BBC director-general Matt Brittin outlines plan to reinvent the corporation in staff speech

Mixed · 2BBC director-general Matt Brittin addressed staff from the BBC Radio Theatre on Wednesday 7 October, setting out his vision for reinventing the corporation. 1 2 Centre · 1Brittin, who spent 20 years at Google and started at the BBC in May, told employees the BBC should "be more Elvis", meaning "A little less conversation, a little more action", and said he wanted to celebrate activity less and outcomes more. 1 Centre · 1According to Deadline, which obtained an audio recording, he called for decentralised decision-making, for digital to be treated as able to "be flagship", for quick building and testing of online products, and for acceptance that it is fine to "experiment and fail". 1

Centre · 1He said the BBC must recommit to its public service mission and "protect the magic of the BBC and change everything else". 1 Centre · 1Brittin introduced Manon Dave, head of future world design in the BBC's Media Tech unit, who showed iPlayer ideas including an AI agent called Iggy, a personalised "hero" image and a "Vegas mode"; Brittin said some would be tested with audiences "in the coming weeks". 1 Mixed · 3All three outlets report him quipping about an iPlayer people would want to use to "iPlayer and chill". 1 2 3

Mixed · 2Brittin did not announce TV channel closures, as had been expected, but said the BBC must decide when to move fully to on-demand, which "can be painful for audiences". 1 2 Right · 1The Daily Express read this as a hint that channels could be axed, a conclusion the quoted remarks do not state directly. 2 Right · 1He also said the BBC is "fighting the battle for prominence", wanting a BBC app on new TVs, links on car screens and a button on remote controls, and that every pound of licence fee money must work as hard as possible. 2

Centre · 1Challenged by a staff member on the BBC's risk-aversion, Brittin said he does not believe in "fail fast" but in "get better fast", and that the BBC should not "bet the BBC on one big risk". 1 Centre · 1Deadline said some staff were energised while others were sceptical; one insider said Google can afford consequences the BBC cannot, and noted Brittin mentioned "getting smaller" several times amid job cuts. 1 Left · 1The Guardian reported that Brittin faced a "barrage" of staff accusations in the all-staff call that frontline staff are being cut while "very bloated" senior ranks are spared, as the BBC rolls out a plan to cut as many as 2,000 jobs; one questioner called the BBC "an incredibly top-heavy organisation" and said "All the 'doers' are getting cut". 3

Left · 1Staff also criticised the reversal of a jobs promise to a cohort of apprentices who now face redundancy; Brittin conceded the BBC was "going to be smaller" but disputed that there was a general morale problem, saying "we also have a really powerful, motivated staff". 3 Left · 1Deputy director general Rhodri Talfan Davies said senior roles would also be affected, that no cohort of senior leaders is excluded, and that some of the steeper reductions have been at the most senior levels; the meeting was hosted by Radio 4 Today presenter Anna Foster. 3 Left · 1The Guardian said it understands the linear channels BBC Three and BBC Scotland will go to ease the BBC's finances, and that more cuts announcements are due in the next few days; it also reported an iPlayer version featuring BBC YouTube content and a government-BBC look at making anyone who watches any streaming service pay the licence fee. 3

Right · 1The Express added that less than a fortnight earlier, on Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg, Brittin discussed a household levy as one idea under discussion that could lower charges, while clarifying it is not what he is advocating; he noted 94% of households consume BBC content but only 80% pay. 2