'What You Said About The BBC' - Jowell Publishes Findings Of Major Consultation On Future Of BBC

094/04

The BBC is still held in high esteem by the British public but there are some concerns about a general decline in quality, a report published today by Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell reveals.

What You Said About the BBC summarises views collated during a major public consultation on the future of the BBC, carried out from December 2003 to March 2004. It also reflects the results of wide-ranging survey research.

The consultation findings will feed into the current review of the BBC's Royal Charter – a document that shapes the corporation, setting out its general aims and functions.

Findings highlighted in the report reflect the following attitudes:

  • The public values the BBC across a wide range of areas. It has an overall satisfaction rating of 75% according to quantative research.
  • The BBC is still seen as setting the standard for others to follow. This strength is seen to be intrinsically linked to the way it is funded.
  • The BBC maintains a reputation for reliable, accurate and impartial news reporting.
  • There was a marked, but not universal, perception in focus groups and consultation responses that BBC programmes have declined in quality.
  • The public would like to see the BBC become more accountable to licence fee payers.
  • There was a strong feeling the BBC should be less accountable to Government or Parliament for what it delivers – just 9% of those who raised the issue in consultation thought the Government should be responsible for holding the BBC to account when things go wrong.

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Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell said:

"The BBC holds a unique place in British public life. That is why it is essential that member of the public – as shareholders through the licence fee – have been given the chance to have a say in its future. The results are illuminating.

"What You Said About the BBC contains both high praise and trenchant criticism. Most people indicated that they hold the BBC in high esteem. But there are concerns among a significant minority about a perceived decline in quality.

"One clear message that does come through is that the public wants a strong BBC, independent of Government. As I have repeatedly said, this is the only certain outcome of the Charter Review.

"The findings in this report provide the baseline for us to now go forward and shape the BBC of the future. I thank every single person that contributed."

This was the first time the public had been consulted at such an early stage in a Charter Review. The report also highlights the following trends:

  • While there was general support for the BBC's commercial activities, there was criticism from industry of the degree to which the BBC promotes its own commercial products in its own airtime.
  • Ideas for making the BBC more accountable to the public included the election of one or more governors by licence fee payers, holding regular opinion polls on the BBC and regional or national viewer and listener forums.
  • There is a strong sense the BBC is changing – Auntie has become an Uncle. According to qualitative research on the BBC's identity and values, the BBC was personified as "a man in his 50s, suited, comfortably off, conventional, conservative and reserved, who appeared friendly but was powerful and sometimes domineering."
  • People believe the BBC should keep up with developments in new technology and should be a leading partner in new markets – this will be particularly relevant as we make the journey towards full switchover from analogue to digital broadcasting.

The findings of the consultation will feed into a series of seminars to debate key issues, such as funding, governance and quality of BBC services. The first of the seminars, which will be held at the DCMS in front of a small, invited audience, takes place today and will be attended by Lord Burns, the Secretary of State's independent advisor on Charter Review and BBC Director General Mark Thompson. The seminars' findings will be published on the Charter Review website.

The outcome of the seminars will play a key role in developing themes for a future Green Paper, to be published for consultation around the turn of the year.

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Notes to Editors

1.  What You Said About the BBC and the raw data which supports the report can be accessed at http://www.bbccharterreview.org.uk

2.  The public consultation was launched on 11 December 2003 and closed on 31 March 2004. Nearly 5,500 responses were received.

3.  Key features of the public consultation included:

  • Six public meetings with Ministers held throughout the UK – in Belfast, Leicester, Edinburgh, Cardiff, York and Bournemouth- supported by six industry seminars.
  • Charter Review website which received more than 26,000 unique visitors.
  • Four seminars involving 120 children and young people.
  • A programme of survey research (covering "qualitative", "deliberative" and "quantative" research) conducted across the whole of the UK, taking account of demographic factors and media consumption to ensure the views of all sections of the population were captured. Further details of this research are included in Chapter 13 of What You Said About the BBC.

4.  A consultation document – The Review of the BBC's Royal Charter – was published to stimulate debate. It set out a list of key questions about the BBC's role, structure and function, including:

  • What do you value most about the BBC?
  • How should the BBC adapt to cope with changes in technology and culture?
  • What do you think of the television, radio and online services the BBC provides
  • Should the BBC run commercial services?
  • How should we pay for the BBC?
  • Is the BBC organised in the most effective and efficient way?
  • How should the BBC be governed and regulated?
  • How do we ensure that the BBC is properly accountable to the public and Parliament?

5.  Members of the public and other stakeholders were invited to send in their views on these issues, and any others, to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport by e-mail or post.


6.  The BBC's Royal Charter is a formal document granted under the Royal prerogative, establishing the BBC and defining its general objectives and functions.  It is supported by the Agreement between the BBC and the Government, which sets out how the BBC will meet its general obligations, the services it will provide, and the standards, it will meet. The current charter and agreement can be accessed at http://www.bbc.co.uk/info/policies/charter/


7.  The first Charter Review was in 1927. Since then reviews have been carried out about every 10 years. The current Royal Charter is the seventh in the history of the BBC.


8.  The BBC provides the following publicly funded services:

  • TV channels – BBC1 and BBC2, BBC 3 and BBC4, CBeebies, CBBC, BBC News 24 and BBC Parliament.
  • Radio services – Radio1, Radio2, Radio 3, Radio 4, Radio Five Live, Five Live Sports Xtra, Radio 1Xtra, BBC6 Music, BBC7 and BBC Asian Network, as well as 38 local radio stations and a further six stations covering the nations.
  • BBCi – the BBC's interactive services, including online services, interactive text and interactive digital television.
  • Services in the nations and regions – BBC Scotland, BBC Northern Ireland, BBC Wales and BBC English Regions.

9.  In addition, the BBC runs a number of commercial services, including BBC Worldwide Ltd and BBC Ventures Ltd.


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