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BBC's desire to experiment with new technology could weaken its output, say licence fee payers
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be the first to commentPosted by Ian Burrell The Independent 14 January
The BBC’s desire to embrace online news streaming and other initiatives is being questioned by licence fee payers who fear that the broadcaster will weaken its existing output in its enthusiasm for new technology. A public consultation by the BBC Trust found that many respondents were concerned by the BBC’s “new ideas” including the mobile-focused streaming service BBC Newstream. “People are very attached to the BBC’s current news provision and are therefore concerned about major changes to these services,” the Trust said.
It uncovered fears that “the additional investment in Newstream will lead to cuts to the BBC’s existing news output”. The findings follow suggestions that the BBC News Channel could follow the youth-orientated BBC3 in becoming an online only service. “There is a strong feeling that new ideas, if realised, should come as additions to existing services, rather than replacing them,” the Trust said, after consulting 12,000 people.
“I find new technology increasingly scary and difficult to understand and use,” one woman over 65 told the survey. “I know many others of my friends and people of around my age and older just want the old things to remain.”
The BBC is anxious to be at the forefront of media technology. Director-General Tony Hall said in September, when he launched the BBC’s “British, Bold, Creative” proposals, that BBC Newstream would take rolling news “into the palm of your hand”.
He said: “The BBC must modernise to preserve and enhance what is best about public service broadcasting to ensure we continue to have a BBC that is British, bold and creative.”
DATELINE: 16 January, 2016
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