The Stage

Thompson offsets BBC cull plan with programme investment pledge

Published Tuesday 7 December 2004 at 14:45 by Liz Thomas

BBC director-general Mark Thompson has promised further investment in original drama, comedy and family entertainment with more commissions to commercial producers, following the announcements of cuts designed to save £320 million across the Corporation.

In a radical plan aiming to safeguard the organisation in a future increasingly dominated by digital services, more than 2,900 staff are to go and cost cutting measures introduced in order to invest in new programmes, better content and ensure fewer peaktime repeats.

Thompson unveiled proposals to create a so-called ‘Window of Creative Competition’ making 25% of commissions available to in-house BBC producers, independents or other production houses owned by broadcasters. This will be in addition to the quota set by parliament, requiring that 25% of its commissions be made by independent producers. That will be maintained but the net effect will be to leave in-house producers with a guaranteed minimum of 50% of commissions.

He said: “There is a legitimate case for giving greater and fairer access to independents but I passionately believe a set 50% quota [for independents] would be a mistake. In-house production is one of the great glories of the BBC. It is a critical mass of talent and training which is important to the whole of the UK’s creative industries.”

The BBC has been heavily criticised in the past by both the producers’ trade association Pact and shadow culture secretary John Whittingdale for its persistent failure to meet the independent production quota.

Pact chief executive John McVay recently demanded that the government double the BBC’s independent commission quota and apply this to all programme areas, including soaps and long-running serials. Whittingdale also believes the quota should be raised significantly.

The Thompson initiative follows the Content Supply review led by BBC manager Charles Constable, one of four studies aimed at examine cutting costs across the Corporation, launched when Thompson took up his current post.

Thompson has also proposed commissions from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland be doubled to 17% and that during the next charter half of TV drama should be made outside London, an increase of 20%. Under current proposals, parts of Radio 5 Live, BBC Sport, childrens’s digital channel CBBC and CBeebies and around 1,800 staff are to move to a new centre in Manchester.

The detail and the exact number of the job cuts are not expected to be finalised until March next year, although broadcasting unions have warned of industrial action following any compulsory job cuts.

A Bectu spokesperson said: “We are committed to fighting against compulsory redundancies, regardless of where they fall, and plan to begin negotiations with the BBC later this week.”