Lord Tony Hall, director general of the BBC, has pledged action to make the broadcasting company “an open platform for British creativity“. The news comes in the lead-up to the government’s review of the corporation’s Royal Charter coming in 2016, which is expected to drastically alter the intents and purview of the BBC.
Lord Hall’s announcement breaks down into a double pronged effort of modernisation and preservation, to “enhance what is best about public service broadcasting to ensure we continue to have a BBC that is British, bold and creative“. Programs in development include a children’s iPlayer (named iPlay), partnerships with local news papers, along with other cultural institutions such as universities and museums.
The Financial Times reports that the BBC is expected to announce a multimillion pound journalism partnership with a network of 100 “public service reporters” to provide impartial reporting on local issues. Lord Hall‘s pledges will be funded by cuts in other departments of the broadcasting company. A further 20% of cuts are expected over the next five years, in an attempt to streamline and promote efficiency within the corporation.
Lord Hall commented, “We will also have to change the way we work. We all want a simpler, more effective organisation where as much money as possible goes on programmes and services. We all want a BBC which will pioneer, will innovate, and will adapt to the new challenges we face, whilst holding on to the core values of the BBC – values that we all hold dear”.
Hall made it clear that these changes would lead to “not be a bigger BBC, but a better BBC”, and it is likely not all current BBC services will survive the shake-up.
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