Yesterday, a report into the BBC"s online services was released. It concluded that some of the corporation"s websites exceeded it"s public service remit. As such, they would have to be closed. The report also urged the corporation re-think it"s online strategy, and have 25% of the content being produced by 3rd parties by 2006. I"m personally disapointed with the report. The BBC is a great public service body, and their online offering is excellent. To cut it back is a pitty and a shame.
"Amazingly, Philip Graf seems to have pleased everyone with his report into the BBC"s online services - which has led to the corporation being given four months to redefine its remit for them. Tessa Jowell, the Culture Secretary, called it "authoritative and constructive". The BBC board of governors said it was "insightful" and contained "sensible recommendations".
He even managed to satisfy BBC Online"s commercial rivals, who"ve been complaining for years that the publicly-funded service was damaging their businesses. Hugo Drayton, the chairman of the British Internet Publishers Alliance, said: "This is long overdue. We"ve been banging on the doors of the BBC governors and the government for six years and at last we"ve been listened to.
"I"m appalled it has taken so long but it"s great that the BBC have climbed down and agreed to close some of their sites."