0:00:10 > 0:00:14Good afternoon and welcome to a special edition of Points of View.
0:00:14 > 0:00:16Very shortly, we will be joined by Danny Cohen,
0:00:16 > 0:00:19the BBC's brand-new Director of Television,
0:00:19 > 0:00:24giving us his first interview since taking up the post just last month.
0:00:24 > 0:00:28We're going to put your questions and your comments directly to him.
0:00:28 > 0:00:30But first, here is a quick roundup of the TV
0:00:30 > 0:00:33that you've been watching in the last week.
0:00:34 > 0:00:37A perennial in the BBC's calendar
0:00:37 > 0:00:40is the coverage of the RHS Chelsea Flower Show.
0:00:40 > 0:00:42Lots of programmes last week, live from the site.
0:00:42 > 0:00:46A team of celebrities and presenters were on board
0:00:46 > 0:00:49to guide couch gardeners at home around.
0:01:12 > 0:01:16We put your feedback to the executive producer responsible.
0:01:16 > 0:01:19Across the week on Chelsea there are 15 programmes,
0:01:19 > 0:01:22eleven and a half hours of television and Red Button.
0:01:22 > 0:01:24Every single winning show garden is featured,
0:01:24 > 0:01:26most of them more than once.
0:01:26 > 0:01:28We major on medals day which is Tuesday,
0:01:28 > 0:01:31but actually most gardens we visited at least two to three times.
0:01:31 > 0:01:34We aim to produce programmes that appeal to a gardening audience,
0:01:34 > 0:01:38but also go much broader. We think Chelsea's a fun event for everybody.
0:01:38 > 0:01:41Of course, our presenters are not just presenters, they're all experts
0:01:41 > 0:01:44and they have deep knowledge that they love to share with the audience.
0:01:44 > 0:01:47There are celebrities, particularly at the beginning of the week
0:01:47 > 0:01:49and we cover the Royal visit, because we know
0:01:49 > 0:01:51that that is really popular with our audience.
0:01:51 > 0:01:54For people who want to go deeper, there's Red Button,
0:01:54 > 0:01:57all sorts of great content there and actually, if you stick with us,
0:01:57 > 0:02:00you would have seen a masterclass about native plants,
0:02:00 > 0:02:03what's the difference between a corm and a rhizome,
0:02:03 > 0:02:05really very deep content stuff around pollination,
0:02:05 > 0:02:07what we hope is something for everybody.
0:02:07 > 0:02:09# Let's dance... #
0:02:09 > 0:02:13BBC Two on Saturday night had a new documentary on David Bowie.
0:02:27 > 0:02:32BBC One, and a documentary examining the Queen's greatest passion.
0:02:43 > 0:02:46Well, I'm joined by the Director of Television, Danny Cohen.
0:02:46 > 0:02:49- Thank you very much for coming in. - Thank you for inviting me.
0:02:49 > 0:02:52And we'll look first of all at your career so far
0:02:52 > 0:02:54and some of the programmes that you've been responsible for.
0:02:54 > 0:02:59Once described as the Boy Wonder of television,
0:02:59 > 0:03:01Danny Cohen has enjoyed a meteoric rise
0:03:01 > 0:03:04since he began his career, aged just 21.
0:03:04 > 0:03:07Within five years, he'd go from researcher
0:03:07 > 0:03:10to Head of Factual Commissioning at Channel 4.
0:03:10 > 0:03:14At 33, Cohen took the reins at the fledgling BBC Three.
0:03:14 > 0:03:18By 2010, he had been moved into pole position,
0:03:18 > 0:03:22taking over as Controller of BBC One.
0:03:22 > 0:03:26Now, as one of new Director-General Tony Hall's key appointments,
0:03:26 > 0:03:30Danny Cohen will oversee all four of the BBC's main channels.
0:03:30 > 0:03:32No mean feat for anyone,
0:03:32 > 0:03:36even the man they once described as Boy Wonder.
0:03:36 > 0:03:41So, the Wonder Boy, but of course you've now got this monster job.
0:03:41 > 0:03:44Let's start with the question about what you think
0:03:44 > 0:03:47the BBC has done well on television in the last year.
0:03:47 > 0:03:50Well, I think we've had a really strong 12 months.
0:03:50 > 0:03:52Right at the heart of the coverage has been the Olympics,
0:03:52 > 0:03:54which was a really big moment for the BBC.
0:03:54 > 0:03:57I think we've had a fantastic drama story in the last few months,
0:03:57 > 0:04:01from Call The Midwife, Last Tango in Halifax,
0:04:01 > 0:04:04The Fall... We've had some very, very strong stuff in factual,
0:04:04 > 0:04:07whether that's Africa, with Sir David Attenborough,
0:04:07 > 0:04:13Our War, double BAFTA-winning series about Afghanistan from BBC Three.
0:04:13 > 0:04:17Other great comedies, Bluestone 42, it's been wonderful to see programmes
0:04:17 > 0:04:20like Miranda and Mrs Brown get audiences of 10 million plus,
0:04:20 > 0:04:24so I think we're in an exciting, healthy place on BBC television.
0:04:24 > 0:04:27We do still get a lot of people who say,
0:04:27 > 0:04:30"Hang on, I said something and I was ignored."
0:04:30 > 0:04:32Have a look at this from Terry Robinson.
0:04:32 > 0:04:35I'm beginning to wonder what the point is of writing to the BBC
0:04:35 > 0:04:39to comment on anything, because every time we do,
0:04:39 > 0:04:41for example, to Points of View,
0:04:41 > 0:04:44we are introduced to some head of department,
0:04:44 > 0:04:50who tells us that actually we're wrong and the BBC is always right.
0:04:50 > 0:04:53And we've had this on things like the minimising of the credits,
0:04:53 > 0:04:55the background music issue,
0:04:55 > 0:05:00the trail overdose that we get to the point of thinking
0:05:00 > 0:05:02that it might be aversion therapy.
0:05:02 > 0:05:04So, Terry thinks you're not listening.
0:05:04 > 0:05:06I thought Terry put that very succinctly
0:05:06 > 0:05:08and I understand why he says that.
0:05:08 > 0:05:11I think we do respond in some areas and we do make changes.
0:05:11 > 0:05:14It's probably right that we don't just accept complaints
0:05:14 > 0:05:16and do everything that is complained about,
0:05:16 > 0:05:18because for every complaint you get,
0:05:18 > 0:05:20you may get a similar amount of feedback
0:05:20 > 0:05:23that people really appreciate something, so we've got to be careful
0:05:23 > 0:05:24not just to react in one direction.
0:05:24 > 0:05:27What I'm planning to do is continue to keep watching here
0:05:27 > 0:05:30and talking to my teams about the viewer feedback that we get.
0:05:30 > 0:05:33But he lists a number of things that come up again and again,
0:05:33 > 0:05:38credit squeezes and so on, which people think they're still going on
0:05:38 > 0:05:41and they complain and they get answers and then nothing happens.
0:05:41 > 0:05:43Are you slow in taking action when you do?
0:05:43 > 0:05:46I don't think the BBC's got a perfect track record on those things
0:05:46 > 0:05:49and I'm sure there's room for improvement in the pace
0:05:49 > 0:05:51of what we do sometimes. But I think also... As I say,
0:05:51 > 0:05:54we shouldn't always respond, "We had a complaint, we must do X."
0:05:54 > 0:05:58We have to think about it, work out what the right thing is
0:05:58 > 0:06:00and go ahead on that route.
0:06:00 > 0:06:02Let me just focus on one area that we mentioned here
0:06:02 > 0:06:05which is background noise or background music.
0:06:05 > 0:06:07It comes up a lot, but the complaints continue, so have a look at this.
0:06:07 > 0:06:10I watched a documentary, The Genius of Marie Curie.
0:06:10 > 0:06:14I found the soundtrack music intensely irritating.
0:06:14 > 0:06:17It was far too intrusive, added nothing to the documentary,
0:06:17 > 0:06:19and was again bafflingly irrelevant.
0:06:19 > 0:06:22I'd like to express my views on the poor sound quality
0:06:22 > 0:06:24of Pompeii: The Mystery of the People.
0:06:24 > 0:06:26I've observed for some time the tendency
0:06:26 > 0:06:29for overpowering background music and other sounds,
0:06:29 > 0:06:31for so-called dramatic effect. Even if one concedes
0:06:31 > 0:06:34that they are nowadays an integral part of the programme,
0:06:34 > 0:06:36and perhaps afford a better understanding of the subject,
0:06:36 > 0:06:39why then do you have to drown out the narrative?
0:06:39 > 0:06:43I watched last night a very good programme on BBC Two
0:06:43 > 0:06:45about the history of the Underground.
0:06:45 > 0:06:48Let the persons off the car first, please.
0:06:48 > 0:06:50It was a good programme, but spoilt for me
0:06:50 > 0:06:54by the very loud, unnecessary music in the background.
0:06:54 > 0:06:56At times, you can't even hear the dialogue.
0:06:56 > 0:06:59- I'd like your views on this, please. - Your views.
0:06:59 > 0:07:02Well, I think audibility matters.
0:07:02 > 0:07:05I think it really matters, and that's why I've been involved
0:07:05 > 0:07:08with new advice for programme makers and producers in general,
0:07:08 > 0:07:10to help improve on this subject.
0:07:10 > 0:07:13I think we are getting better, some of that advice is getting through,
0:07:13 > 0:07:16but I think we can clearly see from complaints like that
0:07:16 > 0:07:19that we've still got work to do and we need to keep pushing hard on it.
0:07:19 > 0:07:22There are a number of factors and I do think we're getting better at it,
0:07:22 > 0:07:26but I understand we're still getting complaints and we're not there yet. There are still problems here.
0:07:26 > 0:07:29I guess, in the end, you leave the producers to it, do you?
0:07:29 > 0:07:32I can't be on every set, managing every programme.
0:07:32 > 0:07:36Producers need to have the room to do their jobs, to be creative.
0:07:36 > 0:07:38But it is something that I take seriously
0:07:38 > 0:07:41and I'm determined we continue to improve our record on it.
0:07:41 > 0:07:43Let us stay on technology. This is HD now.
0:07:43 > 0:07:45We're going to hear from a viewer, Tom Vickery.
0:07:45 > 0:07:50Now that the BBC HD channel has been replaced by BBC Two HD,
0:07:50 > 0:07:53we no longer get to see the excellent documentaries
0:07:53 > 0:07:56made for BBC Four in high definition.
0:07:56 > 0:07:59Not being able to see them in high definition is a loss
0:07:59 > 0:08:03and makes the HD schedules that much the poorer.
0:08:03 > 0:08:05So, please, BBC planners,
0:08:05 > 0:08:09give us back these high-quality programmes in high definition.
0:08:09 > 0:08:11Our HD policy's a mess, isn't it?
0:08:11 > 0:08:14Well, I wouldn't describe it as a mess,
0:08:14 > 0:08:15but I think we've got work to do here.
0:08:15 > 0:08:18I do really sympathise with this viewer.
0:08:18 > 0:08:20These things are complex, it's about how much room we have
0:08:20 > 0:08:24to distribute our programmes, there are some financial considerations
0:08:24 > 0:08:25we need to bear in mind as well.
0:08:25 > 0:08:28It is something we're looking at at the moment at the BBC
0:08:28 > 0:08:30and looking at very, very closely.
0:08:30 > 0:08:33I'm not able to announce today what we're going to do about it,
0:08:33 > 0:08:35but I'd like to assure him it's something we're looking at.
0:08:35 > 0:08:39Well, why not just say we're doing BBC Four HD, it's obvious, isn't it?
0:08:39 > 0:08:41It's something I'd like to achieve, and it's something
0:08:41 > 0:08:44we're looking at closely, and I hope we'll be able to have
0:08:44 > 0:08:47a really clear and firm position to tell viewers very, very soon.
0:08:47 > 0:08:50OK, sport now, Danny, and you know the complaints you get,
0:08:50 > 0:08:53either there's too much or there's not enough.
0:08:53 > 0:08:56So, we thought you'd enjoy this, we've got a viewer with a solution
0:08:56 > 0:08:58and his name is Michael Dunne.
0:08:58 > 0:09:02Can anyone tell me why it's necessary to reschedule regular programmes,
0:09:02 > 0:09:05particularly on Sundays, for the sake of sports events?
0:09:05 > 0:09:08Why do you broadcast them on BBC One?
0:09:08 > 0:09:11Why not BBC Two? Leave BBC One alone.
0:09:11 > 0:09:14And if you don't want to offend BBC Two viewers,
0:09:14 > 0:09:18why not broadcast on BBC Three or BBC Four, during the day,
0:09:18 > 0:09:21when their frequencies aren't otherwise used.
0:09:21 > 0:09:25He's worried about stuff getting shunted by sport.
0:09:25 > 0:09:29Well, I think one of the things that BBC One does for the BBC
0:09:29 > 0:09:32and for the UK is bring the nation together.
0:09:32 > 0:09:34It's one of its really important characteristics
0:09:34 > 0:09:37and some of those big sport moments DO bring the nation together
0:09:37 > 0:09:39almost like nothing else, and I think that's why
0:09:39 > 0:09:42they absolutely deserve to be and should be on BBC One.
0:09:42 > 0:09:45And for those who just loathe sport
0:09:45 > 0:09:48and feel it's being thrust at them on their favourite channel,
0:09:48 > 0:09:53you can't just say, "We'll put all sport on...call it BBC S"?
0:09:53 > 0:09:56Well, we've got no plans for a sports channel.
0:09:56 > 0:09:59Sports rights are one of THE most competitive things
0:09:59 > 0:10:02in the broadcasting world, and there are some areas
0:10:02 > 0:10:03where we cannot compete.
0:10:03 > 0:10:07You'll see that with the huge Premier League live football rights,
0:10:07 > 0:10:09negotiations for which have recently taken place.
0:10:09 > 0:10:12What I think is really important is that the quality and range
0:10:12 > 0:10:16of what we do produce for the BBC in sport is as high as it can be.
0:10:16 > 0:10:19But we also have to appreciate it's a really competitive market
0:10:19 > 0:10:22for sports rights, and we won't win every time.
0:10:22 > 0:10:24Next up, Saturday evening entertainment and The Voice,
0:10:24 > 0:10:28- and we've talked about The Voice before.- We have. - It was your commission.
0:10:28 > 0:10:31- It was one of my commissions.- Are you still proud of it?- Very much so.
0:10:31 > 0:10:33We're into the second series now.
0:10:33 > 0:10:35I think nine or ten million people are watching every week.
0:10:35 > 0:10:39It's actually at the moment the most popular programme on BBC One,
0:10:39 > 0:10:41so that's a really great place for us to be.
0:10:41 > 0:10:44But we do get comments from people, and we're about to see one,
0:10:44 > 0:10:48who say the BBC shouldn't be competing with commercial entertainment shows.
0:10:59 > 0:11:01- Well, he's not happy.- He's not.
0:11:01 > 0:11:05But what I do know is that Saturday night entertainment on BBC One
0:11:05 > 0:11:08is one of the key things that viewers want from us.
0:11:08 > 0:11:10It's a very, very big thing for viewers across the country.
0:11:10 > 0:11:13I think, whilst Mr Wild doesn't like it,
0:11:13 > 0:11:15we'd receive a lot of complaints if we just stopped it.
0:11:15 > 0:11:18It cost a bomb, didn't it? 20 million?
0:11:18 > 0:11:20I'm not going to get into the details.
0:11:20 > 0:11:23You never do, but everyone says, there's 20 million for two years!
0:11:23 > 0:11:25You've probably read that in the newspapers,
0:11:25 > 0:11:28unless you've seen the contracts, I'm not sure how you'd know that.
0:11:28 > 0:11:31- Is it lower?- I'm not getting into a discussion with you about that.
0:11:31 > 0:11:33- But it's worth it, is it? - Yes, I think it is.
0:11:33 > 0:11:36Saturday night entertainment is an expensive thing that we do.
0:11:36 > 0:11:39Along with comedy and drama, entertainment is an expensive genre.
0:11:39 > 0:11:44But you can see that it matters to licence fee payers, and I believe we should keep doing it.
0:11:44 > 0:11:47But it's partly the fact that we've got this enormous organisation
0:11:47 > 0:11:49with clever people in,
0:11:49 > 0:11:52but they can't think up the idea, you have to buy it from somebody else!
0:11:52 > 0:11:55We do a mixture of things. Strictly Come Dancing comes from within the BBC,
0:11:55 > 0:11:57great shows like Top Gear come from the BBC.
0:11:57 > 0:12:00We've got a fantastic new puppet show coming from within the BBC.
0:12:00 > 0:12:03I also think we should be open to great things from around the world.
0:12:03 > 0:12:05We shouldn't think we've got all the answers, and whilst
0:12:05 > 0:12:08nearly everything we should produce should come from the UK,
0:12:08 > 0:12:12we shouldn't have closed minds to creative ideas from other places.
0:12:12 > 0:12:15This does come to this idea, and it's annoying to viewers,
0:12:15 > 0:12:19the number of repeats on BBC One and BBC Two daytime, does that embarrass you?
0:12:19 > 0:12:22Doesn't embarrass me. I think we've got financial challenges,
0:12:22 > 0:12:24we know what the licence fee is, we've tried to do whatever we can
0:12:24 > 0:12:27to protect the evening schedule where people watch most,
0:12:27 > 0:12:30and we've had to make some hard choices on funding
0:12:30 > 0:12:33and that has meant that on BBC Two daytime we do have more repeats.
0:12:33 > 0:12:35That slightly sets the tone for my last question to you,
0:12:35 > 0:12:38which is you're just starting this job, and you can tell us
0:12:38 > 0:12:41what you're planning to do in the next year or so?
0:12:41 > 0:12:43Well, I think the thing for me is to try and ensure
0:12:43 > 0:12:48that the BBC provides big, bold, creative, exciting programming
0:12:48 > 0:12:51across a range of genres that matter most to the audience.
0:12:51 > 0:12:54We've got some great dramas coming up,
0:12:54 > 0:12:56we've got The White Queen coming up in the summer,
0:12:56 > 0:13:00we're going to have an adaptation of JK Rowling's latest novel on next year.
0:13:00 > 0:13:02Very big thing for us in 2014,
0:13:02 > 0:13:06we'll have a lot of programming looking at World War I and analysing it
0:13:06 > 0:13:09and commemorating it. There's lots we're doing in the next couple of years
0:13:09 > 0:13:12and I'm really excited about bringing that to viewers.
0:13:12 > 0:13:15- Director of Television Danny Cohen, thank you very much.- Thank you.
0:13:15 > 0:13:17So that's about it from us for this week.
0:13:17 > 0:13:20Next week is the last episode of the current series
0:13:20 > 0:13:23before we break for the summer, but you can keep getting in touch with us,
0:13:23 > 0:13:26you can do it in a number of ways, and here they are.
0:13:51 > 0:13:54Until next week, goodbye.
0:13:54 > 0:13:57Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd