BBC online services: redefining the remit

"The BBC has just under four months to redefine the remit for its online services, the government has said. The Graf Report, commissioned by the government, also said at least 25% of the BBC's online content should be externally supplied by the end of 2006."

Here are two, to my mind, ill-conceived beliefs that, in my view, Britain in general could consign to the dustbin of history, to our extreme benefit:

1. The belief that things are done better if they are outsourced - or at any rate, done by someone outside your own organization.

In fact, bringing resources in-house is far more cost-effective, if properly managed. Managing in-house or publicly-owned resources badly, whether by accident or design, and then claiming as a result that such an approach is ideologically incorrect and that privatisation and/or outsourcing are the answer is a relic of Thatcherism: it was wrong then, and it's wrong now.

The BBC should be doing more of its work in-house: it is running more channels than in the past, justifying the existence of large-scale production staffs and facilities that were already justifiable when there were only three or four TV channels in total. In today's multichannel digital environment there are loads of outlets for independent productions: the BBC does not need to lead in this field. No reason why programme ideas, for example, shouldn't come from anywhere, but excluding co-productions of one sort or another the BBC should by and large have the resources to produce its own projects in its own facilities.

The assumption should be that a project should be carried out in-house rather than outsourced unless it can be demonstrated to be more efficient otherwise, rather than the other way around.

2. The belief that whatever a public body, especially but not solely the BBC, is doing, it is doing it wrong and/or needs to do it differently.

Yes of course there should be continual review and oversight to make sure that nothing is going badly wrong, but if something is being done well, it's fine to say so and leave it alone. Change for change's sake is not necessarily change for the better.

The BBC's online presence is one of the best and most popular in the world. I use it all the time and so do zillions of other people. It does a great job - witness its popularity (no, my tongue is not in my cheek). I am quite happy to have my licence fee help to pay for this operation.

What's wrong with this picture? Nothing. So leave them to get on with their work.

Thank you and goodnight.