BBC Reorganises For Digital Future
The BBC has announced far-reaching organisational changes following on from the Creative Future content strategy it launched last April.
The reforms are built on the Creative Future vision that the best content should be made available on every platform at the audience’s convenience and they will simplify how programme ideas, both from in-house and independent producers, move from original concept to audiences.
The BBC says that the changes, which are due to be fully operational by April 2007, will enable 360 degree commissioning and production and ensure creative coherence and editorial leadership across all platforms and media.
An Audio and Music group, led by Jenny Abramsky, will deliver network radio and audio content for all platforms from on-demand in the home to podcasts and mobile phones.
The multi-media journalism group, led by deputy director general Mark Byford, will now also include BBC Sport along with BBC News, Global News and Nations and Regions.
In addition, multi-media, 360 degree production, under a single production head, will be more closely aligned to the 360 degree commissioning teams.
Commissioning will be grouped under four controllers of: Fiction (drama, comedy, BBC Film and programme acquisitions), Entertainment, Knowledge (including all factual and Learning) and Children’s, while funding for multi-media content provision will move to the new Vision and Audio and Music groups, allowing 360 degree commissioning and a one stop shop for all producers, including independents.
BBC director general Mark Thompson said: “We need a BBC ready for digital and for 360 degree multi-platform content creation, which brings different kinds of creativity together, in technology as well as content, to deliver what we need in this converging world.
“And we need a simpler, more open BBC with the licence fee flowing down simple, direct lines to the right people, a simpler structure, clearer responsibilities and fewer layers.”
A three-year value for money efficiency programme is already underway to deliver savings of £355 million a year by 2008 to reinvest in to content.
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