical and medical support down there. But each one is being greeted at the surface like a conquering hero - and rightly so.

It will be difficult for them to cope with the sudden media celebrity that they have unwittingly found themselves thrust into. They never planned for this - but this is what they'll have to deal with. Each individual is a human story in his own right and I can see Hollywood types rubbing their hands in glee at the thought of turning this event into a feel-good action movie. After all, who could have made this up? This is far better than fiction.

Well done BBC
Speaking of the media, I must say that the BBC coverage last night has been particularly impressive. It's been informative but also compassionate. I was particularly impressed at the abilitiy of its two reporters, Matt Fri and Tim Wilcox to interview family members and local names of note in their native Spanish tongue. This was certainly much more impressive than the crass 'Miners Rescued - 0 of 33' scorecard that has been displayed on Sky News which has irked me greatly.

Mankind's Finest Hour?
This is a human story without parallel. This has been the story of triumph over adversary. The story of everyday miners who through no fault of their own will now become worldwide celebrities. A story of human engineering ingenuity to beat unbelievable odds. A story of patience, courage and hope. A story of mankind at its best.

It has been a sobering few hours. When you stand back and realise what has been achieved here, it really does take the breath away. I'm a historian, so I do tend to look at global events such as this with the wider perspective of history. I can honestly say that in years to come, mankind will look back at this rescue mission with great pride as one of it's defining moments.

We went to the moon, we built the pyramids, we witnessed the works of Shakespeare and Schubert's Ave Maria, we developed modern medicine and vaccinations, we climbed Everest, we learnt how to fly and we learned with science through the likes of Aristotle, Newton and Einstein of the nature of human existence.

I feel that we can now proudly add to that list of achievements the fact that we, mankind, also managed to rescue miners, after 69 days of incarceration, from a living Chilean hell.

Well done Chile - this has been your finest hour.

BBC Strike - Right in Principle, Wrong in Practise

I'm a fan of the BBC. There, I've said it.

In fact, I support the BBC License Fee. There, I've said that too.

I always have been a fan of the BBC and I'm happy to pay my license fee on an annual basis. Why? Well, I'm rather proud of this rather unique institution that we have which strives to provide us with good quality programming. A service which strives to deliver impartial, cutting edge political discourse.

You don't like paying the fee? You want to scrap it? Then that's fine. But just you remember that the alternative is a great risk. A very great risk. The alternative is an open market service that will be at the beck-and-call of it's owners and their own political and cultural agenda.

My News, Not their News
Do I want a Fox News based service here in the UK? No, I don't. Do I want a service ran by a small group of wealthy individuals such as Rupert Murdoch? No I don't.

Do I want a service which is designed for all and not for the few? Yes I do. Am I willing to pay for that privelege? Yes I am.

BBC Staff Strike
I've therefore been rather concerned to read about the potential BBC 2-day strike next week during the Conservative Party Conference. The unions that represent the camera crews, engineers and journalists, Bectu, Unite and the NUJ had called the strike in protest at the ending of the BBCs final salary pension scheme. The management announced a 1% limit on future pension increases to fill what is claimed to be a £1.5bn hole in their pension fund.

The staff have a right to protest and a right to strike if they feel that such a move is required to make their point. Indeed, feelings are not unreasonably running high. I was speaking to one member of the BBC in west Wales yesterday and it's clear that there's an anger at the Corporation's decision. Specifically there's a feeling that those who put the programmes together are taking the hit as opposed to the management and the high profile stars we see on the screen with their high salaries. Personally, I'd be much happier seeing those on the factory floor who are putting the BBC programmes on the air getting their fair share than seeing the ridiculous sums that have been paid in the past to 'personalities' such as Johnathan Ross. Admittedly, it leaves the BBC at the risk of losing star names to the commercial networks who can offer more, but I think the BBC need to get the balance right - it certainly isn't at the moment.

Don't Make It Political
So I have much sympathy for those BBC workers who are pretty p***ed off with their management and if they feel that striking is the way forward, then good luck to them.

However, striking in the middle of the Conservative Conference is just plain wrong. Indeed, doing so during any such political event is a retrograde move.

One of the reasons I pay my licence fee is for a decent, impartial, non-partisan news service. I am not paying for a boycott of a significant political occasion. I want to hear what the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, in these austere times, has to say - even if he isn't of my party.

Thankfully in the last 24 hours, this potential strike has been put on the back-burner as a management counter-offer has come forward for the workers to consider. Yet, the threat is that the 2 day boycott could now take place on October 19th and 20th in the middle of the critical comprehensive spending review, annouced by Chancellor George Osbourne.

DON'T DO IT!

We have a right to know and have access to these important, newsworhy developments that will directly impact on our lives. I've paid for the BBC to tell me all of this - I don't expect to have to resort to Sky News to find out what's happening.

So it annoys me greatly that the Unions are pushing for these dates. To me it stinks of partisan manouveres. It is to Ed Miliband's great credit then that he came out yesterday against the strike in the middle of Tory Conference week. As he rightly said:

"Whatever the rights and wrongs of the dispute, they should not be blacking out the prime minister's speech. My speech was seen and heard on the BBC and in the interests of impartiality and fairness, so the prime minister's should be."

Spot on Ed. It's a shame that the Unions disagreed with him. Bectu's response was quite incredible:

"As a Labour Party affiliate, Bectu places on record its dissatisfaction with Ed Miliband's statement. The leader's intervention is not helpful and is dismissive of our actions as a responsible trade union which has been negotiating with the employer on this issue for three long months."

BECTU - YOU ARE WRONG

You have the right to strike and it's understandable that you want maximum exposure. But don't do that in a way that prejudices and puts into question the BBC's very political neutrality.

It goes without saying, that this whole episode and this reponse from Bectu, infuriates me.

Listen to Nick Robinson
As much as I can't stand the man, Nick Robinson and his fellow 30 senior BBC journalists who signed a letter requesting a change of tact, are correct.

If the desire is to have maximum impact, then the unions need to strike at a time BBC audience figures are at their peak. As it's the live programming that will particularly suffer from any strike, why not for example, strike on a weekend when 'Strictly Come Dancing' should be on our screens? It will have a great impact and will make the point but will not threaten the BBC's reputation for fairness and potentially give it an impression of political bias.

The Tories hate the Beeb
It's for their own good too. At the end of the day, the Tories have never liked the Beeb. It's considered too 'liberal' or too 'lefty'. The worst thing that the Unions could do would be to antagonise the Tories now that they're back in power and give them an extra excuse to make changes to the BBC's Charter.

Have your fight with the management, but don't do it in a way that could damage the BBC in the long-run.

It's in no-one's interest to see a diminished BBC - particularly the unions. They need to see sense and strike at a time when they can maximise their protest, without risking the BBC's hard earned reputation for political fairness and impartiality.