BBC loses plot to offer busy viewers drama without the commitment
IN TODAY’S fast-paced world, concentrating on a television programme for an hour is a big commitment.
But settling down on the sofa in front of the box could soon become even more unnecessary as the BBC tests “chopping up” its shows for busy millennials to watch on their mobile phones.
The corporation is trialling “objectbased media”, in which viewers without the time or inclination to watch a full episode will instead be offered a bite-sized mini-drama focusing on the storyline or characters of their choice.
So viewers could catch up on the romance between Ross Poldark and Demelza, or follow a life-and-death plot in Holby City without having to bother with other, potentially less interesting plot lines in each episode.
Another idea being explored by the BBC is tailoring content to the length of an individual user’s commute.
The BBC’s research and development department has already made a prototype based around Peaky Blinders, the BBC Two gangster drama.
It pulled out five key storylines, including the love affair between Tommy Shelby (Cillian Murphy) and Grace Burgess (Annabelle Wallis).
Research with viewers and listeners “showed that the most important things for them were the stories and the characters … rather than the traditional episode-centric presentation,” the BBC said.
In a demonstration this week, staff were told that isolating storylines and characters could be applied in future to Casualty or Holby City, and that episodes of EastEnders could be turned
‘It’s the idea of a ‘commute companion’. Your journey is 32 minutes long, so you have 32 minutes of content’
into a “highlights” package for viewers who didn’t want to sit through an entire 30 minutes.
Jon Page, who leads the research and development department, said: “Broadly speaking, programmes have been a half-hour or hour-long thing, and the same for everybody who watches them.
“The principle of object-based broadcasting is that you chop up the components of that thing – so pictures, sound, data – and the moments in them.
“It’s about experiencing that particular combination that’s right for you, making content that’s flexible and responsive and more personal.”
Peaky Blinders was chosen for the trial because it had a relatively complex plot, and because there had been previous series.
“It was a way to rapidly catch up with what had happened before. And when a series is tortuously complicated, it’s a means of helping with that.”
In the case of soaps, Mr Page explained: “One example of where this would be useful – imagine coming back from your holidays and you want to spend an hour catching up with what’s been happening in EastEnders, but not to watch all the episodes.”
The format is designed for viewing on mobile phones or tablets. The most recent figures from Ofcom show that 35 per cent people watch programmes on a smartphone, rising to 64 per cent for those aged 16-24.
On tailoring content to the length of an individual user’s commute or journey, Mr Page said: “It’s the idea of a ‘commute companion’. You know that your Tube journey is 32 minutes long, so you would be able to have 32 minutes of content downloaded on your phone from the office Wi-Fi.”
In the BBC’s factual department, short clips designed to be shared on social media have been a big success.
A four-minute clip of Rio Ferdinand: Being Mum and Dad, in which the former Manchester United footballer discussed bereavement, was viewed by 17million people.