Trust to examine BBC’s participation in YouView

The BBC Trust has begun a review examining how well the BBC’s involvement in broadband television service YouView is meeting the conditions set by the Trust.

Launched in July 2012, YouView is a joint venture between the BBC and six other partners: ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5, BT, TalkTalk and Arqiva.

In June 2010, the Trust approved the BBC’s involvement in YouView. The approval was given subject to a number of conditions which would be reviewed 12 months after launch, to ensure that BBC participation remains consistent with the terms of the Trust’s approval.

The Trust’s review will conclude this autumn and will focus on the following areas:

• The availability of access and usability features that will allow those who are blind or partially sighted or who suffer from moderate motor skills impairment to use the service.
• The use of ‘editorial signposting’ to allow audiences to make informed choices about the content they watch.
• Syndication – whether the BBC’s involvement in YouView has had an impact on other public service broadcasters in the approach they take to making their programme content available to other platforms.
• The way in which YouView is promoted by its partners (with particular reference to BBC activity, which is subject to the BBC code on cross promotion).

Diane Coyle, BBC Trustee said: “We put in place conditions to ensure the public got the greatest possible benefit from YouView. Now almost 400,000 YouView boxes have been sold, this review is an opportunity to check that the conditions are working as they should.”