New BBC Chair Samir Shah Kicks Off His Tenure By Telling Staff Of “Tough Choices & Hard Decisions” To Come

Max Goldbart
·6 min read
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“Tough choices and hard decisions” are to come at the BBC. That is the verdict of new Chair Samir Shah, who kicked off his tenure today by setting his stall out in an all-staff email that urged greater diversity of “class and thought” in the corporation’s news coverage.

The email, seen by Deadline, lays bare the tricky financial predicament the BBC finds itself in – having found itself shy of around £100M ($126M) due to the latest license fee settlement and facing rampant inflation – by saying “we will still need to live within our means in a tough financial situation.”

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“That involves thinking very hard about what we should stop doing or do very differently,” it adds. “My role – and that of the Board – is to work with the organisation as we confront hard choices and tough decisions.”

Shah, who is replacing the disgraced Richard Sharp and has worked for the BBC in various roles across the last three decades, countered that: “It’s not all about pounds, shillings, and pence.”

“One of those unmeasurable things is how the BBC projects British values, culture, and influence onto the global stage,” he added. “Taken together – our creative storytelling, our impartial journalism and our global reach – makes the BBC an extraordinary force for good in Britain and the world.”

He said he joins at a “crucial time,” with streamers and social media platforms competing for audiences and posing “questions for our future.”

Shah, a former current affairs exec who used to run a factual indie, also laid down a marker for the BBC to “be the home of the most trusted news across the UK and, indeed, the world.”

Diversity of thought

“We must be the home for showcasing the full range of British culture and talent – geographically, of course, but also in terms of class and thought (in all its diversity), alongside race, gender and disability,” he added.

The reference to diversity of “thought” appears to flag criticisms made about the BBC from time to time over ‘groupthink’ regarding its news coverage.

During his pre-appointment grilling by the UK’s Culture, Media & Sport Committee, Shah said that he would “review” the BBC’s coverage of the Israel-Hamas War, especially whether the BBC should be referring to Hamas as “terrorists.” He also threatened to ignite a war of words with Gary Lineker by saying the top-paid presenter’s mocking tweets about an MP had broken impartiality rules. Lineker subsequently said Shah’s judgement was wrong during a press lunch last month.

Shah added today: “Arguably the most important of my responsibilities is to safeguard [the BBC’s] independence. Our reputation here, and in the rest of the world, rests on this fundamental concept.”

Shah has replaced Sharp, who was forced to resign after failing to declare his role in the facilitation of a loan facility for former Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

The email in full:

Dear all

Today I begin my tenure as Chair of the BBC Board, although it was back in 1987 that I first walked through its doors to lead TV Current Affairs. Since then, I have been involved with the BBC at all levels: from making programmes as an independent producer to being a Non-Executive Director when Mark Thompson was Director-General. Last year, I even assisted the Second Thematic Review on Migration. Clearly, I am finding it hard to say goodbye to the place! It is, therefore, quite an honour to be appointed Chair and I am delighted to take on this role.

Let me begin, though, by paying tribute to Dame Elan Closs Stephens for all she has done as Acting Chair in these past months. I am also lucky to be inheriting a focused and dedicated Board.

So, what will my appointment as Chair mean for the BBC? In fact, I am sure many of you are probably wondering what a Chair actually does.

Put simply, I, along with the Board, am here to protect and champion the BBC and ensure it has a sustainable future, driven by the values we’re all proud to stand by.

Arguably the most important of my responsibilities is to safeguard its independence. Our reputation here, and in the rest of the world, rests on this fundamental concept. It is the duty of the Chair and the Board to protect that independence – and it is a duty I promise to discharge.

There is no doubt that the BBC is a much-valued presence in people’s homes, reaching around 9 out of 10 adults a week. I look forward to supporting Tim Davie and his team, and I’m confident they will ensure the BBC continues to hold a unique place in British cultural life.

But I join at a crucial time. Streamers and social media platforms are competing for audiences, and their growth brings new questions for our future: What is the point and purpose of the BBC in this new media environment? Can we stay relevant to the lives of the British people? These are increasingly asked, both at street level and in the corridors of power. The challenge posed by those questions must be demonstrably met. Show, don’t tell, as the saying goes.

We must be the home of the most trusted news across the UK and, indeed, the world. We must be the home for showcasing the full range of British culture and talent – geographically, of course, but also in terms of class and thought (in all its diversity), alongside race, gender and disability. And we must also simply be a home. In a world where there are forces fracturing society, we should be a sanctuary for empathy and understanding. We are a thread that binds the fabric of society, a place where people from all walks of life, with every kind of view, can find something to enjoy.

All this is made possible because the British public pay for the BBC. In the coming years there is going to be a national debate about how to fund what we do. Whatever our longer-term funding model, there are also nearer-term budgetary pressures and a clear imperative to invest in digital technology now. The way audiences consume content is evolving rapidly and we must adapt and innovate to ensure that the BBC remains relevant and accessible to all. The success story that is our commercial operations will of course help the money go further.

But we will still need to live within our means in a tough financial situation. That involves thinking very hard about what we should stop doing or do very differently. My role – and that of the Board – is to work with the organisation as we confront hard choices and tough decisions.

But it’s not all about pounds, shillings, and pence. As Einstein reputedly said, “not everything that counts can be counted.” And one of those unmeasurable things is how the BBC projects British values, culture, and influence onto the global stage. Taken together – our creative storytelling, our impartial journalism and our global reach – makes the BBC an extraordinary force for good in Britain and the world.

I am delighted to be back and I’m confident that with your collective help, we will ensure the BBC continues to flourish now and for generations to come.

Best wishes,

Samir

Samir Shah
BBC Chair

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