BBC Criticised By Governors In Annual Report
The BBC has been criticised by its Board of Governors for not producing a consistent level of quality of programming on its flagship channel, BBC One. The governors voiced their opinion in the corporation’s annual report, released today.
While the board said that BBC One had “scaled new heights” with programmes such as Walking with Dinosaurs and The Royle Family it continued, “The average quality of programmes across the year on the channel is still not good enough, particularly in the pre-watershed period. The fact that the strength [of the autumn and winter schedules] was not sustained throughout the year was substantially due to insufficient funding.”
With cash flow on their minds, the governors will doubtlessly keep an eye on the BBC’s commercial arm, BBC Worldwide, which produced its financial results today. It reported that pre-tax profit suffered a drop of 55% from £20m in 1999 to £9m, although turnover increased 15% to £514m including share of joint ventures.
Total group operating profit has fallen from £11m to £8m year on year, thanks to investment in global news channel BBC World.
Publishing and new media sales have increased by 8% to £277m, but the same percentage growth in programme distribution sales was counteracted by the increased cost of acquiring programme rights, which reduced operating profit by 8%.
Channel activity, taking in BBC Prime, BBC World and BBC America made sales growth of £11.6m to £48.4m. BBC Prime showed profit for the first time, but investment in BBC World increased losses in this area by £3.2m.
Chief Executive Rupert Gavin played down the losses, saying that “Profit achieved in our core business (before investment in BBC World and Internet and Interactive activities) grew to a record £31 million.” He went on to point out the success of brands including the Teletubbies, which generated worldwide sales of £32m last year, saying that brands would continue to form an important part of BBC Worldwide’s strategy.
BBC: 020 8743 8000 BBC Worldwide: 020 8576 2000