The BBC is “not proactively setting a date for a digital switchover or anything like that,” director-general Tim Davie said, but instead provoked a “wider discussion in the UK about when we switch over”.
Davie disagreed with the idea of linear TV channels being taken away from older viewers and said he was “provocative” in a high-profile speech to predict a future for internet TV.
“We should have an aggressive plan, but it’s not a plan to get rid of things that a lot of people use too quickly,” he added in a speech to the British government’s Public Accounts Committee.
“We have a fantastic record of not leaving people behind and that is not part of the proposal.”
But while older viewers watch more linearly, Davie says research shows that when over-65s switch to digital, they “don’t come back”.
In the speech presented by RTS in December, which sparked several headlines about the future of BBC linear channels, Davie urged listeners to imagine “a world made entirely of the internet, with TV and radio off and the choice is imaginable,’ adding: “For the BBC, distribution over the internet is an opportunity to connect more deeply with our audience and provide them with better service and choice than broadcast allows.”
The speech sparked a huge debate about how the nation consumes television, but at today’s hearing, Davie clarified: “We’re not setting a date for the digital switchover or anything like that.”
Meg Hillier, chair of the Public Accounts Committee, highlighted research showing that 88% of BBC users still watch on linear TV, and Davie said questions about broadband coverage “need to be answered rigorously before we can make anything like a switch “. [to internet-only].”
However, he stressed that the digital shift was “coming” as the committee reviews a BBC digital first plan which will reinvest £300m ($364m) into driving a digital-first approach, including 50 million pounds ($60m) a year on product development, which was unveiled in May.
“Extreme challenges” will come, Davie continued, as license fees are frozen for the next two years – the BBC is losing hundreds of millions of pounds a year – while program costs soar.
He pointed to a drop of around 1,000 hours of original TV content this year to ease the fight, along with “aggressive plans” for a £1.6 billion commercial arm of BBC Studios ($1.9 billion) while the BBC is struggling to make big savings.
“We have to box smart here,” he added. “Moving money at the BBC is very painful in itself. The decisions we have to make are unpopular.”
Stay away from “the herd”
Along with regulator Ofcom, the BBC is “looking at reforms to be flexible to respond to the market,” Davie added.
And he stressed that the BBC was not the only media player struggling in the current market, predicting consolidation to come.
“Some of the newer media companies have yet to find sustainable economics,” he added. “I suspect there will be a lot of movement in the market.”
Davie reiterated earlier points that “with all [market movement] swirling, the BBC is in a good position to maintain distinctiveness and not try to follow the pack.
Coronation of King Charles III
The company is also deep into planning mode for the coronation of King Charles III euro vision, both fall in the same week in May.
“We are in discussions with all parties to provide flawless coverage of the coronation and beyond,” added Davie. “Our main concern at the moment is the requirements for our outside broadcast service, but we are deep in planning.”
Elsewhere, Deadline announced yesterday that three veteran news anchors have voluntarily resigned as the controversial merger of international and national news networks nears.
David Eades, Joanna Gosling and Tim Willcox chose not to enter a new recruitment process that would see 15 moderators reduced to six, and Davie said efficiency cuts necessitated the merger. I find it appropriate.”
“Decisions had to be made,” he said of the merger. “We think having two separate processes is not efficient and want a more integrated operation. No one else does such operations.”
He emphasized that the international supply will still differ from that of the UK. “It would be absurd for there to be a great British story if there wasn’t a team on the ground that could beat that story,” he added.
Asked if BBC News’ coverage was too negative, Davie said: “There is room for us to do more in terms of successful storytelling.”
Culture Secretary Michelle Donelan announced yesterday that the upcoming BBC mid-term review will focus heavily on impartiality and bias – a key pillar of Davies’ approach since taking office in September 2020.
Author: Max Goldbart
Source: Deadline
Joseph Fearn is an entertainment and television aficionado who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a keen eye for what’s hot in the world of TV, Joseph keeps his readers informed about the latest trends and must-see shows.
