10 September 2009

BBC Worldwide Merging with Microsoft?

Against this background:

BBC Worldwide’s digital sales and business development head Peter Mercier is leaving to be Microsoft’s content acquisitions and strategy senior director - the latest in the revolving HR door between the two companies.

...

BBCWW hired Mercier from MobiTV as head of mobile in 2007 before he got a wider digital role in ‘08. Ashley Highfield left as CEO of BBCWW’s Kangaroo JV last year. Microsoft’s UK online services group VP Chris Dobson went the other way to be BBCWW’s WVP and GM of global ad sales, leading BBC.com ad sales in particular; he later took two BBCWWers with him.

Rather than try to cover up the symbiotic relationship between the two organisations, wouldn't it just be simpler if they merged them together now? At least then there wouldn't be any pretensions of independence by the BBC Worldwide...

2 comments:

Thomas said...

I will never understand the BBC's (and Britain's in general) dependence on Microsoft. You would think the BBC would not tie itself to a convicted monopolist and force its license payers to fork over hundreds of pounds to have full and unfettered access to bbc content. It's even more than the license fee itself! I've not let windows on any computer I run since 1984, although I have years of experience administering the pieces of shite so I am forced to break DRM to see what I have already paid for. Personally, I think Bill Gates and Monkey Boy have enough money without the British being forced to fork over money to them to fully use the Beeb.

Glyn Moody said...

Indeed, 'tis passing strange...