BBC told to axe long-running daytime shows
Corporation’s output must be more ambitious and not just chase ratings, Culture Secretary warns
The BBC has been told to consider axing long-running shows such as Bargain Hunt and Homes Under the Hammer under proposals to ensure it makes “more ambitious” programmes. A white paper called for it to cut its reliance on daytime “property and collectables” programmes.
THE BBC has been told to consider axing a host of long-running shows, such as Bargain Hunt and Homes Under the
Hammer, under government proposals to ensure that it makes “more ambitious” programming.
A White Paper on the BBC’s future, published yesterday, called on the corporation to cut its reliance on daytime “property and collectables” programmes and stop chasing ratings at peak times, as the broadcaster also committed to running a trial of subscription services for the first time.
John Whittingdale, the Culture Secretary, agreed to give the corporation a new, 11-year royal charter, safeguarding the licence fee until 2028, although he also proposed a strict new regulatory regime for the broadcaster.
His White Paper contained strong criticism of the BBC’s “static daytime schedule” and called for a “change of culture” in the corporation, to ensure that popular services such as BBC One, Radio 1 and Radio 2 were “more differentiated” from the commercial sector.
Calling on the BBC to “carefully consider any potential undue negative impacts” of scheduling clashes with rivals, the document said: “Commissioning editors should ask first and foremost, ‘is this programme sufficiently innovative and high quality?’ and not, ‘where will this feature in the ratings figures in the next week or month?’ ”
Under the reforms, which will see Ofcom become the BBC’s regulator, the media watchdog will be told to ensure that the BBC commissions more new programming, particularly in the arts, religion, current affairs and children’s sectors, and to address its “heavy reliance on long-term titles both in peak and off-peak”. The corporation has also agreed to take the historic step of a trial of subscription services, initially via the iPlayer, as Mr Whittingdale warned that the licence fee would become “less sustainable” in the future. The Culture Secretary said the move would “pave the way” to a future in which the licence fee – which he said was likely to rise to £160.50 by 2022 –“may not be the best option” for funding the corporation. While the licence fee will remain for the next 11 years, the document added: “This should not prevent or deter the BBC from adapting to a world in which paying for ‘top-up’ services is becoming more commonplace. “Elements of additional subscription revenue should, therefore, be considered and explored.” The BBC broadly welcomed the reforms, although it said it would continue to oppose plans to allow ministers to appoint six members of its new governing board. The corporation wants ministers to appoint only the chairman and deputy chairman. Writing in The Daily Telegraph today, Lord Hall of Birkenhead, BBC director-general, says: “For the public to remain confident in the corporation’s impartiality, editorial freedom and ability to air all views without fear or favour, it is vital that its board members are seen to be independent of government.”
The reforms’ main points are:
Mission statement
Lord Reith’s mantra – that the BBC should inform, educate and entertain – has been updated. The corporation’s mission is now: “To act in the public interest, serving all audiences with impartial, high-quality, and distinctive media content and services that inform, educate and entertain.”
Governance
The BBC Trust, the corporation’s current governing body, will be scrapped, but its chairman, Rona Fairhead, will transfer to a new unitary board that will run the broadcaster. It will have between 12 and 14 members, six of whom will be appointed by ministers, with Ms Fairhead choosing between six and eight on behalf of the broadcaster.
The board will have responsibility for all the BBC’s operations, but will not have the power to step in to stop programmes being shown. Nevertheless, the BBC has deep reservations over the number of government appointees, and will continue to fight the proposals.
Regulation
While all viewer complaints will go to the BBC in the first instance, Ofcom, the broadcasting watchdog, will adjudicate on appeals and will have the power to investigate “any aspect of BBC services”. Ministers will ask Ofcom to enshrine new requirements in the operating licences of the BBC’s services, such as demands for more new programming, and fewer long-running shows.
Funding
The licence fee has been safeguarded until the end of 2027, and will rise by inflation until 2022. Viewers will require a licence to watch catch-up iPlayer programming. The BBC has agreed
to a trial run of new subscription services via the online portal and to “consider whether elements of subscription could provide a more sustainable funding model in the longer term”.
Mr Whittingdale will set up a £20 million fund, capitalised from money previously extracted from the corporation to pay for rural broadband roll-out, to allow other broadcasters to make public service content such as children’s or arts programming.
Transparency
Although Mr Whittingdale initially tried to force the corporation to disclose salaries of stars paid more than £150,000, the BBC negotiated the threshold to £450,000. It is still fighting a proposal to install the National Audit Office as its official auditor, which would give the spending watchdog free rein to examine its books.
Rivals
The document says “the BBC needs to tread more lightly and considerately around its commercial competitors”. It will be forced to disclose how much airtime it gives to promoting its own shows and will be told to “carefully consider any potential undue negative impacts” of competitive scheduling.
Mr Whittingdale ordered the corporation to refrain from entering into “bidding wars” for programmes and stars, and said it should only buy foreign imports “unlikely to be shown by other free-to-air broadcasters”.
Distinctiveness
The White Paper says the BBC needs to “do more to stand apart from the competition, rather than looking to replicate services consumers are already getting elsewhere,” and that “popularity should not be its primary objective”.
The paper suggests Radios 1 and 2 should have a “greater focus on breaking new UK acts”, while 5 Live should increase its coverage of minority sports.
On television, the document calls on the BBC to deliver more arts, religion, current affairs and children’s programming. It says BBC One has a tendency to “play safe” and should rely less on “high-output, long-term” shows, such as Bargain Hunt, Homes under the Hammer and Escape to the Country.
Production
Mr Whittingdale told the BBC to put out to tender all of its shows. News, and news-related current affairs programmes, will be exempt. In return, the BBC can spin off its own production arm into a commercial subsidiary, BBC Studios, to make programmes for other broadcasters.