IPA Attacks Increasingly Commercial Nature Of BBC
The Institute of Practitioners in Advertising has launched a wide-ranging attack on the increasingly commercial nature of the BBC, amid growing calls for fundamental changes to the way the Corporation is governed.
The organisation, which represents UK advertising agencies, claims the BBC’s current output is too populist and argues that its choice of programming is in direct competition with the commercial sector.
It criticises the BBC’s decision to demote flagship news programmes like Panorama to Sunday nights, while mass audience offerings like Fame Academy and EastEnders have gained prominence in the broadcaster’s schedules.
It also attacks the ‘tactical’ scheduling of some of the Corporation’s most popular series to run head-to-head with similar programmes on commercial channels, in what it claims is purely a battle for ratings.
In a detailed response to Ofcom’s ongoing consultation on the role of public service broadcasting, the IPA states: “The current freedom of the BBC to interpret the definition of public service broadcasting is unsatisfactory for a body in receipt of £2.6 billion worth of public money.”
The IPA accuses the Corporation of straying too far from its public service remit and calls for future BBC output to be rigorously policed. It claims the BBC’s desire to attract mass audiences could have significant implications for advertisers, which need the commercial sector to deliver their marketing messages.
Advertising agencies are also keen to see the current rules governing public service broadcasting on ITV, Channel 4 and Five relaxed. This would give the commercial sector greater freedom to create programmes more specifically geared towards attracting mass audiences.
The IPA is supportive of the continuing role of public service broadcasting and calls on Ofcom’s wide-ranging review to preserve the uniqueness of UK television, while creating the conditions that encourage originality and innovation to thrive.
The comments come at a crucial time for the BBC, which has been thrown into crisis after the Hutton report found the Corporation defective in its handling of events surrounding the death of Ministry of Defence weapons advisor Dr David Kelly (see Entire BBC Board Of Governors Came Close To Quitting).
IPA: 020 7235 7020 www.ipa.co.uk
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