[comtv-l] BBC told to improve UK coverage

[Bill Best]

The BBC needs to improve its coverage of the UK's nations and regions
in its main news bulletins and factual programmes, a report has said.

A review for the BBC Trust said the BBC was "falling short of its own
high standards" and failing to meet its core purpose of helping inform
democracy.

Research found that 37% of people believed that BBC news reports were
often not relevant to where they live.

The BBC said it was "determined to respond to the challenges raised".

The study was commissioned by the trust - the corporation's governing
body - after complaints that too many news stories were only relevant
to England.

Chairman Sir Michael Lyons said that affection for the BBC dropped the
further people live from London, partly because they do not see their
lives reflected enough.

"The BBC's reporting of the United Kingdom is - on the face of it -
much better than what is provided by other broadcasters," said Sir
Michael Lyons, chairman of the BBC Trust.

HAVE YOUR SAY News is not regionally distributed but prejudice is
Peter Cook, Bristol

"But the resounding message from this review is the BBC is falling
short of its own high standards and is not meeting properly its core
purpose of helping to inform democracy.

"The problem is not about impartiality, but about clarity, precision
and the balance of reporting from around the UK."

The report included an assessment by Anthony King, professor of
government at the University of Essex, and research from Cardiff
University.

They looked at the accuracy and impartiality network coverage of the
four nations - particularly on devolution and devolution issues -
during the English local elections and national elections in Scotland,
Northern Ireland and Wales in spring 2007.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7447985.stm