0:00:12 > 0:00:14Good afternoon and welcome to Points Of View.
0:00:14 > 0:00:17Now, I'm sure you noticed we had local elections
0:00:17 > 0:00:19around the UK this week
0:00:19 > 0:00:24and thus the BBC's network of national and regional news operations
0:00:24 > 0:00:26was in 24-hour full swing,
0:00:26 > 0:00:30and we just thought we'd take a peek at the operations for you.
0:00:30 > 0:00:34This hive of activity here is known as Domestic News Gathering.
0:00:34 > 0:00:37Now, it's interesting how often something that comes up
0:00:37 > 0:00:41in the newsroom here will throw a spanner into the works
0:00:41 > 0:00:44of an ordinary programme that might have been planned
0:00:44 > 0:00:46and scheduled months in advance.
0:00:46 > 0:00:50It happened again last week when a Panorama special
0:00:50 > 0:00:53on the anniversary of the disappearance of Madeleine McCann -
0:00:53 > 0:00:55scheduled for Monday evening -
0:00:55 > 0:01:00was rushed out six days early in reaction to news events.
0:01:00 > 0:01:04In May 2007, as a BBC correspondent, I was sent here
0:01:04 > 0:01:05to this apartment block in Luz,
0:01:05 > 0:01:08because a little girl had disappeared.
0:01:08 > 0:01:13What happened in the week leading up to transmission
0:01:13 > 0:01:18was that the Metropolitan Police's publicity strategy changed.
0:01:18 > 0:01:23As well as issuing a new age-enhanced image of Madeleine McCann,
0:01:23 > 0:01:27they also decided to allow other broadcast media interviews
0:01:27 > 0:01:29with the lead investigator.
0:01:29 > 0:01:32This would have left us with a programme that would have looked five days out of date
0:01:32 > 0:01:34and that seemed to pay dividends,
0:01:34 > 0:01:37because the programme was watched by some five million viewers.
0:01:37 > 0:01:42Five million may have watched it, but they weren't all entirely happy.
0:02:18 > 0:02:22The Panorama production team had managed to get an interview
0:02:22 > 0:02:27with the lead investigator into the case and this was a first for the programme,
0:02:27 > 0:02:31and that was forming the cornerstone of this special edition of Panorama.
0:02:31 > 0:02:35Now Panorama has its roots in news, so it would be highly reactive,
0:02:35 > 0:02:39but it sounds as if another title might be a little bit out of touch.
0:02:39 > 0:02:43It is pouring with rain, but we have The Drought.
0:02:43 > 0:02:46In the last couple of years,
0:02:46 > 0:02:49only four months have been significantly wetter than normal -
0:02:49 > 0:02:52including the April just gone, which delivered record rain.
0:02:53 > 0:02:56Although this programme aired in most regions,
0:02:56 > 0:03:00each show was different and made by the regional news team in that area.
0:03:24 > 0:03:26Now away from the frenetic world of news
0:03:26 > 0:03:29and into the laid-back land of daytime.
0:03:29 > 0:03:34And Cogito, you are not the first to bewail this:
0:03:39 > 0:03:42I tremble to even guess at that.
0:03:42 > 0:03:45But I tell you what, viewer Margaret Jones has stumbled on a treasure -
0:03:45 > 0:03:49not an antique, but an Anne Robinson.
0:03:49 > 0:03:51One day, my husband had left the television on
0:03:51 > 0:03:54and I caught the beginning of a programme My Life In Books
0:03:54 > 0:03:56and started to watch it.
0:03:59 > 0:04:03The two guests on the programme that day, Sister Wendy Beckett
0:04:03 > 0:04:07and Laurence Llewellyn-Bowen, both came across as very personable
0:04:07 > 0:04:12and very cheery, but very passionate about what they'd got from books
0:04:12 > 0:04:15and why they'd got that from those individual books.
0:04:15 > 0:04:19The publishers sent it to me and for the first time, I thought,
0:04:19 > 0:04:21"This is what it means to be holy."
0:04:21 > 0:04:24The humour within the programme was very apparent.
0:04:24 > 0:04:27Sister Wendy, Venice, Las Vegas - which do you prefer?
0:04:27 > 0:04:28SHE LAUGHS
0:04:28 > 0:04:32- You'd love Vegas.- I would not love Vegas.- You really would.
0:04:32 > 0:04:36And it's nice to have that mix of such a flamboyant person
0:04:36 > 0:04:38and such a quiet lady.
0:04:38 > 0:04:42He read to me until I was about six-foot tall,
0:04:42 > 0:04:46so I was about 13 or 14 and people would come in
0:04:46 > 0:04:48and we'd be curled up on the sofa with him reading aloud.
0:04:48 > 0:04:50And reading really weird books, like Thucydides.
0:04:50 > 0:04:52the history of the Peloponnesian War and stuff.
0:04:52 > 0:04:56I thought Anne Robinson showed her talent as a journalist
0:04:56 > 0:05:00and a presenter because she did question,
0:05:00 > 0:05:03but she didn't overtake the programme.
0:05:03 > 0:05:04So what's your first choice?
0:05:04 > 0:05:06Er, my choice is a book
0:05:06 > 0:05:08that was actually published the year I was born,
0:05:08 > 0:05:11- which is The Very Hungry Caterpillar.- I LOVE this book.
0:05:11 > 0:05:14I think the producers have done an excellent job
0:05:14 > 0:05:16and I really would like them to see
0:05:16 > 0:05:19if they could get the programme rescheduled
0:05:19 > 0:05:21to be shown in an evening slot -
0:05:21 > 0:05:25and certainly be at least repeated in an evening slot.
0:05:25 > 0:05:27Well, Margaret, the good news
0:05:27 > 0:05:31is that schedulers hope to repeat My Life In Books in the autumn.
0:05:31 > 0:05:35And as for during an evening slot? We live in hope.
0:05:35 > 0:05:37Now, last week, we covered the Apprentice
0:05:37 > 0:05:39and fears that the famous format
0:05:39 > 0:05:41might be showing signs of wear and tear.
0:05:41 > 0:05:45And this week, it is the BBC Two post-mortem show,
0:05:45 > 0:05:49The Apprentice: You're Fired, which is being prodded for signs of life.
0:05:52 > 0:05:54The Apprentice discussion show has seen a revamp
0:05:54 > 0:05:58since losing panel chairman and sports presenter, Adrian Chiles,
0:05:58 > 0:06:01who ran it as a post-match analysis.
0:06:01 > 0:06:04Stand-up comedian, Dara O'Briain, is now in the driving seat,
0:06:04 > 0:06:06calling into question the regular presence
0:06:06 > 0:06:09of other comedians on the panel...
0:06:09 > 0:06:10Russell Kane, welcome to the show.
0:06:10 > 0:06:13..originally put there to up the giggle factor.
0:06:13 > 0:06:15But are they now struggling for guests?
0:06:15 > 0:06:18Well, you failed it, didn't you, so what can you say?
0:06:51 > 0:06:55Another comedian whose guests don't seem to be helping him is Matt Lucas.
0:06:55 > 0:06:59The heavily trailed Matt Lucas Awards hit our screens three weeks ago
0:06:59 > 0:07:01and has not been winning friends.
0:07:01 > 0:07:03Johnny, that looks good. That doesn't look underwhelming,
0:07:03 > 0:07:05- it looks quite whelming. - It just looks like
0:07:05 > 0:07:07people who won't let go of the fact that
0:07:07 > 0:07:10something is fiction. This is reality.
0:07:10 > 0:07:12- Have you ever been to a game? - Why would I?
0:07:12 > 0:07:16- Well, I don't know!- Why would I? - To support your argument!
0:07:16 > 0:07:18Well, my argument is, not to go!
0:07:36 > 0:07:40But you can always rely on nostalgia to remain popular.
0:07:40 > 0:07:44The pairing of The 70s and Sounds Of The 70s on BBC Two
0:07:44 > 0:07:47has been a welcome wander down memory lane.
0:07:48 > 0:07:52Almost every day production was disrupted by strikes.
0:07:53 > 0:07:55The management have got to give way some time or other.
0:07:57 > 0:08:00With inflation running at over 20%,
0:08:00 > 0:08:02many strikers felt they had no choice.
0:08:02 > 0:08:06But their incessant demands led to a crisis of authority.
0:08:06 > 0:08:10MUSIC: 'The Jean Genie' by David Bowie
0:08:36 > 0:08:41I bet the answer revolves around the copyright red tape surrounding those legends of pop.
0:08:41 > 0:08:43So, we shouldn't hold our breath.
0:08:43 > 0:08:47BBC Two has also struck gold by mining even further back in time.
0:08:47 > 0:08:49Historian Mary Beard's kindly introduction
0:08:49 > 0:08:55for us to Meet The Romans isn't just accompanied by a handshake,
0:08:55 > 0:08:57it is getting a thumbs up, too.
0:08:57 > 0:09:02To judge from the skeleton, Crepereia was about 20.
0:09:02 > 0:09:05She presumably hadn't got married.
0:09:05 > 0:09:08So, she took her doll with her to her tomb.
0:09:08 > 0:09:11That's quite extraordinary to us.
0:09:11 > 0:09:16We wouldn't ever imagine burying a 20-year-old with her Barbie.
0:09:42 > 0:09:45Obvious expertise, there is that phrase again.
0:09:45 > 0:09:47And just like with Monty Hall's last week,
0:09:47 > 0:09:51it appears the message coming through loud and clear is
0:09:51 > 0:09:55ditch celebrity presenters and wheel in the experts.
0:09:55 > 0:09:58Last week were also hearing fulsome praise for The Voice,
0:09:58 > 0:10:01but they've blotted their copybook this week.
0:10:30 > 0:10:33Now, far be it for me to speak for The Voice,
0:10:33 > 0:10:35but we've had this trouble so often in the past
0:10:35 > 0:10:38with the Strictly Come Dancing Sunday results show,
0:10:38 > 0:10:41that I feel I know the answer off by heart,
0:10:41 > 0:10:44so I shall use my own special authoritative voice here.
0:10:44 > 0:10:48Just like with Strictly, The Voice results show is recorded with
0:10:48 > 0:10:52the same studio audience after the live broadcast on Saturday night.
0:10:52 > 0:10:56That saves money and it was actually suggested by viewers to Strictly.
0:10:56 > 0:10:59It is stressed on-air that voting closes
0:10:59 > 0:11:02before the results recording on Saturday night.
0:11:02 > 0:11:06It's never claimed on-air that the Sunday show is being broadcast live.
0:11:06 > 0:11:10But, as we know, other reality TV competition formats are available
0:11:10 > 0:11:13and some of those do broadcast live,
0:11:13 > 0:11:17which might be where the confusion arises.
0:11:17 > 0:11:22Now, viewer Nicola's call last week to ban smoking on TV dramas
0:11:22 > 0:11:25certainly lit the blue touch paper,
0:11:25 > 0:11:28causing heated debate on our message boards.
0:11:28 > 0:11:31Let's see if Pamela does the same with her complaint
0:11:31 > 0:11:34that drama's and documentaries are too car mad.
0:11:34 > 0:11:37I've often noticed when I'm watching a television programme
0:11:37 > 0:11:41that the presenter is driving a car,
0:11:41 > 0:11:44either their own car, and talking to the camera at the same time...
0:11:44 > 0:11:46That's something you don't see every day.
0:11:46 > 0:11:48..or they're being driven.
0:11:48 > 0:11:51Today, we're on the road with two lions of the antiques trade,
0:11:51 > 0:11:54James Lewis and David Harper.
0:11:54 > 0:11:57You hardly ever see a presenter
0:11:57 > 0:12:02getting on a bus in a local area or perhaps even walking.
0:12:02 > 0:12:04I very, very rarely use my car.
0:12:04 > 0:12:06Shall we going get a burger then?
0:12:06 > 0:12:08Your mum will flip out.
0:12:08 > 0:12:09Let's do it.
0:12:09 > 0:12:13What I'd like the BBC to do whenever they're thinking about
0:12:13 > 0:12:15making a programme is think about whether
0:12:15 > 0:12:19the presenter of the programme could go by train,
0:12:19 > 0:12:22whether they could take a bus,
0:12:22 > 0:12:26whether they could use public transport instead of driving.
0:12:26 > 0:12:29Point well made. Changing viewers' habits of a lifetime is perhaps
0:12:29 > 0:12:33a risky BBC strategy but, rest assured, Pamela,
0:12:33 > 0:12:37the BBC is monitoring its carbon footprint via a new initiative.
0:12:37 > 0:12:38Yes, another one!
0:12:38 > 0:12:41We're committed to try to make our programs as sustainable,
0:12:41 > 0:12:43and as environmentally friendly as possible.
0:12:43 > 0:12:46We're now sharing that with the rest of the industry.
0:12:46 > 0:12:49To help programme makers, we've created a simple online tool
0:12:49 > 0:12:53called Albert. Albert is an online carbon calculator which
0:12:53 > 0:12:56gives programme makers the carbon footprint of their programmes.
0:12:56 > 0:13:00The Albert initiative helps programme making become greener,
0:13:00 > 0:13:04but has no influence over the writers creating drama characters
0:13:04 > 0:13:06who may well still be profligate.
0:13:06 > 0:13:09We're certainly not going round having conversations
0:13:09 > 0:13:12with the people who devise the content, trying to convince them
0:13:12 > 0:13:15to put certain messages in their programmes.
0:13:15 > 0:13:18I think the process of turning the television industry green
0:13:18 > 0:13:22or sustainable is far more subtle than that and rightly so.
0:13:22 > 0:13:26My pushbike is chained up right next to Kate Silverton's skateboard,
0:13:26 > 0:13:27but before I hop on, let me say,
0:13:27 > 0:13:30we love your feedback, please keep it coming.
0:13:30 > 0:13:32This is the e-mail address.
0:13:34 > 0:13:36You can write to us.
0:13:39 > 0:13:41You can call us as well.
0:13:41 > 0:13:44Local rate from a landline, although mobiles cost more.
0:13:54 > 0:13:58So, from the BBC's domestic newsroom here,
0:13:58 > 0:14:00goodbye.
0:14:00 > 0:14:03Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd