New media at heart of Thompson's shake-up
BBC director general Mark Thompson has unveiled a sweeping reorganisation of the corporation which puts new media at the heart of its operations. The shake-up follows a major review of its television, radio and internet content, published in April as Thompson's vision for the digital era.
"We need a BBC ready for digital and for 360 degree multi-platform content creation, which brings different kinds of creativity together—in technology as well as content—to deliver what we need in this converging world," declared Thompson. "And we need a simpler, more open BBC with the licence-fee flowing down simple, direct lines to the right people, a simpler structure, clearer responsibilities and fewer layers."
Under the new structure—which will be in place by April 2007—Ashley Highfield's new media unit will be re-named the Future Media and Technology (FM&T) division, which he will continue to lead. The BBC said FM&T would "concentrate on emerging technologies, playing a leading role in finding and developing new ways for audiences to find and use content".
"FM&T will manage all new media platforms and gateways like bbc.co.uk, the emerging i-player and web 2.0, as well as metadata, search and navigation and BBC Information & Archives which is vital to opening up the BBC's archives," said the corporation.
Elsewhere BBC Television, Factual & Learning and Drama, Entertainment & Children's will be merged in a new group, BBC Vision, led by Jana Bennett, currently director of television.
BBC Vision will manage all in-house multi-media production, commissioning and audio visual services, including the TV channel portfolio, and digital services like high definition and interactive.
In further moves, BBC strategy director Caroline Thomson becomes BBC chief operating officer with overall responsibility for strategy, policy, distribution, property, legal and business continuity, as part of a new BBC Operations division.
Thompson told BBC staff the changes would make the corporation's Creative Future digital vision a reality, and "make the BBC the most creative organisation in the world, delivering content that our audiences will simply love".
In April Thompson warned a "second digital wave" threatened to sweep away "the foundations on which much of traditional media is built". Delivering the Royal Television Society's Fleming Memorial Lecture, Thompson said while that wave of new technology would prove to be "fundamentally disruptive" it also presented "astonishing creative opportunities for the BBC, our partners and our audiences".
Regards Satdude.
BBC director general Mark Thompson has unveiled a sweeping reorganisation of the corporation which puts new media at the heart of its operations. The shake-up follows a major review of its television, radio and internet content, published in April as Thompson's vision for the digital era.
"We need a BBC ready for digital and for 360 degree multi-platform content creation, which brings different kinds of creativity together—in technology as well as content—to deliver what we need in this converging world," declared Thompson. "And we need a simpler, more open BBC with the licence-fee flowing down simple, direct lines to the right people, a simpler structure, clearer responsibilities and fewer layers."
Under the new structure—which will be in place by April 2007—Ashley Highfield's new media unit will be re-named the Future Media and Technology (FM&T) division, which he will continue to lead. The BBC said FM&T would "concentrate on emerging technologies, playing a leading role in finding and developing new ways for audiences to find and use content".
"FM&T will manage all new media platforms and gateways like bbc.co.uk, the emerging i-player and web 2.0, as well as metadata, search and navigation and BBC Information & Archives which is vital to opening up the BBC's archives," said the corporation.
Elsewhere BBC Television, Factual & Learning and Drama, Entertainment & Children's will be merged in a new group, BBC Vision, led by Jana Bennett, currently director of television.
BBC Vision will manage all in-house multi-media production, commissioning and audio visual services, including the TV channel portfolio, and digital services like high definition and interactive.
In further moves, BBC strategy director Caroline Thomson becomes BBC chief operating officer with overall responsibility for strategy, policy, distribution, property, legal and business continuity, as part of a new BBC Operations division.
Thompson told BBC staff the changes would make the corporation's Creative Future digital vision a reality, and "make the BBC the most creative organisation in the world, delivering content that our audiences will simply love".
In April Thompson warned a "second digital wave" threatened to sweep away "the foundations on which much of traditional media is built". Delivering the Royal Television Society's Fleming Memorial Lecture, Thompson said while that wave of new technology would prove to be "fundamentally disruptive" it also presented "astonishing creative opportunities for the BBC, our partners and our audiences".
Regards Satdude.