The BBC, the UK’s public broadcaster, is performing well and remains reliable despite much recent controversy and scandal. That was among the messages shared by BBC managing editor Rhodri Talvan Davies at the Enders TMT Leaders Live conference in London on Thursday.
The executive, who served as interim director general of the BBC until former Google executive Matt Brittain recently took over.
He also discussed the “corporate noise” that tends to hit the BBC from time to time, and said: “This is an organization that wins” because the public wants a “solid foundation” of trust.
He stressed that this type of news work at the level provided by the British Broadcasting Corporation “BBC” is “a hell of a responsibility… and a great honor.”
Brittain began his job at the BBC on 18 May, succeeding Tim Davie, who resigned after critical editorial errors, including a particularly explosive Trump row, caused headlines and debate.
Other recent criticisms and scandals include the criminal conviction of former BBC news presenter Hugh Edwards on charges relating to images of child sexual abuse, and allegations of inappropriate behavior against former broadcaster Hugh Edwards. Master Chef Allegations of bullying by star Gregg Wallace on the set of the hit series Strictly Come Dancingthe live broadcast of chants of “Death, death to the IDF” from Bob Phelan’s musical act at Glastonbury, a BBC doc in Gaza found to have ties to Hamas and the BAFTA Film Awards fiasco.
Brittain, a Cambridge graduate, joined McKinsey as a consultant outside the university before becoming commercial director at Trinity Mirror, owner of Trinity Mirror. Daily Mirror. In January 2007, Brittain joined the executive ranks at Google.
Davies was asked how he dealt with the various criticisms leveled at the BBC, and he joked: “It’s a walk in the park.” But he added: “Even when you have tough days, you remind yourself how great this organization is. It is still, despite all the competition, the number one media brand in the UK, and the most trusted news service, so “there are a lot of good things to celebrate.” But when you put yourself on the front line of UK politics and the front line of global politics,… [what] “This represents a very large burden.”
Previous speakers at the Enders conference have included Sky CEO Dana Strong.
