[Swprograms] Private Eye on BBCWS cuts

[Mike Barraclough <softbulletin1@xxxxxxxxx>]

The timing of the World Service's closure of 11
languages strands - including the Thai service just as
Thailand is undergoing a major constitutional crisis
and a Muslim rebellion in the south- could not have
been worse.

But that doesn't explain why many disillusioned BBC
producers and many others involved with English
programmes that have also been cut - like Praise of
God, Everywoman, Calling the Falklands and Pick of the
World- decided to boycott the official party to mark
their closure and "celebrate" their achievements.

Host at the sparsely attended gathering was Phil
Harding, also known as "the smiling assassin". Before
he settles into comfortable retirement with an
index-linked BBC pension, the ex-editor of Radio 4's
Today programme and ex-head of Radio Five Live seems
to be pulling down the structure of Bush House like
Samson in the Temple to make it virtually a news and
current affairs network only.

Harding had to be briefed before he made his speech
about the programmes he had axed and had to talk
about. He then promptly forgot to mention Pick of the
World, the World Service version of Pick of the Week,
and had to be prompted. You can imagine how well this
went down with the few who had bothered to turn up.

(Private Eye Media News, 14/4)


		
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