Tuesday, August 27, 2013

You're on your own

If the Public Accounts Committee stick with September 9 for their second grilling of the BBC about severance pay and other matters, they've now got less competition for coverage. The opening of the Old Baily trial of Rebekah Brooks, Andy Coulson and others has been moved to October.

No word, yet, of accommodation between the disputing BBC sides, apparently set to clash over who knew what, and when, about what they approved in terms of golden goodbyes.

I am transported back to happier, rosier times, and this Observer interview with Lord Patten, from September two years ago, by Rachel Cooke.

How is his relationship with the director general, Mark Thompson? There are rumours that Thompson will soon be leaving the BBC. "I don't know what Mark's plans are. I was educated by the Benedictines, and he was educated by the Jesuits, which has certain implications." Like what? That he had the better deal? He laughs. "We occasionally go to the same church in Oxford – they really think there that the BBC is run from the pews of the Oratory. There is a Chinese phrase that describes a close relationship as being like lips and teeth. I don't think we'd ever want to be that close, but it's important that we do get on. It's important that people at the BBC trust me and recognise that, to an extent, we are all in this together."

No comments:

Post a Comment

Other people who read this.......