The Stage

Writer’s Guild fears for BBC independence

Published Tuesday 10 February 2004 at 10:35 by Ruth Gillespie

BBC drama and comedy writers must fight to preserve the independence and integrity of the Corporation in the aftermath of the Hutton Inquiry, general secretary of the Writer’s Guild Bernie Corbett has warned.

Speaking to The Stage, Corbett said many members of the Guild have expressed concerns about the future of the BBC as a “fearless public service broadcaster” not just in news but in drama, comedy and other entertainment material after Lord Hutton criticised the company’s editorial controls as “defective”.

Corbett said: “Censorship and stultifying caution are not just issues for journalists. Creative writers also need freedom of speech and the ability to make programmes on the cutting edge. There are many opportunities during the commissioning and script editing processes for over-caution or insidious self-censorship and writers must be alert and blow the whistle if the BBC starts to lose its nerve under political pressure.”

Earlier this month the Corporation denied accusations that the fourth series of Radio 4 satirical comedy Absolute Power would be put on hold because of concerns in the wake of the Hutton report that its content “would upset Number Ten”.

However, a spokesperson admitted there were fears within the company that it might be inappropriate to broadcast the show, which makes fun of Tony Blair and Alastair Campbell, so soon after the publication of Lord Hutton’s report into the row between the government and the BBC. Head of BBC radio light entertainment John Pigeon later admitted there had been a number of edits to the programme.

Author Carole Hayman, whose latest novel Hard Choices began life as a BBC television commission, said: “In the light of the recent extraordinary events I wonder, as a regular contributor to BBC Drama and Comedy, about the possible repercussions for this side of BBC radio and TV. Hutton’s judgement raises issues about freedom of the press, of course, and if the BBC starts looking over its shoulder at government all the time, we’ll be entering a journalistic culture of fear, ultimately destructive of free speech and any kind of democracy.

“But I am also worried - as I know are people inside the BBC - about the knock-on consequences for programme making generally. For example, are the BBC never again to be allowed to make a political drama or political satire? Will anyone there dare to commission it?”

This comes in the same week as the BBC has announced an £8 million line-up of topical arts programmes on primetime television to combat years of criticism that it has neglected high culture.

A contemporary arts unit will generate news items, short films, discussions and reviews to be shown on BBC2 displacing some of the lifestyle and makeover shows that have prompted accusations of dumbing down.

Spokeswoman Claire Bowers said: “This is the biggest single new commitment to arts broadcasting. It is part of big strategy which has been planned over the last couple of years and now we are going forward with it. We are currently in the process of appointing an editor who will be in charge of the creative output.

“It is definitely fair to say that two or three years ago the BBC did put up their hands and admit they hadn’t been focussing on arts enough, but it was a general problem across the industry. It made a commitment to change that, but you don’t get an overnight transformation. It can take years. We want the new programmes to be fresh and use this as a chance to create even more and that should be realised later this year.”

The move will be seen as significant as the Corporation, still reeling from the fall-out of the Hutton report and the resignation of director-general Greg Dyke and chairman Gavyn Davies, seeks to prove its public service credentials in the lead-up to the renewal of its charter.