the tv controller

You've probably seen this by now, not least because the Guardian have written about it today, but if not this is an absolutely brilliant link - here's BBC3 chief controller Danny Cohen's incisive and revealing blog about his life running Britain's foremost youf channel. Except of course, it isn't, it's an artfully constructed spoof, but it's brilliantly done and quite hilarious. Charlie Brooker will be looking on enviously, I reckon.

"Whilst loitering with a skinny latte-on-ice in the 'Stage Door' area at TVC, I noticed that ALL FIVE screens (that simultaneously broadcast the Corporation's worldwide output) were showing The Boffin on BBC fucking Breakfast justifying the dead Diana photo "controversy". Incredible.

Herring is a fucking genius. I actually saw the final cut of this film before I departed Horseferry Road and it's nothing much. I heard a whisper that Kevin was v v worried that it would disappear with a whimper UNLESS the media were able to whip themselves up into a stupendous frenzy over SOMETHING in it. And that's where Herring stepped in.

Even though the Corporation and some ten-bob-note snooze-digital channels have used the same pics of dead Diana in other programmes before, Herring made sure that a few in-the-know media hacks got anonymous DVDs A MONTH AGO - a 2-minute clip from the film that features the oh-so-controversial images. Herring - shrewd fucking operator that he is - also advised Kevin to broadcast the film earlier than planned knowing that with Blair on his extended farewell tour, there would be fuck all else for hacks to report on."

Brilliant stuff.