Assess
the capacity of an online BBC3 to
meet the requirements of a Public Service Broadcaster (as laid down in the BBC
charter) in relation to that of the current digital
channel.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Executive summary
3. British Broadcasting Company (BBC)
3.1. Definition
and remit
3.2. BBC3 as a digital channel
3.3. BBC & Internet television provision
3.3.1. iPlayer viewership in
comparison to television viewership
3.4. Removal of BBC3 as an on-air
broadcaster
3.4.1. Advantages of closing BBC3 for
the British Broadcasting Corporation
3.4.1. Disadvantages of closing BBC3
for the British Broadcasting Corporation
4.
Conclusion
5.
Recommendations
6.
Bibliography
1.
Introduction
This report examines the
capacity of an online BBC3 to meet the requirements of a Public Service
Broadcaster (as laid down in the BBC charter) in relation to that of the
current digital channel. It covers the conditions regarding the validity of
BBC3 as an online channel & also the current conditions under which the BBC
broadcast & will also briefly cover the characteristics of Public Service
Broadcast. It assesses these points and
examines the prospective future of BBC3 as a channel in relation to the
impending closure of the BBC3 as an on-air channel in autumn 2015. It looks to
analyse the consequence of the alteration of BBC3 from a digital television
channel to an internet based streaming service and how the audience of the
current channel will be effected by this change in service.
2.
Executive
Summary
It examines
the pros and cons of a transfer from the current digital service provided by
BBC3 to an online service. This will entail –
§ How
the BBC will fulfil what is currently required of them according to the current
BBC charter.
§ How
the current audience of BBC3 will be impacted by the transition from digital to
online service provision.
§ How
an online version of the channel will be executed in terms of providing
programming to its audience.
§ How
online programming (eg. BBC’s iPlayer service) is impacting television &
how the ratings that programming broadcast on television are effected
3.
British
Broadcasting Company (BBC)
3.1) Definition and remit – The
British Broadcasting Company (BBC) is a public service broadcasting
corporation. The BBC is one of the key media broadcasters in the UK, with a
32.3% audience share by BBC channels from September 2012 to September 2013 in
the UK (BARB, 2013) Its primary source of revenue is television licence fee
(£145.50), which is paid annually to all households within Britain that are in
possession of equipment that is being used for the purpose of viewing live
television broadcasts. In the most recent BBC charter (2006), the BBC summarise
their requirements as a Public Service Broadcaster as –
“(a)
sustaining citizenship and civil society;
(b) Promoting education and learning;
(c) Stimulating creativity and cultural
excellence;
(d) Representing the UK, its nations, regions
and communities;
(e) Bringing the UK to the world and the
world to the UK;
(f) In promoting its other purposes, helping
to deliver to the public the benefit of emerging
communications, technologies and
services and, in addition, taking a leading role in the
switchover to digital television.”
The
charter is renewed on a by the BBC every 10 years, with the latest renewal
taking place in 2006. The requirements outlined in the charter are applicable
to the contemporary decision put forward by the BBC to transfer BBC3 from its
current residency as a digital channel to an online channel. The charters
assertion that part of the BBC’s responsibility as a public service broadcaster
is “helping to deliver to the public the benefit of emerging communications,
technologies and services” is directly relatable to the plan by the BBC to cut
their expenses and move BBC3 as a channel online. In transferring the channel
to an online service, the BBC is utilising newer technology and services as a
way of delivering their content to the public.
3.2) BBC as a digital channel –
The BBC established BBC3 in February 2003 as a digital channel. BBC3 took the
place of BBC Choice, the second non terrestrial channel launched by the BBC in
1998. “Choice” also aired children’s programming until the launch of the BBCs
two specifically child orientated channels “CBBC” and “Cbeebies” in 2002, just
prior to the shutdown of “Choice” and the rebranding as “BBC3” and the
alteration in target audience from a broader audience to a more specific
bracket (BBC, 2014). The channel airs from 7pm in the evening to the early
hours of the morning, approximately 4am. In terms of content that is expected
to be broadcast by the channel, Zai Bennett states -
“BBC 3 is a mixed genre channel for young
audiences” with an intended audience of “16 – 34 year olds”
3.3) BBC & Internet television provision –
The BBC launched their internet catch-up service “BBC iPlayer” on the 25th
of December 2007. In the monthly performance pack for iPlayer published by the
BBC, the BBC conclude that the audience of the iPlayer service is “under-55 in
terms of age, which is younger than the typical TV viewer or radio listener’s
profile (although more in line with home broadband users)” (BBC, 2013.) The
service is accessible from a number of platforms & technologies (including
computers, games consoles, mobile phones, tablets and televisions with internet
connection capabilities. The peak time of iPlayer usage is between 7pm and 8pm.
The vast majority of the content broadcast on BBC channels is available on
iPlayer after it has been aired on television. The service organises BBC
programming into sections that reflect the genre or format of the material and
allows users of the service to search for content according to channel (eg.
programmes specifically aired on BBC3) & also content based on region, the
day it aired and the time slot. The service also allows for the streaming of
BBC’s radio programming in a similar format to that of the television catch up
service, with radio programmes separated by radio channel & the day of
original broadcast.
3.3.1.)
iPlayer viewership in comparison to television viewership – The iPlayer has
garnered
increasing ratings over its lifetime.
In the BBC’s iPlayer summary for October 2013 –
“261
million BBC iPlayer requests in October - up +23% on October 2012, with 199
million TV requests – the third highest figure ever recorded. Mobile and tablet
requests increased to a new high of 37% of total requests, and are almost in
line with computers which reached 39%.” (BBC, 2013)
A
growth in mobile and tablet technology with streaming capabilities has significantly
impacted the viewership of BBC programming via iPlayer in place of viewing
conventionally on scheduled television. Television as a medium of viewership is
still at the forefront in terms of overall audience share, but viewing figures
on the whole are being significantly altered by online streaming, with
audiences opting to view content in the days following the original broadcast
rather than it’s originally scheduled airdate.
3.4.) Removal of BBC3 as an
on-air broadcaster – In a formal statement issued
in March 2014, the British Broadcasting Corporation announced the
discontinuation of their channel BBC3 as an on-air broadcast. The channel is
planned to be removed from air as of autumn 2015. The channel will not be
entirely eradicated, and will be re-launched as a new online service following
the end of the digital channel (BBC, 2014). This decision followed a statement
issued by the British Broadcasting Corporation director general Tony Hall that
the BBC was aiming to achieve £100 million in savings for the corporation by
2016. (BBC, 2014)
3.4.1.) Advantages of closing
BBC3 for the British Broadcasting Corporation
The
current annual production budget for the BBC3 channel is £85 million. With the
closure of the channel aimed at an autumn 2015 deadline, the BBC will make a
significant move towards the target £100 million in savings for 2016.
In
terms of BBC3s current audience share in the UK, in a September year-to-year
report by the Broadcasters Audience Research Board (BARB) the channel averaged
at a 1.4% share, a fraction of the 20.1% share held by BBC1 and the 32.3% share
that is held by the BBC for all of its channels overall. (BARB, 2013)
The
decision to move BBC3 online in place of one of the BBCs other smaller channels
(eg. CBBC, BBC 4, BBC Parliament) was decided upon by BBCs director of
television, Danny Cohen -
“The decision to move BBC3 rather than BBC4 online was
taken because its audience was more likely to be able to adapt. It was a
strategic decision" (Cohen, D cited in Plunkett, J. 2014)
The
strategic decision further reinforces the ideals put forward in the BBC charter
(“helping to deliver to the public the benefit of emerging communications,
technologies and services”) by encouraging the streaming of their content
online, with BBC3 content being released exclusively online, the use of
emerging technologies (i.e. tablets, mobiles) will be embraced further. The decision is formed around the basis of
BBC3s intended audience age of 16 to 34 (Bennet, Z. 2014) and its branding as a
youth orientated channel. The decision also seeks not to alienate the audience
of BBC4, a channel with a more mature intended target audience age. BBC4 is
intended to cater to a target audience of around 34+ (BBC, 2013)
The
decision regarding BBC3s closure over the closure of BBC4 also puts the BBC at
an advantage financially in terms of obtaining the £100 million budget savings
target for 2016. In comparison to the £85 million budget that BBC3 receives
annually from the BBC, BBC4 receives £49 million. The removal of BBC3, a
channel more costly to maintain on a yearly basis over BBC4, a considerably
less costly channel to maintain (with a budget of £36 million less than its
BBC3 counterpart) the decision will significantly impact the BBCs target budget
cuts.
Due
to the limited amount of content that was broadcast by BBC3 (only airing from
7pm – 4/4am) and the regular re-use of material in order to fill the schedule,
an online streaming service in place of a television channel may be a more
desirable option. An online streaming service would not be bound by the time
slots put in place for the digital channel & would make content more
readily accessible to its audience. The service can provide new content as it
is produced, rather than recycling older material repeatedly in order to fill
up a time slot. Director of television for the BBC put forward a statement when
announcing the plans for the future of BBC3 –
“It will not just be a TV channel distributed online.
There is a wonderful creative opportunity here to develop new formats with new
programme lengths – and to reach young audiences in an ever growing number of
ways” (Cohen, D. 2014)
3.4.2) Disadvantages of closing
BBC3 for the British Broadcasting Corporation
The
decision may come as a disadvantage to the BBC due to various factors. In their
decision to cut BBC3, the BBC may not have correctly identified their financial
shortcomings. While the BBC spends £85 million annually on the budget for BBC3,
the budget for BBC2 is £415 million. The viewership figures observed by the
Broadcasters Audience Research Board show that the average viewership in terms
of percentage of audience share on BBC2 from September 2012 to September 2013
was 5.8%, only 4.4% higher than that of BBC3, despite the considerable
difference in budgeting.
Further
disadvantage may come at the result of this decision due to a possible
alienation of the BBC3 digital channels audience in its relocation from
television to online. The same audience that was inclined to watching BBC3
programming on television may not necessarily be inclined to seek out the same
programming online.
The
decision assumes that the BBC3 audience all have internet access at a
reasonable capability in terms of ability to stream television via the
internet. It also assumes that the audience of the channel are all in ownership
of a device that would enable them to stream the content.
4.
Conclusion
In
terms of the capacity of an online BBC3 to meet the requirements of a Public
Service Broadcaster in relation to the channel as it currently exists, it would
appear that there is indeed a capacity to fulfil these requirements. The BBC
has already shown their capability in terms of distributing television material
via an internet platform & they are clearly aware of the capabilities and
relevance of online streaming as an ever-growing medium. A channel such as BBC3
and its content will likely fare better in an online streaming format, due to
the channels established young target audience, whom will likely be more adapt
to viewing television content online, rather than through the conventional
medium of television. The plan put
forward by the BBC will be effective if enforced well.
5.
Recommendations
The
recommendations for this report are relatively brief, as the plans laid forward
by the BBC regarding BBC3 have been largely covered by the corporation. An
issue that should be addressed is the maintenance of the quality of content
over the transfer from digital channel to online streaming. It is important
that the content being produced for the online streaming service maintains the
same qualities and concepts that made up the programming on the digital channel
so as to not alienate the channels already developed audience.
Also,
while the BBC may boost their credibility by embracing newer technology, they
should consider a particular area of the market that may be alienated by their
choice to make the BBC3 content online only & perhaps seek a way to rectify
this.
6.
Bibliography
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