The BBC has been informed that it should be extra clear about its content material acquisitions technique after being accused by ITV of shopping for shiny U.S. exhibits to chase scores.
Ofcom, the UK’s media regulator, stated the BBC should clarify in its Annual Plan how shopping for content material, versus commissioning British originals, helps “distinctiveness” and engages completely different audiences.
The BBC is funded by the British public to the tune of £3.8B ($4.7B), that means it has an obligation to be distinct from industrial rivals like ITV and serve all audiences.
Ofcom made the intervention as a part of plans to replace the BBC’s working licence for a digital age from subsequent month. A guideline of the modifications is transparency, with Ofcom arguing that the BBC has not all the time offered correct “detail and clarity” on updates to its output and companies.
In a submission to Ofcom’s overview, ITV stated the BBC had “dramatically increased” its spend on acquired content material over the previous six years, together with offers for exhibits like Warner Bros. Discovery title Superman & Lois and movies reminiscent of Marvel’s Avengers Assemble.
“The first issue with the BBC acquiring mainstream third-party content is that it sits uncomfortably with its mission to be distinctive and take creative risks,” ITV stated.
“The second issue… is that the BBC competes in the market against other broadcasters, such as ITV, inflating the price at which the content is purchased.”
ITV prompt that the BBC ought to give attention to distinctive acquisitions, pointing to earlier offers for Nordic noirs, together with The Killing and Borgen, which it stated helped pave the best way for different profitable foreign-language dramas.
Ofcom stated it didn’t agree that “BBC should be required to ensure that every one of its acquisitions is distinctive.” In different phrases, the regulator stated the BBC can purchase U.S. content material so long as it’s serving to the broadcaster serve completely different audiences.
But Ofcom added: “We agree with stakeholders that there needs to be greater transparency from the BBC on its overall approach to acquisitions.”
Kevin Bakhurst, Ofcom’s Group Director for Broadcasting and Online Content, stated: “We’ve been significantly disenchanted by the BBC’s lack of element and readability round deliberate modifications to its companies, which has led to a whole lot of uncertainty for audiences and trade.
“Our strict new reporting guidelines will make sure the BBC is held to the next stage of public accountability, requiring it to obviously clarify its plans earlier than going forward, in addition to evaluating whether or not they work.
Other modifications launched by Ofcom embrace lowering BBC4’s unique manufacturing quota to 65% as a part of the company’s plan to chop the channel’s prices. Ofcom may even change the BBC’s each day and weekly information and present affairs quota with an annual quota.
A BBC spokesperson stated: “The BBC’s regulation needs to evolve for the digital age so we can serve audiences with impartial news and distinctive UK content in a fast-changing global market so we welcome these changes. We are committed to transparency and will set out how we plan to deliver for audiences in the year ahead in our upcoming Annual Plan.”
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