Reductions in BBC news output on some of its services could be made permanent if conditions imposed on the broadcaster are relaxed.
Ofcom is consulting on whether to amend or remove conditions attached to various BBC TV and radio services, as part of efforts to streamline the BBC’s operating licence.
News and current affairs quotas and conditions on BBC One and BBC Two look set to be preserved. But this appears to be at the expense of smaller channels.
Traditionally, conditions relating to news have been attached to BBC services, ensuring BBC services are more distinct from commercial services. Pressure from commercial rivals led to such conditions being attached to the approval of both the original and new incarnations of BBC Three.
Christmas reductions
Last Christmas, Ofcom temporarily granted a change to the BBC operating licence allowing some bulletins, especially on radio, to be cut. At the time, Ofcom said the changes were needed so the BBC could make “optimal use of staff, including in light of the impact of Covid-19”.
These cuts look set to be made permanent under the new conditions.
CBBC’s proposed new condition specifically includes a clause exempting the channel from showing news within “the Christmas period”.
Ofcom and the BBC argue that fewer people consume news during that period. Some commercial operators argue the BBC shouldn’t be fixated on ratings.
BBC News Channel
The BBC News Channel is set to be freed from all conditions. This paves the way for the channel to simulcast more content from BBC World News ahead of next April’s changes. It currently is required to broadcast “more local/regional news stories” than any other rolling news channel. Conditions on BBC News Channel output have been routinely imposed on the service since it launched as News 24 in 1997. Regular scrutiny of its output were designed to ensure it remained distinct from rival commercial news channels.
Over 6,000 people have signed a petition to stop the UK-focused channel being closed. BBC News insiders have said the ‘new’ news channel will effectively be a simulcast of the current international service. The only routine exception will be for simulcasts of programmes from BBC One or BBC Two. There are fears that the removal of the regulatory conditions will make the BBC’s plans easier to implement without consultation.
Earlier this week, The Guardian reported that Ofcom is planning to make a statement about the changes.
Flexibility
But some of the new conditions will make it easier for the BBC to flex its news output quotas. The proposals see rigid weekly quotas replaced with annual quotas. However, this may allow services to use a chunk of their quotas during major news events, allowing them to broadcast even less news later in the year.
Old v Proposed Conditions
| Service | Old conditions | New, proposed conditions |
|---|---|---|
| BBC One | – shows network news programmes at intervals throughout the day; – in each Calendar Year, at least 1,520 hours are allocated to network news programmes, of which at least 280 hours must be in Peak Viewing Time. – in each Calendar Year, at least 45 hours are allocated to network current affairs programmes during Peak Viewing Time. * | No change |
| BBC Two | None other than in respect of BBC One and BBC Two taken together, the BBC must broadcast 450 hours of current affairs programmes, of which at least 106 hours must be in Peak Viewing Time. | No change |
| BBC Three | It must show news programmes that are intended to appeal to 16 to 34 year-olds each weekday, excluding public holidays. | No change |
| BBC Four | None | None |
| CBBC | it shows news each day and in each Financial Year (1st April-31st March), at least 35 hours are allocated to news. | it shows news each day (except on days falling within the Christmas Period); and in each Financial Year (1st April-31st March), at least 35 hours are allocated to news |
| CBeebies | None | |
| BBC News Channel | The BBC must ensure that the BBC News channel includes more international news, and more local/regional news than other main continuous news channels in the United Kingdom. | All conditions removed. |
| BBC Parliament | None | None |
| BBC Radio 1 | at least one hour is allocated to news during Daytime each weekday (except for Public Holidays) including at least two extended bulletins, of which at least one must be in Peak Listening Time; and it must provide bulletins at regular times during Daytime at weekends | at least 280 hours are allocated to news in each Financial Year; it must provide at least two extended news bulletins during Daytime each weekday (except for Public Holidays) of which at least one must be in Peak Listening Time; it must provide news bulletins at intervals throughout the day |
| BBC Radio 1Xtra | at least one hour is allocated to news during Daytime each weekday (except for Public Holidays) including at least two extended bulletins; and it must provide bulletins at regular times during Daytime at weekends. | As BBC Radio 1 |
| BBC Radio 2 | at least 17 hours are allocated to news and current affairs programming each week, of which at least 3 hours must be in Peak Listening Time, with the exception of weeks containing a Public Holiday, in which case the numbers of hours may be reduced proportionately; and it must provide news bulletins at regular times. | at least 867 hours are allocated to news and current affairs programming each Financial Year, of which at least 153 hours must be in Peak Listening Time; and it must provide news bulletins at intervals throughout the day. |
| BBC Radio 3 | the BBC must ensure that it provides news at intervals throughout the day. | the BBC must ensure that it provides news bulletins at intervals throughout the day. |
| BBC Radio 4 | at least 2,750 hours are allocated to news and current affairs programmes (including repeats) in each Financial Year; and it must provide daily reports of Parliamentary proceedings when Parliament is sitting | No change. |
| BBC Radio 5 Live | at least 75% of its output in each Financial Year must be news and current affairs programming; and there is extensive coverage of local and general elections, and of elections to the United Kingdom’s devolved chambers, as well as regular coverage of European and international politics. | at least 75% of its output in each Financial Year must be news and current affairs programming; and there is extensive coverage of local and general elections, and of elections to the United Kingdom’s devolved chambers, as well as regular coverage of international politics. |
| BBC Radio 6 Music | the BBC must ensure that in each week at least 6 hours are allocated to news, with the exception of weeks containing a Public Holiday, in which case the number of hours may be reduced proportionately. | at least 306 hours are allocated to news in each Financial Year; and it must provide news bulletins at intervals throughout the day. |
| BBC Asian Network | the BBC must ensure that in each week at least 24 hours are allocated to news and current affairs programming, with the exception of weeks containing a Public Holiday, in which case the number of hours may be reduced proportionately. | at least 1,224 hours are allocated to news and current affairs programming in each Financial Year; and it must provide news bulletins at intervals throughout the day. |
Non-news changes
Outside of news, quotas for religious, arts and music programmes are also set to be axed. This includes a specific requirement that BBC Two must broadcast 175 hours a year of arts and music programmes. BBC Alba’s commitment to show 5 hours a week of programmes aimed at those learning Gaelic is replaced with a generic requirement without quota.
Ofcom’s consultation runs until the 14th September 2022.
Iain Hatton, features writer, RXTV