IPA Attacks New BBC Services
The Institute of Practitioners in Advertising (IPA) has questioned the government’s decision to approve eight out of the nine digital services proposed by the BBC, expressing “considerable misgivings” about the implications for the commercial sector.
In an attack BBC’s new services, which were given the go ahead by Culture Secretary, Tessa Jowell last week (see Government Says No To BBC3), the Chairman of the IPA’s media policy group, Jim Marshall, said: “It is difficult not to interpret the BBC’s digital plans as the corporation indulging in yet another blatant example of commercially motivated, license-payer subsidised, broadcast imperialism.”
Marshall said that the three new TV channels and five new digital radio stations would duplicate what is already available in the commercial sector and could lead to the further dumbing down of BBC1, escalating the ratings war with ITV.
He argued: “If the BBC really wanted to underwrite its public service remit and extend viewers and listeners choice why is it planning two children’s channels on TV and duplicating three commercial formats in its digital radio offering?”
He went on to say: “Commercial radio is already able to offer black music, Asian programming and sport – what is the BBC going to bring that’s new? If the BBC were really serious about extending choice – why didn’t it launch a TV channel for the Saga age group.”
Marshall was equally damming about the establishment of BBC4, a channel specialising in culture and the arts.
He said: “It is hard not to think of BBC4 as simply a potential ghetto for BBC arts and political programming in a deliberate policy to dumb down BBC1. The Minister may issue warnings about stripping BBC1 and BBC2 of programming, but can she really trust the corporation?”
Marshall also echoed the sentiments that Carlton chief executive, Gerry Murphy and Granada boss, Charles Allen expressed at the Royal Television Society’s conference on Friday, by calling for the abolition of the BBC’s board of governors and an end to the BBC’s self regulation.
He said: “In this situation it has become all the more imperative that the activities of the BBC are brought fully under the remit of OFCOM when it is set up – and we will be continuing to make every effort to ensure this takes place.”
IPA: 020 7235 7020 www.ipa.co.uk
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