Geoff Stafford’s Comments on the BBC Charter Review

Geoff Stafford says:

A modern �300 PC is capable of editing video and audio to ‘broadcast standard’ (though who really cares about that anyway?). With software such as Adobe Premiere. There are digital camcorders for about the same price, even Hi8 (which the BBC was using ten years ago on Soho Stories) camcorders for as little as �200.

Programmes can be put together unbelievably cheaply by a single person. But where is this revolution reflected in UK broadcasting? I think Video Diaries is the nearest we have come, but that has been around for about 15 years, and still with the editorial guiding (heavy) hand of the BBC. There is always some producer putting his editorial slant on the material. It is still elitist.

I believe the BBC should encourage single-person productions. There should be channels where people can submit programmes that they have already completed, about subjects they care passionately about. The only input from the broadcast company should be to check for taste and decency, legal and copyright issues.