BBC Annual Report and Accounts 2008/09
THE TRUST'S PLANS
FOR 2009/10
Each year the Trust publishes a work plan so that everyone who engages with us, both inside and outside the BBC, or anyone who is interested, can find out what our priorities are, why we have set them, and what we will be doing about them in the year ahead. Following is a summary of our plan for 2009/10. You can find full details of both the plan and the consultation around it on our website.
Getting the most out of the BBC for licence fee payers
In the year to come, we want to consolidate the work we’ve done in our first two years, but serve licence fee payers better by achieving more for them through concentrating on a smaller number of issues in greater depth. How will we do that? By finding out what issues they are most concerned about, and making sure we do something about them. We are helped particularly in this by the valuable contributions made by the network of Audience Councils.
We will also continue to play a full role in the unfolding debate about the future of public service broadcasting. We will assess the partnership proposals submitted to us by the Executive on how the BBC can use its strength better for the benefit of the whole UK broadcasting sector.
Our work plan for 2009/10 centres on making sure that the BBC remains focused on delivering high-quality, distinctive programming; that it is efficient; and that overall it delivers the best value to audiences across the UK. As well as more intensive work on editorial standards, we will be reviewing some of the BBC's most popular services including BBC One, BBC Two and BBC Radio 2. Alongside that, we will continue to review the Trust’s and the Trust Unit’s performance to ensure we deliver value for money.
Stewardship of the licence fee
Our strategic role
To ensure that licence fee income is spent in ways that meet audiences’ expectations and deliver value for money.
Priority 1
SIX-YEAR PLAN
We will continue to monitor implementation by the Executive of the BBC's six-year plan. In particular we’ll be looking at the quality of the BBC's services, and whether the Executive has achieved savings through greater efficiency, to allow investment in new services.
Priority 2
CHALLENGING ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT
We will pay close attention to the effects on the BBC of a more challenging economic environment.
Priority 3
VALUE FOR MONEY
We will commission two value for money studies:
a) capital investment in the BBC's property portfolio
b) financial and project management of a number of major external events covered by the BBC such as the Olympics and Glastonbury
Priority 4
TRUST’S TALENT REPORT
We will publish a follow-up report on progress made on the recommendations in the Trust’s Talent report published in 2008.
Upholding licence fee payers' interests
Our strategic role
To ensure that the BBC works effectively in the public interest and is as responsive as possible to what licence fee payers want.
Priority 1
EDITORIAL STANDARDS
In the coming year the Trust will oversee the review of the BBC's Editorial Guidelines. As part of this work, and following an unacceptable breach of standards in The Russell Brand Show, we will look at taste and standards in BBC programmes and commission an independent review into compliance by the BBC's Audio & Music division.
Priority 2
PUBLIC SERVICE BROADCASTING REVIEW
The UK broadcasting sector has seen a number of reviews over the past three years, central to which have been Ofcom’s second review of public service broadcasting and the Government’s Digital Britain review.
We will continue to be an active participant in the Digital Britain review as we believe it is vital that the interests of audiences are placed first and foremost in the outcome.
Priority 3
PUBLIC VALUE TESTS
We will be returning as we promised to the decision we took on the Gaelic and iPlayer public value tests to examine how the services are operating.
Priority 4
PARTNERSHIP PROPOSALS
We have a formal role in approving new proposals from the Executive for the BBC to work in closer partnership with the wider broadcasting industry. We will be reviewing and commenting on these proposals during the year.
Effectively promoting the BBC's public purposes
Our strategic role
To ensure that, in all its operations, the BBC promotes the six public purposes set out by Parliament.
Priority 1
PURPOSE REMITS
Purpose remits set out how we expect the BBC to deliver each of its public purposes. In 2007/08 we identified a number of performance gaps particularly in respect of programming that audiences see as fresh and new, and also in the provision of news and current affairs to underserved audiences and how effectively the BBC represents different nations. We will continue to monitor the BBC's performance here.
Priority 2
SERVICE REVIEWS
The Trust has a duty to review each BBC service at least once every five years, offering the opportunity for the public to have their say on how they feel the BBC is doing against its remit. In 2009/10 we will review:
a) Television
- BBC One
- BBC Two
- BBC Four
- BBC Red Button
b) Radio
- BBC Radio 2
- BBC 6 Music
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