BBCi
Search promises to be a real find for users
A key part of BBCi's mission has always been to offer a trusted guide
to the Web. Over the years we've helped thousands of people to use
the Internet through our WebWise training and through our WebGuide
to the best sites on the Web.
Now,
with 80 per cent of those asked believing that current search engines
could be better, according to a recent NOP survey, BBCi is developing
its role as a trusted guide by launching BBCi Search - a unique
facility that draws upon the BBC's unrivalled editorial expertise
and reputation as the UK's most trusted online brand – to enable
users to get what they want from the Net, free from commercial pressures
and safe from undesirable sites.
By
making it easier for users to find what they want, the BBC hopes
to increase users' enjoyment of the web and encourage more people
to spend time online, driving digital take up, in line with the
BBC's existing strategy.
Available
from the homepage of bbc.co.uk,
BBCi Search lets you type in your keywords without the need for
quotation marks or plus signs. Results are provided based on the
editorial relevance to these keywords, with recommended sites appearing
at the top of the list.
Ashley
Highfield, Director, BBC New Media says: "It is quite clear
that the current search marketplace doesn't serve Internet users
as well as it could. The BBC, with its 80 years of know-how and
editorial expertise, and its mission to offer a trusted guide to
the Web, is ideally placed to provide a UK focused search engine
that will not be influenced by paid for results.
"Given
that 90% of respondents to the independent survey stated that they
would use the BBC search engine, and that a similar number said
they would prefer impartial search, it is evidently something that
people want."
The
BBCi/NOP survey also reported that more than half (64%) of those
questioned were frustrated by the amount of American websites and
advertisers they came across whilst searching on the web. At the
same time, 88% of respondents said, given the choice, they would
use an Internet search engine that helped to find the best British
websites, as well as foreign ones.
Taking
this into account, BBCi Search jointly delivers UK and foreign websites
but with hierarchical preference being given to the most relevant
UK websites. Should they wish to, however, users do have the option
to isolate UK only search results.
As
well as providing the most relevant results free of advertisements
and commercial pressures, BBCi Search also addresses parental concerns
regarding children accessing pornographic/derogatory websites. Sophisticated
software is used to remove such material from the search database,
enabling BBCi to provide the most family friendly search facility
on the web.
BBCi Search will be accompanied by an on air marketing campaign
beginning 4 May 2002.
Notes
to Editors
BBCi
Search launches on 2 May 2002 and can be accessed from the bbc.co.uk
homepage.
Results
can be filtered to look across the whole of the World Wide Web or
can be narrowed down to look only across the BBCi news and sport
sites, or the whole of the BBCi site.
Research
conducted by NOP during 12-14 April 2002. Almost 500 interviews
were carried out. The sample was weighted in line with national
demographic profile and was designed to be representative of all
adults in GB.
BBCi
is the name for the BBC's interactive services working across the
web, interactive TV and handheld devices. BBCi provides a single
signpost and easier way of getting to the BBC's great information,
entertainment and education services, no matter how you choose to
access it.
BBCi
incorporates BBC Online which received Government approval in 1998
with part of its mission being to "act as a trusted guide to
the Web".
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