“[Ruth] Mackenzie was sitting in her office when she learned to her astonishment that she had been sacked for ‘bullying’. She was even more shocked, when [general director Thomas] Lauriot dit Prévost, with whom she shared an office, insisted she leave immediately.” – The Guardian
Tag: 08.31.20
BBC’s New Boss Will Look At Changing How BBC Is Funded
“The BBC has looked at whether the licence fee [paid by each household with a television] could ultimately be replaced with a new special income tax, based on the Swedish model for funding public service broadcasting according to two executives at the corporation, with a new funding model set to be one of the key issues facing incoming director general, Tim Davie.” – The Guardian
Aerosol Research Helps Get Vienna Philharmonic Back Onstage
“The Vienna Philharmonic was one of the first professional orchestras to return to rehearsals and performances since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, but it wouldn’t have been possible if they hadn’t carried out their own small research study into the way droplets disperse on stage while musicians play.” Reporter Eva Amsen looks at what exactly the orchestra and its scientists did. – Forbes
Diversity Diversion: Plumbing Museums’ “Pipeline” Problem in Hiring Minorities
While the persistent lag in hiring minorities is arguably a manifestation of museums’ systemic racism, it is also a “pipeline problem” — the relative scarcity of well-trained minority candidates. But if a museum official were to state this publicly, it would likely be dismissed as a cop-out. – Lee Rosenbaum
Are Orchestras “Better than Ever”? — What Not to Tell a Young Musician
“Orchestras are better than ever” – if you mean that, literally, you mean that in terms of the role the institution plays in Minneapolis or Philadelphia or Boston, it has a bigger and more important role than it’s ever had in the past. Anybody who says that – they don’t know what an orchestra is. So this is a dangerous thing to tell young musicians. – Joseph Horowitz
Research: Knowledge Workers Are More Productive Working From Home
In sum, lockdown has been positive for knowledge worker productivity in the short term. But it has also created some concerns and challenges around longer-term effectiveness, creativity, and personal resilience. – Harvard Business Review