Little bits we didn't know

It was inevitable, in a 79-page document, that there would be bits of the BBC Strategy Review that didn't leak. Here's my selection.

"Increasing the quality of local radio: boosting investment in local news at breakfast, mid-morning and drivetime using resources released by sharing content at other times"

So that's code for shared lunchtime and afternoon programming in English local radio clusters - eg Merseyside. Manchester and Lancashire; Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire, etc. "Back to the 80s" wrote one Tweeter.

"Committing from 2013 not to spend less than 90p in every licence fee pound on high-quality
content and getting it to audiences"

Another attack on perceived internal bureaucracy, but opaque. BBC programmes will still cost much more than those made by competitors, because of overheads like training, compliance, editorial policy etc. Target savings of 30% by 2013

"Radio 2: Committing to at least 50% speech during daytime"

A challenge and expense for Bob Shennan, which also means he's less likely to pick up daytime listeners from the closure of 6Music.

"Over the next 18 months, the BBC will strengthen further the editorial links between 1Xtra and Radio 1, whilst Radio 7’s current distinctive offering will be developed through new content and closer ties with Radio 4, culminating in the re-branding of the station as ‘Radio 4 Extra’"

If antagonising 6Music fans wasn't enough, a pointless re-branding of BBC Radio 7 will get some FOI requests. And presumably, "editorial links" means less distinctive content on Radio 1 and 1Xtra ?

The website: The number of sections on the site (its ‘top-level directories’, in the form
bbc.co.uk/sitename) will be halved by 2012, with many sites closed and others consolidated.

Some sites that are currently live will be closed, such as /celebdaq, /sportdaq, /naturestop40,
/lastmillionaire, /jamiekane, /bbcpartners, /openweekend, /actingup, /amiafreak
• A number of sites that have already been ‘mothballed’ will also be closed, such as
/amazingmrspritchard, /streetdoctor, /keyskills, /strictlydancefever, /filmfestival,
/underdogshow
• Some sites will be consolidated under larger audience-facing propositions, such as /history
or /drama e.g., /spooks, /robinhood.
Further changes include:
• BBC News Online focusing its specialist analysis and interpretation on a generalist, not
specialist, audience
• Refocusing the entertainment news category to reflect a more serious, concise agenda with
stronger coverage of the media industry, culture and the arts
• Restricting local sites in England to news, sport, weather, travel and local knowledge (where ‘local knowledge’ means supporting BBC initiatives such as Coast and A History of the World in 100 Objects where there is local relevance, but not general feature content)
• Having fewer bespoke programme sites in the knowledge category in general, consolidating
remaining sites within fewer and more recognisable categories (e.g., /nature)
• Removing generic content in areas such as the Recipe Finder and /film—including instead
content which has featured on BBC programmes or content to which the BBC has added
distinctive editorial value.

Mr Thompson has tried to cut the website before, but this time he's backing it up by seeking 25% reduction in spend and staff numbers. This is actually quite difficult, when web material is produced (sometimes) automatically, or (more often) by people who also do other things.