Accountability

You spoke, we listened, says the BBC about its mega-survey of UK users. You had to have a BBC account to take part, so in that sense, it was self-selecting, but 870,000 respondents is impressive. They apparently fairly reflect the balance of the population across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, but in the age analysis, there were more over-55 contributors than in the population at large. 

Should the BBC be surprised by the answers to the question about 'independence from government' ?  Overall, 43% judged that the BBC now was 'effective' at being independent from the government of the day. That figure falls to 34% for those aged 18 to 34, 39% across contributors from Scotland, and 36% in Wales and Northern Ireland. 

And despite Tim Davie's Across the UK project, the figures for "The BBC reflects people across the UK and different parts of the UK" are poor.  Across the UK, only 51% think the current BBC is 'effective' at this; it falls to 48% in Scotland, and amongst all 18-34 year-olds. Perhaps it's time for a strategic re-investment in Local Radio ?

In 2015, BBC Board committees were set up to monitor performance in "The Nations"; they now meet only twice a year; their minutes, when they appear are desultory; and we haven't had minutes from Wales for over a year. 

What happens next ?  I reprint the BBC's summary.

We are exploring a number of questions to give you and your family more value in the future.

​How can we make the BBC more accountable to the public and more responsive to your wishes and needs?​ ​

Where can we invest more across the UK and support economic growth and jobs by commissioning and making more programmes and content around the country?​ ​

What more can we do to fight disinformation and support impartial news and trusted information at home and around the world?​ ​

How much further can we go to support more local news reporting and services across the UK?​ ​

How can we harness the potential of AI in a safe and trusted way to support children’s learning and help the next generation?​ ​

How can we help make sure no one is left behind as the UK moves fully to a digital future?​ ​ ​

Meanwhile, it seem that Lisa Nandy is running late with her part of the homework for a new BBC charter. The appearance of a Green Paper now has 'winter' in the narrative, rather than 'autumn'.