Tim Davie Says BBC Faces Dilemma in Distributing Investment Across UK
Tim Davie, the Director General of the BBC, has revealed that the corporation is facing increasing pressure from various regions of the UK demanding more investment. Speaking at the Creative Cities Convention (CCC) in Bradford, Davie acknowledged that the BBC has been “pushing money out of London like it’s going out of fashion,” but the task of distributing the funding equitably across different regions remains a complex challenge.
Bradford, which is currently the UK’s City of Culture, has recently benefited from additional funding, with the BBC making it the host for some of this year’s Proms and creating content such as the drama Virdee by A A Dhand. Despite the success in Bradford, Davie admitted that the BBC is constantly being approached by other regions seeking economic growth through investment.
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“In a good way, I am bombarded by different regions looking for economic growth, and all of these regions want money,” said Davie. “The question is how do you deploy limited resources across the UK. The intent is there. You have to do it with the people you trust.”
Davie emphasized that the BBC is committed to supporting regions like Bradford, but spreading the available funds across the country is a balancing act. He called for “a degree of centralization” in decision-making, both from the BBC and the government, to ensure that resources are distributed effectively.
“No one will come with a quarter of a billion and change the game, but if you get all the money together, you begin to shift things,” Davie added. “There’s a balance between spreading money thinly and making sure you have a base for skills. All these things need to come together alongside central government funding to make sure you get a critical mass.”
The BBC has been under increasing scrutiny for its spending outside London. Earlier this year, the corporation faced backlash over the lack of Scottish representation in the popular gameshow The Traitors, which was filmed in a Scottish castle.
At the CCC event, Davie’s comments followed a talk by A A Dhand, a Bradford local who shared his journey of getting his drama Virdee greenlit by the BBC after 15 years of work. Other industry leaders, including ITV Studios’ Julian Bellamy and Paramount UK’s Sarah Rose, also spoke at the event.
This article is originally published on: msn.com
