Crass political point-scoring is not a new phenomenon, but rarely has it been so breathtaking in its insensitivity and opportunism. Gerald Kaufman, chair of the House of Commons Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee, may well believe that "the BBC has behaved deplorably" and that there "are serious implications for its future", but Ofcom is neither his, nor the government's, new cudgel with which to threaten any broadcaster that goes off-message.
The BBC has one of the sturdiest reputations for quality news journalism in the world, and the resolution of this dispute will rest on whether that record has been maintained in the case of its reporting on the Iraqi weapons dossier. Given that the BBC's standards are generally to be equalled, rather than questioned, it is unclear what role Ofcom could have played in the row, either before or after the event.
From a commercial point of view, rather than a political one, there is still a strong case for bringing the BBC's activities under the control of Ofcom. This week we take an in-depth look at the other BBC story of the past week, and the one that remains an issue for marketers and the BBC's commercial rivals.
The BBC applies the same cognitive justification to all its actions, regardless of their effect on the free market and without concession to criticism of commercialism. It is in the business of creating great content. It is not elitist, therefore its measure of meeting its public service remit is based as much on the popularity of its programming (read, audience share) as it is on breadth or quality. It is not commercial, but 'efficient'.
The trouble for commercial broadcasters, and therefore advertisers, is that BBC Worldwide was efficient to the tune of £123m this year - a record figure that it is quick to point out goes back into programming.
But the innocent face of the BBC is beginning to look a little grubby - largely because some of its 'non-commercial' actions just don't wash: the £120m it spends on online activities each year, the competitive scheduling of Fame Academy against ITV's Pop Idol 2, its £15m annual off-air marketing budget.
None of these are justified uses of funds generated by a licence fee-paying public; all go some way to distorting the media marketplace. Ofcom will at least play a part in reviewing the definition of public service broadcasting ahead of the BBC's Charter renewal in 2006.
Aggressive Auntie, page 18.
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