[CMA TV] BBC offers concessions over local TV services

[Michelle McGuire]

BBC offers concessions over local TV services

Owen Gibson, media correspondent
Tuesday November 7, 2006


The BBC held out an olive branch yesterday to newspaper publishers  
fearing that its plans for "ultra-local" TV services will damage  
their commercial prospects.

In an effort to placate regional newspaper groups angry at proposals  
to launch more than 60 local news services around the country, the  
director general, Mark Thompson, offered to trade with them to grow  
the overall market.

"In addition to our own local and regional newsrooms, we want to draw  
on the news-gathering clout of the UK's local and regional newspapers  
- and we'll pay for it," he told a Society of Editors conference in  
Glasgow.

A nine-month pilot scheme in the West Midlands, which ended in  
August, saw teams in four locations producing 10-minute local  
bulletins - transmitted via broadband and digital TV - aimed at a  
catchment area of about one million people. The BBC, which is due to  
hear in the next month whether its bid for a 1.8% above-inflation  
increase in the licence fee has been successful, is digesting the  
results of the trial before deciding whether to press ahead.

The idea was opposed by the Newspaper Society, which represents  
regional publishers including Johnston Press, Trinity Mirror and  
Archant, last year. But Mr Thompson said potentially lucrative  
features, such as entertainment listings, would not be included in  
any new service.

"Above all, we would commit to working with rather than in opposition  
to other providers of local news and information ... rather than  
compete with them, or attempt to replace them, we want to partner  
them and draw on the journalistic strength they already have on the  
ground," he said. If the BBC decides to go ahead, it will be subject  
to a new regulatory process. The media regulator Ofcom would conduct  
a market impact assessment before handing its findings to the new BBC  
Trust, which replaces the current board of governors.

Mr Thompson sought to reassure commercial rivals that the BBC could  
be a "useful partner and a friendly neighbour rather than an  
unintentional menace".

But he admitted it was "not surprising" that the BBC was under  
increased scrutiny from a growing range of commercial rivals in a  
rapidly converging media landscape.

Bob Satchwell, executive director of the Society of Editors, said:  
"I've always felt that there could be an opportunity for both local  
papers and the BBC working together. But it has to be a partnership  
of equals and one which recognises the value that both would bring to  
the party."

The shifting sands of the regional newspaper business were further  
highlighted by an initiative from Google, which was unveiled yesterday.

The search company announced a partnership with 50 top US newspapers  
to sell advertising space on their behalf to link its auction-based  
online sales system with TV and print advertising.

Source: Media Guardian - http://media.guardian.co.uk/broadcast/story/ 
0,,1941203,00.html




-
Michelle McGuire
Editor, Airflash Magazine
Communications Officer
http://www.commedia.org.uk

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