The BBC has published a report this week which assesses the indirect economic return to the UK from the BBC’s international operations.
‘The economic return to the UK of the BBC’s global footprint’, carried out by Terrington and Company and Research Now, found that cultural factors such as language, creativity and values contribute to the UK’s attractiveness as a source of overseas trade and investment.
Almost two thirds of respondents said that the BBC was the main way they found out about the UK, with people who consume BBC services more frequently having more favourable perceptions of the UK.
A similar pattern was seen with the propensity to do business in the UK; the more business leaders know and consume the BBC, the more likely they are to trade with the UK.
66% of the people who consume the BBC on a monthly basis or less say that they are currently or very likely to do business with the UK in the next 12 months, and this figure rises to 84% for those that consume the BBC on a daily basis.
The study goes on to indicate causality in the relationship, with 56% of the sample agreeing that the BBC plays a direct role in influencing their business decisions in favour of the UK, compared to 12% who disagree.
“This report shows the enormous value of the BBC brand around the world,” said James Heath, the BBC’s director of policy.
“These research findings confirm the powerful role that institutions like the BBC play in enhancing Britain’s global reputation and show how this can deliver an economic return to the UK.”
Heath added that it was particularly encouraging that the BBC World Service has a strong position among audiences in some of the fastest-developing economies in Africa, Asia and Latin America.
“As their GDP rises, their trade with the rest of the world is also expected to grow,” he said. “The UK is well placed to benefit from this trend, in part due to the role of institutions such as the BBC in shaping perceptions of the UK and enhancing its international reputation.”
