BBC Handbook 1977 [antikvár]

Foreword Sir Michael Swann Chairman of the BBC The BBC, like the rest of the country, has had to economise throughout the last year. Some of this will have been evident to our viewers and listeners - a reduction in the hours of broadcasting and a slowing down of our regional development. But most of the economies have been achieved behind the scenes and out of sight. Despite the lack of money we have fought to maintain the quality of our programmes by determined efforts to increase our efficiency -efforts to which everyone in the Corporation has contributed. Next year is not likely to be any easier for us than 1976. Though we have kept going on licence fees that have risen by less than almost anything else, we cannot survive much longer without an increase. The report of the Annan Committee will also be published quite soon, and its conclusions are bound to weigh heavily with the Government in deciding on the BBC's future. It is never a comfortable business beingpublicly scrutinised. Nevertheless, it is a measure of the significance society attaches to broadcasting and the broadcasters, and a necessary part of what is nowadays called accountability. No doubt the Report will pronounce on our weaknesses. But it must surely also endorse our strengths, which I believe are many. And if I am not much mistaken, the latter will outweigh the former, in the eyes of most people. I believe therefore that we can look ahead with confidence.