Building digital Britain
As a national station available only via digital platforms, BBC 7 plays an important role in attracting its different audiences to digital output, especially those listeners with an interest in comedy, drama and children’s programming.

On-air output is complemented by content on bbc.co.uk/bbc7, including a specific subsection for children’s output, message boards and other interactive features which allow younger listeners to engage with the output and share their views. We also provide internet listeners with post-broadcast on-demand access to all programming.

This year:

• We will try to encourage new listeners to the network by broadcasting a Doctor Who season.
• Further develop the Big Toe message board to allow younger listeners to interact with the programme’s content.

Stimulating creativity and cultural excellence
BBC 7 aims to bring listeners the best of the BBC’s speech archive and new speech programming – covering radio comedy, drama, readings and entertainment.

BBC 7 also aims to encourage new talent, and our partnership with BBC writersroom aims to develop writers new to radio.

In conjunction with BBC Talent, we are developing the BBC New Comedy Awards to encourage new stand-up writers and performers.

We will enhance access to BBC 7 programmes online by promoting the fact that all our programmes are now available via BBC Radio Player.

This year:

• We will feature comedy from two major festivals – Edinburgh in August and Leicester in February.
• Through the BBC writersroom initiative we will commission short-form drama from writers new to radio.
• Children’s stories and drama will include a new Stacey Stone drama for The Big Toe Radio Show, and a new series of The Adventures of PG Woodlouse on The Little Toe Radio Show.

Promoting education and learning
Learning is integral to BBC 7’s children’s output. The daily Little Toe Radio Show, for younger children, is designed to reinforce an early love of simple stories, brought to life with music and song.

Stories are also broadcast in output targeted at older children, as well as features, news, interviews, reviews and discussions across a wide range of subjects including astronomy, literature, music, natural history and science. On Sundays, when children have more time for radio listening, we feature popular long-form stories and dramas – many with layers of meaning, stimulating the imagination and encouraging listeners to understand and learn.

Learning through experience is particularly encouraged through the network’s live magazine output and children are encouraged to take part in the programme, interviewing guests and reporting events.

This year:

• We will work with Radio 4 programmes to support a childhood season with complementary stories and items especially designed for a younger audience.
• The Big Toe Radio Show will develop further competitions designed to encourage children to write for radio, including collaboration with Radio 4’s Reith Lectures.

Reflecting the UK’s nations, regions and communities
BBC 7 aims to be the home of children’s speech radio and, through a variety of on-air and online interactive features, provides a safe environment for children to congregate, explore and share.

The network also reflects different areas of the UK through occasional outside broadcasts, mainly within its children’s output and in its search for new stand-up comedy.

This year:

• We will encourage aspiring comedy talent from all parts of the UK to participate in the local and regional heats of the New Comedy Awards.
• We will give network coverage to some of the best BBC local and regional programming, including the Ed Doolan Interviews on BBC WM, comedy from Radio Leeds and Comic to Comic from Radio Scotland.

Sustaining citizenship and civil society
BBC 7 is primarily an entertainment service, although it provides some tailored topical content for younger listeners as part of The Big Toe Radio Show. The Big Toe Press Pack involves children from across the UK reporting on subjects as diverse as pets and the NHS.

This year:

• The Big Toe Press Pack will continue to offer opportunities for children to write for radio and report regularly on air.

Bringing the world to the UK and the UK to the world
BBC 7 is targeted at a domestic audience.

A particular highlight from last year was the three Doctor Who-related programmes that were broadcast to tie in with the new television series on BBC One in April. As well as generating considerable impact for the station, these programmes also helped give a contemporary feel to what is essentially an archive network.

We achieved our highest reach to date during the year, and will continue to work to attract new listeners.

For the year ahead, BBC 7 will concentrate on:

• Attempting to attract new audiences by continuing to provide an exciting mixture of archive and newly commissioned programmes, with suitable promotion.
• Producing new comedy, drama and children’s content.
• Continuing to offer listeners additional ways to listen and interact with the output, both on air and via bbc.co.uk/bbc7.

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