There's nothing the Beeb likes more than reporting on itself - the holy grail of its output

This was the BBC in its happiest of happy places. Sure the Beeb likes to do the news, but there is nothing it likes more than reporting on itself. The holy grail of its output. There are whole departments within the Beeb dedicated to making programmes about other BBC programmes.

- John Crace

There can be no other organisation that subjects itself to quite so much self-analysis. Only a psychotherapist would be able to fully determine whether it is solipsism or self-hatred. Maybe both. So much so that it goes out of its way to recruit people whose sole job is to criticise it. Some who are even ideologically opposed to it. Would not be that bothered if it no longer existed. Or lost its licence fee. Not that anything would ever be said to this effect. Because all its critics are motivated solely by love. This hurts them so much more that it hurts the BBC. Really.