Tough guys

There's a willy-waving tendency at Ofcom, enjoying talking tough about its new BBC Operating Licence...

Thus in the main summary: "We have .... set new conditions for radio. Radio 2 will be required, for the first time, to air at least three hours of news and current affairs in peak time per week".

In detail: "We added the new requirement for three hours to be in peak time in the proposed condition as this is broadly in line with what the BBC already delivers in peak time on Radio 2, and so is aimed at securing the provision of this output at existing levels in peak time"

Elsewhere, the first draft of this licence required Auntie “to reduce the number of long-running series over time”, threatening Homes Under The Hammer, A Question of Sport, Casualty and many more. In the final version, Ofcom says there should be “a renewed focus on innovation and creative risk-taking through the commissioning and scheduling of new titles”, and that “the BBC should secure an appropriate balance of unique titles and long-running series”.