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Press Releases
BBC Statements of Programme Policy 2007/2008
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The BBC's Statements of Programme Policy (SoPPs) are published online today.
The statements detail, service-by-service, how the BBC will deliver its public service remit across its portfolio over the year ahead.
The priorities outlined for 2007/2008 reflect what audiences have said they want from the BBC.
Mark Thompson, BBC Director-General, says: "About the same time as we launched last year's Statements of Programme Policy, we also launched the Creative Future editorial vision as part of our contribution to the debates around a new charter.
"This vision of a strong, broadly-based BBC, serving all audiences through diverse services, was endorsed. Our new charter confirms this role, but also underlines that the BBC should be accountable to its audiences. Service licences overseen by the BBC Trust join SoPPs as key ways of ensuring this.
"Creative Future provides a broad vision, which now has to be revisited and translated into service strategies in light of the licence fee settlement. In the meantime, we still have ongoing ambitions for what we hope to achieve in each genre area and across our portfolio of services, and these are outlined in the SoPPs.
"The College of Journalism website, a dialogue about values and journalistic approaches, is open to all staff, and will – like many simple ideas – punch above its weight and have real impact on our news, current affairs, politics and other factual output on television, radio and online.
"We are already seeing benefits: the BBC has been the only UK broadcaster to have a continuous presence in Baghdad since 2003, and, as well as maintaining its impartial reporting from the heart of the conflict for audiences, we recently held an Iraq week, including a special edition of Question Time and a poll conducted in Iraq, that refreshed coverage of this important news story.
"But not every programme is about massive impact or enduring legacy. In drama, while EastEnders will continue to tackle life issues, it will primarily entertain, as will the five-part serial Cranford and CBBC's Desperados, featuring the trials and triumphs of a wheelchair basketball team.
"In music, BBC Electric Proms will return after a successful debut in 2006, while Bob Dylan will continue to share his musical tastes with his 6 Music listeners in Theme Time Radio. And more sports will be scheduled when viewers want them now that they are no longer restricted to Saturday's Grandstand slot.
"We aim to create audience value through existing programmes and services, and by developing new ones. The BBC's new on-demand services have received provisional approval (subject to meeting certain conditions from the BBC Trust), and we will be seeking approval to launch other new services, such as a high definition TV service and a digital Gaelic language channel to meet real audience need in Scotland.
"Some of the money to invest in new services comes from savings made elsewhere – an estimated £100million will, in effect, be a new fund for content and services this year.
"We will take new service strategies to the BBC Trust for approval in the autumn, when some of the commitments made in these SoPPs may be reviewed."
Notes to Editors
Under the Communications Act 2003, each public service broadcaster must produce an annual statement identifying its commitments for delivering its public service remit in the year ahead. This is the sixth set of BBC statements.
The terms under which the BBC is required to produce statements for its public services are covered in the Revised Agreement with the Secretary of State approved by Parliament in December 2003.
It is the sole responsibility of the Board of Governors to monitor the BBC's performance against the statements and report their conclusions.
The regulatory programming quotas placed on the BBC which are monitored by Ofcom are in addition to SoPPs commitments.
These are measured by Ofcom on a calendar year basis and compliance reported by the external regulator.
The BBC Trust – which replaced the BBC Board of Governors in January 2007 – will monitor the BBC's performance against these statements and will publish their findings in the Annual Report and Accounts 2007/2008.
The BBC's accounting year runs from 1 April to 31 March.
BBC Press Office
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