BBC Announces First Public Value Test

The BBC’s first Public Value Test (PVT) will be carried out to launch the Corporation’s new on-demand proposals, including the BBC iPlayer.

The application for approval of the iPlayer, a service to unify the BBC’s provision of audio and video content on-demand and to make it available to UK audiences over the internet, has begun.

The application proposes a service that would consist of a seven-day TV catch-up over the internet, simulcast TV over the internet and non-time limited audio downloads over the internet.

The three internet-based offerings would be combined into a direct-to-consumer offering, the iPlayer, which would incorporate all the existing BBC players such as the Radio Player.

The PVT is one of the key tools underpinning the radical change in the BBC’s system of governance, which takes effect with the new Charter and Agreement on 1 January 2007.

In future, the test must be applied by the BBC Trust to provide a consistent and evidence-based framework to inform their decisions about significant service-related investment proposals from BBC management.

All major service-related investment proposals will be subject to a PVT to assess the net public value created once measured against market impact.

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