Lord Patten, BBC diversity, Robert Peston
BBC independence at serious risk says Lord Patten, Robert Peston's new show, BBC diversity
The Media Show · BBC Radio 4
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Show Notes
The former Chairman of the BBC Trust, Lord Patten, says that the independence of the BBC is at risk from parts of the government. Lord Patten, also the former Chairman of the Conservative Party, tells The Media Show that the Culture Secretary John Whittingdale is part of a "juvenile ideological fringe who, if given half a chance, will do the BBC real damage." We hear Lord Patten's own proposals for reforming BBC governance while safeguarding its freedom from political interference.
When Robert Peston moved from the BBC to ITV amidst much fanfare, he said it was the chance to front his own politics programme that swung the deal. That programme finally gets under way this Sunday morning. We hear from "Pesto" what to expect and how he's been coping out of the limelight so far.
The BBC has announced new diversity targets for ethnic minorities, women and LGBT people. But why, despite repeated campaigns, has it been so difficult for the BBC to live up to its diversity aspirations? And is the current picture on diversity quite as rosy as the BBC suggests? The BBC's Head of Diversity, Inclusion and Succession, Tunde Ogungbesan has been in the job almost a year. We hear from him and from critic of BBC diversity efforts David Lammy MP.
Presenter: Steve Hewlett. Producer: Paul Waters.