A new outlook

BBC’s latest move to regions

THESE ARE transformative times at the BBC as Tim Davie, the directorgeneral, continues to tackle those issues that were undermining confidence in a national and worldrenowned institution.

The latest is Mr Davie’s decision to deploy more staff to the North in a determined effort to ensure that its output – both on TV and radio – is more representative of the whole country.

Like the London Government, the BBC’s focus did become too London-centric. And that it plans to invest in Leeds, the new home of Channel 4, and work alongside existing bodies like the National Film & Television School, is another significant vote of confidence in Yorkshire as other organisations begin to look beyond the capital.

But Mr Davie, and his staff, will also know that viewers in Yorkshire, particularly the over75s, will have their own demands to justify the annual licence fee – namely ‘trusted’ fact-based news, as distinct from the views of some correspondents, and original programmes which entertain rather than offend.

It’s a difficult balance to strike in a pluralistic media landscape, but Mr Davie will succeed, and make the BBC’s case for future funding an easier one to argue, if it focuses more on the quality of its TV and radio output, its core remit, rather than competing with every media outlet.

And in that regard, Mr Davie would do well to consult with the likes of The Yorkshire Post – the most trusted newspaper in Britain – to ensure already distressed local publishers do not suddenly find themselves – unfairly – competing with a publiclyfunded juggernaut.