Political Economy as Art

I know I'm well behind the curve on this one but I'm finally catching up with The Wire. Whether or not it's as good as The Sopranos I'll leave others to judge, but it really is up there in the best 5 TV series I've ever seen. (Go get the 4 min summary of the first four series if you don't believe me).

Anyway, we're on series two now, and the centre of the action has shifted from organized drug dealing in the overwhelmingly black projects to the decaying 'all-but-post-industrial' world of the containerised docks. The few remaining longshoremen are predominately white, unionised and turbulent in a recognisably - forgive me Merseyside - scally like manner. Work is sporadic - they talk about getting odd shifts here and there. Drinking starts at breakfast time. A sense of decline hangs over the place and demands for major industrial rejuvenation - 'dredging the channel' - are dismissed as impracticable even by their own leaders.

The dockers are still organised though - they have a sense of identity and community. So when their leader comes into conflict with the local Police Chief and the cops are harassing them in various ways they can strike back. They nick a Police van and load it into a container and send it on its way somewhere or other. They're also organised enough to be taking rake-offs from organised crime to turn a blind eye to various at first unspecified smuggling activities.

But it's all too small scale and old fashioned. The Police Chief manoeuvres bureaucratically for permission to put a team of 6 detectives on the longshoremen's case in order to put away their leader, who is automatically - and rightly as it happens - assumed to be engaged in skulduggery. It genuinely shocks the dockers when the smuggling they've been assisting turns out to be person trafficking for the sex trade, and a dozen or more dead young women turn up in a container. The programme brilliantly contrasts the ruthlessness, modernity and sheer scale of both the State and, more to the point, organised crime with the faltering, traditional and frankly amateurish efforts of the dockers in trying to protect their own interests.

There's a metaphor here for the labour movement in this economic crisis. You don't need me to join the dots for you.

What Shall We Do About Auntie?

Lord Reith is dead: the concept of the BBC as 'Auntie', the universal bringer of news, entertainment and child minding is never going to return. The American version of public service broadcasting is a underfunded, semi-elitist dead end. So what do we want the BBC, or public sector broadcasting more generally, to actually be?

At the moment, it seems to me, we're trapped in a political game which, in the long-run, is a no win game for the Left. We may have doubts about the Beeb but each time it is attacked we have to rally to its defense because the alternative seems to be simply kowtowing to Murdoch and the Mail.

The BBC strives for universality - just think what they try to do:

* Keep the Little Britain crowd (i.e. the consumers of offensive pap) happy;
* Satisfy the tastes of 'Middle England' for endless costume drama;
* Attract the Youtube generation back to TV through 'edgy'(god help us...) material;
* Slip the occasional world beating programme of genuine substance into the mix (if the Beeb was the Vatican I'm sure they would have canonised David Attenborough by now...);
* Plus, of course, to fight against CNN and the American networks on the news front (let's face it, there''s no worthwhile domestic competition outside the print media);
* Keep up their end in specialist coverage where they face a variety of niche rivals- for instance, Sky in terms of Sport, or the cartoon channels in terms of children's programming.

Oh - and also to run the most impressive website in the world.

It may be the most enduring and best loved symbol of Britain as a columnist in the Observer argues today - but, seriously now, if it didn't currently exist would anyone from the left , or anywhere else, propose creating such a structure?

So here are a couple of random thoughts about the shape of a possible future Beeb.

1.The BBC's news operation is its core - but it is especially poor at that field's idea fixee , 24 hr rolling news: BBC 24 is an embarrassment. Nor, because of a history of government bullying, is it quick at getting the news out - since the Kelly affair everything is checked three times before publication. Where it is really strong is in being authoritative, and in broadening the news into current affairs discussion and analysis. This much we should defend.

2. I do think it retains a cultural role - but one that should be nearer that of the Arts Council in stimulating and promoting cultural endeavor than as the overarching production house. This would also have to encompass the training of a sufficient cadre of cultural producers and technicians to allow the industry to thrive - which means it would still make some programmes, just fewer and better ones. & , again like the Arts Council, it should have a duty to ensure access for new and under represented kinds of work, as well as work of excellence.

Because I really don't think the Beeb can go on like it is for much longer, Ross & Brand or no Ross and Brand.

After Russell Brand: Public Service Broadcasting Wars

Mick wants a debate, Paulie wants a fight. & Mrs. Charlie is ex-World Service. So why do I pause before agreeing with them?

As I watch my children effortlessly scroll thorugh upteen digital channels, draw up old programmes through TV on demand and treat i-player as a birthright I seriously doubt that the old licence fee funded model - perhaps 'ideology' would be a better word than 'model' - of a public service broadcaster appealing to all of the community's various tastes and concerns can survive more than another decade.

I have a vague sense that the BBC - or public service broadcasting more generally - has to become more like a public library than a publishing house, whilst stimulating the production of a wider range of books. More like a web browser than a series of websites, but one which does 'point' to a wide range of content and ensures that it is available.Basically: more like the Arts Council in tis relationship with artists. But I struggle to imagine how we can give this a 'left' face.....

The 'old' public service broadcasting argument still applies to news and current affairs mind. There the argument is about independence from sources of money and power...