BBC wins battle to ease public service role
Broadcaster given more freedom to decide radio output as it tries to compete with commercial rivals
BBC Radio 4 will no longer be required to broadcast religious services, science shows or arts programming under plans drawn up by the new regulator Ofcom, The Daily Telegraph has learnt.
After being petitioned by the BBC to reduce the number of rules designed to ensure it meets public service obligations, Ofcom plans to cut radio programming requirements across its schedules from more than 200 to only 20.
The rules were introduced in 2007 as part of a drive to ensure the BBC catered for the widest audience. But now the corporation is likely to be required to follow a much smaller number of targets, freeing Radio 4 of rules insisting on regular coverage of consumer affairs, education, health, business, farming and disability.
A separate requirement on programming for the blind and visually impaired is also in line to be scrapped, as is the station’s requirement to broadcast longwave frequencies.
The station will also escape specific quotas demanding at least 180 hours of original comedy and 600 hours of original drama each year.
The plans have been strongly opposed by the Voice of the Listener and Viewer, the consumer group that champions public service broadcasting. It told Ofcom the changes risked undermining “Radio 4’s distinctiveness and its ambition to deliver the mission to engage and entertain”. Last night government sources said they were concerned that the less stringent rules could lead to “dumbing down”. Ofcom is drawing up new licences for all BBC radio stations after taking on responsibility for regulation of the corporation under its new Charter. The BBC Trust, which drew up the old regime, was shut down earlier this year.
While the new rules are unlikely to mean Radio 4 will abandon topics such as religion, art and science altogether, it does give the broadcaster the flexibility to reduce the output as it sees fit, rather than adhere to regulations.
In a letter to its new regulator, the BBC said it needed “greater flexibility” in its schedules to make £800million of cuts in the next few years.
Claire Sumner, its policy director, also argued that the BBC should be deregulated to allow it to compete better with commercial radio, which has been gaining audience share and is due to face less red tape in future.
She said Ofcom had “a duty to grant the BBC similar flexibility to respond to changing audience behaviours”.
Ms Sumner highlighted research showing the decline of BBC radio compared with commercial rivals.
She said: “Overall reach has fallen over the past five years across all demographics, but sharply among the young as competition has strengthened from our commercial competitors, but particularly new digital music entrants.”
In an attempt to allay fears over the comedy and drama quotas on Radio 4, the BBC said it would voluntarily commit to maintaining the current minimum levels for three years.
BBC sources said executives, led by the former Labour cabinet minister James Purnell, who now heads its radio unit, were concerned that BBC Trust rules meant the corporation had not been able to respond to listening trends such as the rising popularity of
podcasts. The BBC’S push to relax rules on its popular music stations Radio 1 and Radio 2 has alarmed commercial players, who fear their recent success will be suffocated by more direct competition from taxpayer-funded broadcasting.
A requirement on Radio 1 to play songs by experimental new bands is due to be abandoned, while Radio 2 will no longer have to broadcast music documentaries.
Meanwhile Radio 3’s requirements to broadcast religious programming, regular news intervals and “less familiar” music will not be part of its new operating licence.
An Ofcom spokesman said: “The BBC must deliver to the high standards outlined in its new charter. We will soon publish the BBC’S licence requirements, explaining how we will hold it to account.”
Some quotas are due to be increased, including a rise in Radio 4’s minimum news and current affairs output from 2,500 to 2,750 hours per year. Radio 3 will have to broadcast more new compositions and Radio 1 will place greater emphasis on British acts. A senior government source said: “We have been very clear with Ofcom and at the dispatch box that we expect the BBC to become more, not less distinctive, under the new Charter.”
John Whittingdale MP, the former culture secretary who drew up the new BBC Charter, said the new regulatory regime must not lead to dumbing down or harm to the commercial sector.
He said: “It is the BBC’S job to fulfil its public purpose. On past performance the BBC likes to shut down less popular but valuable services. Given the strength of the BBC in radio, where it has a dominant position in the market, it is all the more important that it is accountable and its obligations are met.”
A BBC spokesman said: “We have set out clear plans to be even more distinctive across our services.
“It’s important that regulation strikes the right balance between accountability and giving us the creative freedom to produce the highest quality and distinctive programmes and services for audiences. In the longer-term, the BBC’S performance should be judged more on assessing audience outcomes and impacts than on prescribing inputs and outputs.”