'News: New "BBC Radio Scotland" Boss Drops Plans To Outsource Lunchtime Talk Show' by Grant Goddard
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News story about a decision by the new boss at UK radio station 'BBC Radio Scotland' not to outsource its lunchtime talk programme, written by Grant Goddard in February 2005 for The Radio Magazine.
![News: New 'BBC Radio Scotland' Boss Drops Plans To Outsource Lunchtime Talk Show Page 1
©2005 Grant Goddard
Newly appointed head of BBC Radio Scotland, Jeff Zycinski, has throw into
doubt the plans of presenter Lesley Riddoch to 'privatise' her popular lunchtime
talk show on the station. Riddoch left the station in December 2004, saying
that she would return in June 2005 to present a daily one-hour lunchtime show
produced by her own production company in Dundee. The proposal inflamed
BBC staff whose jobs were threatened by the conversion of the show to an
independent production.
As part of his tour of the station’s facilities, Zycinski told staff in Edinburgh that
Riddoch would not be returning to the lunchtime slot in the immediate future. In
a later public statement, Zycinski explained: "I am still keen to have Lesley
back on Radio Scotland and we are looking at all ways to achieve that quickly.
Meantime, I am looking at a new format for lunchtime, involving our news
teams in Glasgow and arts team in Edinburgh."
But Riddoch seemed unaware of any change of plans for her show,
commenting: "If the BBC has an idea about a lunchtime slot which doesn't
include me, that is news to me." She admitted that she had received an e-mail
from Zycinski that had told her: “….we are still discussing programme options.
You may return to the lunchtime slot in the autumn or come back sooner in an
alternative slot."
Zycinski said the row over Riddoch’s show had been like a “marriage break-up”
with her production team. “I would love to have her back,” he said. “The
audience want her back as well, but there are some problems with her
business plan and we are still talking about ideas. I had hoped she’d be back
by April, then it looked like June. Now I’m not sure about the timeframe.”
Stephen Low, National Union of Journalists representative at the BBC said:
"We are glad that this effort to outsource the daily lunchtime programme has
failed. This episode has caused anxiety and worry for staff, and diverted both
staff and management away from devising programming and serving the
audience."
[First published in 'The Radio Magazine' as 'New Scotland Boss Scotches Privatisation Plan', #673, 2 March 2005]
Grant Goddard is a media analyst / radio specialist / radio consultant with thirty years of
experience in the broadcasting industry, having held senior management and consultancy
roles within the commercial media sector in the United Kingdom, Europe and Asia. Details at
http://www.grantgoddard.co.uk](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)
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'News: New "BBC Radio Scotland" Boss Drops Plans To Outsource Lunchtime Talk Show' by Grant Goddard
- 1. NEWS: NEW 'BBC RADIO SCOTLAND' BOSS DROPS PLANS TO OUTSOURCE LUNCHTIME TALK SHOW by GRANT GODDARD www.grantgoddard.co.uk February 2005
- 2. News: New 'BBC Radio Scotland' Boss Drops Plans To Outsource Lunchtime Talk Show Page 1 ©2005 Grant Goddard Newly appointed head of BBC Radio Scotland, Jeff Zycinski, has throw into doubt the plans of presenter Lesley Riddoch to 'privatise' her popular lunchtime talk show on the station. Riddoch left the station in December 2004, saying that she would return in June 2005 to present a daily one-hour lunchtime show produced by her own production company in Dundee. The proposal inflamed BBC staff whose jobs were threatened by the conversion of the show to an independent production. As part of his tour of the station’s facilities, Zycinski told staff in Edinburgh that Riddoch would not be returning to the lunchtime slot in the immediate future. In a later public statement, Zycinski explained: "I am still keen to have Lesley back on Radio Scotland and we are looking at all ways to achieve that quickly. Meantime, I am looking at a new format for lunchtime, involving our news teams in Glasgow and arts team in Edinburgh." But Riddoch seemed unaware of any change of plans for her show, commenting: "If the BBC has an idea about a lunchtime slot which doesn't include me, that is news to me." She admitted that she had received an e-mail from Zycinski that had told her: “….we are still discussing programme options. You may return to the lunchtime slot in the autumn or come back sooner in an alternative slot." Zycinski said the row over Riddoch’s show had been like a “marriage break-up” with her production team. “I would love to have her back,” he said. “The audience want her back as well, but there are some problems with her business plan and we are still talking about ideas. I had hoped she’d be back by April, then it looked like June. Now I’m not sure about the timeframe.” Stephen Low, National Union of Journalists representative at the BBC said: "We are glad that this effort to outsource the daily lunchtime programme has failed. This episode has caused anxiety and worry for staff, and diverted both staff and management away from devising programming and serving the audience." [First published in 'The Radio Magazine' as 'New Scotland Boss Scotches Privatisation Plan', #673, 2 March 2005] Grant Goddard is a media analyst / radio specialist / radio consultant with thirty years of experience in the broadcasting industry, having held senior management and consultancy roles within the commercial media sector in the United Kingdom, Europe and Asia. Details at http://www.grantgoddard.co.uk