BBC Puts Factual Foot Forward With Winter Schedule

The BBC is launching a £173 million season of factual programming this winter, in what is being seen as an attempt to quash accusations that the Corporation is too populist.

The Winter 2003 season will include a Stephen Poliakoff drama called The Lost Prince, and a number of historical documentaries including The King, The Kaiser And The Tsar, which examines the period leading up to the first World War. David Dimbleby will also conduct a series of interviews with Nelson Mandela.

Domestic violence will feature in a season of programmes across the BBC, including a prime-time documentary entitled Dangerous Love – Tales Of Domestic Violence Popular soaps, Casualty and Neighbours, will also feature high profile story lines tackling the subject. The Corporation will gear up for Red Nose Day 2003, with a series of documentaries and the traditional telethon night.

Controller of BBC1, Lorraine Heggessey, was at pains to talk up the Corporation’s public role at yesterday’s launch of the Winter schedule, commenting: “BBC1 is a much more modern mainstream channel now than it was two years ago, it’s better in tune with its audiences but it’s still very much underpinned by public service values.”

The BBC’s director general, Greg Dyke, has been plagued by accusations that the BBC is chasing ratings at the expense of its public service remit. One of its most vociferous critics has been ITVs outgoing director of programmes, David Liddiment, who has persistently argued that the Corporation has become too commercially focussed (see GEITF 2002: Liddiment Admits To Taking Too Many Risks).

The BBC’s 24 hour news channel has also been under pressure following a Government report by former Financial Times editor, Richard Lambert, which urges the channel to be more distinctive (see BBC News 24 Under Pressure After Lambert Report).

BBC: 020 8743 8000www.bbc.co.uk

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