Big idea

Spare reading time this weekend could be well spent with a piece by the BBC's Controller of Archive Development, Tony Ageh. It's a thought-provoking re-intepretation of the concept of "Digital Public Space" - less of a giant cupboard for worthy mementos, more of a free playground, available to all, yet protected, secure and free from political and commercial pressures. If there were halcyon days of public service broadcasting in this country, this is an attempt to re-create them, worthy of attention - a proper analysis of the history of the licence fee, and a much bigger idea of what to do to in future, rather than just niggling over its size in pounds and pence, and jail sentences versus bailiffs.