Decommissioning the commissioners

BBC TV has started trailing the long way down - the exploits of actors Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman travelling down the longitudes.

Behind the scenes is one of the most adroit doc making cameramen/directors Caludio Von Planta, a good friend.

On his return we picked up the thread of a topic that could fill as many wikis that exist online.

With 20 odd years behind him, you'd think he'd be able to pick up the phone as a trusted director and say "hey what about this as an idea".

Not a chance.

Back in Commissioning land, it is the Commissioner that decides what stilll works.

Bring me a one legged gay moslem married across faith who is willing to go on record saying something we might consider a hint outrageous.

And so it goes.


fashionable TV
The new black in TV is often something that crept up in the night, revealed itself and then caught the imagination of the C people.

And next season we want to challenge notions of self and worth.

Well, reported in the press yesterday that Dr Watson's alleges black people are less intelligent than white is a green light in waiting. Don't say I didn't warn you.

foot note: Was this taking out of context, or was the quote clipped in such a way to support a wider atgument than a specific point. See here

The commissioning process is a feudal system. Knights of the Round Table where few are beckoned in and given a chalice to drink.

And so it should be, you might say. You're not a commissioner by any chance are you?

The New BBC
But in 2015 in the new slim line BBC, a BBC heading more towards a variant publishing house model, where a televisual era would have been ceded by a new net generation, will this antiquated system of approval still exist?

Arguably you want experts or do you to guide, but as final arbiters?

Net Visionary Dan Gilmore's story that he one day realised his audience knew more than him so he ceased to become the expert but more a facilitator is instructive.

So the BBC looks to shed a number of jobs. Black clouds indeed gather over the institution, but frankly the chop?

Where's the chop likely to go?

We'll find out in hours.

There are rafts of TV makers, the new multiple platform TV makers making their way through Unis just this moment.

They social network, takes soundings, understand it's a view of many.

If it isn't broke why fix it.

But it may well be that the undelying structure needs reform to meet the demands of an evolving society.

Is this not perhaps one reason The DG of the BBC, has by default, made cuts.

In an era where there's so much we need to know, and could know and have access to know, a few people determining what we see, sounds, feel, well, is interesting!

Look foward to the super commissioner, the reformed commissioner, the unlikely commissioner, but whatever you do in this new paradigm, look to find a way of including many.

Becauase in the database future, we the people willd decide with more ease that we do now at how programmes fit into our lives and in the short years ahead, they'll be more choice, better choice to make informed opinion.

Another reality show from the Network?

I would hope not

Claudio's off on his next project.