Dan McGolpin: “You've just got to get on with things", as BBC looks beyond current crisis with new digital indie fund

BBC iPlayer & Channels director says, "There's no time to waste"

BBC iPlayer & channels director Dan McGolpin says his department has just “got to get on with things” amid the row that led to the departure of the corporation’s director general and BBC News CEO - as he looked to the future by announcing a new small indie digital fund.

During the keynote session at GrowthLab London, McGolpin was asked by BBC analysis editor Ros Atkins what Tim Davie and Deborah Turness leaving the organisation means for his division.

Atkins, who was chairing the keynote, was referring to the resignation of the pair following a memo from an external adviser which included criticism of an edit of a speech by Donald Trump on Panorama. The controversy has resulted in the US president threatening to sue the corporation for $1 billion if it does not apologise by Friday.

However, McGolpin said: “The thing I’m telling my teams - the commissioning teams I work with, or anyone around the BBC - is, ‘Get on with things. We haven’t got time to waste; there’s so much to do.’

“In terms of my team, we’ve got Christmas coming up. We’ve had some big moments recently - people might have watched The Celebrity Traitors! There’s so much to do in terms of preparing for next year, we really don’t have time.

“I’m sure lots of people in this room have watched, read and listened to lots of things about this… I have to a degree as well, but you can kind of get lost in that.”

McGolpin added: “Really, in the end, you’ve just got to get on with things. That’s very much the message that Tim has given. He’s still the editor-in-chief of the BBC.

“I went to an executive committee meeting on Tuesday… I was only there for one item, but it wasn’t related to the obvious thing at all. So they are getting on with business. I’m getting on with business. My team’s getting on with business. There’s no time to waste.”

Atkins asked if there was “frustration in some parts of the BBC, beyond news, that the errors the BBC has subsequently apologised for have been made in news and are impacting the organisation as a whole.”

McGolpin said although “as many people have said, mistakes were made,” he sees “people working really hard to provide truth with no agenda” and content that brings “the nation together.”

“That’s what we’re trying to do, day in, day out. What I see around the organisation, in all the divisions that I work with, is people really working hard to achieve that.”

As part of this approach, McGolpin announced - in line with the BBC’s commitment to supporting the creative industries in all four nations - the opening of its production development funds for this year, including a new digital element.

Companies will be able to apply for three BBC strategic investments: the Small Indie Fund - TV, the Small Indie Fund - Digital, and the Radio & Music Indie Development Fund, totalling £1.25 million.

The Small Indie Fund - Digital will support production companies and studios looking to develop digital media content across a range of genres and platforms.

McGolpin explained that although the BBC has “had a small indie fund for a while that includes TV and radio… we’re adding a digital element to that.

“There are certain qualifications in order to get that money, but it’s helping smaller indies to really equip themselves in digital.”

All three funds prioritise supporting companies based in the nations and regions, and those with at least two individuals in key leadership roles who are from under-represented groups.

The application deadline is 22 December.

A full report of McGolpin’s session will appear in the next issue of The Indie Hustle newsletter.