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This paper is published in accordance with paragraph 16 (2) Schedule 19 Finance Act 2016.
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Peter Johnston's review will conclude with the production of a report to the Executive Committee and the Board and its findings will be made public
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This paper is published in accordance with paragraph 16 (2) Schedule 19 Finance Act 2016.
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Overview
Minutes of the Nominations Committee
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Related Links
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This statement is made pursuant to section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015. It constitutes the BBC Group’s sixth statement setting out the work undertaken during the financial year ended 31 March 2022 to further identify, prevent and address modern slavery across the organisation and its supply chains.
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This paper is published in accordance with paragraph 16 (2) Schedule 19 Finance Act 2016.
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Purpose
The Review will be designed to assess whether the BBC is meeting the required standards of impartiality and accuracy across BBC UK content including the devolved Nations (this review will not include the BBC World Service).
The BBC Editorial Guidelines set out how due impartiality and due accuracy are to be attained in BBC content. Importantly the Editorial Guidelines underline that impartiality requires that “the existence of a range of views is appropriately reflected”.
https://www.bbc.com/editorialguidelines/guidelines/impartiality/
Scope
The Review will cover all radio, television and online content on the UK public services. It will also cover programme and personal social media use.
It will specifically assess News and Factual output that refers to overall taxation and public spending and some specific areas of public spending but will not be limited to News and Current Affairs. The review will include taxation and spending in the devolved Nations of the UK. It will not be possible, without devoting excessive resources and time to the project in the time available, to assess every piece of coverage of every aspect of public spending across the UK.
It will attempt to include major areas of public spending in particular where it is itself controversial and/or relates to public policy and political controversy. The period over which content is assessed will be timed to take in major announcements about taxation and spending, borrowing and debt, such as Budgets or Spending Reviews.
Methodology
The methodologies to be used are:
- Content Analysis Over a specified period, e.g. between September 2021, the UK Spending Review, and March 2022, the UK Budget, all relevant content will be analysed against a range of criteria (see Assessment Criteria) designed to indicate whether it suggests any underlying assumptions or explicit bias or revealed preference. The time periods may need to be adjusted for Nations’ output.
- Audience research Assessing what audiences think of existing BBC output and whether it achieves fairness and impartiality. Interrogation of existing audience research which may indicate audience views of bias and fairness. If required qualitative research which may explain why audiences hold the views they reveal.
- Stakeholder Engagement Seeking the opinions of experts, commentators and interested parties with a full range of views of the BBC’s achievements and deficiencies in achieving impartiality in output on the subject of the Review.
- Complaints Analysis of any relevant complaints and the BBC‘s response about the subject matter of the Review.
- Social Media Analysis to examine whether there is any express or revealed bias in social media use to include both the programme and the programme team’s personal use of social media. The analysis would be designed to reveal bias over time, if it exists, and not simply provide a snapshot of social media use.
- Input from Internal Stakeholders Including internal subject matter experts, Nations’ sub-committees of the Board and the BBC Executive.
Assessment Criteria
The Review will be tasked to concentrate on evaluating impartiality and bias in output and not on simply reviewing output and news coverage. However the absence of some sorts of output or coverage may give rise to findings of bias by omission.
In addition the assessment of impartiality should consider the following:
- Accuracy: inaccuracy, especially when repeated or persistent, can give rise to perceptions of bias.
- Interviews: the tone and approach to interviews can often draw accusations of bias. The Review needs to examine whether this criticism is ever justified.
- Labelling of interviewees: giving additional information about them when it is relevant to their stance.
- The accurate and comprehensible presentation of data and statistics.
- The casting of discussions.
- The use of language and tone: does it suggest a one-sided approach?
- Ideology: Are there systemic approaches to the subject from one side of a debate, e.g. a statist or a liberal market perspective?
- Underlying assumptions: could these entail bias?
- The use of social media: Does it reveal preferences e.g. through tweeting or re-tweeting?
The Review will not seek to make judgements about any areas of debate, it will consider the BBC's expertise in and approach to producing content and coverage of the subject areas.
The Review will make recommendations.
Reporting
The Review will start this week (w/c 28 February 2022) and will complete this summer.
These Terms of Reference were agreed by the BBC Board.
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The BBC has published its Impartiality and Editorial Standards Action Plan, following the publication of The Serota Review.
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The BBC World Service has published its performance review₁ covering the period of 2016 - 2020.
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The BBC Commercial Holdings Ltd: Annual Reports and Consolidated Financial Statements set out the consolidated financial statements for BBC Commercial Holdings, which is the parent company for all of the BBC’s commercial subsidiaries.
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This statement is made pursuant to section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015. It constitutes the BBC Group’s fifth statement setting out the work undertaken during the financial year ended 31 March 2021 to further identify, prevent and address modern slavery across the organisation and its supply chains.
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The BBC has today published a review set up to establish the facts around the decision to appoint Martin Bashir as Religious Affairs Correspondent in September 2016 and the subsequent re-grading of the role to Religion Editor in 2018.
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Background
On 24 May 2021, following the publication of Lord Dyson's independent review into the 1995 Panorama interview with Diana, Princess of Wales, the BBC Board announced a review looking into the oversight of BBC's editorial practices and procedures, including the robustness and independence of whistleblowing processes in editorial areas.
Lord Dyson's report speaks to historic failings of oversight and the Board is determined to ensure that the mistakes of the past cannot be repeated today; this is the focus of the Serota Review. The Review will examine current practice and identify the lessons to be learned from Lord Dyson's review which may be relevant today.
The Review will be undertaken by a panel led by Sir Nicholas Serota, the Board's Senior Independent Director, and involve two further BBC Board members as well as external advisers. The Board members will be Prof. Ian Hargreaves and Sir Robbie Gibb, both members of the Board's Editorial Guidelines and Standards Committee. Joining the Board members will be Chris Banatvala, an independent consultant on editorial standards and media regulation, and Caroline Daniel, a senior journalist and former newspaper manager.
Terms of Reference
The purpose of the Review is to identify any defects in current editorial processes or governance which could allow mistakes made in the 1995 Panorama case to happen again, or which undermine compliance with the BBC's Editorial Values and Standards (Editorial Guidelines).
Informed by the findings of Lord Dyson's investigation, the Review will provide a report to the BBC Board assessing the extent to which editorial oversight and culture would prevent a reoccurrence of the specific historic failings which have been identified. To this end the review will consider:
- The management oversight of, and accountability for, the BBC's current editorial decision-making processes, prior to and following transmission/publication.
- (a) The processes and procedures that now exist for staff, freelancers or others to raise concerns about non-compliance with BBC Editorial Values and Standards related to a BBC programme or piece of content; and
(b) Specifically, the effectiveness of the BBC's whistleblowing procedures for raising concerns regarding editorial output and practices, including how the whistleblowing procedures connect with the BBC's editorial complaints processes, and also the external regulation of BBC content. - Whether there is a culture within the organisation that supports compliance with BBC's Editorial Values and Standards.
The Review will make recommendations and suggestions for improvement for the Board’s consideration, in line with these terms of reference.
Process and scope
The Review will seek input from BBC staff (current and former) and other stakeholders with an interest in the area of editorial controls and whistleblowing. It will address the effectiveness of current processes and procedures and make recommendations, where necessary, for improvements. It will consider best practice from other broadcasters and organisations and seek expert advice from those in the industry.
The Review will look at the BBC’s programming for both UK and international audiences.
The Review will not consider specific cases (new or former) or seek to re-open issues already considered by the BBC, except so far as the cases provide examples that raise issues around the BBC's policies, processes or procedures today. The Review will not make judgements or assessments on individual cases.
The rehiring of Martin Bashir by the BBC is the subject of a separate investigation by Ken MacQuarrie.
Reporting
The Review will begin immediately (June 2021) and aim to conclude in September 2021. Following consideration by the BBC Board, the review will publish a report and recommendations. Any work undertaken as part of this Review will be used to inform the BBC's input into the UK Government's mid-term Charter review on governance and regulation.
Contacting the review
If you would like to contribute to the review within the scope of the above terms of reference please do so by 9 July using the following email address: [email protected]
Approved by the BBC Board on 7 June 2021
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Annexes
This paper is published in accordance with paragraph 16 (2) Schedule 19 Finance Act 2016.
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The BBC has revealed ambitious plans for its biggest transformation in decades, which will move power and decision-making across the UK.
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This is the BBC’s response to Ofcom’s consultation on the future of public service broadcasting.
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The BBC has set out how it has transformed its finances over the past decade to ensure it continues to deliver exceptional value for all audiences.
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Following publication of the EHRC’s investigation into pay at the BBC, below sets out work that is complete, already underway or planned which addresses the Commission’s recommendations in full. The BBC Board will continue to oversee this work.
Pay at the BBC
- We will conduct regular equal pay audits, at least every five years.
- We will continue improving the technology we use to aid real-time pay comparisons.
- We will continue to improve our record keeping of pay decisions to improve pay reporting and analysis.
- We have reviewed the job evaluation schemes in use at the BBC to standardise all Career Path Framework jobs (bands A-F) with support from external pay specialists. This has been shared and agreed with the Joint Unions.
- We will continue to regularly review the Career Path Framework (including our On-Air Job Framework), taking into consideration changes to jobs and feedback from unions, employees and managers.
- We will continually review job pay ranges to reduce overlap. If the overlaps do not narrow, we will develop other ways to resolve this issue.
- In partnership with the Joint Unions, we will develop, implement and communicate a framework to explain and assess how employees progress through their job pay range.
- In consultation with the Joint Unions, we will consider measures to resolve the issue of any employees being paid more than the maximum of their job pay range.
- In our 2020 pay gap report we provided, for the first time, the same level of analysis and transparency on pay gaps for Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic, disabled and LGBTQ+ employees as is already reported for gender.
Improving the Pay Grievance Process
- For any new pay queries, we will set a realistic timescale for completion, based on the complexity of the case and the volume of cases at that time, and we will continue to communicate progress regularly with the individual. We will ensure that outcomes are communicated effectively and include signposting to wellbeing support that is available.
- We will ensure a consistent approach to dealing with equal pay cases including assessments of equal value, where appropriate.
- We will continue to monitor and report to the BBC Board on time taken to complete and close cases. We will also continue to produce a regular report providing an analysis of the outcomes of pay cases, identifying themes and patterns that have emerged.
- We have introduced a feedback process once pay cases are closed to understand the extent to which the employee felt supported, informed and involved. We will adapt this to enable people to comment on the independence of the panel and will use the data to consider any changes needed.
People Management Training
- We’re using new tools that make it much easier for team leaders and HR teams to make pay decisions with a full view of how those pay changes sit in relation to people in similar roles.
- We have developed and implemented mandatory unconscious bias training for our leaders. We have also designed further training for all our team leaders and HR teams on equal pay, fair pay and effective pay management, including on the documentation and effective communication of pay decisions.
- In addition, we will continue to build on our extensive suite of Diversity and Inclusion training, with a focus on inclusive culture and behaviours.
The BBC is committed to continuing to build an increasingly diverse and inclusive organisation and output. The Code of Practice embeds diversity throughout the BBC’s commissioning processes.
Established in 2018, it covers the commissioning of content across BBC TV, radio and online services in the UK. The Progress Report 2019/20 sets out our achievements and learning during the Code’s second year, as well as next steps.
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The BBC Commercial Holdings Ltd: Annual Reports and Consolidated Financial Statements set out the consolidated financial statements for BBC Commercial Holdings, which is the parent company for all of the BBC’s commercial subsidiaries.
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The BBC’s Pay Gap Report includes the median gender pay gap for BBC Public Service Broadcasting which has fallen for the third year in a row to 6.2%. That’s a reduction of a third since 2017 and reflects the considerable focus we’ve placed on this challenge in the organisation.
The BBC’s Pay Gap Report also includes the pay gap for black, Asian and minority ethnic staff, those with a disability, LGBTQ+ employees and those who work part-time.
The statutory requirements for reporting on gender pay include information on bonuses. In line with that guidance, we calculate the figures on our voucher recognition scheme and long-service awards although we do not consider these to be bonus payments. The voucher-based recognition scheme allows staff in bands A to F to be rewarded for exceptional performance. In 2019/20, the proportion of females receiving a bonus was 12.2%, and the proportion of males, 10.2%.
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This statement is made pursuant to section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015. It constitutes the BBC Group’s fifth statement setting out the work undertaken during the financial year ended 31 March 2020 to further identify, prevent and address modern slavery across the organisation and its supply chains.
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We aim to run the BBC as efficiently and as effectively as we can. Our financial goals have been to redirect spending towards content and services, to put as much money on air and on screen as possible.
This report provides a further update on these goals by assessing the progress we have made in becoming more efficient.
The independent report by Deloitte finds that the BBC continues to be among the most efficient 25% regulated and non-profit organisations in the UK, as well as the most efficient 25% international telecommunications and media companies, and that 95% of controllable spend is on content with less than 5% spent on the support services needed to run the BBC.
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This report takes a thorough look at the Local News Partnerships. Coming three years after its inception, the review considers the scheme’s impact to date and makes several recommendations for the future.
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This report details the progress of the BBC’s 50:50 Project, which strives to improve the number of women contributors in our journalism and media content. This grass-roots initiative is the biggest ever collective action to increase female representation in BBC content.
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This is the BBC’s submission to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport consultation on decriminalising licence fee evasion.
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This paper is published in accordance with paragraph 16 (2) Schedule 19 Finance Act 2016.
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Following the launch of the Code of Practice we’ve reviewed and assessed our internal processes to ensure we are able to hold ourselves and others to account.
Our purpose and commitment across the five principles was clear:
- Lead by example
- Portrayal should be authentic
- Casting should be open and fair
- Diverse workforce makes for better content
- Measurement
The work undertaken through the Code of Practice has given us a real opportunity to identify areas of excellence within the BBC and the producers we work with. It has also highlighted opportunities for improvement and areas for greater investment to ensure that there is an increase in the wealth of voices, perspectives and stories visible on-screen, on-air and within our productions.
Over the last 12 months and in this report we have concentrated on TV output (as it has the greatest impact with audiences) and our workforce (to broaden the range of perspectives in current and future decision makers). As such these two areas provide us with the greatest opportunity to evidence good practice, demonstrate potential change and provide insights into areas for improvement which can be embedded across online and radio.
This report sets out our progress and findings, achievements, and areas for improvement in 2019/20.
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The BBC announced on 29 November 2017 that BBC Worldwide and BBC Studios would join forces as single commercial organisation, to be called BBC Studios. This will ensure the BBC is best placed to succeed both creatively and commercially and will better serve licence fee payers by:
- Creating a unified business with a single business plan and combined operating model, better placed to support the full range of the UK’s creative talent, producing high quality, distinctive UK content in bases across the country
- Maximising the intellectual property value of BBC programming for the benefit of UK licence fee payers
- Supporting the UK creative economy by distributing British content as a cultural export and source of global influence
Prior to BBC Studios starting trading in April 2018, the BBC announced a series of public commitments for how BBC Studios would work. These commitments set out how, following the merger:
- The BBC will continue to commission the best ideas for the UK public services from a range of producers
- The BBC Board will set commercial rates of return for BBC Studios, informed by the markets in which they operate
- The BBC Fair Trading Committee will oversee the BBC’s compliance with Ofcom’s operating framework on the trading and separation rules
- The BBC will publish in its BBC Annual Report and Accounts relevant information on commissioning and the performance of the new BBC Studios
The BBC Board oversees these commitments. Following a change in Ofcom’s regulation of the BBC and the completion of the BBC’s Commercial Review, in September 2019 the BBC Board decided to update one of its commitments to reflect a change in how it reports on the financial performance of BBC Studios.
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The BBC Commercial Holdings Ltd: Annual Reports and Consolidated Financial Statements set out the consolidated financial statements for BBC Commercial Holdings, which is the parent company for all of the BBC’s commercial subsidiaries.
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The median gender pay gap for BBC Public Service Broadcasting has fallen to 6.7% for 2019, down from 7.6% last year.
The report, published today, also includes the pay gap for people from BAME backgrounds, those who are disabled and those who work part-time. This year, we are also publishing the pay gap for LGBTQ+ employees.
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The BBC Group is committed to running its business responsibly and to maintaining a high standard of ethical and environmental practice.
The BBC is supportive of the aims of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and, in publishing an annual statement, the BBC recognises the importance of the role it can play in preventing modern slavery within its spheres of influence, to create a culture of awareness and transparency and actively engage in the eradication of modern slavery.
This statement has been published in accordance with the Modern Slavery Act 2015. It sets out the steps taken by the BBC Group during year ended 31 March 2019 to prevent modern slavery in its organisation and supply chains.
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This report details the progress of the BBC’s 50:50 Project, which strives to improve the number of women contributors in our journalism and media content. This grass-roots initiative is the biggest ever collective action to increase female representation in BBC content.
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This paper is published in accordance with paragraph 16 (2) Schedule 19 Finance Act 2016.
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The BBC Board has published a review into the BBC's transparency in the commercial subsidiaries of the BBC.
This review, which the BBC Board commissioned Christopher Saul Associates Limited (“CSA”) to undertake on its behalf looks into the transparency of the commercial activities of the BBC.
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The BBC Board has published a review into the BBC's transparency in the public service operations of the BBC.
This review, which the BBC Board commissioned Will Hutton, Principal of Hertford College Oxford, and Chair of the Big Innovation Centre’s Innovation Board to undertake on its behalf looks into the transparency of the public service operations of the BBC.
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The BBC Board has published a review into the BBC's transparency in the commerical and public service operations of the BBC.
This is the BBC Board's response to the two reports.
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The BBC Board has published a review into the operation of the BBC’s commercial subsidiaries.
This review, which the BBC Board commissioned EY to undertake on its behalf, fulfils a requirement set by the UK Government in the BBC’s Framework Agreement that the Board must assess whether the BBC’s commercial activities comply with the four “commercial criteria” established in the BBC’s governing documents.
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A review of the first year of the Local News Partnerships, a collaborative project between the BBC and regional news organisations.
As part of the Charter discussions the BBC agreed a programme of Local News Partnerships with local and regional news providers.
In May 2016 the BBC and the News Media Association (representing local newspapers groups) agreed a programme of partnerships to enhance local journalism. Under the agreement the BBC committed to spend up to £8m per year to provide:
- The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS): Recruitment of 150 new journalists, employed by local news providers, to report on councils and other public bodies;
- News Hub: Syndication of BBC local video and audio content for use by local and regional new organisations across the UK; and a
- Shared Data Unit (SDU): Collaborative working with local news organisations on data journalism and making content available to wider industry.
- Content Audit: A jointly commissioned independent audit to establish the usage of local press content by the BBC on its media platforms and vice versa.
The BBC and News Media Association agreed that the partnerships should be subject to a joint annual review. The document here provides the BBC’s input to the first year of the programme. It focuses in particular on establishment of the various elements, including recruitment. It also considers feedback from the NMA and wider industry, which in general is encouraging. Full performance against KPIs will be provided in next year’s reports when a more comprehensive data collection exercise can be undertaken.
To read the News Media Association's first annual review of the Local News Partnership programme, go to: http://www.newsmediauk.org/write/MediaUploads/PDF%20Docs/NMA_LNP_Annual_Report_2018.pdf
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Making and distributing programmes and content has an environmental impact. Environmental issues affect us all and as a publicly funded organisation we have a responsibility to act to limit our impact. Our audience expect us to lead the way.
We have published a new sustainability strategy, Greener Broadcasting, which sets out the corporation’s ongoing commitment to environmental sustainability throughout the current Charter period, from 2017 to 2028. It will be reviewed regularly to ensure it stays relevant and challenging. Many individual actions/ambitions sit within it, divided into the following areas:
- Ourselves - Creating conditions for sustainable working
- Our Industry - Partnering with others to build a sustainable creative sector
- Our Audiences - Inspiring sustainable living
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The Government scheme which entitles households with someone aged over 75 to receive free TV licences comes to an end in June 2020. The Government funding ends too. The BBC is required to consult, and we’ll hold a full consultation where everyone can have their say.
In 2015 the BBC commissioned Frontier Economics to explore longer-term funding options relating to the over-75s concession.
This discussion paper by Frontier looks at the changing landscape around intergenerational fairness since free over-75s TV licences were introduced in 2000.
Frontier will publish a detailed report examining options around over-75s licences shortly. After that the BBC will produce a consultation paper and there will be a full consultation, following which the BBC will make a decision on the concession.
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We aim to run the BBC as efficiently and as effectively. Our financial goals have been to redirect spending towards content and services - to put as much money on air and on screen as possible - and to simplify the BBC's structures in a way that would establish a more sustainable and more creative BBC.
This report assesses the progress we have made in becoming more efficient and the challenges ahead in making future savings.
We are also publishing an independent report by Ernst & Young which finds that the BBC is among the most efficient 25% regulated and non-profit organisations in the UK, as well as the most efficient 25% international telecommunications and media companies.
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Background
The ‘BBC Commercial Holdings Ltd - Annual Reports and Consolidated Financial Statements’ sets out the consolidated financial statements for BBC Commercial Holdings, which is the parent company for all of the BBC’s commercial subsidiaries. BBC Commercial Holdings Limited primarily comprises the following commercial subsidiaries of the BBC which undertake commercial activities:
- BBC Worldwide group – Revenue primarily generated by worldwide television channels, sales and distribution, production & formats and consumer products;
- BBC Studios group – On 1 April 2017, BBC Studios Limited became a wholly-owned commercial subsidiary. Together with the special purpose vehicles Grafton House Limited, Comedy Productions Limited and Natural History & Factual Productions Limited a new BBC Studios group was formed. This group generates revenue from the production of programme content across factual, drama, comedy and entertainment genres;
- BBC Global News group – Incorporates BBC World Distribution Limited, BBC Global News Limited and bbc.com. The group generates its revenue through the commercial exploitation of global news through the BBC World News television channel and bbc.com website. Revenue is also generated through video news on demand available to channel operators and through mobile devices; and
- BBC Studioworks Limited - The provision of equipment, facilities and services for use in programme production.
Each of these commercial subsidiaries contains one line of business, except the BBC Worldwide group which contains four:
- Content sales - operations related to the investment in a catalogue of both in-house and independently produced programmes and the exploitation of the distribution rights in these and other programmes across the world to broadcasters and platform owners.
- Branded services - BBC branded channels and digital consumer propositions, including our share of the results of our Joint Venture and associate operations in BritBox, BBC America and UKTV, and those of our digital branded services including BBCPlayer in Asia.
- Production and formats - activities in our business related to the production of scripted and non-scripted shows for broadcasters, including revenues generated through holding a stake in certain independent production companies, and the licensing of formats to third parties around the world.
- Consumer products - activities such as the sale of physical products (including DVDs and CDs), downloads, live events and other licensing activities.
BBC Worldwide group results:
During 2017/18, BBC Worldwide generated headline sales (revenue including share of joint ventures and associates revenue) of £1,044.0 million, which is a 1.5% reduction from prior year (2017: £1,059.9 million). The business achieved growth in BBC branded channels, acquired a majority stake in Sid Gentle (an independent production company) and matched the previous year record in content sales with the business again being the largest distributor of UK content. Furthermore, production and formats grew in Global Markets whilst a reduction in the Americas reflected fewer hours of Dancing With the Stars. This sales growth was more than offset by the inter-company transfer of advertising sales to Global News, continuing decline in the DVD market and the impact of contract renewals in UKTV.
EBITDA of £118.3 million was 42% higher than last year. This reflected a strong performance in content sales, cost efficiencies across branded services and overhead savings. These offset significant currency pressure and a decline in consumer products. 2016/17 also included one-off specific items such as a change in amortisation profile.
Free cash flow (pre interest and tax) is the cash flow available to settle interest and taxation obligations and to pursue discretionary opportunities that enhance shareholder value (e.g. acquisitions, dividends and debt repayment). It is calculated as operating cash flow less capital expenditure. Free cash flow of £121.4 million was 34% higher than the prior year (2017: £90.8 million). Once adjusted for one-off specific items, alongside foreign exchange and joint venture performance, this represents a 41% increase in owned and operated free cash flow.
The results for the year for the BBC Worldwide group by line of business, was as follows:
|
|
2018 |
2017 |
||
|
|
Headline revenue |
EBITDA |
Headline revenue £m |
EBITDA £m |
|
Content sales |
422.9 |
22.5 |
422.4 |
16.9 |
|
Branded services |
330.6 |
76.3 |
354.6 |
60.5 |
|
Production & formats |
180.5 |
9.1 |
164.3 |
7.3 |
|
Consumer products |
136.4 |
7.0 |
146.0 |
(5.5) |
|
Group adjustments |
(26.4) |
3.4 |
(27.4) |
4.3 |
|
|
1,044.0 |
118.3 |
1,059.9 |
83.5 |
Content sales: 2017/18 sales were in line with the previous year’s record level. The EBITDA in 2016/17 included one-off specific items such as a change in amortisation profile, leading to an increase this year.
Branded services: The reduction in sales is due to pressures on pay TV and advertising revenue. The upside in EBITDA is driven by cost efficiencies and restructures during prior and current years.
Production & formats: The increases in sales and EBITDA are largely driven by the acquisition of a majority stake in Sid Gentle Films Limited.
Consumer products: The reduction in sales is due to a decline in the DVD market. The EBITDA in 2016/17 included one-off specific items such as a change in amortisation profile, leading to an increase this year.
BBC Studios is a subsidiary of the BBC, which creates distinctive, much-loved content across a wide range of genres. In a highly competitive market, BBC Studios provides a stable and large-scale source of Intellectual Property (IP) for the BBC Group, generating value for audiences and returns for licence fee payers.
As part of a major change to the BBC’s content supply strategy, BBC Studios became a wholly owned commercial subsidiary of the BBC in April 2017. As a result, BBC Studios no longer has guaranteed business from the BBC, but for the first time the company has been able to make programmes for other broadcasters. This represents a significant opportunity to share creative ideas with new audiences around the world and increase revenue for the BBC Group. BBC Studios is making rapid progress in winning new commissions and has already announced deals with Discovery, Channel 4 and Channel 5.
Management uses the following key measures to monitor the performance of BBC Studios:
|
|
2018 |
2017 |
|
|
£m |
£m |
|
Revenue |
432.0 |
- |
|
Earnings before financing costs, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) including tax credits |
7.2 |
- |
|
Net debt |
8.3 |
- |
BBC Studios’ priority this year has been to transform the business for this more competitive, market-driven environment. The group’s strategy is to develop a more balanced portfolio of business by continuing to deliver existing programmes to the highest creative standards while investing in generating new IP and diversifying its customer base beyond the BBC. To support this strategy, efficiency savings were achieved to reduce the company’s cost base and a new flexible operating model was introduced.
These measures have helped deliver a successful first year of trading. Headline sales were £432.0 million, and reductions in overheads helped drive EBITDA (including tax credits) of £7.2 million.
BBC Global News group results:
BBC Global News group
BBC Global News operates the BBC’s two commercially-funded international news services: BBC World News, the 24-hour global news television channel, and the digital platform bbc.com (including the bbc.com website, a News app, and a Sport app). BBC Global News’ mission is to be the best and most trusted international news provider in the world, while growing the BBC’s international news audiences and operating as a commercially efficient business.
In 2017/18, BBC World News’ global footprint continued to expand, growing by 2% over the year and the channel is now available to a record 458 million households (up from 451 million in 2016/17). The growth was driven by gains in Europe, the Americas and South Asia.
BBC.com saw a drop in its monthly audience, which averaged 88 million unique browsers in 2017/18. However, engagement levels increased during the year resulting in total page views across all platforms (website, apps and connected TV) remaining stable at a monthly average of 1.3 billion.
Off-platform consumption of BBC content plays a key role in BBC Global News’ content distribution and commercial strategy. BBC Global News continued its successful partnerships and entered into a new agreement with News Republic. BBC News’ social media presence is one of the biggest in international news with over 46 million Facebook likes globally and over 23 million followers on Twitter.
During the year, BBC Advertising (formerly part of BBC Worldwide) was integrated into BBC Global News, doubling the headcount next year to 350 staff. As identified in the NAO's Landscape Review of the BBC's commercial activities, the integration of BBC Advertising presented BBC Global News with a significant financial challenge. Rapid progress was made during the year to meet this challenge and further profitability improvements are planned during 2018/19 in order to ensure the continued achievement of commercial targets.
Management uses the following key measures to monitor the performance of BBC Global News:
|
|
2018 |
2017 |
|
|
£m |
£m |
|
Revenue |
108.7 |
110.4 |
|
Earnings before financing costs, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) |
17.8 |
2.1 |
|
Profit/(loss) before taxation |
16.4 |
(1.1) |
|
Net debt |
(49.4) |
(50.1) |
Global News recorded EBITDA of £17.8 million and profit before taxation of £16.4 million in 2017/18. The significant increases in EBITDA and profit before taxation were driven by substantial foreign exchange gains on the year-end valuation of hedged positions (£15.6 million). Excluding these foreign exchange gains, BBC Global News returned an underlying Profit Before Taxation of £0.8 million in 2017/18, due to a combination of strong revenue performance and a cost reduction programme.
Profit before taxation would have been £13.1 million with a full year of BBC Advertising activity and net debt of £52.7 million.
BBC Studioworks results:
BBC Studioworks Limited
BBC Studioworks provides studios and post production services to all the major TV broadcasters and production companies including the BBC. In September 2017, the company opened new and refurbished studios and post production facilities at Television Centre (TVC) in West London. This marked a substantial expansion for the company and supplements its existing portfolio in Elstree.
Management uses the following key measures to monitor the performance of BBC Studioworks:
|
|
2018 |
2017 |
|
|
£m |
£m |
|
Revenue |
30.8 |
110.4 |
|
Earnings before financing costs, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) |
3.2 |
4.3 |
|
Profit before financing costs and taxation |
1.7 |
3.4 |
|
Net funds |
8.6 |
14.7 |
BBC Studioworks delivered a strong financial performance for the year, generating £30.8 million of revenue (2017: £26.0 million) and EBITDA of £3.2 million (2017: £4.3 million). The 18% increase in revenue was driven by the re-introduction of TVC into the company’s portfolio, but the high establishment costs of this new facility has resulted in a reduction in EBITDA. Despite these financial challenges, the company still returned profit for the year which surpassed budgetary expectations.
The BBC Group is committed to running its business responsibly and to maintaining a high standard of ethical and environmental practice.
The BBC is supportive of the aims of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and, in publishing an annual statement, the BBC recognises the importance of the role it can play in preventing modern slavery within its spheres of influence, to create a culture of awareness and transparency and actively engage in the eradication of modern slavery.
This statement has been published in accordance with the Modern Slavery Act 2015. It sets out the steps taken by the BBC Group during year ended 31 March 2018 to prevent modern slavery in its organisation and supply chains.
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New figures show the BBC’s gender pay gap has been reduced by nearly a fifth over the past year.
The updated figures have been published as the BBC sets out its commitment to leading the way on gender equality in a review looking at the culture and progression of women in the corporation.
- The median gap has fallen from 9.3% to 7.6% following concerted action to close the BBC’s gender pay gap in 2020. 7.1% of the remaining gap is driven by structural issues with too few women in senior leadership roles and more women than men in the lowest quartile of the workforce.
- The mean pay gap is also down, from 10.7% to 8.4%.
The reduction has been achieved through initiatives such as addressing specific pay issues, introducing a simpler job framework and repositioning people within their pay ranges. The remaining quarter of the reduction is due to BBC Studios and BBC Worldwide becoming a single commercial organisation.
Separate figures show that women now make up a bigger proportion of the BBC’s leadership than ever before - 43.3% are held by women, up from 42.1% last year. The BBC wants to increase this to 50% by 2020.
Our official gender pay gap report for 2017/18 shows significant progress but we remain committed to going further and faster than any other organisation in leading the way on gender pay.
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Statutory Gender Pay Gap Report 2018
The BBC is also publishing a review launched earlier this year to look at the culture and progression for women in the BBC.
The review’s aim is to provide a blueprint to help sweep away barriers to women progressing, to ensure everyone at the BBC can fulfil their ambitions.
The review, led by Donalda MacKinnon, Director of BBC Scotland, sets out a range of recommendations drawn up after extensive consultation with staff. Over 5,000 comments and ideas were put forward. As a result, the review has identified three priority areas:
- Doing all we can to agree to flexible working requests to support women and men in balancing work and home. We’ll help those returning from maternity or extended leave with coaching and ensure managers are fully equipped at every stage of the process. We will also launch a pan-BBC mentoring scheme for all staff to support women and men through their careers.
- Address our recruitment processes to create more opportunities for development, allowing those with potential to gain more experience in short term attachments, and continuing to look for mixed gender panels and shortlists where possible to build confidence the process is free of bias. We will develop high potential programmes for women looking to progress to leadership roles.
- Increase training and support for managers, ensuring senior leaders act as role models to set the culture of the BBC.
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This paper is published in accordance with paragraph 16 (2) Schedule 19 Finance Act 2016.
The BBC is committed to paying the right amount of tax (employment tax, VAT and corporation tax) at the right time, in all the jurisdictions in which it operates. The BBC recognises the importance of paying the right amount of tax for the communities in which it operates, and takes its tax compliance obligations seriously.
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2018/19 is the second year of the BBC’s new Charter, and the first when our new operating framework is fully in operation. This document - our second Annual Plan - is an essential part of our accountability to licence fee payers, Ofcom, partners and stakeholders. It performs a number of functions:
- It outlines the BBC’s creative plans for the year - the ‘creative remit’ - that show how the BBC’s output contributes to its mission and public purposes
- It demonstrates how the BBC’s services contribute to distinctiveness, through the conditions and quotas in the BBC’s Operating Licence and the BBC’s own additional commitments
- It updates the BBC’s three-year strategy and its work plan for 2018/19, including the BBC’s budget at a high level
- It updates the BBC Board’s approach to its duties and obligations
In the single year between the first Annual Plan and this one, the media industry has continued to change at a remarkable pace. Global media giants are being bought and sold in a race for scale. Our audiences are rapidly changing how they consume what we used to know as TV, radio and news. Money is pouring into some parts of the industry and draining from other parts at speed. Consumers are provided with unparalleled choice.
It is clear that the BBC’s public service mission is as important today as it has ever been, if not more so. Never has it been more important for the BBC to remain the country’s most trusted voice, providing accurate news and information and making sure all views are heard in the public debate. Never has the BBC been more vital as the cornerstone of the UK’s creative and cultural strength, investing in British talent and creativity from all across the country. Never has it been more important to strengthen the BBC’s unique global voice, as Britain seeks to reshape its relationship with the world.
A strong BBC can be a champion for the UK in the years to come. That means a BBC that champions the interests of audiences at home, with trusted news and brilliant British content for everyone. And it means a BBC that champions the values of the UK abroad, supporting our world-leading creative and digital industries and reflecting our culture to the world.
The Board believes that the strategic plans being developed across the organisation will allow the BBC to do more than ever for the UK in the years ahead. But this Plan is also clear that the environment around the BBC - competitive, financial, technological - has never been tougher.
So this second BBC Annual Plan of the new Charter outlines a year of creative ambition that aims to meet the needs and expectations of BBC audiences today and into the future.
Sir David Clementi
Chairman
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The BBC announced on 29 November 2017 that BBC Worldwide and BBC Studios would join forces as single commercial organisation, to be called BBC Studios. This will ensure the BBC is best placed to succeed both creatively and commercially and will better serve licence fee payers by:
- Creating a unified business with a single business plan and combined operating model, better placed to support the full range of the UK’s creative talent, producing high quality, distinctive UK content in bases across the country.
- Maximising the intellectual property value of BBC programming for the benefit of UK licence fee payers.
- Supporting the UK creative economy by distributing British content as a cultural export and source of global influence.
BBC Studios will start trading in April 2018. The BBC is today announcing a series of public commitments for how BBC Studios will work. These commitments set out how, following the merger:
- The BBC will continue to commission the best ideas for the UK Public Services from a range of producers.
- The BBC Board will set commercial rates of return for BBC Studios, informed by the markets in which they operate.
- The BBC Fair Trading Committee will oversee the BBC’s compliance with Ofcom’s operating framework on the trading and separation rules.
- The BBC will publish in its BBC Annual Report and Accounts relevant information on commissioning and the performance of the new BBC Studios.
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The BBC welcomes this report from the NAO which concludes that: "the BBC has created value through its commercial activities to date, both in terms of dividends and other financial returns, and in terms of the contributions that these activities have made to its overarching public purposes".
The BBC's commercial entities are an important part of the overall Group. Profits from the BBC's commercial services help fund our public services; our commercial services also support the BBC public service mission.
We are pleased that the NAO recognise the importance of these entities to the BBC overall, commenting that: "The BBC's main commercial subsidiaries are significant businesses in their respective markets, creating important additional value for licence fee payers".
BBC Worldwide has returned almost £1 billion to the Public Service over the past five years. This has been achieved through dividend payments, which constitute an important contribution to the BBC's overall funding; and also via up-front contributions to the financing of BBC programmes, such as Blue Planet II, increasing the budget available and quality of the output that can be made.
As the NAO also highlight, "alongside any dividends, each of the main subsidiaries also contributes to the BBC's public purposes". BBC Studios look to produce the most creative, high quality and distinctive output and support learning for people of all ages; BBC Worldwide invest in and distribute BBC content, reflecting the diversity of the UK and supporting the UK creative economy; BBC Studioworks enable content creation by providing studio services in London and the South East; and Global News provide impartial news and information based on the principles of trust, impartiality and accuracy.
This document outlines our commitment to equal pay; our progress so far in addressing these issues; the findings of our on-air review; our initial response to those findings; and our commitments to transparency and consultation.
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The BBC is today publishing a report by PwC into pay for presenters, correspondents and on-air editors who appear on the television or radio, working across Network News, Radio Continuous Programmes, Nations, English Regions, World Service and Sport programmes.
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In the recent Charter agreement with the UK Government, the BBC agreed with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) to undertake and publish a review of its Research & Development (R&D) activity.
In the recent Charter agreement with the UK Government, the BBC agreed with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) to undertake and publish a review of its Research & Development (R&D) activity.
The review is an exhaustive assessment of the work BBC R&D has done over the last Charter period (2007 – 2016). It includes a cost-benefit analysis, a qualitative assessment of successes, and consideration of future objectives. The BBC report summarises those three pieces of work and the full, independent, cost-benefit analysis is also available. Both documents are available for download below.
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The BBC is today setting out plans to enhance our religion and ethics coverage, ensuring that we better reflect the UK, the world, and the role that religion plays in everyday life.
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The BBC welcomes the NAO’s conclusion that the BBC Audiences team produces a wide range of robust data that allows the Corporation to properly monitor the performance of its content. As the NAO’s detailed report acknowledges the “Audiences team has provided data and insights effectively to support decision-makers across the BBC.”
As a public service broadcaster, the BBC always puts the audience at the heart of its decision-making. Measureable data offers valuable audience insight that directly informs both commissioning decisions and the strategic direction of the Corporation, as set by the BBC’s Board.
We welcome the NAO’s view that we are “responding to changes in technology and audience behaviour through two significant initiatives”, BBC-ID analytics and Cross-Media Measurement. The completed myBBC project is improving our creative insights, personalising the experience of our online audience and improving our engagement with our audiences.
We now have 12.6m active signed-in users who spend on average 20 per cent more time with the BBC than users who haven’t signed in. In total we had 19.2 million registered users as at 31 October 2017 and continue to increase and this report highlights how the BBC is improving its relationship with its audiences through sign-in.
The BBC has increased investment in digital analytics skills, measurement and analytics contracts. We welcome the NAO’s view that it was “understandable that the Corporation has decided to invest more in the Audiences team, despite the context of wider financial constraint”. We believe this investment means we further deepen our understanding of audiences’ engagement with our content across all platforms.
In this context, the BBC welcomes the NAO recommendations, which we have considered in detail:
Track the benefits of BBC-ID analytics and Cross Media Measurement (CMM)
We agree with this recommendation and are currently implementing centralised tracking of the wide ranging impact that the signed-in insights are already driving in commissioning and editorial decisions. The formalised reporting of this key benefit is expected to be finalised in spring 2018. Three of the four key benefits of BBC-ID programme within the BBC’s measurement framework are currently being tracked.
The importance of Cross Media Measurement as part of the ‘critical projects portfolio’
The project has now been introduced within the portfolio of PMO monitored CPP projects and will be included in the CPP reporting to the Executive Committee and Board.
Keep staff numbers and skills needed in Audiences under review
We welcome this recommendation, and will additionally introduce tracking of staffing levels and retention rates into the M&A monthly performance dashboard; together with the continuous monitoring of Audiences’ team skills and skills requirements within the Audiences Hub knowledge management system. By these means, in a rapidly changing market we will continue to review workload, the mix of skills needed and ways of working to ensure Audiences remains an effective and efficient service.
Review how the BBC reports internally on the Audiences’ team performance
We will work with finance to bring together the various ongoing processes that are already in place to monitor contract performance and workforce measures and will continue building on the monthly management dashboards. Further we will review the existing contract and workforce measures reporting to half year and annual performance reviews.
Capture more detailed data on the use of self-service tools, and drive increase of use
We agree with this recommendation. With the introduction of the BBC’s new Single Sign On ‘BBC Log in' in the near future, we will be able to track more detailed data on self-service tools. This is expected to provide tailored data and insights further increasing the effectiveness of audience team and decision making across the BBC, which will alert stakeholders of priority issues, promote insight to relevant teams and direct them to the Portal via notifications and email.
This report collates data from two surveys about public perceptions of the impartiality and trustworthiness of the BBC. The first is an on-going monthly nationally representative survey by Kantar Media for the BBC that allows us to gauge public opinion of the BBC on a regular basis.
The second is a nationally representative face-to-face survey conducted for the BBC by Ipsos MORI. The survey was designed to understand the range of scores that the public gives to news providers in terms of trust and impartiality, and how the BBC performs in comparison with the wider market
As part of this survey, Kantar Media has been tracking public perceptions of trust and general impression of the BBC since 2004.
The BBC publishes the average general impression score for the year in its Annual Report.
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The BBC is today publishing two reports about the UK Television content market, its value to UK society and its future.
Content market dynamics in the UK: outcomes and implications
This report by Mediatique examines the UK television market, the impact of new business models, pressure on traditional revenue streams, the growth of premium global content and the proliferation of co-productions and multinational partnerships. The report concludes that there is a possibility of a shortfall of £500m in real terms in spend on original UK content by 2026.
Reflecting a changing Britain in a changing world
This report by Ipsos MORI examines the factors which divide Britain and those that bring it together. As part of this, the report considers if there is a role for British TV content, and for institutions like the BBC, in both reflecting differences, and providing shared values or moments. The report concludes that British content on TV remains a key part of national life. However, there are challenges for organisations like the BBC which will require them to continue to adapt.
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The BBC’s Royal Charter sets out a clear framework for governing and regulating the BBC: a new Board that sets its strategy, runs its operations and is responsible for its output. It also sets out, for the first time, external regulation of the BBC by Ofcom.
The BBC’s Annual Plan is a key document in the relationship between the BBC and Ofcom, and an essential part of our accountability to licence fee payers.
In July 2017, the BBC published an interim Annual Plan for 2017/18 in line with the transitional arrangements made for the first year of this Charter period. This set out the BBC’s creative plans for 2017/18; how the BBC’s services would contribute to the delivery of distinctiveness; the performance framework that would be used to judge how services deliver against the mission and public purposes; the 2017/18 workplan, including potential material changes; the three year strategy and finally the BBC’s governance and general duties.
As Ofcom has now published its finalised Operating Licence for the BBC, the BBC is required to publish a finalised Plan for this year. The Plan reflects changes made in the light of Ofcom’s finalised Licence and feedback we have received over the summer to the interim Plan.
It should be noted that as the Ofcom Licence does not take effect until 2018, this year’s Annual Plan is still transitional. According to the transition provisions in the BBC’s Charter and Agreement, it therefore maps the BBC’s commitments against the historic service licence conditions set by the BBC Trust. The BBC Annual Report for 2017/18 will report on this basis.
Usually the Annual Plan will be published in advance of the year it describes. For the 2018/19 Annual Plan we will align commitments to the new Ofcom Operating Licence conditions.
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The BBC is today publishing a number of documents, including an independent audit of BBC pay; its gender pay gap report; and a full management response to the outcome of both.
The equal pay report concludes that there is no question of any systemic gender discrimination in the way the BBC pays its staff.
The audit has been overseen by Sir Patrick Elias (a former Court of Appeal judge) and conducted by consultancy firm PwC and legal firm Eversheds.
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The BBC Group is committed to running its business responsibly and to maintaining a high standard of ethical and environmental practice.
The BBC is supportive of the aims of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and, in publishing an annual statement, the BBC recognises the importance of the role it can play in preventing modern slavery within its spheres of influence, to create a culture of awareness and transparency and actively engage in the eradication of modern slavery.
This statement has been published in accordance with the Modern Slavery Act 2015. It sets out the steps taken by the BBC Group during year ended 31 March 2017 to prevent modern slavery in its organisation and supply chains.
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The BBC has committed to offer support for the UK’s emerging local-TV sector in two ways; by providing capital funding for the development of infrastructure, and by purchasing content from the holders of the relevant licences ("L-DTPS licences") in their early years.
This helps to support the continued existence of a plurality of news providers at all levels of the UK. We believe plurality of news is important.
The terms of the content-acquisition scheme have been revised during the life of the project, notably by enhancing our offer to purchase ‘diary’ news footage, and by the extension of the scheme to permit any station that has launched by July 31 2017 to participate in it.
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This official response to the Dame Janet Smith Review brings together the responses made in reports over the past four years, alongside the work we have undertaken to develop and strengthen our policies and procedures for raising complaints or concerns.
Our response sets out a summary of where we are today and what policies, rules and procedures we have in place. We also set out further detail on how we are responding in the specific areas Dame Janet set out for us. These include consideration of our culture and a commitment to an independent review of our work to date, putting in place any changes recommended.
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The BBC Group is committed to running its business responsibly and to maintaining a high standard of ethical and environmental practice.
The BBC is supportive of the aims of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and, in publishing an annual statement, the BBC recognises the importance of the role it can play in preventing modern slavery within its spheres of influence, to create a culture of awareness and transparency and actively engage in the eradication of modern slavery.
This statement has been published in accordance with the Modern Slavery Act 2015. It sets out the steps taken by the BBC Group during year ended 31 March 2016 to prevent modern slavery in its organisation and supply chains.
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This progress report sets out what has been achieved to date in relation to the Dame Janet Smith Review.
The Review was established in October 2012 to conduct an impartial, thorough and independent review of the culture and practices of the BBC during the years that Jimmy Savile worked there. A further investigation, into the conduct of Stuart Hall, was undertaken by Dame Linda Dobbs DBE, and is published as part of the report.
It outlines what we have in place already, what we intend to do, and what additional scrutiny we will open ourselves to in the coming months.
The BBC’s final response to Dame Janet’s Review will be published later in the year, following an external review and audit of our efforts to date. This will be conducted by GoodCorporation over the coming months. We set out below the timetable for this review, and what it will cover.
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The BBC’s ambition online is to provide a distinctive public service that informs, educates and entertains.We will do this online by focusing our energy and creativity on six flagship areas:
- Trusted, impartial and accurate news – BBC News
- The best in live sports coverage and sports news – BBC Sport
- Where UK children come to learn and play in safety – iPlay and BBC Bitesize
- High-quality entertainment that enriches our lives – BBC iPlayer and BBC iPlayer Radio
- The best of arts and culture, history and science – the Ideas Service
- Historic moments, national events – BBC Live
But the BBC is also facing a tough set of financial challenges. Our online operations will be part of how we meet an immediate £150 million savings target by 2017/18, and a longer-term £800 million challenge by 2021/22.
This Online Creative Review sets out a route to a more focused and distinctive service. By cutting back the spread of websites, apps and other operations it will deliver a total saving of more than £15 million, or 15% of the service’s editorial spend.
In the next 12 months the following services will either be closed or scaled down, subject to any regulatory approval required. We will:
- Close the BBC iWonder service, but redeploy its formats across BBC Online
- Close the BBC’s Food website. BBC Worldwide’s Good Food site will remain
- Focus on distinctive long-form journalism online under a Current Affairs banner and close the online News Magazine
- Integrate Newsbeat output into BBC News Online, but close the separate Newsbeat site and app
- Continue to offer travel news online as part of BBC News but close the BBC Travel site and halt development of the BBC Travel app
- Stop running local news index web pages, offering instead an open stream on our rolling guide to BBC and local news provider stories, ‘Local Live’
- Remove ring-fenced funding for BBC iPlayer-only commissions
- Reduce funding for BBC Connected Studio, the digital innovation programme, with innovation increasingly funded within business-as-usual and the Studio maintained as an enabler of innovation
- Reduce digital radio and music social media activity and additional programme content that is not core to services.
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This document sets out how BBC services are distinctive from the market, and the steps we will take to ensure the BBC continues to be distinctive, high quality and universal in the future.
The BBC produces some of the highest quality programmes and services in the world. But the unique way the BBC is funded places two further obligations on it.
Because the BBC’s funding is independent, that gives it the creative freedom and the obligation to be distinctive and original.
And because the BBC is funded by the licence fee, its mission is also universal. That means reaching everyone with good things, things of real value, of public value to them, but of personal value to them as well.
So as the BBC informs, educates and entertains the public, it must meet these three aims: quality, distinctiveness and universality.
This document explores what we mean by distinctiveness. It sets out audience research into perceptions of distinctiveness, and data comparing the BBC’s services to those provided by others. It shows that BBC services are highly distinctive and have become more distinctive over the current Charter. It outlines the steps we will take to ensure the BBC continues to be distinctive, high quality and universal in the future.
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The BBC Trust has today published in full the report by Dame Janet Smith DBE of her inquiry into the BBC’s culture and practices during the Jimmy Savile and Stuart Hall years.
The Review was established in October 2012 to conduct an impartial, thorough and independent review of the culture and practices of the BBC during the years that Jimmy Savile worked there. A further investigation, into the conduct of Stuart Hall, was undertaken by Dame Linda Dobbs DBE, and is published as part of today’s report.
Dame Janet’s full report can be found here. A statement in response from BBC Trust Chairman Rona Fairhead can be found here and a statement in response from BBC Director General Tony Hall can be found here.
This document is the third in a series setting out the BBC’s position for Charter Review. It responds to each of the nineteen questions raised in the Government’s consultation paper.
It should be read alongside the BBC’s proposals for programmes and services in the next Charter,'British, Bold, Creative' that was published on 7 September 2015 (referred to here as the BBC Strategy Paper), and the paper on the BBC Studios proposal, published on 17 September. These provide an evidence base for answering some of the questions raised by the Government’s consultation paper.
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- BBC Charter Review: submission to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport’s Charter Review public consultation
- BBC Charter Review: submission to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport’s Charter Review public consultation (Welsh version)
- BBC Charter Review: Audiences Appendix
- Mediatique Report: BBC index of cultural inflation
- PwC Report: The impact of a change in the BBC’s licence fee revenue
- BBC's contribution to the UK's creative industries
As part of our strategic and investment plans for the next Charter, this document outlines our ambition to transform the majority of the BBC's in-house production unit into BBC Studios, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the BBC Group.
BBC Studios will operate in the market, producing programmes for the BBC and other broadcasters in the UK and internationally, and returning all profits to the BBC Group. It will be committed to supporting the BBC’s public service mission and values, and will keep programme-making at the heart of the BBC, producing much loved titles such as Doctor Who, Strictly Come Dancing, EastEnders and Big Blue Live.
As part of these plans, the BBC is also proposing to remove its overall in-house guarantee of 50%, meaning that external producers would be able to compete for a much greater proportion of BBC network commissioning spend. The BBC believes this proposal is the best way to keep delivering fantastic creative programmes for audiences and long-term value for licence fee payers.
The purpose of this document is to provide more detail on our proposals and invite further dialogue with stakeholders.
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On Monday 7 September 2015, Director-General Tony Hall unveiled our plans for the BBC over the next ten years in an event at the Science Museum in London.
In the Charter Review document published the same day, he wrote: "The BBC is approaching its centenary in 2022 and the decisions taken over the coming months will shape the BBC for the next generation."
Tony Hall's Charter Review speech
Our plans for programmes and services over the next 10 years
Professor Brian Cox
More about the BBC's proposed 'Ideas Service'
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In March, the BBC Trust and BBC Executive commissioned PwC to carry out an independent review of the potential for future productive efficiency savings over the next Charter period.
PwC’s review is based on a detailed analysis of the BBC’s main areas of operation taking into account wider market and technological developments to set out the potential for future productive efficiency savings. This work needs to be considered in the context of PwC’s review of the BBC’s overheads published in July which concluded that the BBC’s overhead ratio compares favourably with other regulated industries and public sector bodies.
PwC have concluded that:
- The BBC is on track to deliver £1.6billion cumulative annual savings in the 10 year period ending March 2017. The National Audit Office has also recognised the progress the BBC has made, having concluded in a recent report that ‘Delivering Quality First, the BBC’s ongoing cost reduction programme, has so far delivered value for money.’
- The significant, sustained productivity savings achieved in recent years, reduces the scope of future savings.
- Cumulative annual productive efficiency savings of between £190 million and £329 million could be possible by 2027.
The upper limit of this range is broadly equivalent to saving one percent year on year - a cumulative annual saving of around 10 percent of the addressable cost base by 2027.
In our Charter document, published on 7th September, it states that a further one percent, on top of savings identified by PwC, could be saved year on year without a significant impact on the audience by changing things like the mix of programmes in the schedule and by mitigating inflation through long-term contracts.
It is important to note that these efficiency savings would be on top of the £220 million of planned Delivering Quality First savings and further savings in excess of £150million a year required to address a decline in television penetration, both of which are still required before the end of the current Charter period. The scale of these savings is requiring the BBC to carry out a fundamental assessment of the resources needed to deliver the BBC’s objectives, rather than simply chipping away at the existing cost base. Some of the savings will be achieved through further efficiencies like cutting headcount ongoing senior manager pay restraint and removing layers from the BBC’s management structures, some by growing commercial income and some by changes to BBC services.
PwC’s analysis assumes that there will be no further changes to the BBC’s scope, mix or quality of content and that the BBC’s purpose remains constant throughout the next Charter period. These issues are, of course, being considered as part of the Charter review process and the Trust is gathering audience views through its public consultation.
Nonetheless, the implication is that savings greater than two percent a year could not be met through efficiency alone and would require service reductions. It is estimated that savings of 3.5 percent a year will be needed to close the existing gap due to falls in TV penetration, meet the terms of the recent funding agreement with the government and to fund the new proposals set out in the BBC’s Charter document. As a result, changes to existing services will be required.
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This report, published in August 2015, was prepared by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (PwC) for the BBC. The purpose of the report is to present PwC’s findings based on their assessment of the economic impacts of changes in BBC licence fee revenues over the next five years.
In this report PwC estimate the net effect of the BBC’s spending changes on the creative economy, employment and GDP, while allowing for potential ‘crowding out’ of investment.
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In this report, published in August 2015, households from locations across the UK respond to having no BBC services for nine days.
To better understand the value audiences get from the BBC we commissioned independent research agency MTM to explore what they would miss, and whether households would change their view of the BBC and how willing they were to pay the licence fee after nine days without access to any programmes and services.
Seventy households from 15 locations across the UK took part across five waves of research between July 2014 and March 2015. Nationally, seven in ten households say that they are willing to pay the current level of the licence fee or more, so this piece of research focused primarily on the minority who say that, given the choice, they either think the licence fee is too high or they would prefer not to pay at all and not receive the BBC.
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This review contains the conclusions of the GoodCorporation’s review of the BBC’s child protection and whistleblowing policies.
The BBC commissioned Dame Janet Smith to conduct a full review into our policies and processes, including considering whether the BBC’s current child protection and whistleblowing policies are fit for purpose.
The intention was that Dame Janet’s work on the BBC’s child protection and whistleblowing processes would begin once her main report had been delivered.
However, in light of changes in the Review’s timetable and delays to the report’s publication at the request of the Police, the BBC decided in March 2014 to undertake an independent assessment, rather than waiting for the publication of the Dame Janet Smith report. This independent review was specifically set up so we could respond to any gaps it identified, rather than having to wait for the Dame Janet Smith report.
The GoodCorporation conclude that the BBC has strong child protection policies in place and that considerable effort has been made to improve them. Their report states that “there is a clear commitment and recognition of the importance of child protection and safeguarding in the BBC”.
The review was designed to produce detailed and actionable recommendations for the BBC. It looked at a comprehensive list of criteria, including third party codes of practice. Our child protection policies were tested and examined against a total of 49 criteria, while our whistleblowing policies against another 25. The BBC’s whistleblowing policy was also benchmarked and found to rank at number 12 in a list of 40 organisations.
We are pleased to find our whistleblowing policies rank well against other organisations.
The overall conclusions of the GoodCorporation’s review are positive and no serious weaknesses are raised in the report. The GoodCorporation outlines additional steps for the
BBC to take in order to reinforce our current good practice in three key areas:
- reinforcement of existing policies and essential processes through enhanced communication and tighter documentation;
- enhancements to the consistency of application of existing policies and processes; and
- some changes to formal reporting lines and to external reporting.
We have been active on these recommendations and their implementation has already been internally audited and rated positively. We intend to use future Annual Report and Accounts to ensure appropriate reporting of whistleblowing statistics1.
The review recommended that the person in charge of child protection should report in to a production making division, such as Television. We believe child protection is an issue that affects all of our output divisions and so we believe it is more appropriate for the Head of Child Protection to continue to report into our HR team.
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Following the release of the BBC's Efficiency Review, the BBC asked Price Waterhouse Cooper to conduct an objective review of its approach to efficiency.
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This report, published in June 2015, collates data from two surveys about public perceptions of the impartiality and trustworthiness of the BBC. The first is an on-going monthly nationally representative survey by Kantar Media for the BBC that allows us to gauge public opinion of the BBC on a regular basis.
The second is a nationally representative face-to-face survey conducted for the BBC by Ipsos MORI. The survey was designed to understand the range of scores that the public gives to news providers in terms of trust and impartiality, and how the BBC performs in comparison with the wider market
As part of this survey, Kantar Media has been tracking public perceptions of trust and general impression of the BBC since 2004.
The BBC publishes the average general impression score for the year in its Annual Report.
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This report sets out information on the governance and approval structures that operate for severance within the BBC today.
It also provides the full figures for severance payments throughout the past year. I have personally assured myself of these figures and they have also been independently audited. I believe this report demonstrates that the BBC is now acting as an effective steward of public funds in any necessary severance payments.
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This report shows how the BBC takes risks on new artists and provides exposure to songs that aren’t often played on commercial radio for months, and how it promotes new artists by playing their songs on some of the UK’s most popular shows.
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Our submission to Ofcom's third review of public service broadcasting in the UK.
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A key BBC objective for 2014/15 was to ‘improve value for money through a more efficient and open BBC’. This report sets out the key conclusions of the review.
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A report analysing the most recent trends in the provision and consumption of online news in the UK, with reference to international market developments.
The report, carried out by Mediatique and commissioned by the BBC, analyses the key dynamics in the provision of news, the online news market in the UK and the future of online news provision.
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This report, published in July 2014, collates data from two surveys about public perceptions of the impartiality and trustworthiness of the BBC.
Respondents are asked to rate the following statements:
'I trust the BBC' and give a score on a scale of 1 to 10 where 1 is strongly disagree and 10 is strongly agree
'Thinking about the BBC as a whole – not just the programmes, but the sort of organisation the BBC is and the way it goes about providing a public broadcasting service. Overall, what do you think of the BBC? On a scale of 1 to 10, where 1 means extremely unfavourable and 10 means extremely favourable, please tell me your general impression of the BBC'
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Over the last few years the BBC has been determined to make significant savings and drive down costs as part of our commitment to demonstrate value for money for licence fee payers. In 2009 it set itself, and achieved, the ambitious target of decreasing the number of senior managers by 20% and the associated paybill by 25% by December 2011. It has since gone further, exceeding a 35% reduction in headcount and paybill by 31 March 2014, leading to an annual reduction of £27.7m to the senior manager paybill. Through redundancies, the BBC has achieved cumulative savings in excess of £55m between 2009 and 2014, which are projected to reach £111m by the end of 2017.
However, in the BBC’s eagerness to reach those targets, during the period 1 January 2010 to 31 December 2012, it is clear that some individuals received very generous severance payments. Emphasis was placed on reaching agreement with individuals in order to minimise disruption and disengagement within the BBC and on making speedy progress towards the overall savings targets. These decisions have been widely criticised and, with hindsight, it is clear that the BBC would not make them today.
Following the publication of the NAO and KPMG Senior Manager Severance Reviews the BBC committed to publishing a review of severance payments for the next two years. This report is the first of those two reports and consistent with the scope of the NAO and KPMG reviews includes all employees, with the exception of on-air talent. This report charts the overhaul that has taken place in severance arrangements within the BBC since 25 April 2013 when it was decided that a radical change in governance, policies, contractual terms and conditions and processes was necessary. The need for these decisions was confirmed by the findings of the reviews of severance payments to senior managers from the NAO and KPMG.
This report provides details of the payments the BBC has made since 1 September 2013, the start of the new policy.
The figures in this report have been audited by the BBC’s Auditors, KPMG.
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This report explores the impact of public broadcasting on the commercial sector by analysing levels of public and commercial funding, investment in programming, and the diversity and quality of content.
The research - carried out across 16 key global territories, including the Australia, Japan, Brazil and many countries in Europe including the UK - reveals that countries with strong, well-funded public service broadcasting, such as the UK, Australia and the Nordic countries, tend to have commercial channels which generate stronger revenues and levels of investment, better choice and high quality in the eyes of audiences.
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This report explores the economic return to the UK from the BBC’s global activities.
It includes research among business leaders in key trading countries to assess the effect of culture on commerce. The research shows that the UK is regarded as one of the most attractive places to do business and that business leaders’ perceptions of UK culture, and of the BBC in particular, shape these attitudes and behaviours.
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Report by KPMG LLP into agreed upon procedures relating to senior manager severance packages at the BBC during the period July 2006-December 2009.
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This report, published in May 2013, collates data from two surveys about public perceptions of the impartiality and trustworthiness of the BBC:
- Public Trust in the BBC - An ongoing, monthly, nationally representative survey by Kantar Media which allows the corporation to guage public opinion on the BBC.
- Public trust in BBC News and perceptions of impartiality - A one-off, face-to-face nationally representative survey conducted for the BBC by Ipsos MORI looking at levels of public trust in news provision and people's perceptions of the impartiality of the news.
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The Respect at Work Review was prepared with the help of Dinah Rose QC and Change Associates working alongside the BBC’s own HR department.
It was set up in the wake of the Jimmy Savile scandal to look at current BBC policies and processes relating to sexual harassment as well as what it is like to work at the BBC more broadly with regard to respect and appropriate behaviour for staff and freelancers.
The cost of the Dinah Rose QC Review/Respect at Work Review, which came out of last year’s budget, was about £318,500 (excl VAT). This included the work undertaken by Dinah Rose and by Change Associates, carrying out the review’s recommendations.
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This report was commissioned by the BBC following the tragic death of Russell Joslin. The report has been prepared by Lesley Granger, an external consultant after a lengthy investigation. Her findings are supported by witness testimony and a paper review. Ms Granger's Terms of Reference tasked her to consider:
- what formal/informal complaints/concerns relating to bullying and harassment Russell Joslin had raised with the BBC and how he wished those complaints/concerns to be dealt with;
- what may have prevented him from raising such concerns/complaints at an earlier stage;
- how in fact the BBC dealt with such complaints; and
- what formal/informal complaints/concerns Russell Joslin made with regard to the BBC's handling of his complaints.
In order to ensure prompt publication, the report linked to below is being presented as a scanned PDF. This will be updated with a fully accessible PDF as soon as possible.
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The Hypotheses and Findings from Accenture's Independent Technical Review (Phase 1) of the BBC's Digital Media Initiative (DMI).
The BBC asked Accenture to conduct an independent review to aid decision-making on the future of the DMI solution. This review took place over the course of 5 weeks in January and February 2013, informed by reviews of documentation and conversations with the DMI and wider BBC technology teams as well as business users of the current solution.
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On Friday 22 February, the BBC published the transcripts and appendices to The Pollard Report. These are the documents which Mr Pollard considered relevant to his findings in the Report published in December last year, and which he subsequently provided to the BBC. From the thousands of pages that are being published, roughly 3% of the transcripts have been redacted for a very limited number of legal reasons.
Acting Director-General Tim Davie added: “The BBC has been open and transparent in its handling of this unhappy chapter in our history. It has not been an entirely comfortable process for us to go through but it is right that we did it this way. It is important that the BBC now moves forward with the lessons learned and continues to regain the public’s trust.”
Important notes
1. The BBC sought advice from external counsel to identify text that should be redacted in accordance with the legal grounds for redaction. The proposed redactions were considered by members of the Executive Board before being reviewed and approved by a sub-committee of the BBC Trust to ensure the Trust was satisfied that these were in line with the expectations of transparency previously set out. Then, individuals who participated in the Review were provided with an opportunity to read the material in redacted form and make representations concerning the redactions that had been applied. Those representations were then considered, with advice again taken from external counsel, before a final package of proposed redactions was reviewed by members of the Executive Board and approved by the same sub-committee of the BBC Trust.
2. Redactions have been made only for the following reasons: defamation [of individuals, not the corporation]; data privacy; protection of confidential sources; anonymity of victims of sexual assault; potential prejudice to or interference with police investigations or on-going criminal proceedings; legal professional privilege and confidentiality (where a genuine and identifiable interest of the BBC is at stake).
3. Not all the documents provided to the BBC were searchable and as a consequence of the different stages of redaction, the search functionality is not supported within these documents. Additionally, to ensure that the material is read in its proper context, we would urge anyone reading these documents with a view to comment or reporting to read these documents in their totality.
4. On 1 March 2013, George Entwistle provided an email clarifying comments made in his interview. That email has been published as part of George Entwistle’s transcript.
The Pollard Review
Exhibits & Appendices
Appendices: 7-10
These appendices are pre-existing documents concerning the BBC's charter, agreement and editorial guidelines. The information is made available via alternative sources linked to below.
7 - BBC Charter
8 - Broadcasting agreement between DCMS and the BBC
9 - BBC Editorial Guidelines
- Appendix 10: Written Statements sorted by individual
- Appendix 11: Extracts from transcripts - Volume 1
- Appendix 11: Extracts from transcripts - Volume 2
- Appendix 12: Emails, documents etc
Transcripts
- Helen Boaden
- Danny Cohen
- George Entwistle
- Liz Gibbons
- Tom Giles
- Caroline Hawley
- Peter Horrocks
- Meirion Jones (Part 1)
- Meirion Jones (Part 2)
- David Jordan
- Liz MacKean
- Stephen Mitchell (Part 1)
- Stephen Mitchell (Part 2)
- Paul Mylrea
- Lord Patten
- Jeremy Paxman
- Peter Rippon (Part 1)
- Peter Rippon (Part 2)
- Mark Thompson
- Nick Vaughan-Barratt
- Kirsty Wark
- Jan Younghusband
This report considers the economic benefits that the BBC brings to the UK economy - and the digital and creative sectors in particular - in more detail. Specifically it:
- Fulfils the commitment to report every two years on the economic value the BBC’s spending delivers to the UK, updating for 2011/12 our previous estimates (based on standard ‘multiplier’ analysis);
- Develops a framework to analyse the additional value and economic growth created by the BBC as a uniquely ‘open’ media organisation that collaboratively innovates and shares its knowledge and expertise with the creative sector; and
- Provides case studies of four BBC activities and partnerships in 2011/12 which have contributed to innovation, growth and knowledge sharing.
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A report by Communications Chambers examining how public service broadcasting (PSB) can continue to remain prominent when media consumption is changing and converging so rapidly. The report - PSB Prominence in a Converged Media World - forms part of the BBC’s contribution to the Government’s review of communications legislation.
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Following the Alexander Review of tax paid by senior public appointees published in May 2012, the BBC provided evidence to the Public Accounts Committee in July 2012 and undertook to review all its freelance contracting arrangements.
The Executive Audit Committee of the BBC's Executive Board (the EAC) commissioned an independent review from Deloitte LLP and the BBC’s own Internal Audit Department. The recommendations made by the review have been approved both by the EAC and the BBC Trust.
The BBC has published below a paper which summarises the main findings of the review and our proposals for change. The full Deloitte report is also available below.
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Annual Report and Accounts on the BBC's Licence Fee collection activities for 2011/12. These were prepared and presented by the BBC, and audited by the National Audit Office.
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An external evaluation of the current performance, rationale and funding of the six performing groups, commissioned by the Director of Audio and Music on behalf of the BBC and prepared by John Myerscough.
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In November 2011, John Myers was asked to review the operations of BBC Local Radio. The brief was to examine the working practices of the local radio network, to investigate areas of possible savings without impacting the on-air performance and review the current levels of management and back office staff.
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Delivering Quality First is the BBC's plan for how it can best deliver the highest quality programmes and content to audiences until the end of the Charter in 2017.
In January 2011, Mark Thompson launched Delivering Quality First, a wide-ranging consultation with all BBC staff on how it can best deliver the highest quality programmes and content to audiences until the end of the Charter in 2017. The BBC also conducted an audience research consultation into public views on potential changes.
Delivery Quality First follows the licence fee settlement agreed with the Government in October 2010, which sees the licence fee frozen to 2017, and the BBC assuming new funding responsibilities, including for the World Service, S4C, BBC Monitoring and local TV and broadband. To fulfil this settlement, Mark Thompson set a savings target of 20%.
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At a glance
The Delivering Quality First proposals, launched in October 2011, outline 4 areas for new savings:
- Productivity savings - Changes to the way the BBC works including the amount that is spent in making programmes and running the organisation
- Content scope reductions - Changes to programmes and services that we provide for audiences
- Added commercial income - Achieved by focusing on programmes highly valued by UK audiences and are high in commercial value (e.g. Doctor Who)
- Working Capital Savings - Tighter management of working capital across the BBC Group
Below is a summary of the changes as outlined in the BBC Trust's press release.
Changes to the way we work
The BBC will build on its current efficiency programme - which has already seen savings of more than £1bn since 2008/9 - to release a further £400m of savings per year by 2016/17. This will be achieved by:
- A more flexible workforce which reduces duplication of expertise;
- Streamlining the corporation's use of technology in workplace and production processes;
- Continuing to reduce senior management numbers under plans announced in July, and flattening the structure to ensure there are no more than five layers between the Director-General to the most junior member of staff;
- Modernisation of terms and conditions for BBC staff; and
- Increasing out-of-London production and reducing the BBC's property estate.
Changes to services
The public consultation by the BBC Trust will seek the public's views on those proposals which relate directly to channels and services. In summary, these include:
The general approach taken:
Prioritising and protecting the services and content that deliver the most value to audiences, looking at each individual service and its value within the portfolio, rather than cutting whole services or giving each service the same percentage savings target.
Changes to the BBC's TV channels:
- Protecting BBC One and Two in peak time, albeit with small reductions in entertainment programming and acquisitions;
- Making BBC One the channel for all new general daytime programmes;
- Changing BBC Two's daytime schedule to feature international news and current affairs programmes at lunchtime. Other parts of the daytime schedule would be repeats of mainly factual programmes, including science, history, natural history and arts, as well as live sport;
- Re-focusing BBC Three and BBC Four to play supporting roles to the two bigger channels; and
- Replacing the HD channel with an HD version of BBC Two to broadcast alongside the existing BBC One HD channel.
Changes to the BBC's radio stations:
- Protecting Radio 4 by keeping its underlying budget stable, excluding the impact of productivity savings;
- Greater sharing of news bulletins between Radio 2 and 6 Music, Radio 1 and 1Xtra, and Radio 3 and 4;
- Reducing the amount of original drama, live music and specially recorded concerts at lunchtime on Radio 3, and reviewing the BBC's orchestras and singers;
- Reinvestment in the Proms to maintain quality;
- Focusing Radio 5 Live on core output of news and sport;
- A new more focused Asian Network with a 34 per cent reduction in its content spend; and
- Making savings in radio distribution costs through long term changes to Medium Wave and Long Wave.
Changes to programming and services in the nations and regions:
- For TV, protecting underlying investment in news programming; producing fewer non-news programmes and rebroadcasting more of them to UK audiences; and increasing investment in network programming produced across Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales;
- For nations radio, reducing investment in non-news programming and focusing on peak-time; and
- For English local radio, focusing spend on peak-time programmes, but with increased sharing across regions in off-peak slots.
Changes in approach to digital access and distribution
- Continuing with previously announced plans to reduce BBC Online?s budget by 25 per cent, but with some reinvestment in future digital development; and
- Reducing Red Button transmissions making the service consistent across all digital TV platforms.
Public and staff consultation
The BBC Trust will be consulting the public about proposed changes to services. You can voice your opinion about this area of Delivering Quality First on the BBC Trust's website until December 2011.
BBC staff will be consulted on proposals about changes to productivity and organisation over the next few weeks. This consultation will be carried out internally by the BBC and not by the BBC Trust.
The BBC commissioned a report from Oliver and Ohlbaum Associates to consider the case for reforming the current system of retransmission fees in the UK. This report reviews the differing retransmission arrangements in different TV markets around the world and providing an analysis of the likely implications of continuing with the current UK arrangements.
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The BBC, Blinkbox, Channel 4, Skype, and Yahoo, commissioned a report from Plum Consulting to consider the case for safeguarding the open internet. Committed to delivering innovative online services and content, the BBC wants to ensure the internet remains open and accessible to everyone. The BBC supports the analysis and recommendations in this report.
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Delivering Quality First is the BBC's plan for how it can best deliver the highest quality programmes and content to audiences until the end of the Charter in 2017.
In January 2011, Mark Thompson launched Delivering Quality First, a wide-ranging consultation with all BBC staff on how it can best deliver the highest quality programmes and content to audiences until the end of the Charter in 2017. The BBC also conducted an audience research consultation into public views on potential changes.
Delivery Quality First follows the licence fee settlement agreed with the Government in October 2010, which sees the licence fee frozen to 2017, and the BBC assuming new funding responsibilities, including for the World Service, S4C, BBC Monitoring and local TV and broadband. To fulfil this settlement, Mark Thompson set a savings target of 20%.
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A report describing the many ways in which the BBC supports and sustains growth in the UK creative sector and helps the wider economy rebalance both sectorally and geographically. Consistent with its public purposes, the BBC is committed to thinking harder about how the licence fee can be spent in ways that better support creative businesses, and about new partnerships that can create increased value both for the BBC and for others.
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Annual Report and Accounts on the BBC's Licence Fee collection activities for 2010/11. These were prepared and presented by the BBC, and audited by the National Audit Office.
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Report by the BBC on the impact of the BBC's activities on the UK economy in 2009/10
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Report by independent advisers Deloitte on the impact of the BBC's activities on the UK economy in 2008/09.
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September 2010: As part of the BBC's diversity strategy, we have carried out research and consultation on the portrayal of lesbian, gay and bisexual people across broadcast media including the BBC. During 2010 we have carried out qualitative and quantitative research, and conducted a public consultation in the most comprehensive study ever done into this area by a broadcaster.
The BBC's Working Group has made five recommendations which the BBC has agreed to take action on.
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In the summer of 2009 Mark Thompson announced a review of the BBC's strategy. The review looked at how the BBC could best continue to serve audiences in the face of advances in technology and a rapidly changing media landscape.
We made our proposals to the BBC Trust in February 2010 and the Trust then consulted on them. The key themes in the proposals were: focus; quality; efficiency; and a sensible approach to market impact.
- Quality - this means being the creator of quality and doing more to build public value around our five editorial priorities: world class journalism; knowledge, music and culture; ambitious drama and comedy; outstanding content for children; and events that bring the nation together
- Focus - a much tighter focus on delivering our mission, which remains as important today as at our inception: inform, educate, entertain
- Efficiency - we will put more of the licence fee to work on creating and delivering content, and will further reduce our central overheads
- Market impact - we will be clear about our limits and boundaries and where we must leave space for the market
You can download our proposals in full below.
On 5 July 2010 the Trust published its interim conclusions on the BBC Executive's strategy review proposals and on 14 December 2010 the Trust published its final conclusions.
Mark Thompson's speech, Putting Quality First: The BBC and Public Space, is available on the BBC Press Office website. You can download Mark Thompson's presentation below.
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Report on the BBC's impact beyond broadcasting in outreach.
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The BBC Executive, in response to a request from the BBC Trust, commissioned a report from Alan Yentob, BBC Creative Director, and Roly Keating, BBC Director of Archive Content.
The independent audience research was conducted by Professor Sonia Livingstone, Ipsos MORI and the Blinc Partnership. The research involved people of all age ranges discussing a wide range of programmes, including comedy, entertainment, documentary and drama.
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- Taste, Standards and the BBC
- Taste & Standards and the BBC - Key Findings from Audience Research
- Taste & Standards and the BBC - Quantitative Research
- Taste & Standards and the BBC - Qualitative Research
- A Review of the Available Empirical Research
- BBC press release: BBC publishes Taste and Standards report
The BBC Executive's response to the Government's Digital Britain report published March 2009.
In January 2009, the Government published its first Digital Britain report and invited responses from across the industry. The BBC welcomes the Government's report, which signals the importance of the digital information and communications sector to the UK.
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January 2009: BBC's response to Part Two of the Review
- Full submission
- Full submission – Welsh language version
- Audience attitudes to the licence fee and public service broadcasting beyond the BBC. A report and research appendix by Human Capital (updated 08.12.08)
- An analysis of market provision of public service content and an evaluation of funding options for content in at-risk genres
June 2008: BBC's submission to Part One of the Review
- Foreword
- The Challenge of Sustainability
- Executive Summary
- The BBC's submission in full
- The BBC's submission in full – Welsh language version
- Public service broadcasting now and in the future – audience attitudes. A report by Human Capital
- Public service broadcasting now and in the future – audience attitudes. A report plus research appendix by Human Capital
- YouGov online survey of attitudes towards media technology and children's programming and services (updated 01.07.2008)
- Creative perspective – survey of the creative community conducted by Human Capital
- Summary of BBC market modelling
- International perspective
A review by Ofcom of BBC's Public Service Broadcasting
As part of our contribution to the Ofcom review of PSB, the BBC wanted to engage in a consultation with this community, and give it a voice and platform. We commissioned a series of lectures from distinguished programme makers, and a survey of the wider creative community, including CEOs of leading independent companies and broadcaster producers.
A series of lectures and a survey of the creative community (June 2008)
The future of PSB in the UK depends on a vibrant UK creative community. Without on-screen and off screen talent, the uniquely high quality and success of British PSB would be impossible to sustain. That is why, as part of our contribution to the Ofcom review of PSB, the BBC wanted to engage in a consultation with this community, and give it a voice and platform. We commissioned a series of lectures from distinguished programme makers, and a survey of the wider creative community, including CEOs of leading independent companies and broadcaster producers – all of which is published here on the website. Our contributors were entirely free to say what they wanted, with no obligation to stick to a BBC line or policy. Between them, they provide an illuminating insight into the concerns and passions of those on whom the continued health of PSB will depend.
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- The Creative Perspective: The Future of Public Service Broadcasting book
- The BBC creative community survey conducted by Human Capital
Sir David Attenborough
"We thought too that we could play a key role in modern democracy. We would be able to broaden horizons."
- Transcript of Sir David Attenborough's lecture
- Welsh language transcript of Sir David Attenborough's lecture
- Sir David Attenborough: creative lecture questions and answers
Stephen Fry
"A public service broadcasting without comedy is in danger of being regarded as no more than a dumping ground for worthiness."
- Transcript of Stephen Fry's lecture
- Welsh language transcript of Stephen Fry's lecture
- Stephen Fry: creative lecture questions and answers
Will Hutton
"The quest to get at the truth, to equip the citizen with facts and knowledge and to sustain the public realm is at the heart of all good journalism."
A series of essays on the BBC's plans to grow television production from Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales and English Regions
Growing television production in the UK
In October 2008, Jana Bennett, Director of BBC Vision, declared the BBC's intention of changing the very DNA of the BBC - to bring the production of television programmes closer to the audiences it serves. This means increasing the production and commissioning of television programmes from Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales and the English Regions, re-balancing the so-called London-centric bias that sometimes seems to dominate media thinking.
The extensive programme that the BBC is embarking on will mean a BBC for all of the UK, boosting jobs and the creative industries around the UK. It aims to ensure that people in every part of the country should have a sense of themselves on screen and to spread the licence fee more equitably.
The BBC's strategy aims to achieve creative quality and sustainability by developing strategic centres of excellence. Strong partnerships with independent companies, local creative industries, screen and development agencies are also key to the plan. These 'centres of excellence' – in Glasgow, Belfast, Cardiff, Salford, Bristol, and Birmingham as well as London, will be reinforced by moving a number of programmes and series from their current locations to the nations and regions by 2012. This is a key way to provide a good foundation for delivering year on year and retaining talent.
Made in the UK is a collection of essays by key media commentators including on screen and creative talent, independent producers and BBC executives, all of whom have an abiding interest and commitment to the UK's broadcast and creative industries. Their stories bring alive the wealth of creativity and content from the UK's different nations and English regions.
Made in the UK - Jana Bennett
Jana Bennett introduces a collection of essays explaining the BBC's mission to increase television production from Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the English regions.
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- Essay PDF (English)
- Essay PDF (Welsh)
Delivering Devolution - Anne Morrison
Anne Morrison explains how new commitments and initiatives By the BBC will ensure that shifting production to the nations and regions will genuinely succeed across the board and build creativity throughout the UK.
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- Essay PDF (English)
- Essay PDF (Welsh)
Building Regions - Andrew Curry
Andrew Curry looks at why some regions and cities prosper while others decline and thinks it seems to be an unpredictable mixture of economics, social network and place, with cultural institutions such as the BBC playing a major part in seeding regional success.
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- Essay PDF (English)
- Essay PDF (Welsh)
Measuring the Audience - David Bunker
David Bunker addresses some of the diverse reasons for differences in consumption and perception of the BBC across the nations and regions of the UK. While it would be a mistake to assume they are driven solely by content (technical issues, social demographics, ethnicity and age are all factors) ultimately it is necessary to get down to the level of the programmes themselves to understand why the BBC is underperforming in particular nations and regions. However, the BBC must still concentrate on supplying high-quality, engaging television that appeals across the national and regional boundaries.
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- Essay PDF (English)
- Essay PDF (Welsh)
Where the Wild Things Are - Sir David Attenborough
Sir David Attenborough looks at the history and contribution of the ground-breaking BBC Natural History Unit in Bristol. As a result of the NHU's presence, Bristol has accumulated a unique set of broadcasting talents and skills and natural history programme making has become a part of the city's cultural identity.
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- Essay PDF (English)
Perspective on the south west - Tom Archer
Tom Archer says that Bristol's unique character has always made it an engaging and challenging place to make television programmes and now it is perfectly placed to take advantage of the opportunities that will arise as the BBC increases its influence throughout the regions.
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- Essay PDF (English)
The View From Wales - Clare Hudson
Clare Hudson describes how, by developing home-grown talent and attracting new blood to the region, BBC Wales has moved away from the stereotypes of choirs, miners and sheep to deliver successful drama and factual network programming to audiences across the UK.
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- Essay PDF (English)
- Essay PDF (Welsh)
Made in Wales - Russell T Davies
RTD, as he is known to Doctor Who fans, is an adopted son of Manchester but says that, although the place where you keep your collection of Doctor Who videos ends up shaping the way you describe the world, Wales is still home too and 'Made in Wales' something he is proud of. His ambition has been for BBC Wales to be seen as a centre for excellence for drama, with a base firm enough to survive the end of any one series.
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- Essay PDF (English)
- Essay PDF (Welsh)
News of the Future - Pat Loughrey
In a world of global media providers, the BBC lives or dies on its distinctive range of voices and its unique breadth of talent and can achieve this only by significant investment in the nations and regions. In the past most programmes were made by people from similar backgrounds; creating centres of production in the various nations and regions will change this. Another major change is in news provision, where a variety of choice is a democratic imperative, but as newsgathering is under pressure, the BBC is even more vital.
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- Essay PDF (English)
Bringing It All Back Home - Ailsa Orr
Ailsa Orr says that although local programming is very successful in Northern Ireland, network series produced in the nations and regions give people an even greater sense of ownership in the output of the BBC and a pride in the fact that their area has produced television that is being enjoyed right across the UK. More network production is encouraging a two-way traffic of talented people between Northern Ireland and London, building a sustainable and vibrant creative economy.
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- Essay PDF (English)
Made in Northern Ireland: an Actor's View - James Nesbitt
James Nesbitt has enjoyed a relationship with the BBC in Northern Ireland since the 1980s. Although geographically small, Northern Ireland punches well above its weight in its creative expertise and James appreciates the benefits of the creative relationships that he has established by working regularly with the same people in a community that welcomes filmmakers.
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- Essay PDF (English)
From Runner to Presenter - Christine Bleakley
Christine Bleakley uses the example of the path her own career took at BBC Northern Ireland – from runner to floor manager to presenter – to show how important the regions are to the BBC in training and producing people who will shape the industry in years to come.
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- Essay PDF (English)
The Northern Renaissance: a Personal View - Peter Salmon
Peter Salmon, who will be based in Salford Quays as Director, BBC North, says that one way for the BBC to address the problem of how to represent the whole of the nation is to move on to the territory. By opening a massive new production centre in Salford, the BBC is planting its feet in the north. The new centre's title – BBC North at MediaCity – reflects its aims of embracing viewers, listeners and creative people around the whole of the region.
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- Essay PDF (English)
Funny Business - Cheryl Taylor
Cheryl Taylor describes her role in encouraging comedy production in areas where there was little activity and in countering perceptions that comedy from the nations and regions was an amateurish cousin of glamorous London product. BBC comedy provides a positive role model for devolving production to the nations and regions although Wales and Northern Ireland are still under-represented.
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- Essay PDF (English)
MediaCityUK - Ron Cook
Ron Cook maintains that strong regional production is important for the cultural and economic health of the UK and to keep talent on the doorstep. MediaCityUK, the new media city being built at Salford Quays, gives the BBC an opportunity to build on the rich broadcasting tradition of the north west and to take it forward in a new direction. He gives examples of how Salford University, as one of the first tenants of MediaCityUK, will develop new courses, interactive spaces and creative collaboration and how the new base will provide opportunities to increase and extend the range of its collaborative initiatives with the BBC.
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- Essay PDF (English)
Manchester Media Scene - Alex Connock
Alex Connock is an unabashed proponent of MediaCityUK – and a fan of the BBC – and wants indies like his company Ten Alps to work with the BBC to make it, and the Manchester media scene in general, as great as it can be.
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- Essay PDF (English)
Made in the Midlands - Jonnie Turpie
Jonnie Turpie says that British broadcasting needs to reflect the country's diversity, exemplified in the Birmingham region, and invites broadcasters and independents to work together to establish hubs of digital media to reflect the regions through digital content, production and distribution.
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- Essay PDF (English)
Scotland the Brave - Donalda MacKinnon
Donalda MacKinnon discusses the crucial role to be played by BBC Scotland to represent better the vast diversity of the UK. A solid base has been established to enable BBC Scotland to produce more quality content for a network audience while also continuing to make high-quality programmes for audiences in Scotland by tapping into the country's great reserves of creativity.
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- Essay PDF (English)
Shooting Grouse and Shooting Up - Anne Mensah
Anne Mensah describes the three-step plan put in place by BBC Drama Scotland to create a sustainable creative infrastructure: first, to make sure there was enough work; second, to enable contemporary Scottish life to be reflected on screen; and finally and most importantly, to build a stable and sustainable economy for television drama in Scotland.
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- Essay PDF (English)
Learning New Skills - Harry Bell
Harry Bell describes the benefits to be gained from attending a course like the Research Centre's Executive Producer Programme (now the Series Producer Programme), in particular the opportunity to build up a network of professional contacts and relationships.
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Making History - Neil Oliver
Archaeologist and presenter Neil Oliver describes his belief in the value of history and his involvement in the making of BBC Scotland's ten-part series A History of Scotland. He makes a case for having a BBC presence in Scotland, not just a single site but in different localities to achieve global reach with local feel.
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Report by Will Wyatt CBE into the BBC's publication at a press launch of footage relating to Her Majesty the Queen.
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Investigation into the incident at Elvington Airfield, Yorkshire, in September 2006, when presenter Richard Hammond was involved in a serious accident during filming for Top Gear.
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Following the introduction of the new Charter and Agreement on 1 January 2007, the BBC published an updated version of its Fair Trading Guidelines on 1 July 2007.
The BBC Executive committed to review the Fair Trading Guidelines one year after publication and to consult on its proposals for change. The recent consultation delivered on that commitment.
The BBC has published an explanatory note (see below) explaining how the BBC responded to the main issues raised in the public consultation.
The revised Fair Trading Guidelines came into effect on 1 April 2009.
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The BBC's response to Ofcom's consultation on how best to use the radio spectrum to be released by the switch to all-digital television broadcasting between 2008 and 2012.
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Reponse by Indepen Consulting Ltd on securing UHF spectrum for high definition public service broadcasting services.
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This report by Professor Roger Laughton is a piece of independent research commissioned by BBC management as part of their process of assessing the nine month Local Television News Trial in the West Midlands region from December 2005 to August 2006.
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Joint report by BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Five on the trial of Digital Terrestrial High Definition television
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Report by Mediatique on the evolution of the UK independent production sector.
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Before the current Royal Charter was granted, a review took place and the Government published its Green Paper: A strong BBC, independent of government. The BBC published its response: Building public value.
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- Building public value
- Review of the BBC's Royal Charter: BBC response to A strong BBC, independent of government
Government information about Charter Review is on the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) website.
Crown copyright material is reproduced with the permission of the Controller of HMSO and the Queen's Printer for Scotland.
Statement by the BBC Board of Governors in response to the publication of the Neil Report following the Hutton Inquiry into BBC journalism.
Review of BBC’s guidance on individual use of personal social media for those working in the on-air freelance community, outside News, Current Affairs and Factual Journalism
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