BBC Trust Gives iPlayer Final Approval
The BBC Trust has given final approval to the BBC Executive’s proposals for its on-demand iPlayer service, although it has made some modifications. The on-demand proposals are the first to go through a Public Value Test (PVT).
The Trust’s provisional conclusions were subject to an open consultation, to which 10,500 individuals and organisations responded.
Following these responses, and after consideration of relevant issues, the Trust amended two of the conditions of its provisional approval.
The Trust has applied a 15% annual quota for series stacking – where users can download episodes of a particular TV series – with revised editorial guidance to the BBC Executive on the type of series which can be included.
The other change which the Trust has made to the BBC’s proposals is that it will now audit the BBC’s progress in making the iPlayer platform neutral.
Diane Coyle, BBC Trustee and Chair of the Trust’s PVT Steering Group, said: “We are delighted so many people responded to the consultation and thank everyone who participated for their contribution. The consultation has demonstrated considerable public support for the on-demand proposals.
“Thanks to the thorough assessment through the Public Value Test, and with the modifications which resulted from the test and the consultation, the Trust is satisfied that the BBC’s new on-demand services will create significant public value with limited market impact. We have therefore given our final approval for the services to be launched.”
Coyle added: “The over-riding responsibility of the Trust is to act in the public interest. This means that, when considering the potential market impact of new service applications from the BBC, we must focus primarily on the effect on consumers who enjoy the choice offered by content and services beyond those provided by the BBC.
“In our provisional conclusions we proposed a number of modifications to BBC management’s plans and sought feedback from the public and the media industry. Having considered the responses carefully, we’ve made two changes to our provisional conclusions.”
Mark Thompson, the BBC’s Director-General, said: “We are delighted with the BBC Trust’s decision to approve our on-demand proposals.
“The first Public Value Test has been an extremely rigorous and exhaustive process. This is a significant decision as the new on-demand proposals are at the heart of the BBC’s Creative Future.
“However, we disagree with the Trust’s decision to exclude classical music podcasts from the proposal: our research suggests that classical music audiences would wish to download classical music programmes from the BBC and to listen to them on their terms, free at the point of use.”
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