To: Mark Thompson, Director-General
(B)roken (B)roadcasting (C)orporation
Today, the London Olympics reaches its climax. At 9pm on BBC1 the Games close with 4,000 performers in a musical extravaganza, the Symphony Of British Music, then the official handover and the extinguishing of the Olympic flame. Despite the non-stop moaning and headlines, (transport crisis, road crisis, Olympic lanes, weather, private security firm G4S), leading up to Danny Boyle's acclaimed opening ceremony, there have been few mistakes to report on. Of course something must have gone wrong somewhere. I simply can't remember.
Viewers were spoilt for choice with the BBC providing coverage of every single event on TV, online and even on smartphones. Yet at its peak our national broadcaster was unable to quash its usual prejudices and failings. Shortly after Mo Farah won 10,000m gold for Britain, a reporter asked him if he wouldn't have felt more proud competing for Somalia, the country of his birth. After the 'Big One' –the Men's 100m Final with Jamaican athletes Usain Bolt and Yohan Blake, a commentator referred to Blake as an 'Apprentice'. And minutes before another highly anticipated race–the Men's 200m Final an insert on the evil of eugenics was broadcast followed by a 'discussion' with retired athletes Michael Johnson, Denise Lewis and Colin Jackson. There was no need for this racial buildup which I found plainly repugnant. What's the connection? What's the message the BBC suits wanted to deliver? That African/Caribbean's should be grateful to slavery and colonialism for why black athletes sprint faster. What sentimental claptrap.
Aside from the vulgarity of the aforementioned, the question I want answered is where do we go after tonight's broadcast? Where will we (yes, I mean African/Caribbean's) garner due visibility for our many achievements and interests? Where is the continued representation outside of sport? Representation which must be demanded since jail term is threatened for non-payment of the license fee.
Should we be reassured by one utterly dependable, unchanging soap opera EastEnders? In modern times, the soap still churns out flawed representation of the African/Caribbean experience and distinct family unit. It appears to be in their interest to dissolve the black nuclear family structure. The BBC is incapable of commissioning plausible content on a sustained basis (Lennie James as DCI Tony Gates in Line of Duty and Idris Elba in Luther are sporadic examples of excellence). Let us come together and demand that due representation continues after the London Olympics with a paid panel of selfless African/Caribbean advisors (who can't be bought or bullied) and crucially to exercise disgust at some of the commentary we had to endure.
Viewers were spoilt for choice with the BBC providing coverage of every single event on TV, online and even on smartphones. Yet at its peak our national broadcaster was unable to quash its usual prejudices and failings. Shortly after Mo Farah won 10,000m gold for Britain, a reporter asked him if he wouldn't have felt more proud competing for Somalia, the country of his birth. After the 'Big One' –the Men's 100m Final with Jamaican athletes Usain Bolt and Yohan Blake, a commentator referred to Blake as an 'Apprentice'. And minutes before another highly anticipated race–the Men's 200m Final an insert on the evil of eugenics was broadcast followed by a 'discussion' with retired athletes Michael Johnson, Denise Lewis and Colin Jackson. There was no need for this racial buildup which I found plainly repugnant. What's the connection? What's the message the BBC suits wanted to deliver? That African/Caribbean's should be grateful to slavery and colonialism for why black athletes sprint faster. What sentimental claptrap.
Aside from the vulgarity of the aforementioned, the question I want answered is where do we go after tonight's broadcast? Where will we (yes, I mean African/Caribbean's) garner due visibility for our many achievements and interests? Where is the continued representation outside of sport? Representation which must be demanded since jail term is threatened for non-payment of the license fee.
Should we be reassured by one utterly dependable, unchanging soap opera EastEnders? In modern times, the soap still churns out flawed representation of the African/Caribbean experience and distinct family unit. It appears to be in their interest to dissolve the black nuclear family structure. The BBC is incapable of commissioning plausible content on a sustained basis (Lennie James as DCI Tony Gates in Line of Duty and Idris Elba in Luther are sporadic examples of excellence). Let us come together and demand that due representation continues after the London Olympics with a paid panel of selfless African/Caribbean advisors (who can't be bought or bullied) and crucially to exercise disgust at some of the commentary we had to endure.
Why is this important?
I am petitioning Mr. Mark Thompson, Director-General and editor-in-chief of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), appointed by the BBC Trust to review the delivery of BBC services. It is clear given the ill-considered blunders throughout much of the London 2012 Olympic Games and the absence of suitable and sustained representation of the African/Caribbean community that a management group needs to be assigned along with the BBC Direction Group and boards at the Group level.