With looming job cuts and an ongoing pay dispute, there has not been much to smile about for BBC journalists working in “the pit” – their pet name for the newsroom deep in the belly of New Broadcasting House. On Monday afternoon, however, they were greeted by a grinning figure conducting a tour of the news floor. She was Rachel Jupp, the BBC’s newly appointed director of news and current affairs.
Jupp engaged in a series of polite if brief conversations with her new troops. It was a small but welcome gesture for a newsroom that had been desperate for a sense of direction from a new, permanent leader. The shock resignation of Deborah Turness, Jupp’s predecessor, was almost a year ago.
Frustration has grown among journalists awaiting a grand plan. Lay out a timeline and tell everyone what cuts are coming and what needs to be done.” Beyond the small talk, figures at all levels of the corporation acknowledge that Jupp faces a huge task. Running the world’s most scrutinised newsroom is a tall order at the best of times, even without the turmoil over pay and job losses.
Jupp takes the helm at BBC News as it is gripped by an angst-ridden debate about the place of its journalism in an increasingly digital world. It is one she has been tasked with resolving. It is a world in which the BBC’s hallmarks of impartiality and authority – and focus on television and radio news – are pitted against content creators and a myriad of other established media brands converging to reach audiences via a handful of smartphone apps.
Inside BBC News, a series of announcements about show closures and strategy shifts have fuelled a “clicks v public service” debate. There are competing views over how the BBC should adapt its content for commercially driven digital platforms favoured by younger audiences – while sticking to the corporation’s founding principles of informing the public. BBC News does all sorts of good things and it’s generally an impartial and fair service.
But it hasn’t been able to translate the authority of the really big brands of TV and radio into an online world.” Those concerned that the corporation is at risk of losing its bearings point to a BBC website piece about penis fillers or recent social videos of reporters holding cheap mics, content creator-style. Meanwhile, they fear flagship shows such as the Today programme or the 10 O’Clock News, which continue to attract large audiences, have not been nourished or championed online. Those pushing for a faster embrace of new platforms say it is clearly where audiences are heading and the broadcaster’s requirement to cater for everyone is at the heart of its public service remit.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
