Quote: Lazzard @ October 13 2012, 8:22 AM BST

Though I'm not wholly comfortable with your attitude to the 60s & 70s I agree that the BBC should not carry out an inquiry.
It's either a police matter or it isn't.
If they discover a child-sex ring at large in the BBC then - once prosecutions have taken place - they should ensure that safeguards are in place to stop any re-occurrence.
This 'investigation' is entirely to keep the press and politicos - all of whom have a deep hatred of the Beeb, along with prattling X Factor viewers - at bay.
The money should be spent on making better Dr who monsters.

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I disagree. If there's one thing we've learnt as a result of this whole sorry episode, it's that while the monsters are pretty cool, the scripts need more attention.

Quote: Oldrocker @ October 12 2012, 10:35 PM BST

I'm getting a bit bored with waiting for Thatcher to go, so why don't we have a 'piss on Savile's grave' outing instead to keep us going until The Lovely Day ?

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She turned her toes up years ago...it's all been hush hush for political reasons.

What you see now is a specially commissioned Spitting Imagine creation.

Not only will she (it) outlive you and probably dance on your grave, but she'll probably be the next Tory leader.

She looks more credible now than chinless wonder Ed Milliband.

GRUFF CINEMATIC TRAILER VOICE....
'Just when you thought it was safe to down gallons of cheap lager, take your cock out...and prepare to piss on her grave.....THATCHER II.....your worst nightmare is about to start.......!'

Quote: Alfred J Kipper @ October 13 2012, 2:29 AM BST

So the Beeb are going to overspend our money on two inqiries to keep the baying press and some confused liberal/fascist types happy! I wonder how many hotels and expensive lunches these will include? Why don't they just appoint the rabid Bea Campbell as the new chief executive and have all male deejays castrated? Cheapest option by far, her being a commie.

FFS, it was the 60s and 70s and deejays were part of the promiscuous and indulgent music industry, some deejays took advantage of it all and couldn't keep their hands off the sweeties the BBC invited in. The age we lived in was different, the girls in question didn't seem to moan, er, complain too much at the time, and the insidious cancer that is PC hadn't yet crossed the Antlantic. There, inquiry sorted, and vast sums of our dosh saved. Now start spending it on genuinely decent TV shows again, you know, like we got in the heathen 70s.

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I have never encountered a more powerful argument in favour of Political Correctness. Thank you Alfred.

Quote: Lazzard @ October 13 2012, 8:22 AM BST

Though I'm not wholly comfortable with your attitude to the 60s & 70s I agree that the BBC should not carry out an inquiry.
It's either a police matter or it isn't.
If they discover a child-sex ring at large in the BBC then - once prosecutions have taken place - they should ensure that safeguards are in place to stop any re-occurrence.
This 'investigation' is entirely to keep the press and politicos - all of whom have a deep hatred of the Beeb, along with prattling X Factor viewers - at bay.
The money should be spent on making better Dr who monsters.

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No it's most definitely an internal inquiry as well.

Organisations have a responsibility to manage their own risk management etc. The police only get called when that's failed.

I agree it should be done with a sharp eye to keep costs down.

But you don't call the police if Sainsbury's have a slippy patch on the floor, you call when they refuse to clean it up.

The police should aim to try any criminals identified. The BBC enquiry should change culture so it doesn't happen again. And fire any one culpable but not criminally responsible.

BBC inquiry..... what a joke!

'Hands up if you think Jimmy was guilty of putting his hands up!'

'Unanimous then - he's not guilty - so us, and our predescessors, whose arses we licked, get off scot free. G and T anyone?'

Love the analogy of the wet floor at Sainsbury's. I imagine there were lots of wet floors in and around the studio of 'Jim'll Fix it' too.

Wily Savile didn't slip up though!

Although I have to say that it isnt a criminal offence to have a wet floor (if it was, my gaff would be surrounded by armed police this morning - after last night!)

However, isn't it a criminal offence to fondle children? There's seems to be enough evidence outside the BBC to prove any guilt.

The inquiry thing just smacks of hypocrisy and being forced to do what they should have done much much earlier, if they are genuinely suddenly concerned. If! Then it raises huge questions about how good the senior management are if they didn't know what ordinary people hundreds of miles away knew was happening in their own naffing premises!!

And the other inquiry into Newsnight's odd decision is just as bizarre looking. It happened only a year ago!! More than one senior exec knows exactly what went on because they pulled the plug on it. Don't the board and the DG ask these questions at regular management meetings? They MUST have known the reason for this, and if they really didn't, they simply aren't taking enough interest in their work or doing their job properly. So Entwhistle has to go, he won't survive this.

I can imagine a lot of bitter infighting and counter accusing is going to occur throughout these inquiries. And it's going to drag the image of the BBC through the gutters! Very very damaging for them. Personally, I think the rabid sanctimonious media are making way too much of a few wayward souls who exploited the less than rigorous nature of a big arts based institution in a looser and more carefree age. But then, the BBC is a prestigious public body, and now they have little choice but to side with the general public view. So all the more reason they should have known what was going on and stopped it becoming the monster it looks set to become. No, I mean , oops.

Quote: Alfred J Kipper @ October 13 2012, 12:11 PM BST

And the other inquiry into Newsnight's odd decision is just as bizarre looking.

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As always it is the cover up that will bring them down; if the Beeb had been the ones to break the story they would be safe on the moral high ground.

It's rare that I agree with Alfred J Kipper, but an expensive and pointless enquiry carried out by the BBC - where, no doubt, everyone will emerge blameless thanks to the old boy network - is a waste of time and money.

Call in the Police, I assume that investigating crimes is still their job.

Quote: Brian Bickerstaffe @ October 13 2012, 8:46 AM BST

she'll probably be the next Tory leader.

She looks more credible now than chinless wonder Ed Milliband.

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Quote: Lazzard @ October 13 2012, 8:22 AM BST

If they discover a child-sex ring at large in the BBC then - once prosecutions have taken place - they should ensure that safeguards are in place to stop any re-occurrence.

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And without an inquiry to establish exactly what happened and how it was able and allowed to happen, how do you establish what those necessary safeguards are above and beyond what would hopefully have been common sense anyway, and how do you implement them?

Quote: Alfred J Kipper @ October 13 2012, 12:11 PM BST

The inquiry thing just smacks of hypocrisy and being forced to do what they should have done much much earlier, if they are genuinely suddenly concerned. If! Then it raises huge questions about how good the senior management are if they didn't know what ordinary people hundreds of miles away knew was happening in their own naffing premises!!

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When has an inquiry ever been held BEFORE moral press and public outrage?

Quote: Alfred J Kipper @ October 13 2012, 12:11 PM BST

And it's going to drag the image of the BBC through the gutters! Very very damaging for them.

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More than the current, unresolved flood of rumours and speculation? This could just go on and on and on. I don't imagine they'll run a proper, fully open and honest inquiry, but they'll pretend to do so and seek closure and institutional atonement for their sins from the public.

Quote: Aaron @ October 13 2012, 2:48 PM BST

I don't imagine they'll run a proper, fully open and honest inquiry, but they'll pretend to do so and seek closure and institutional atonement for their sins from the public.

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How much is this extravaganza of nothingness going to cost us?

Well it doesn't really cost us anything, because the BBC can't just raise its fee like the Government can raise taxes to pay for timewasting like Leveson.

If the inquiry into the Newsnight investigation highlights how hilariously biased the BBC's news and current affairs coverage is though (unlikely), it'll be worth it.

And if the inquiry into Savile is able to unseat the people who are still fostering a culture of illegality and cover-ups (also unlikely), then that'll be worth it.

Quote: Aaron @ October 13 2012, 2:59 PM BST

Well it doesn't really cost us anything, because the BBC can't just raise its fee like the Government can raise taxes to pay for timewasting like Leveson.

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I think you'll find that to cover the cost of this managerial circle jerk, either programmes or jobs will have to be axed to pay the bill.

Perhaps they could stop making EastEnders and Strictly? (fingeys crossed!)

Call the police and have an separate investigation.

Inspection should be carried out by local social services department, the BBC should still do one themselves. If not social services Barnardos or similar charity who can charge the BBC a hefty fee.

The idea that any one who is culpable but not criminally culpable shouldn't be investigated.

What the f**k are you loonies talking about? Seriously are you living in Narnia or something.

I want the people who knew about his practices and did nothing out of any responsible job for good.

I'm not much bothered by either. Half of the crap they produce is just that, and they can't lose the airtime; not that they'd choose decent comedy repeats to fill cancellations, of course, but I can live in hope, damnit.

Re police, they ARE investigating. In fact the BBC's Savile inquiry isn't starting until the police investigation is complete, unless I've grossly misunderstood what I've read.

But just to point this description of that inquiry into Savile out. They're already pinning the whole charade squarely at the door of those who are already retired or deceased: "whether culture and practice at the BBC at the time enabled Savile to carry out the sexual abuse of children".

Quote: sootyj @ October 13 2012, 3:07 PM BST

I want the people who knew about his practices and did nothing out of any responsible job for good.

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I'd imagine that most of the people who knew are either dead, retired or in such high positions of power that they can never be touched (unlike the girls, etc.).

The idea that the same culture is still active within the BBC is laughable, much like racism and sexism. The Beeb is one of the most puritanically PC middle class playgrounds you could imagine. You'd probably get sacked if you admitted to smoking cigarettes.