 Craig Charles is one of 6 Music's leading presenters |
A government-ordered review of the BBC's digital radio services has concluded they must remain distinctive from commercial rivals to ensure a "healthy" market . The report's author, former Channel 4 TV boss Tim Gardam, looked into the impact on the wider radio market of five BBC digital networks. The stations are: the Asian Network, Five Live Sports Extra, urban music network 1Xtra, music channel 6 Music, and comedy and drama outlet BBC7. Mr Gardam made recommendations based on his findings. Here is an outline of the report's key findings:
ASIAN NETWORK The Asian Network has made a professional start, but it is time to step up a gear in editorial ambition and develop a more innovative outlook. It could be relocated to a single site, possibly in Birmingham, to help its transition from regional to national station. It is currently based in Leicester. It should feature regular current affairs documentaries, tackling issues affecting Britain's Asians. It should be better integrated in management structures to help its development, leading to more training for journalists. The role of BBC News within the network could be increased. Steps should be taken to tackle perceived inequality in treatment of different Asian communities. At least one language should be included from south India or Sri Lanka. The BBC should look to understand the specific conditions of the Asian advertising market in relations with commercial stations.
1XTRA 1Xtra has established credibility with a section of licence fee payers who do not identify easily with the BBC. It could offer valuable lessons to the rest of the corporation. Targets should be set for the percentage of British acts played on the station, to maintain its distinctiveness. Speech should find its way on to the schedule at different times, and social action programming should be increased. 1Xtra staff should be encouraged to find their way into other parts of the BBC to improve its multicultural make-up. The BBC should consider how to meet the needs of audiences such as elderly Afro-Caribbean and African communities not currently served.
6 MUSIC There may be criticism that the BBC is spending a relatively large amount of money on a station with relatively few listeners. This should not be a concern if it continues to produce a distinctive, modern public service. It has defined its role with great success. The station's brief needs to be more clearly set out and its remit defined by "quantative measures". Governors should draft a more detailed remit accurately describing the station's character. It must be clearer about the balance between contemporary and archive music played. There should be clearer definition of different speech genres and the number of hours planned per week.
BBC7 It is a success in attracting an older, upmarket audience and is seen as an important factor in people buying digital radio sets. Its originated children's programming is a genuine adornment to British broadcasting and one no commercial station would do. The overall benefits of BBC7 are limited by it being primarily an archive network. Oneword, a small commercial competitor, appears on the face of it to have been "squeezed out" of the market by the BBC's reflexive competitive response. Oneword is "not as good as BBC7", although some of its programming is better than Radio 4. But no commercial station could compete with the wealth of the BBC's comedy and drama archive. The BBC was "basically unconcerned" about the potential effect of BBC7 on Oneword. The BBC radio archive should be available to commercial buyers. In planning future archive-based services the BBC should examine how it could consider a joint venture with the commercial sector. Governors should consider the benefits of public service competition.
FIVE LIVE SPORTS EXTRA Sports Extra is an "ingenious use of spectrum" offering high quality extra choice for the licence payer, who gets access to material already paid for. It has enhanced Five Live's public service role, increased coverage of minority sports and helped the BBC reach out to ethnic minority audiences. It is easy to see why commercial competitor Talksport feels disadvantaged by a publicly funded broadcaster with three networks capable of carrying sport ranged against it. Sports Extra unquestionably extends choice but, in this instance, that choice would be equally offered by the commercial sector. There seems to be a "substantive public policy question" about the use of public money in creating a market and inflating prices paid for sports rights. The system "does not necessarily" give good value to the licence payer. It is impossible to judge whether the BBC is using public money to pay over the market price because figures are confidential. An expert or body should be appointed by the government to have confidential access to BBC sports rights contracts. Strategy and approach on negotiations should be reviewed.
GENERAL CONCLUSIONS Digital radio would not have been possible without "unprecedented" co-operation between the BBC and the commercial sector. If successful digital radio will increase competition and increase the commercial sector's overall audience share at the expense of the BBC. There is a "trade-off" between the BBC - offering distinctive services - and commercial competitors, which are not commercially viable. Success of the digital platform should eventually enhance commercial radio at the BBC's expense. "Distinctive" BBC services must attract new audiences, add choice, provide new content and ideas, offer competition for quality and value for money, and promote cultural diversity.
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