Mark Thompson and the BBC come out fighting

This might not please my fellow scrutineers of the BBC on the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee nor my friends in the Government for that matter, but I quite like it when the BBC flexes a bit of muscle. And that’s exactly what Mark Thompson has done today, with a no holds barred speech to delegates at the Royal Television Society in Cambridge this afternoon.

Here’s his opening paragraph on the Murdochs:

“I want to start with a few words in defence of that highly  but also I’m afraid much and misunderstood public institution, the Murdoch family.

“In many ways, if your name’s Murdoch you can’t win.  Every time you open your mouth, people start looking for a hidden agenda.  Institutional self-interest.  A secret plan to influence current or future political leaders.  A lust for world domination.

“Almost no one takes what you say at face value.  As Director-General of the BBC, I can’t imagine what that must be like.

“Well, in my view James Murdoch meant every word of his MacTaggart lecture.  Admittedly, it can’t be a complete coincidence that every proposal in it is fully aligned with the economic interests of News Corporation. Nonetheless I’m quite certain that he said what he said not because of that, but because he genuinely indeed passionately believes that his ideas, if adopted, would lead not just to a better media sector but a better world.”

And here’s his opening riposte to Ben Bradshaw:

“There was much in what Ben said last night that I could agree wholeheartedly with. His pride in the public service journalism he’d been involved in himself – and which he knows audiences here and around the world still trust and depend on. His scepticism about whether market-solutions alone can deliver the quality, range and plurality that the British public deserve. His determination to build a strong and balanced creative sector for the UK.

“But there was plenty that was frankly puzzling as well. He set out a long list of the current BBC public services. By the way, I don’t know many broadcasters who haven’t launched multiple services over the past decade. But with one or two exceptions, these new BBC services weren’t approved by the BBC Trust. They were approved by the Government of which Ben is a member. Indeed, the Government asked the BBC to launch a range of new services to help with their policy of encouraging the public to move to digital television and radio. Ben’s surprise at these services is itself surprising.”

I don’t agree with everything the BBC does but I admire their spirit for the fight. I also find these debates insular and a little cliquey. Still, once you’re in a fight, you’re in. And the BBC is now well and truly, in.