The Stage

BBC needs more ambition and range in its drama output, trust says

Published Tuesday 14 July 2009 at 13:26 by Matthew Hemley

The BBC Trust has called on the Corporation to improve its drama output by commissioning shows that “show greater range and creative ambition”.

In its review and assessment of the BBC during 2008/9, which forms part of the publication today of the BBC’s annual report, the trust said BBC1 remained the UK’s most watched channel, but said the channel could be doing more in its drama output.

“Last year we highlighted the need for BBC1 to refresh its drama and entertainment programming. New drama series such as Criminal Justice and The Diary of Anne Frank gained high appreciation levels. However, we believe there remain opportunities for BBC television, including BBC1, to develop new dramas which are high in quality and show greater range and creative ambition,” the trust said.

In terms of comedy on BBC1, the trust said “meeting audience expectations for high quality pre-watershed comedy remains a challenge” and added that audiences’ perceptions that BBC1 is the best channel for comedy “have dropped”.

Elsewhere, the trust said BBC2 should be providing programmes “of depth and substance”, which audiences see as “genuinely different from BBC1”.

It said “certain parts of the schedule have achieved this”, but added the channel could do more to “provide a more consistently distinct offering from other television channels”.

For full story see this week’s print edition of The Stage.