Category: Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ
Date: 03.12.2004
Printable version
The Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Governors have today published their initial response to the
reports on the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ's digital television and radio services from Professor
Patrick Barwise and Tim Gardam.
The Barwise and Gardam reports, first published in October, concluded
that the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ's digital television and radio services had met the conditions
set by the Secretary of State at the time of her approval.
In their response, the Governors welcome this assessment and also highlight
the achievements of the digital services in meeting their challenging
remits to date.
The Governors agree with many of the recommendations in the two reports
and in their response they highlight those that have already been implemented.
For example, the Governors make clear that the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ's impact on the
market will be given greater consideration in the future, and they will
work with Ofcom to establish an agreed approach to measuring market
impact as recommended by both reviewers.
The Governors also point out that their proposed Public Value Test
for assessing new service proposals and significant changes to existing
services will indeed aim to measure the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ's public value against its
market impact to demonstrate a net public value as Professor Barwise
recommends.
The Governors will consider whether changes to the services' remits
and commitments are necessary in the light of the independent reviews
as they implement the framework for more effective governance outlined
in Building Public Value.
Service licences, which will be drafted during 2005, will set out remits,
budgets and performance targets.
But in their response to the Secretary of State, the Governors express
their view that, because these services have yet to mature, they must
be given time to develop and to build audiences before radical change
to their remits is considered.
On the recommendations for Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ THREE and Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ FOUR in particular, the
Governors agree with Professor Barwise that both services need to increase
their reach and value for money, but they do not share his view that
the channels should become more "mainstream" to achieve this objective.
Instead, the Governors have asked management to focus on improving
value and increasing audiences while maintaining distinctiveness, risk-taking
and innovation, all attributes which have contributed to the success
of the channels to date and which Professor Barwise supports.
The Governors go on to say that several indicators need to be measured
to determine the value of the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ's services - not just cost-per-viewer-hour
- and these must include impact, quality, reach and value for money.
The Governors also welcomed Tim Gardam's finding that the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ's digital
radio services have been instrumental in driving the take-up of digital
radio and that their distinctiveness is due to the fact that the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ
has gone above and beyond the general conditions laid down by the Secretary
of State.
Michael Grade, Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Chairman, said: "The Barwise and Gardam reviews
of the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ's digital radio and television services are a valuable contribution
to the work the Governors will be doing over the next 12 months as the
Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ makes its case for a new Charter.
"There is much in both reports that the Governors endorse and
we have already implemented some of the recommendations.
"The Governors are firmly committed to ensuring each of the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ's
services delivers the best value to licence payers and we will continue
to monitor the progress of our digital services in the year ahead.
"The Board agrees that improved reach is a key ambition, but so
too is quality, innovation and new programming that improves programming
choice to licence payers.
"It is that more challenging route we want our new services to
follow."
Jana Bennett, Director of Television, said: "All four digital channels
have achieved creative break-through during their infancy and I am delighted
this is recognised by Paddy Barwise in his report.
"We know there is still work to do to deliver programmes of even
greater ambition and range to wider audiences, but we are making real
progress - take cult comedy Little Britain and exciting
event Flash Mob - The Opera on Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ THREE or Jonathan
Miller's Brief History of Disbelief on Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ FOUR.
"We support the view that it would not be in the interests of
the audience to move Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ THREE and Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ FOUR towards being more "mainstream"
channels.
"To broaden them out would be to risk the core essence of these
services, when we want to build on the channels' distinctiveness to
grow their reputation and audiences."
Jenny Abramsky, Director of Radio & Music, said: "These are still
early days for our digital radio services but I am pleased that the
report acknowledges that they already have established their quality
and distinctiveness.
"The Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ has championed digital radio since its inception and
it is gratifying that the report shares our belief that digital technology
will transform the world of radio."
Notes to Editors
1. In October 2003 the Secretary of State asked the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ to submit
reports of the performance of its digital radio and television services
against their original consents - granted in September 2001, and in
the case of Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ THREE September 2002 - and the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ published those reports
in March 2004 along with an independent study of the market impact of
the services by Oliver & Ohlbaum Associates.
In April 2004, the Secretary of State appointed Professor Patrick Barwise
and Mr Tim Gardam to be the independent reviews of the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ's digital
services and after a full public and industry wide consultation, she
published their reports separately in October 2004.
2. On 10 October 2004, the Rt Hon Tessa Jowell MP, the Secretary of
State for Culture Media and Sport, asked the Board to provide only an
initial response to the reports by the end of November, saying the reports
will be considered further as part of the wider Charter review process.
