BBC confirms cuts to radio, online services

[Sankari]

The BBC will slash spending on its online services and close two radio stations in a shake-up designed to boost funding for programs.

Digital radio stations BBC Asian Network and BBC 6 Music will close from next year as part of a review of the British Broadcasting Corporation's budget and services, director general Mark Thompson said.

Spending on its online services, which commercial competitors complain stifle competition, will be cut by 25 per cent by 2013.

The shake-up, which had been flagged by the British media last week, will free an extra 600 million pounds ($993 million) to be spent on program-making, Mr Thompson told staff at the corporation's headquarters in London.

He says that Asian Network, targeted at Britain's South Asian communities, and alternative-music station 6 Music will close in 2011 at the earliest.​

(Source).

Good start. I'd like to see some more cost-cutting at the Beeb.

 

[craptakular]

Do you get BBC in Oz?

 

[Tefal]

I'd be happier if they just cut the ****.


Even if it meant having some blank air time but better programs

Bad news for the iplayer though

that was the best thing.

 

[meghatronic]

Online services cuts = no.

I couldn't care less about the peripheal radio stations.

 

[Biohazard]

Re: Murdoch and ending free online news, surely the websites make money through add clicks?

 

[simisker]

I don't think that iPlayer will be much affected, thankfully. I gather it's more the microsites for individual programmes that will be axed.

[emphasis mine] The BBC has listed five core editorial principles - putting quality first, doing fewer things better, guaranteeing access, making the licence fee work harder and setting new boundaries.

BBC Three must be breathing a huge bloody sigh of relief.


I'm reminded of Alan Partridge discussing the BBC's stance with the fictional Commissioning Director Tony Hayers:

AP: Now, there is an ethos behind the BBC. What is that?

TH: We've always - and always will be committed to - making programmes of originality, quality and excellence.

AP: So I like to go home, sit down, and think "I want originality, quality and excellence". I watch Noel's House Party and I think "Thank God for the BBC". Originality, quality and excellence.

TH: Yes.

AP: Noel's. House. Party.

 

[Tefal]

Re: Murdoch and ending free online news, surely the websites make money through add clicks?

But he wants more

 

[Sankari]

Do you get BBC in Oz?

Yes. We receive the World News and UKTV Australia channels, both of which are BBC products. There may be more.

 

[BloodyL]

The 6music advert featuring the ripoff of the C= 64 game "Slurpy" annoyed the hell out of me.

On topic however, I'm glad they are beginning to take a look at just how many fingers they have in all of the different pies, they need to stop trying to please too many people too much of the time and just make some quality entertainment like they used to.
And get rid of all the staff who are in there for the status symbol, you know the type, they make one or two half assed local news items and then disappear into the woodwork never to be seen again.

 

[Tefal]

UKTV Australia channels

what are they?

Doe Australians pay tv license or is the bbc just wasting money on a channel for aus?

Or is it paid for by aus taxation?

 

[Sankari]

what are they?

Commercial channels produced by the BBC. They're usually bundled with a satellite TV subscription, but can probably be purchased as individual items.

Doe Australians pay tv license or is the bbc just wasting money on a channel for aus?

Or is it paid for by aus taxation?

There is no tv license in Australia; it was abolished in the mid 1970s. The BBC sells its commercial channels to Australian satellite networks, which sell them on to subscribers.

 

[Dist]

what are they?

Doe Australians pay tv license or is the bbc just wasting money on a channel for aus?

Or is it paid for by aus taxation?

From what I read in a previous thread about the BBC, any service that the BBC provides outside of the UK is not funded by our TV licenses. So the BBC is not 'wasting money' since the money it's spending is most likely generated at the place of broadcast, such as in aus. It's not like it effects the BBCs budget here in the UK if they have shows worldwide or not.

 

[Tefal]

Fair enough.

 

[Viper²]

Cutting services most people don't care about - great.
Spending more money on crappy TV dramas for couch potatoes - not great.

 

[[FnG]magnolia]

The Beeb is bloated and really does need trimmed but I used to listen to 6 Music religiously. What a shame to see it go.

If they touch the World Service there'll be trouble

 

[horseunderwater]

UKTV

UKTV is a joint venture by the BBC and Virgin Media

 

[elmuzzy66.]

I just hope they don't introduce commercials. If the bbc has 1 go thing is the lack of ad breaks.

 

[Sankari]

They sure as hell play commercials on their international services. For users outside the UK, the BBC website is practically covered with them.

 

[Tefal]

They sure as hell play commercials on their international services. For users outside the UK, the BBC website is practically covered with them.

really?

Any chance of a screen shot of iplayer for you Aussies?

 

[markweatherill]

That article ends with

'The Conservative Party, traditionally more hostile towards the BBC than the current Labour administration, is expected to freeze the licence fee if it wins power in a general election due by June.'
That isn't to say it would be worth having a Conservative government just for that, mind.

And these are only proposals, we are also reminded. Could be simply 'sending out a message'.
If the BBC is expecting a horrified reaction from those who just couldn't live without their niche radio stations, and go on to announce that they won't, after all, be able to close them, they'll be disappointed.
I think they should have announced BBC Three and Four are being cancelled and see if anyone cared about that.