Farrago

The Witchfinders of Ofcom have brewed up a farrago of qualitative research and taken another poke at the BBC for failing viewers in the socio-economic classes C2 and DE. This failure in part is characterised first in viewing figures, and then over-amplified by Ofcom-sponsored market research into 'perceptions', Then Ofcom makes the emotive leap into calling C2DEs 'disenfranchised' by BBC programme makers.  

In quantitative figures, the BBC has a bigger share of DE viewers than ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5. The big winner for DEs is 'other channels', at 33%. The average weekly reach of BBC tv channels to DE viewers is 68%, compared with 71% for ABs. 

Ofcom's own research, over 2017/18, produced a list of the top tv programmes amongst C2DE audiences. In first place, Blue Planet II, then Mrs Brown's Boys Christmas Special, One Love Manchester, and Strictly Come Dancing. Overall, the BBC took 14 of the top 20 places. 

I've written before how Ofcom loves 'perceptions'. They're interesting, but they shouldn't be put above eyeballs.