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29 October 2014
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Greg Dyke

Director-General


Speech given on accepting the International Emmy Directorate Award for outstanding services to broadcasting


New York, Monday 24 November
Printable version

(Joanna Lumley presented the award)


Thank you very much indeed Joanna.


When my office asked the International Academy what I should say in my thank you speech, the message came back loud and clear – think of the worst Oscar acceptance speech you've ever heard, and don't go there!


So I just want to say some thank yous.


First I would like to thank Joanna for taking the time to come to New York to present me with this award – as a ´óÏó´«Ã½ star and a freewoman of New York, I couldn't think of anyone more fitting to present me with this special honour.


Joanna was first known worldwide as Purdy in the Avengers and in recent years for her iconic performance as Patsy in Absolutely Fabulous, or Ab Fab to its millions of fans.


But Joanna's enthusiasm for performing also extends to genres as diverse as wildlife documentaries, drama and childrens' programmes – many of them made for the ´óÏó´«Ã½, I'm pleased to say.


Much like the ´óÏó´«Ã½ – and she won't thank me for saying this – Joanna is now something of a great British institution, although a younger and more glamorous one than the ´óÏó´«Ã½.


She is highly respected around the world and much loved. Thank you Joanna.


Next I would like to thank my partner Sue who is here tonight. We've been together a long time and she has always brought reality into my life with comments like, "just because you're a big shot at work doesn't mean you're a big shot here" and "I'm not your bloody personal assistant. Do it yourself."


Only last week I emailed her from the office asking about something. Back came the reply, "remember we do live together, you could just speak to me."


Without Sue my life would have been a lot less fun.


And then there's my four children who are all here tonight. When they heard that I was getting this Emmy I'd like to think they all decided to come to New York with, where appropriate, their partners, to pay tribute to me.


But of course I've been a parent too long to believe that. You know, I know and they know that they all saw it as a great opportunity to have four days in New York with me footing the bill.


But despite that I'd like to thank them for coming. For me they have given meaning to my life and without them it would have been very dull.


Most importantly, I would like to thank the Board of the International Academy of Television, Arts and Sciences for giving me the International Emmy Directorate Award this year. This is a very prestigious award that I feel honoured to receive.


My final thank you is to the people who work for the ´óÏó´«Ã½ in Britain and right across the world.


I'd like to thank them for the creativity, originality and sheer hard work they put in every day to enable the ´óÏó´«Ã½ to produce and broadcast such a remarkable range of high quality programmes.


I believe the role of leader in any organisation is a fairly simple one – it's to inspire the people who work for you so that they have the confidence, the freedom and the opportunity to produce wonderful things.


I hope that's what I've been able to do in the four years I've been at the ´óÏó´«Ã½, an organisation full of really talented people. This award is not for me, it's for them.


Finally, can I just say this. There are a growing number of people, particularly in the commercial media sector, who believe that publicly funded broadcasting is increasingly irrelevant in a market driven world – and as such is no longer necessary.


I beg to differ. I believe there are two obvious reasons why organisations like the ´óÏó´«Ã½ are more important, not less, in our increasingly fragmented media society.


Firstly if we want broadcasting systems which reflect the culture of different societies and are not dominated by American culture – no offence intended - then strong, well funded public service broadcasters are essential to achieve that.


And secondly being publicly funded, but also independent of Government, means the ´óÏó´«Ã½ is free to take risks, to be creative, and most important of all, free to ask awkward questions, particularly of governments.


At the ´óÏó´«Ã½ we saw this as one of our central roles in the events leading up to and during the Iraq war.


I am not at all sure we saw the same level of autonomy and impartiality from the vast commercial media organisations which now dominate American television.


Thank you again for this award.


Notes to Editors


Speech given by ´óÏó´«Ã½ Director-General Greg Dyke to the Emmy Board in New York on Monday 24 November


(25.11.03)



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