It’s even worse than you describe. For what is Huw Edwards’ special talent? What is it that made him worth indulging for so long? He’s not a great journalist. He’s not charismatic. He’s not a particularly cute wordsmith. In fact, how did he ever get to sit in David Dimbleby’s throne in the first place? The answer to that is the “patronage” system which exists within the BBC and most media organisations. Executives, editors, top producers act as advocates for their “people” - knowing that their advancement will assist their own. People inside the organisation will have promoted his “talents” at the expense of others, who in fact would be better at the job. That’s how you end up paying a King’s Ransom to a presenter even though he’s accused of serious offences, even though there are dozens of people at the organisation who could do what he does.
Well said. What's alarming is that many of these offenders are hiding in plain sight under a veneer of respectable (and often media-approved) professionalism. Whilst agree he was no Dimbleby, we'll never know how many other celebrated media figures or otherwise harboured such dark desires before the days of What's App could expose them. This "sickness" seems to be widespread and whilst it's often the arguably unremarkable yet pushy and patronaged characters (Rolf, Savile, Edwards) whose "eccentricities" actually hide something darker, what can we say about the more ordinary man on the street, or in schools and other areas of public service. I know this blog is focused on criticism of the media, but this terrible crime seems to be becoming more ubiquitous with the help of the internet. Previously, people may just have not acted on any depraved instincts. But the internet has created access and temptation...it's almost like people get bored one day and decide you know what I'll check this out. I guess we'll never understand fully the dark nature of how these thoughts enter a person's mind and what drives them to act on such thoughts, but Huw Edward's is a father of FIVE children. I just can't get my head round what compels someone like him in his position to commit such a crime. But I suppose that's partly the point - anyone is capable and those in higher positions will feel untouchable.
It was pre-internet too. A radio/TV veteran producer told me that when he was a rookie at the BBC in the 1970s, a big presenter (since convicted) was running a child sexual abuse operation using a paper catalogue instead of internet. He said, "I feel guilty not to have spoken up about it, but I knew I'd be fired if I did." Which continued to be the case for decades, and perhaps still
My father in law knew Rolf Harris - they were in teacher's college together in Perth (I think my FIL was in the year below), and they were on the WA state swimming team - my FIL was a diver - impressive for a man born with one and a half arms (this was years before the Paralympics or anything similar) - and I think Rolf was a swimmer.
When I mentioned Rolf's crimes years later to my FIL, he just sighed, and said that he wasn't surprised - he'd never trusted him.
We need a culture where men feel comfortable pointing out the behaviour of others.
It’s even worse than you describe. For what is Huw Edwards’ special talent? What is it that made him worth indulging for so long? He’s not a great journalist. He’s not charismatic. He’s not a particularly cute wordsmith. In fact, how did he ever get to sit in David Dimbleby’s throne in the first place? The answer to that is the “patronage” system which exists within the BBC and most media organisations. Executives, editors, top producers act as advocates for their “people” - knowing that their advancement will assist their own. People inside the organisation will have promoted his “talents” at the expense of others, who in fact would be better at the job. That’s how you end up paying a King’s Ransom to a presenter even though he’s accused of serious offences, even though there are dozens of people at the organisation who could do what he does.
Well put. Could never quite work out what outstanding qualities justified his outstanding salary. Just thought I must be missing something.
But it was just emperor's new clothes, after all.
Well said. What's alarming is that many of these offenders are hiding in plain sight under a veneer of respectable (and often media-approved) professionalism. Whilst agree he was no Dimbleby, we'll never know how many other celebrated media figures or otherwise harboured such dark desires before the days of What's App could expose them. This "sickness" seems to be widespread and whilst it's often the arguably unremarkable yet pushy and patronaged characters (Rolf, Savile, Edwards) whose "eccentricities" actually hide something darker, what can we say about the more ordinary man on the street, or in schools and other areas of public service. I know this blog is focused on criticism of the media, but this terrible crime seems to be becoming more ubiquitous with the help of the internet. Previously, people may just have not acted on any depraved instincts. But the internet has created access and temptation...it's almost like people get bored one day and decide you know what I'll check this out. I guess we'll never understand fully the dark nature of how these thoughts enter a person's mind and what drives them to act on such thoughts, but Huw Edward's is a father of FIVE children. I just can't get my head round what compels someone like him in his position to commit such a crime. But I suppose that's partly the point - anyone is capable and those in higher positions will feel untouchable.
It was pre-internet too. A radio/TV veteran producer told me that when he was a rookie at the BBC in the 1970s, a big presenter (since convicted) was running a child sexual abuse operation using a paper catalogue instead of internet. He said, "I feel guilty not to have spoken up about it, but I knew I'd be fired if I did." Which continued to be the case for decades, and perhaps still
My father in law knew Rolf Harris - they were in teacher's college together in Perth (I think my FIL was in the year below), and they were on the WA state swimming team - my FIL was a diver - impressive for a man born with one and a half arms (this was years before the Paralympics or anything similar) - and I think Rolf was a swimmer.
When I mentioned Rolf's crimes years later to my FIL, he just sighed, and said that he wasn't surprised - he'd never trusted him.
We need a culture where men feel comfortable pointing out the behaviour of others.
Time for the whole of the bbc board to resign.
Doesn’t the BBC and power more broadly like its “principals” to be compromised? It makes it imperative for all to stay in tune.