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Mark Thompson gives Oxford University lecture Mark Thompson gives Oxford University lecture
(about 4 hours later)
The Jimmy Savile scandal was always likely to hang heavy over Mark Thompson's first lecture in his role as a visiting professor of Oxford University.The Jimmy Savile scandal was always likely to hang heavy over Mark Thompson's first lecture in his role as a visiting professor of Oxford University.
That his first offering, at the behest of his former colleague and close friend Mark Damazer, should be called The Cloud of Unknowing, had his critics carping that it was entirely appropriate.That his first offering, at the behest of his former colleague and close friend Mark Damazer, should be called The Cloud of Unknowing, had his critics carping that it was entirely appropriate.
Thompson, former director general of the BBC and, from next Monday, chief executive of the New York Times, he has been criticised for his lack of knowledge of the Savile scandal and the pulled Newsnight investigation. Thompson, former director general of the BBC and, from next Monday, chief executive of the New York Times, has been criticised for his lack of knowledge of the Savile scandal and the pulled investigation into the matter by BBC2's Newsnight.
Beginning his brief university tenure as Oxford's Humanitas Visiting Professor in Rhetoric and the Art of Public Persuasion, Thompson's public thoughts at least were elsewhere. Beginning his brief university tenure as Oxford's Humanitas visiting professor in rhetoric and the art of public persuasion, Thompson's public thoughts at least were elsewhere.
Specifically, in his first of three lectures which he will deliver over successive nights in the chapel of St Peter's College, on the issues of policy, rhetoric and public bewilderment. Is Plato winning the argument, he asked? In the first of three lectures which he will deliver over successive nights in the chapel of St Peter's College, on the issues of policy, rhetoric and public bewilderment, he asked: is Plato winning the argument?
Not yet, came the answer, after a well-received hour-long lecture in front of an audience that included BBC Trust chairman Lord Patten, in his role as chancellor of Oxford University, BBC Radio 4 controller Gwyneth Williams and Sir Roger Bannister. Not yet, came the answer, after a well-received hour-long lecture in front of an audience that included BBC Trust chairman Lord Patten, in his role as chancellor of Oxford University, BBC Radio 4 controller Gwyneth Williams and former athlete Sir Roger Bannister.
Invited by Damazer, now master of St Peter's, to address the Savile affair at the end of his lecture, the ex-DG expressed his "shock and sadness ... that these things have happened and have happened inside the BBC".Invited by Damazer, now master of St Peter's, to address the Savile affair at the end of his lecture, the ex-DG expressed his "shock and sadness ... that these things have happened and have happened inside the BBC".
He repeated previous statements that he had nothing to do with Newsnight's controversial decision to drop its investigation into the disgraced former presenter. He repeated previous statements that he had nothing to do with Newsnight's controversial decision to drop its investigation into the disgraced former TV and radio presenter.
"Like many other people at the BBC and despite what you may have read I had heard none of the stories about Jimmy Savile," he added. "Like many other people at the BBC and despite what you may have read, I had heard none of the stories about Jimmy Savile," he said.
When the first member of the audience in a brief Q and A session returned immediately to the topic, Damazer intervened to redirect further lines of questioning to his lecture. The groans from some members of the audience which greeted the Savile question suggested widespread approval. "That was my decision, not Mark's," added Damazer. When the first member of the audience in a brief Q&A session returned immediately to the topic, Damazer intervened to redirect further lines of questioning to the topic of the lecture. The groans from some members of the audience which greeted the Savile question suggested widespread approval. "That was my decision, not Mark's," said Damazer.
But what of the lecture itself? Thompson looked to investigate the coarsening of public and political discourse, from Sarah Palin's "death panel" take on Obamacare to the "Plebgate" scandal that accounted for former chief whip Andrew Mitchell. But what of the lecture itself? Thompson looked to investigate the coarsening of public and political discourse, from Sarah Palin's "death panel" take on Obamacare to the "plebgate" scandal that accounted for former chief whip Andrew Mitchell.
Thompson said that public language was changing "in ways that make it more effective as an instrument of political persuasion but less effective as a medium for explanation and deliberation". He said there was a "growing concentration of public language into would-be knockout blows", colourful but not enlightening. Thompson said public language was changing "in ways that make it more effective as an instrument of political persuasion but less effective as a medium for explanation and deliberation". He said there was a "growing concentration of public language into would-be knockout blows", colourful but not enlightening.
Many people had been blamed, said Thompson — politicians, the media, the internet, the public themselves who had become "more trivial, less serious-minded". But he added it wasn't just "wicked politicians, or a perverted media or a disengaged public" who were responsible. Many people had been blamed, said Thompson – politicians, the media, the internet, the public themselves who had become "more trivial, less serious-minded". But he added it was not just "wicked politicians, or a perverted media or a disengaged public" who were responsible.
Thompson pointed to distrust of authority and the complexity of the issues being debated, as well as the "hyper reactive" nature of 24 hour news channels which "watch Twitter like hawks", leading to a "kind of Darwinian natural selection of words and phrases". Thompson pointed to distrust of authority and the complexity of the issues being debated, as well as the "hyper reactive" nature of 24-hour news channels which "watch Twitter like hawks", leading to a "kind of Darwinian natural selection of words and phrases".
The language of the marketeers, he added, was being picked up by politicians which were then tested in the "vast cost-free focus group" that was the internet. The language of the marketeers, he said, was being picked up by politicians which were then tested in the "vast cost-free focus group" that was the internet.
Someone who knows all about the power of marketing was the sponsor of the lectures, in memory of former Labour pollster Philip Gould — one Matthew Freud and his eponymous company, Freud Communications. Someone who knows all about the power of marketing was the sponsor of the lectures, in memory of former Labour pollster Philip Gould – one Matthew Freud and his eponymous company, Freud Communications.
Responding to questions from the audience, Thompson pointed out the risks of people only going on the internet to find views with which they agreed. "One of the strongest arguments for a great public service broadcaster like the BBC or for that matter a great news provider like the New York Times is ... you are confronted with all sorts of different perspectives including ones which are not yours at all," he said.Responding to questions from the audience, Thompson pointed out the risks of people only going on the internet to find views with which they agreed. "One of the strongest arguments for a great public service broadcaster like the BBC or for that matter a great news provider like the New York Times is ... you are confronted with all sorts of different perspectives including ones which are not yours at all," he said.
Including, he didn't add, the columnists for the New York Times who have questioned whether he is the right man for his new job. Including, he did not add, the columnists for the New York Times who have questioned whether he is the right man for his new job.