Category: bbc.co.uk
Date: 20.12.2004
Printable version
BBC New Media has today announced
how it proposes to reallocate investment from its current online budget
to help fund new broadband and innovative projects that support the
BBC's public values.
To achieve the 10% target set by the Governors, the
BBC is to employ a range of solutions, including the closure of some
sites, the reduction of investment and increased focus in others, as
well as savings made through operational efficiencies.
The proposed savings, approximately £6m, will be made by the end
of the financial year 2005/06 and will be reinvested in new media projects
more closely aligned to the purposes of the BBC as set out in Building
Public Value.
They will build on the BBC's promise, following Philip
Graf's review of bbc.co.uk, to reduce potential negative market impact
and provide licence fee payers with ever-more distinctive and value-for-money
services in line with the stronger, tighter remit set by the Governors.
Ashley Highfield, Director of New Media & Technology,
unveiled his division's plans saying: "This is all about focusing
our investment so that we can best use our funding to reach and delight
the largest audiences with the most distinctive and original content.
"It is about preparing ourselves for the broadband
world.
"In order to free up the required funding we need
to behave like Television and Radio.
"In other words, decommission, reduce funding or
archive web content that no longer needs this level of investment or
which may have become amply supplied by the market.
"It is an ongoing process
for bbc.co.uk. These changes build on the first steps we took in July
to close those websites which we felt did not offer sufficient distinctive
public value for the investment required.
"The savings we made in July
represented 2.5% of our web output.
"To meet the 10% target set out by the BBC Governors,
we are announcing today a further 7.5% reduction to be achieved through
lowering investment in areas where we feel this will not cause a reduction
in public value, and by sharing resources with the commercial world.
"The 10% target provides
BBC New Media with around £6m-worth of savings.
"It is our aspiration to reinvest this in pan-BBC
new media projects that can build on our public values such as Creative
Archive, interactive Media Player (iMP) and iCan, as well as funding
innovative interactive content formats commissioned from independent
companies such as Jamie Kane and Taggers."
The changes in more detail
Service closures and reductions – The US
Sports section of bbc.co.uk/sport and the local history site, bbc.co.uk/legacies,
will also close because of similarities with the existing market and
insufficient value for money, respectively.
Funding for bbc.co.uk/cult will be reduced, with the
exception of the Doctor Who section, to support the forthcoming series
on BBC ONE, and bbc.co.uk/lifestyle will continue to operate, but with
a more modest investment.
Nations & Regions – Content on the BBC's
Where I Live sites will continue to offer a valuable means of support
for local communities, but in future will concentrate on supporting
the BBC's five public purposes with locally-relevant material.
Over time they will increase the amount of multi-media
content they offer.
In the English Regions, in order to avoid duplication,
the Where I Live sites will stop publishing comprehensive events listings,
and restrict themselves to user-generated community notice boards, combined
with community information from BBC Local Radio, and linking to external
relevant local listings sites.
The sites will only run competitions when there is
strong local editorial justification or to support partnerships with
pan-BBC initiatives.
Across Nations & Regions, the BBC is looking at
ways in which links to other local sites can be incorporated into entertainment
reviews and previews in a way similar to the 'Other News Sites' links
on bbc.co.uk/news and bbc.co.uk/sport, which in November generated more
than one million clickthroughs to external sites.
A Changing Focus – In the case of bbc.co.uk/film investment
will be re-prioritised to create a web space aimed at the film-making
community and showcasing new talent and new short-films.
The drama area of the site will also change its focus
to encompass only BBC programmes.
Offering greater value – BBC New Media management
has also outlined areas of bbc.co.uk where they can achieve operational
efficiencies, while maintaining reach and impact, by using the latest
production methods and improved technology.
These sites comprise: bbc.co.uk/bbcone, bbc.co.uk/bbctwo,
bbc.co.uk/bbcthree and bbc.co.uk/bbcfour, bbc.co.uk/tv and bbc.co.uk/radio;
areas of Radio & Music, the entertainment and features sections
of the BBC News website, Children's, and Central New Media services
such as webchat, voting, email and the bbc.co.uk homepage.
