Mr Mark Thompson 

Director-General 

BBC 

Media Centre 

201 Wood Lane 

London 

W12 7TQ 

 

 

13 December 2007 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As you know, the Royal Charter sets the BBC six Public Purposes and charges the Trust with 
setting the framework to deliver them. To help us do this, the Trust has consulted widely on 
what people think about how the BBC is performing in these six areas and how they rank the 
importance of each priority we proposed in draft Purpose Remits. 

 

This work showed a generally high level of approval for the BBC’s output and overall endorsement 
of the priorities set. It also highlighted some key areas where licence payers clearly believe the 
BBC can and should do better. Though not surprisingly, opinions about importance and 
performance differed amongst the range of demographic groups. 

 

All this data was very helpful in informing the debates amongst the Trustees and with you during 
the summer about the BBC’s future. Indeed, as we discussed on several occasions at that time, 
the BBC faces a complex set of demands. It is therefore important for the Trust to set clear 
priorities and realistic expectations informed by our research. 

 

The Trust has now finalised the Purpose Remits and has made some changes in light of what we 
have learned this year. The note attached details the main areas of importance to the public. Of 
these, the Trust is highlighting the following as top priorities: 

 


• Our first piece of research showed that the biggest single desire of everyone we surveyed 
is for the BBC to work harder to provide television programmes that are fresh or 
demonstrate new ideas. We have done some further in-depth analysis on this because we 
wanted to be sure we properly understood what the public expect in response. What we 
have learned is that audiences do not want a radical change of direction from the BBC: 
there is support for programming in every genre and they value the familiar BBC classics 
that no-one else offers. It seems that, although there is more choice of channels across 
UK television as a whole, people nonetheless perceive there to be less choice of 
programmes and they are keen to see the BBC give greater prominence to the range of its 
high quality work. That said, this is not just about perception. People do expect the BBC 
to avoid well-trodden paths and they are clear that their expectations of the BBC are 
different from other broadcasters. Our session with you and your colleagues earlier this 
week was a good start to establishing a common understanding across the BBC about what 
we mean when we discuss the issue of distinctiveness and the Trust looks forward to 
continuing this dialogue next year. 




 

• Performance in News and Current Affairs is rightly seen to be strong but the BBC is not 
always serving everyone on the audience as it should, with those who fall within the 
category of ‘low BBC approvers’ perceiving a performance gap. You are addressing this as 
part of the six year plan to reach out to new audiences without jeopardising the support of 
existing and loyal audiences. 




 

• Education and Learning is seen as core to the BBC’s remit, particularly by those with 
children. The Trust expects to receive early next year the Executive Board’s fresh 
proposition for formal education provision for children in the light of the suspension of 
Jam. 




 

• Audiences in the different UK nations also identified some sizeable performance gaps in 
how effectively the BBC represents the different nations, regions and communities and its 
provision for them. They have also raised questions about how the BBC is reflecting the 
realities of devolution in its network news coverage and the Trust has recently announced 
a specific review of this. 




 

We look forward to receiving your plans for delivering these and all the priorities identified within 
each of the Purpose Remits early next year. The Trust will then make any amendments to Service 
Licences that are needed. 

 

For the benefit of everyone who contributed to the consultation we are making public on our 
website where we have amended the Remits, the reasons for the changes, and importantly, 
explaining why we have decided against some other changes suggested by the consultation. This 
note is also enclosed for your information. 


 

 

The publication of Purpose Remits marks the end of what has been an extraordinarily busy first 
year of the new Charter period for all parts of the BBC. However, it also marks an even more 
significant beginning – namely the implementation of the strategic plan that we approved in 
October which has serving audiences in line with their expectations and priorities as its core aim. 

 

The Trust will assess the BBC’s performance in terms of how well it has succeeded in this task 
and the Trust looks forward to working with you and your staff in making the BBC still more 
effective in creating value for everyone. 

 

Yours 

 

(signature) Michael


 

Sir Michael Lyons 

Chairman, BBC Trust 

 

 

 

Enclosures: 

A. The public’s priorities for action 

B. New research for the BBC Trust on innovation and distinctiveness 

C. Explanatory note on changes made in finalising the Purpose Remits 

D. Final Purpose Remits