[Community Television] SW Press coverage: BBC Regional plans, incl. digital local TV

[Ian Fergusson]

 From today's Western Morning News (Plymouth): - -

  Manifesto for change boosts BBC work stream
The BBC has launched its manifesto for change which will
  shift more TV programme-making opportunities out of London
  into the regions and open up a whole new range of digital services,
  as Business Editor Emma Corlett discovers

AFTER a year that has tested the corporation's resolve as never before, 
the BBC is going back to grass roots in a bid to become the "leading 
community broadcaster".
  In pursuit of larger audience ratings - and the renewal of its charter 
in 2006 - post the damaging Hutton inquiry into its reporting of the 
Iraq conflict, the Beeb has undergone its largest self-assessment for 
decades and its plan is to shift away from its long-held London power 
base and give more control to its regional centres and independent 
programme-makers.
  This will mean greater "regional portrayal" on the national networks. 
Series such as Restoration and the forthcoming British Isles: A Natural 
History are a sign of what's to come on a much larger scale.
  The vision is part of "Building Public Value: renewing the BBC for a 
digital world", which is the BBC's contribution to the consultation and 
debate on its charter renewal and it lays out a nine-point manifesto 
and actions for how the BBC can take a lead in building a fully digital 
Britain, ensuring no one is excluded from the second stage of the 
digital revolution and, at the same time, increasing its value to the 
public with programmes reflecting the life and experiences of the whole 
UK.
  To that end, included within the manifesto is a commitment to more 
regional programme-making, with a huge shift of focus on growing the 
contribution from independent programme-makers. Also included is the 
creation of new digital services, such as "ultra local" TV news 
services.
  It also aims to have 50 per cent of its own public service employees 
based outside London over the next ten years - some £1 billion will be 
invested outside the capital, creating new broadcasting hubs, such as 
Milton Keynes, and developing existing ones, such as Manchester - and 
to move a fifth of its commissioning, by value, to other parts of 
Britain.
  BBC director general Mark Thompson said: "The BBC is still far too 
London-based and this is simply not acceptable for a modern public 
service broadcaster that draws its income from all parts of the UK. The 
BBC should reflect the whole UK.
  "One of the best ways of ensuring that it does is to base it across 
the whole UK, close to audiences and talent in all the nations and 
regions.
  "Over the period of the next charter, there will be a significant 
shift of money, commissioning power, production and people out of 
London and into the rest of the UK. Licence payers everywhere will 
benefit from a BBC that is far more active in the area where they live 
and creates more programmes and services that are directly relevant to 
their lives and interests."
  Among the priorities are an increase in the level of network TV 
commissions from the regions and support for the development of the 
independent sector across England: An extra £500,000 is being committed 
to independent production and, for the first time, the BBC will 
contribute regionally-commissioned programmes to the BBC national 
networks. Among them will be a series of "at least six" landmark 
programmes - such as The Day They Scuttled Scylla, produced by 
Devon-based Twofour for BBC South West - made by independent companies.
  During 2003-4, the BBC achieved an independent production quota of 
28.8 per cent, according to the latest official figures from Ofcom in 
its Communications Market Review report. The BBC had set itself a 
target of 25 per cent and would have exceeded that quota even if 
Endemol - the UK's largest independent producer and maker of programmes 
such as Fame Academy, Ground Force and Changing Rooms - had still been 
classified as a non-qualifying independent company.
  Jana Bennett, the BBC's director of television, says: "When I came in 
as director of television, I said we would meet and exceed the quota 
from then on. From my first full year of business, and with Endemol 
re-classified, we have achieved a figure well above the quota and well 
beyond the inclusion of those Endemol hours. I am committed to staying 
well above the quota in this current year and in the years to come.
  "Underlying these actual statistics is the need for us to keep 
supporting creatively what independent supply has to offer across the 
UK and across all programming and genres."
  Across the BBC's channels, including its digital services, the BBC 
commissioned more than 2,300 hours from independents in 2003-4.
  The highest proportion of independent hours was in entertainment with 
47 per cent, followed by 37 per cent for documentaries.
  The BBC - which has now signed up to a new and enhanced commissioning 
package for the coming year - commissioned 175 independent companies in 
2003-4, spending £308m - up by 64 per cent, or £120m, since 2000-1.
  "Taken together, these two significant milestones are tangible proof 
of our changing and improving relationship with the independent sector 
which we hope will now go from strength to strength," she added.
  But what will this shift to a regional emphasis mean for the wealth of 
talent currently being nurtured in the South West? As well as providing 
a boost for the independent producers, the BBC's thrust into the 
digital age could also create new staff jobs, said John Lilley, head of 
regional programmes for BBC South West. "The BBC's commitment to 
regional and local programming has never been stronger. One of the most 
important aspects as we move towards the BBC Charter renewal are our 
plans to better serve audiences through a major focus on regional and 
local output. In essence, we're working to better reflect the entire 
UK, with more local and network programmes that connect with everyone," 
he said.
  "This is coming in many ways. For example, we're increasingly giving 
an 'onscreen' voice to local people and airing their lives and opinions 
through projects such as Digital Storytelling, Video Diaries and 
Voices. We're also making the BBC's presence much more accessible in 
the community - through an expanding network of open centres, BBC buses 
and so forth across the country.
  "The digital future offers enormous potential for the future of 
regional programming. A key BBC plan, unveiled in our Building Public 
Value document, involves the creation of 'ultra-local' digital TV news 
services across some 60 places in the country. By focusing our efforts 
for TV, radio and online down to such truly local levels and agendas, 
we can embrace more people in our journalism and help encourage active 
citizenship."
  In the first instance, the BBC is looking to build a local digital 
news-on-demand service, using the Sky platform. Viewers will be able to 
select the BBC service and, using the red button on their remote, 
choose news for Cornwall, for example. Behind the scene would be a team 
of video journalists working in Truro, producing 10 to 15-minute local 
news bulletins that would be constantly updated as stories unfold.
  "Providing, through Building Public Value, we can get the money we 
need, the intention is that there will be extra staff employed to do 
that," he said. "When everything is digital, possibly in 2012, that 
local TV news will become available to everybody. Freeview, broadband, 
the Internet - it will be available on all platforms."
  He added: "At a time when ITV's regional commitments have declined, 
the BBC is at the vanguard of developing regional and local 
programme-making and encouraging the development of independent 
production outside of London. The effects will ultimately prove quite 
profound - a far greater diversity of local output, relevant to a 
greater proportion of the audience. It will herald many exciting new 
challenges and opportunities for those of us working for the BBC here 
in the South West."

--------------------------
  Ian K. Fergusson n Manager, Press & Publicity n  BBC Bristol /  BBC 
West & Southwest
  Room 20, Broadcasting House, Whiteladies Road, Bristol BS8 2LR, 
England, UNITED KINGDOM
  T (+44)-(0)117-974-2109  Int. 0142109  MOBEX 071-42109 M 07736-481172  
F (+44)-(0)117-923-7147  
ian.fergusson at bbc.co.uk
http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice n http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature

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