MGEITF 2006: Ratings Measures To Lose Impact In Digital Age
As we enter the digital age, ratings will become less important to the nation’s main broadcasters, so said Peter Fincham, BBC One controller, at the weekend’s MediaGuardian Edinburgh International Television Festival (MGEITF).
The man charged with overseeing a multi-million pound budget and handling some of the biggest names in television was bullish about the channel’s future, pointing to a host of new programmes which he claimed will see the Corporation further enhance its position as the nation’s premier broadcaster.
Fincham said that BBC One should not think that it is taking part in a two-horse race for viewers with ITV1, putting ratings at the top of the agenda and measuring the success and value of what the Corporation does purely in terms of audience size, adding: “Increasingly and rightly, in a multi-channel landscape, and when we get to the proper full digital Britain, it will become an inadequate way of assessing what we do. Having said that whatever you do you’re probably kept on your toes, you’re probably in a healthier position if you’ve got a yardstick of a competitor.”
Following on from this, when asked what he thought of ITV1’s current travails, particularly with regard to this summer’s performance, Fincham was adamant that it was in the BBC’s best interests to have a strong competitor, although he was not slow in pointing out that BBC One has gained larger peak time audiences than its commercial rival for the past eight weeks, despite his earlier protestations that audience size is becoming less important.
Alluding to the current state of affairs at ITV1, Fincham said: “I’m very, very committed to a multi-genre, rich mix, BBC One. I think there are dangers if you narrow the genres, if you say that we’ve got a lot of stuff here, some of it’s popular some of it’s interesting, lets focus on what’s popular. There is a danger that at the end of that journey that you lose a certain amount of what’s interesting.”
In contrast to ITV1’s relatively poor summer, their worst ever in terms of audience share, BBC One had some big hits, with dramas including Life on Mars and Doctor Who, and shows such as Strictly Come Dancing all performing well for the Corporation. In addition, Planet Earth is making a return to our screens and Fincham also expounded on BBC One’s comedy output, seemingly putting new emphasis on what he appears to feel is currently a neglected part of the channel’s output.
With the digital switchover imminent, Fincham spoke about the BBC’s position in the evolving marketplace, a future broadcasting environment where television viewing is fragmented and, to a certain extent, democratised by the increasing number of channels available to viewers. Ficham said: “The growth of multi-channel, the growth of different forms of entertainment are good because they’re good for consumer choice. That’s to be applauded.
“Within a few years we will be in digital Britain, where everybody does have multi-channel. The interesting thing then is what sort of offering from a mainstream channel, like BBC One, still pays its way, still justifies that investment. BBC One costs its audience £3.52 per month per viewer, which is a very modest amount of money.”
MGEITF www.mgeitf.co.uk BBC: 020 8743 8000 www.bbc.co.uk