AN INSTITUTION IN WHICH WE ALL BELIEVE
THE QUESTION OF WHAT HOLDS SOCIETIES TOGETHER SHOULD OCCUPY ALL INSTITUTIONS— BECAUSE THEY CAN ONLY CONTINUE TO EXIST WITH THE CONSENT OF THOSE THEY SERVE.
The question of what holds societies together should occupy all institutions— because they can only continue to exist with the consent of those they serve. That’ s as true of the BBC as it is of Win Coll. We’ ve been asking ourselves difficult questions about how to justify the BBC’ s right to exist in a modern digital media economy. We’ ve also acknowledged the special place the BBC has as the nation’ s‘ public square’, a place where contested issues can be debated and examined from all sides, in a forum free for all. Similarly, as you will see throughout this year’ s Journal, this school, an institution in which we all believe, has asked itself the question‘ what would it take to ensure the long-term future of the school, and to strengthen the relationship with the community in which it lives?’ I’ ve really enjoyed exploring the answers with my interviewees, and I’ ve had a great insight into the life of the school as it is now, rather than what I remember fondly from over 30 years ago. I hope you enjoy their insights as much as I did.
Words from unused preface to‘ Animal Farm’ which accompany a statue of George Orwell outside Broadcasting House, the headquarters of the BBC, in London
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