Re: [Swprograms] John Tusa BBCWS editorial in the Guardian

[Mike Barraclough <softbulletin1@xxxxxxxxx>]

Tusa's argument is fundamentally flawed. His first two
paragraphs are emotive bluster using phrases such as
cull and unequal sacrifice and making a contrast
between ten radio services and 'a single Arabic
television service' hoping the reader will not realise
that in fact this single Arabic television service
will cover a huge amount of territory. His point about
the BBC being seen to be a cold war journal de combat
rather than a broadcaster committed to free and
independent news and information I don't understand or
accept since the BBC will be judged by the Arab world
by its reporting, it certainly cannot be accused of
just broadcasting the UK government line on Iraq or
terrorism.

He then sees a request to start an Arabic television
service as a misjudgement. Presumably he would have
wished the BBC WS to have kept this a secret from the
Foreign Office.

He then says the BBC made a fundamental strategic
error by ever mentioning the word television.

Having got this far he then says radio is cheap per
listener per year, television very expensive. Does he
mean per listener per year. It appears so as he then
quotes this mathematical equation he has come up with
of ten radio services equals one television service.
Vividly illustrates this he boldly declares. 

Of course the ten radio services that are being
proposed to axed have, in the main, very few listeners
whereas the Arabic television service has the
potential of gaining a very large audience and will
cover a lot of countries as Arabic is a major language
unlike Greek , Bulgarian etc. So his per listener
maths equation collapses.

He then decides to keep throwing the word cull in as
well as repeating the one for ten line. Repeat things
often enough and they don't get challenged perhaps. 

At the end of the article he opines that international
broadcasting should not use television but solely
radio which to me seems to be his basic argument and
one I don't fully accept. If radio listening is low in
some countries you should look at other platforms. 

Mike

 
--- jfiglio1@xxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:

> Er, I think you'd best read his piece again because
> I think he agrees 
> with you more than you think.  Also, I don't believe
> his central 
> premise is what you appear to think it is.
> 
> First, Mr. Tusa concedes that "free and independent"
> is in large 
> measure (but not entirely) a perception, but argues
> it is an important 
> one to maintain if the value of the World Service
> (both generally and 
> to the Foreign Office) is to be preserved and
> maintained.  As a former 
> DG, I would expect that Mr. Tusa knows precisely how
> "free and 
> independent" the WS actually is.
> 
> Secondly, I think his primary point is that the BBC
> has conceded a 
> significant victory to the FO--both over future
> funding and 
> the "shape" or character of the WS of tomorrow-- in
> large part due to 
> a major tactical error by its management.  In
> effect, management 
> showed its hand too soon in this game of poker and
> the WS will suffer 
> that consequence for some time to come, fears Mr.
> Tusa.
> 
> FWIW, I think he's correct on both counts.
> 
> John Figliozzi
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Scott Royall <royall@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Date: Tuesday, November 1, 2005 3:11 pm
> Subject: Re: [Swprograms] John Tusa BBCWS editorial
> in the Guardian
> 
> > Mr. Tusa makes the common mistake of presuming
> BBCWS was ever 
> > "free and
> > independent." Yes, that's the reputation, but
> let's not forget the 
> > realitythat reputations are just as valuable as
> those paying the 
> > bills perceive. We
> > all know there have been times when the Beeb has
> intentionally been
> > partisan. This is one of those occasions.
> > 
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: swprograms-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> > [mailto:swprograms-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On
> Behalf Of Richard 
> Cuff
> > Sent: Tuesday, November 01, 2005 10:41 AM
> > To: Shortwave programming discussion; uk-radio-
> > listeners@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx: [Swprograms]
> John Tusa BBCWS 
> > editorial in the Guardian
> > 
> > John Tusa opines regarding the BBCWS decision to
> trade 10 radio
> > services for one TV service.  See
> >
>
http://politics.guardian.co.uk/media/story/0,12123,1604902,00.html.
> > 
> > He's concerned over the political motivations that
> appear to have
> > guided the decision.
> > 
> > Richard Cuff / Allentown, PA  USA
> > 
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