BBC’s James Stirling: ‘I’m not really interested in nostalgia – we want to use contemporary talent to frame history’
The BBC turns 100 years old in October, and while the company has been out in force, executive editor James Stirling told a Mumbrella360 audience this morning the public service broadcaster is firmly focused on looking forward, rather than in the rear view mirror.
“We’re very respectful of where we’ve come from, but actually in our 100th year, we’re kind of eyes on the prize for the present and the future, and we really want think about where we’re going.”
The presentation from Stirling, which was delivered alongside emcee Darren Woolley, focused on the future-facing innovation approach the BBC is taking as it marks its centenary, pushing on in its firmly established digitally focused era, rather than looking backwards.
Unless such an organisation knows and learns from where it’s been, it won’t have much of a future that is distinct from the moribund sameness and suburban schmaltz of most other digital media born of ‘traditional’ channels. As with our ABC, the BBC, although better, is slowly descending into sloth of irrelevance where is has few distinguishing features that differentiate it from the morass of digital graffiti that masquerades as news and informed commentary. “…the BBC continues to shape culture in the UK…” ? I think, in 2022, this statement is hoist on its own petard.
So easy to knock, can we have examples please of the media that you point to that illustrate where the BBC is becoming irrelevant? With 500m people coming to the BBC each month, and growing every year, how do you rationalise your statement?