Articles about Mark Thompson

BLOG: Looking deeper into the BBC Trust

BLOG: A lot of faffing about

BLOG: BBC Director-General gone

BLOG: The BBC’s Delivering Quality First initiative has certainly caused a few headlines for its treatment of local radio, however much less discussed has been its impact on the BBC’s regional TV output. However its changes there have been no less controversial.

Having people like Sir David Attenborough and Prof Brian Cox defending the BBC in front of a Lords communications select committee is worth much more than a thousand “Delivering public…

Ever since the last administration reclassified the UK TV licence fee as a tax (as opposed to a service charge) in 2006, there has been a theoretical danger that the…

Major news provision costs money. Of all people, Mark Thompson ought to know a thing or two when it comes to such matters, as well as the roles and responsibilities…

The BBC Trust has predictably had a rough ride since its inception, especially as it was initially created through political expediency as opposed to a natural requirement for change, therefore…

Strikes are never nice things even when you have 100% support from all concerned, but when it affects a group of people who appear to have relatively secure and reasonably…

It’s true that the BBC has now managed to secure licence fee funding for another six years, but only the most pessimistic would have thought anything otherwise under the circumstances;…

Perhaps a very predictable thing to happen to the TV licence fee given recent events, but the decision to freeze the fee until at least 2013 further highlights ongoing weaknesses…

It has taken a year after the infamous (and highly predictable, especially in retrospect) James Murdoch speech at the Edinburgh International Television Festival for the official “right to reply” from…

This was perhaps inevitable given the scale and nature of recent economic and political events; namely Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt publicly declaring that “he could “absolutely” see viewers paying less…

Pop Justice: Another quick thing about BBC radio then we’ll be quiet BBC chief: 6 Music listeners ‘at heart of commercial radio demographic’ Steve Lamacq attacks ‘public flogging’ of 6…

FT.com: Archives reveal BBC shared its fee It was perhaps inevitable that historical research into the BBC’s iicence fee would at some point unearth claims that the fee had previously…

MPs sign motion against top-slicing licence fee Ben Bradshaw attacks BBC bosses It was perhaps inevitable that there would now be open conflict between the BBC and certain government ministers…

BBC’s Mark Thompson attacks plans to ‘top-slice’ licence fee BBC pledges crackdown on ‘intrusive and humiliating’ broadcasts If politicians tend to live in a world of their own, as evidenced…

BBC must cut £400m from budget – Mark Thompson Back in December, the BBC’s projected shortfall for the next five years was going to be in the region of £140m….

How the call for aid to Gaza left the BBC in the thick of battle As the controversy surrounding the BBC’s stubborn refusal to air the DEC Gaza appeal rumbles…

BBC licence fee ‘digital surplus’ could help fund new PSB body, says Ofcom Ofcom: Report summary plus links to full versions Now that the long-awaited report from Ofcom has finally…

BBC director general backs merger of Channel 4 and Five It won’t be long before Channel 4 finds out its long term fate later this month, but before that happens…

Top Gear budget cuts will be visible, says Jeremy Clarkson’s partner It now seems to be the case that all BBC programming appears to be fair game in the quest…

Strictly Come Dancing voting fiasco sparks 200 complaints Although the BBC has promised to carry over all phone votes on this occasion so avoiding any direct accusations of fraud, the…

By suspending Ross and Brand, BBC boss Mark Thompson reveals himself a coward No matter what Mark Thompson and other BBC executives say or do from now onwards in relation…