“They just don’t get it” – The rot won't stop with only two gone at the BBC

Licence payer numbers dropping, prosecutions in freefall - Here is how we have a national broadcaster to be proud of

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A personal view from the Chairman of Facts4EU and CIBUK, on how to transform the BBC beyond recognition

Firstly, a mea culpa. I only ever watch, listen to, or read our national broadcaster’s output when I have to, in a professional capacity. So how am I qualified to condemn it as I do today?

I grew up in a household where it was the source of news and current affairs. The BBC started losing me softly years ago; a process that accelerated in recent years to the point where I now find its journalism to have fallen so far as to be a dark shadow of its former self. It is because of my professional responsibilities that I still have to experience in a limited way what it produces. That is enough to qualify me to write its obituary as an organisation in its current form.

At this point two shout-outs are called for. Firstly to Michael Prescott, the former BBC adviser and ‘whistleblower’, and secondly to Gordon Rayner at the Telegraph for exposing the latest scandals. Today the latter can be rightly proud during their morning news conference for having toppled the DG. That will take a few minutes before they move on, as I am doing, to the all-important question. What now?

Two resignations are meaningless

The resignations of the Director General and the Chief Executive of BBC News are irrelevant on their own. For the BBC to return to its former glory nothing less than a complete change of senior management is required. The letters which have been published last night beam a glow of ghastly magnificence over just how deep-rooted the problems are.

Below are some extracts. The emboldening is mine.

I would like to quote from the resignation letters of the likes of Jonathan Munro, the BBC’s global head of news content, but he and others have yet to do the decent thing.

‘Us versus them’ in a “polarised” world

Some more detailed suggestions for how these statements might be decoded appear further down, but the overriding message to BBC management and staff is apparently: “Nothing to see here”. The BBC is doing a wonderful job, is admired the world over, and it’s “us versus them” in this “increasingly polarised” world.

When you work in an enormous organisation like the BBC for 20 years, as the outgoing DG has done, it must be possible to believe that its belief system is normal. When managers employ Human Resources managers in their own image, who in turn recruit staff in their own image, within the space of 20 years you can feel content that everyone thinks as you do.

Well I have news for you, Mr Davis. They don’t. The majority of the people of the country whose culture and beliefs you are supposed to reflect have increasingly been thinking very differently to you - and to the thousands of fellow travellers you’ve signed up. In fact, I would argue that they have never believed in the things you believe in so passionately.

A wake-up call – the number of households without a licence is soaring

This chart, taken from the BBC’s own figures, should be a salutary warning to Mr Davie and his colleagues.

I believe in traditional British values but I’m not sure the BBC shares my beliefs

Both resignation messages to staff used the word ‘polarised’. I’m almost surprised Mr Davie wasn’t able to fit in the word ‘populist’.

It could not be clearer that senior management at the BBC see themselves as the bulwark standing against a tide of distasteful opinions expressed by the likes of Nigel Farage and his colleagues, and now increasingly used by some Conservatives. Indeed we are now even seeing some Labour MPs and ministers starting to employ terms that would have had them crying ‘wacist’ some years ago and running for the nearest safe space.

What now for the BBC?

As so often these days, Mr Farage said it most clearly. And this is a non-partisan observation.

Let’s take that further. A strong individual from the private sector, yes. This need not necessarily be someone with journalism experience. It could be someone with experience of running a commercial organisation, where its public face is vital to its success.

In an organisation the size of the BBC, one individual at the top will not be enough. He or she will need to appoint a team of 4-5 direct reports – senior managers of the same ilk. As directives start to be delivered down the food chain, some senior managers will resign in protest. This will save on the cost of firings, which will also be necessary.

Will there be strikes? Undoubtedly. The BBC now has around one-third (34%) of the audience share, according to the BARB figures for 2024. This means two-thirds watch other channels. If there are strikes, more people will watch the other channels available, and when the strikes are over the BBC may find it does not recover all those viewers and listeners. For the worldwide audience strikes would be regrettable, but at the end of it they will once again find themselves watching unbiased reporting on world events.

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Don't leave this to someone else. You are that 'someone else'.

Let’s not forget that compulsory licence fee - BBC took nearly £4bn from us in 12 months to Sept

In the 12 months to September of this year, the BBC took an astonishing £3.867 billion pounds off the public. (Source: Office for National Statistics.) That’s getting on for £4 billion, as a direct, compulsory tax. It’s one of the few taxes which people evade where they live in constant fear of a knock on the door.

The licence fee is controlled via the Communications (Television Licencing) Regulations 2004. As stated by TV Licencing:

Let’s take a look at what has happened to convictions for evading this tax

[ Sources: The BBC | BARB | X.Com ] Politicians and journalists can contact us for details, as ever.

Brexit Facts4EU.Org, Mon 10 Nov 2025

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