Category: 91Èȱ¬
Date: 12.07.2006
Printable version
The 91Èȱ¬ Governors are holding their Annual General Meeting in Norwich tomorrow
evening, Thursday 13 July 2006.
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The event concludes a week of external
scrutiny of the 91Èȱ¬ and offers members of the public their opportunity to
question the Governors about the programmes and services they receive in return
for their licence fee.
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The Board of Governors, and in future the Trust, is responsible for ensuring the
91Èȱ¬ operates in the interests of licence fee payers by offering them quality and
distinctive programmes and services they value.
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Over the past year the Board has
met licence fee payers at public meetings in Glasgow, Cardiff and Belfast and
last summer around 150 members of the public attended the first public AGM in
London.
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Looking ahead to the event, 91Èȱ¬ Chairman Michael Grade said: "The AGM is key to
improving our accountability and to building our relationship with licence fee
payers - ensuring the Governors and in future the Trustees can truly represent
their interests.
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"I'm looking forward to hearing what the public has to say
tomorrow night and hope the audience in Norwich will be as frank as those who
have taken time to attend our previous meetings around the UK."
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So far, more than 200 questions have been sent in by members of the public to the
Governors' website.
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Topics range from programme quality; problems in accessing
digital television and concern about paying for services which cannot be
received; watershed and use of language; level of repeats; talent pay; use of
programme trails; and the use of background music.
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For example:
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"How can the 91Èȱ¬ justify spending the licence fee on digital services when not
everybody can receive digital?"
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"Is it appropriate for peak-time shows to contain bad language, sexual content
and violence?"
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"Why is there so much sport on television?"
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And interestingly, a request for a repeat: "Could the 91Èȱ¬ repeat the best
programme each week which has been voted the best by the public?"
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Michael Grade will be taking part in a series of national and local radio phone-ins in advance of the meeting, giving those licence fee payers unable to attend
the AGM a further opportunity to have their say.
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Notes to Editors
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On Thursday 13 July Michael Grade will be on
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91Èȱ¬ ONE Breakfast at 8.18am
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Radio Five Live, Victoria Derbyshire at 9.00am
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Radio Suffolk at 11.10am
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Radio Kent at 11.20am
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Radio Stoke at 11.30am
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91Èȱ¬ WM at 11.40am
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Radio Norfolk at 12pm
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Over the past year Michael Grade has taken part in phone-ins on the following
91Èȱ¬ stations/programmes: Radio Five Live, Radio Sheffield, Radio Berkshire, Radio
Solent, Radio Scotland, Radio Wales, Radio Newcastle, Radio Ulster, Radio 4's
You and Yours and Radio Oxford.
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The AGM will start at 7.00pm.
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Governors on the panel include Michael Grade, Anthony
Salz, Jeremy Peat, Ranjit Sondhi and Deborah Bull.
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In the audience, Mark
Thompson (91Èȱ¬ Director-General), Mark Byford (Deputy Director-General), Caroline Thomson (Director, Policy, Strategy, Legal & Distribution) and Zarin Patel (Group Finance Director) will be available to
respond to questions about their areas of responsibility.
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91Èȱ¬ Governance Unit
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