The Stage

ITV to reassess public service commitment to arts

Published Tuesday 1 June 2004 at 12:25 by Joanna Taylor

Arts programming on ITV is under review following a decision by the network’s chief executive Mick Desmond to begin a reassesment of its public service obligations.

Speaking at a Westminster Media Forum on Ofcom’s ongoing re-examination of PSB, Desmond referred to the first phase of the regulator’s report, which revealed that the public were not convinced by the need for arts and religious programmes. He described them as “costly but little valued”.

The report also recommended scrapping the ‘box-ticking’ rules requiring broadcasters to air specific amounts of those types of programmes.

Desmond has now expressed his desire to focus on news, current affairs and regional programming, urging the BBC to re-establish itself as the “standard bearer” of PSB.

He said: “We agree with Ofcom’s assertion that [ITV’s PSB] role should be built around the public service aspects of ITV’s service most valued by viewers - news, regional news, major investment in original UK programming, made all around the UK.

“But, as Ofcom rightly observes, if we want to sustain ITV1’s most powerful contribution to PSB, we need to start modernising the service sooner rather than later.”

He added that the growth of multichannel television is putting increasing pressure on the ability of ITV1 to fund its PSB requirements, especially those areas which research shows are least valued by viewers.

Desmond has compounded the fears of leading television campaigner Jocelyn Hay who, last month, warned that proposals in the report to relax ITV and Channel 5’s PSB obligations could signal the end of arts and religion on those stations.

She criticised the report saying that she could find no evidence of Ofcom’s determination to ensure these genres remain an “integral part of British broadcasting”.

Under the current system, ITV has to air 365 hours of news and current affairs, 104 hours of religion and 39 hours of arts per year, which chief executive Charles Allen has claimed costs the broadcaster £400 million per annum.