The BBC wants to focus on making more comedy hits

BBC director general Mark Thompson unveiled plans for the BBC's future creative strategy on Tuesday.

They include TV and radio on-demand, more interactivity, fewer TV dramas, more comedy and a greater emphasis on landmark shows.

Media analyst, Graham Lovelace, of Lovelace Consulting, supported the plans, saying the BBC was "absolutely right" to rethink media for a digital age."

New relationship

Conor Dignam, editor of trade magazine Broadcast, was more cautious, saying: "Quite clearly, we are moving towards an on-demand media and the broadcasters have to react and respond to that.

"It would be hard to argue with most of the measures that have put forward but obviously it's always easier to say it than to do it."

But Jocelyn Hay, founder of TV lobby group Voice of the Listener and Viewer, warned the BBC about cutting back on drama and focusing on landmark shows.

"There needs to be a steady output of stimulating and interesting programmes across all genres and it would be a big mistake to focus solely on some of the landmark programmes," Ms Hay said.

"I think the BBC needs to remember it has to provide a wide range of programmes in different genres, all of which should aim to be the best of their kind.

"But they need to provide something to engage all viewers if the licence fee is to remain acceptable."

Mr Lovelace added: "Every sector of media is going through this enormous transformation from a linear scheduled world where programmes and content have been served and pushed to audiences to an on-demand non-linear non-scheduled world where users extract what they want from menus, from servers," he said.

"How the BBC and every other media organisation on the planet navigates that course knowing that a generation is growing up now with on-demand media - there is no going back to the previous world.

"The BBC has to do something about it and should be congratulated for taking such a deep and conscious decision to do this enormous piece of work."