I’m finally allowed to tell you all that my good buddy and esteemed former BBC colleague Kevin Anderson is to join Guardian as Head of Blogging and Interaction.
Congrats all round.
So another one bites the dust from the BBC. And not only that but another Knight of the bbc.co.uk Roundtable. Despite the fact that he is probably best known publicly for broadcast roles on both BBC World Service radio and BBC 5 Live, Kevin was instrumental on getting the BBC back on track with blogging and citizen journalism.
An announcement like this brings mixed emotion. I continue to have a soft spot for the BBC, and want it to succeed led by the right people in the right direction.
But I also know that success for Kevin ultimately lies elsewhere. The problem is Kevin is yet another cross-discipline person who just doesn’t fit into the BBC’s structure. They just don’t know what to do with him, and I got the impression that many of his editorial colleagues ostrocised him because he aspired to do more than just write within the medium.
People are often afraid of what they don’t understand, and sadly many BBC journalists just don’t understand (even now) what blogging really is.
Somewhere like the Guardian, which dare I say it is leaner and more agile, is probably a great move for him. Like many I actually have great issues with ‘Comment is Free‘ – starting with the name and moving through with the proposition itself.
But the point is they both get it and have much to do. And commercially I think their wider blogging platform is potentially the most lucrative part of the site for monetisation.
So well done Kevin, it’s great news and I wish you all the best! 🙂
Ben,
Like you, I am excited to see what Kevin has up his sleeve for The Guardian.