Take a look at the Richard Park feature in today’s Guardian. Richard Park (non-UK readers check here for the bio) is now heading up Global, the largest group by far in the UK. And he’s talking a lot of of sense, to my ears at least. Bottom line? Indie Group management should stop whining about the nasty BBC and and look at what they have – and could have – instead. And then think how they can make it work better.
What Park says is not at all dissimilar from the sentiments I posted here a few weeks back. There is a lot of talent to be celebrated. There is even more waiting to be developed, if stations are prepared to take the time to do it. And there is absolutely nothing the BBC can do against a well-constructed Indie station that is rooted in its community, that knows the issues and the talent on its patch.
So, two cheers for Park’s rallying call; he’s not wrong. I’ll make it two and a half if Global starts sourcing its national talent from its local stations, and three if Global frees up (and then supports) its local stations to actually be local again.