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New BBC DG

Is Mark Thompson (May 2004)

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DJ
DJGM
James Hatts posted:

Greg Dyke has told ITV News that he thinks it is "a good appointment"


Greg Dyke was asked about what advice he'd give to the newly appointed BBC DG. He responded . . .

Quote:

"One tip . . . watch your back!"


Had to chuckle at that comment, but since the Hutton Report fiasco, how very true it is . . .
BR
Brekkie
Katherine posted:
mansoor posted:
Channel 4 chief executive Mark Thompson is the new director general of the BBC.

Will he be good for the BBC? I don't know much about him.....


Well, Channel 4 has improved considerably over the last year, and while a few minutes ago I was concerned about the future of the BBC, it's now C4 I'm concerned about. Dawn Airey is favourite for that job!
ST
Still
Brekkie Boy posted:

Well, Channel 4 has improved considerably over the last year,


Has it? I was thinking earlier what a mess it's been lately. I don't know why but it feels as though the channel is in some sort of limbo and is just holding until something new comes along.

I expect I feel like this because so much of the schedule doesn't seem settled. How else can you explain so many episodes of Friends, no Breakfast show - the morning seems to be just space to fill with minimum effort, hence Will & Grace re runs. Which doesn't even mention the strange fixation with moving house/abroad.

Sorry if that is slightly off topic, but Channel 4 just seems like a huge almighty mess to me.... what do you think, and is it Mark Thompsons fault?
BR
Brekkie
Still posted:
Brekkie Boy posted:

Well, Channel 4 has improved considerably over the last year,


Has it? I was thinking earlier what a mess it's been lately. I don't know why but it feels as though the channel is in some sort of limbo and is just holding until something new comes along.

I expect I feel like this because so much of the schedule doesn't seem settled. How else can you explain so many episodes of Friends, no Breakfast show - the morning seems to be just space to fill with minimum effort, hence Will & Grace re runs. Which doesn't even mention the strange fixation with moving house/abroad.

Sorry if that is slightly off topic, but Channel 4 just seems like a huge almighty mess to me.... what do you think, and is it Mark Thompsons fault?


Good points about the breakfast slot (I'd imagine that'll be a priority for the new Chief Exec) and endless Friends, but under Mark Thompson ratings have risen and C4 are back in the black. And as for the "strange fixation with moving house/abroad", it's shared by the viewers with around 4m tuning into most 4 Homes programmes. C4 is also regularly beating it's bigger rivals in the ratings, mainly on Tuesday and Wednesday, and has received widespread critical acclaim for shows such as Shameless, Ramsey's Kitchen Nightmares, Wife Swap and Brat Camp.
NG
noggin Founding member
Katherine posted:
mansoor posted:
Channel 4 chief executive Mark Thompson is the new director general of the BBC.

Will he be good for the BBC? I don't know much about him.....


He was a long-serving BBC programme maker and Executive before he moved to Channel Four a couple of years ago.
RE
Re-it-er-ate
What's this bloke all about then? What is he likely to change? What direction is he likely to steer the BBC in?
BN
Breakfast News
Katherine posted:
B B C posted:
Breakfast News posted:
Search BBC News for something.

Nothing of much interest I'm afraid . . .

LOL! Twisted Evil


Ha ha
NG
noggin Founding member
Brekkie Boy posted:
Still posted:
Brekkie Boy posted:

Well, Channel 4 has improved considerably over the last year,


Has it? I was thinking earlier what a mess it's been lately. I don't know why but it feels as though the channel is in some sort of limbo and is just holding until something new comes along.

I expect I feel like this because so much of the schedule doesn't seem settled. How else can you explain so many episodes of Friends, no Breakfast show - the morning seems to be just space to fill with minimum effort, hence Will & Grace re runs. Which doesn't even mention the strange fixation with moving house/abroad.

Sorry if that is slightly off topic, but Channel 4 just seems like a huge almighty mess to me.... what do you think, and is it Mark Thompsons fault?


Good points about the breakfast slot (I'd imagine that'll be a priority for the new Chief Exec) and endless Friends, but under Mark Thompson ratings have risen and C4 are back in the black. And as for the "strange fixation with moving house/abroad", it's shared by the viewers with around 4m tuning into most 4 Homes programmes. C4 is also regularly beating it's bigger rivals in the ratings, mainly on Tuesday and Wednesday, and has received widespread critical acclaim for shows such as Shameless, Ramsey's Kitchen Nightmares, Wife Swap and Brat Camp.


Yep - I think that Mark Thompson had his work cut out unpicking many of the strategic decisions taken by the previous encumbent Michael Jackson (also tipped for the DG)

This included reducing the losses caused by the FilmFour production operation, and the E4/FilmFour digital channels, bringing Four back onto safe financial footing. I think it is widely agreed that Michael Jackson was popular at C4, but many of his decisions weren't the right ones (easy to say with hind-sight of course)
KA
Katherine Founding member
noggin posted:
Katherine posted:
mansoor posted:
Channel 4 chief executive Mark Thompson is the new director general of the BBC.

Will he be good for the BBC? I don't know much about him.....


He was a long-serving BBC programme maker and Executive before he moved to Channel Four a couple of years ago.

What BBC programmes was he responsible for creating?
NE
Neil__
Katherine posted:
What BBC programmes was he responsible for creating?

According to the 7 o'clock news on BBC3, Watchdog. And he was high up in Panorama for a while.
TO
tombas47
I must say good luck to the new boss! Lets hope he can turn the BBC around! I would like to see him do these things:

Sack Louise Berridge from EastEnders
Make some changes to BBC Breakfast
Get some new programs on BBC 1!
BN
Breakfast News
tombas47 posted:
Make some changes to BBC Breakfast


Hopefully. Greig Dyke said he didn't like the flowers on the old set, and they were removed. But in the end it is the Editors desision, or even Head of News. We'll just wait and see.

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