
More UK programmes on the BBC
13 October 2017
Stronger rules for original UK shows, including during peak time
BBC must spend broadly the same on programmes, per head, in every nation
New quotas in areas including arts, music, comedy and childrens
The BBC must broadcast more original UK programmes under new rules designed to ensure the broadcaster offers high-quality, distinctive programmes for its entire audience.
Viewers have told Ofcom that programmes made in the UK are important to them.[1] Original content can also help the BBC meet duties under its new Charter, which include being distinctive, creative and reflecting the UK's diverse communities.
So, from next year, we are requiring at least three quarters (75%) of all programme hours on the BBC's most popular TV channels to be original productions, commissioned by the BBC for UK audiences reaching 90% during peak' evening hours on BBC One and BBC Two.[2]
There will be new requirements on Radio 1 and Radio 2 to play a broader range of music than commercial stations, and more music from new and emerging UK artists. The children's channels CBBC and CBeebies must respectively show at least 400 and 100 hours of brand new, UK-commissioned programmes each year.
A BBC for the whole UKThe rules are part of a new operating licence for the BBC, published today the first since Ofcom became the BBC's first independent, external regulator in April.
Ofcom wants all parts of the UK to be accurately reflected, and invested in, by the BBC. So the licence also requires more BBC content to be made across the UK and in the nations.
At least half of network hours on the BBC's television channels will be made outside of London,[3] with separate minimum quotas for each UK nation, broadly reflecting their population size. We are also launching a review of guidance on programmes made outside London, which aims to help ensure that such programming supports and strengthens production in the UK's nations and regions.
Under its new licence, BBC One and BBC Two must also, between them, broadcast over 6,000 hours of programmes which are of specific interest to the nations and regions - 95% of which must be made in the areas to which they relate.
And Ofcom will ensure that each of the UK's nations and regions receives a fair share of the BBC's spending on programmes. For the first time, the BBC will be required to spend broadly the same amount on programmes, per head, in all four of the UK's Nations.[4]
Raising the bar on performance
Most of the new requirements raise the bar for what the BBC is required to deliver, rather than simply carry over previous quotas.[5] We have also improved and strengthened some conditions following feedback from our public consultation.
The new licence will:
Strengthen news and current affairs rules. We have increased quotas for news and current affairs on BBC One and Two, and set new conditions for radio. Radio 2 will be required, for the first time, to air at least three hours of news and current affairs in peak time per week, and Radio 1 to broadcast an extended news bulletin in peak time each weekday;
Safeguard vulnerable genres such as arts, music and religious programmes. Our research shows these areas are seen as important for some audiences; but some are in decline. So we have confirmed higher requirements for BBC One and BBC Two to show programmes in these genres, including a new requirement to broadcast some during peak viewing times. We have also introduced a condition to safeguard comedy programmes on BBC One and BBC Two for the first time;
Support a wide range of valued genres. The Government's BBC Agreement sets out genres that the BBC must support across its channels and services, such as drama, comedy, factual programmes and different types of music. Ofcom expects the BBC to support valued genres, particularly those that have seen declining investment. We also expect it to continue producing programmes on a broad range of established themes and interests including among others programmes covering politics, business, consumer issues, rural affairs, health, disability and social action; and
Support social action campaigns on BBC radio. We are requiring Radio 1 to offer a minimum number of major social action campaigns each year. Raising awareness of social issues among younger people and providing a platform on which to engage is one of the key ways Radio 1 can set itself apart from other radio stations.
BBC must improve diversityAll audiences should feel the BBC offers something for them. But Ofcom's research shows that several groups feel that the BBC doesn't sufficiently represent their interests or lives.[6] Last month, our report on Diversity and equal opportunities in television revealed that many groups are also under-represented in the BBC's workforce, and across the industry.
Ofcom expects the BBC, as the national broadcaster, to lead the way in addressing under-representation. So today's operating licence includes a range of new requirements to ensure, for the first time, the BBC is publicly accountable for achieving its workforce diversity targets. These include 15% of staff to be from ethnic minority groups, and 50% of all staff and leadership roles to be held by women by 2020.
For the first time, the BBC will be publicly accountable for achieving its workforce diversity targets. These include 15% of staff to be from ethnic minority groups and 50% of all staff and leadership roles to be held by women by 2020. We are requiring the BBC to report in detail to Ofcom each year on progress towards achieving these targets because high levels of transparency and accountability are essential to achieve positive change. The BBC must report data for its UK public services, which will exclude the World Service and its commerci
Most recent headlines
13/03/2025
WASHINGTON FCC Chairman Brendan Carr announced that the agency has launched a massive, new deregulatory initiative that could potentially subject virtually all ...
13/03/2025
SUNNYVALE, Calif. SDVI has announced that it has integrated its Rally media supply chain management platform with the Spectra Vail multi-cloud data management s...
13/03/2025
ATLANTA Gray Media has announced that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has granted a waiver of its local ownership rules to permit Gray Media to acqu...
13/03/2025
TV Tech: What do you anticipate will be the most significant technology trends at the 2025 NAB Show?...
13/03/2025
Watch Student Naomi Soleils Folk Pop Performance on The Voice The songwriting major sang Stars by Grace Potter and the Nocturnals during the blind auditions.
...
12/03/2025
O Spotify acaba de lan ar o relat rio Loud & Clear deste ano, uma vis o transpar...
12/03/2025
Spotify acaba de presentar el informe Loud & Clear de este a o, una mirada trans...
12/03/2025
Ramadan, a period of profound spiritual significance for Muslims worldwide, is a time for fasting, prayer, reflection, and community. Enrich your experience thi...
12/03/2025
Spotify has just unveiled this year's Loud & Clear report, a transparent loo...
12/03/2025
More than 70% of FAST programming has been produced since 2010, according to new Gracenote report
NEW YORK March 12, 2025 Gracenote, the content data busin...
12/03/2025
GEONA, Nev. Independent digital and linear advertising rep firm Viamedia will adopt cloud-based ShowSeeker Pilot as its primary ad campaign and order management...
12/03/2025
BRUSSELS Mediagenix has announced that Wael Yasin has joined the company as sales director Central Europe....
12/03/2025
LONDON A new study highlights opportunities for shoppable TV and the massive impact online consumer spending is having on the economy, with Omdia predicting tha...
12/03/2025
CUPERTINO, Calif. Interra Systems has announced that Comcast Technology Solutions has integrated recent updates to BATON Version 9 into its operations....
12/03/2025
Nevion announces new 400G addition to its eMerge SDN media fabric offering
Brie Clayton March 12, 2025
0 Comments
High-capacity switch enhances existi...
12/03/2025
DaVinci Resolve Studio Delivers Cinematic Sound for Adam Bol
Brie Clayton March 12, 2025
0 Comments
Feature film relies on DaVinci Resolve Studio for ...
12/03/2025
SVT Leverages Ateliere Live to Pioneer 100% Software-Defined Production at Rally...
12/03/2025
Berklee Awards Fenway Neighborhood Improvement Grant to Four Organizations A total of $17,000 will be distributed among the Boston-based nonprofits.
By
Madd...
12/03/2025
TVBEuropes Jenny Priestley sits down with new SMPTE president Richard Welsh to discuss his aims for the organisation going forward, its efforts to attract a you...
12/03/2025
The new process has significantly enhanced operational efficiencies, with automation freeing up creators to concentrate on higher value tasks
By Matthew Corrig...
12/03/2025
Jellyfish Pictures, which has offices in London and Sheffield, said it has been battling hard in the face of strong headwinds over the last 12 months
By Jenny ...
12/03/2025
Visit Booth #W2213 to Experience the Latest in AI-Driven Content Discovery and Workflow Automation
Bitcentral, a leader in media workflow solutions, is set to ...
12/03/2025
CHICAGO Jeff Lilly has been named WGN-TV director of technology effective March 17, 2025, according to Ric Harris, WGN-TV vice president and general manager....
12/03/2025
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. A new study from LG Ad Solutions indicates that consumers want more features that would allow them to shop for products on the connected T...
12/03/2025
BOTHELL, Wash. The Alliance for IP Media Solutions (AIMS), Advanced Media Workflow Association (AMWA) and the Video Services Forum (VSF) will once again present...
12/03/2025
PHILADELPHIA Comcast announced that it has upgraded Xfinity Internet speeds for more than 20 million customers for no additional cost....
12/03/2025
Create with Maxon: Cinema 4D Fundamentals Workshop - March 12-14
Brie Clayton March 11, 2025
0 Comments
Makin' Waffles with Elly Wade
During Marc...
12/03/2025
Ottawa, Canada - March 12, 2025 - Ross Video is pleased to announce the appointment of Aaron Tunnell as Business Development Director, Cloud Solutions, reinforc...
12/03/2025
12 Mar 2025
VEON to release 4Q 2024 trading update on 20 March 2025 Dubai, 12 March 2025 - VEON Ltd. (NASDAQ: VEON), a global digital operator, today confirms ...
12/03/2025
Getting set for the Winter Olympics: Inside SVT's ongoing software-based pro...
12/03/2025
THE PLAYERS Championship 2025: AI Commentary, Shared-Reality Viewing at COSM, La...
12/03/2025
Seamless SMPTE 2110: A Discussion on Making the Move to IP Less Painful Leaders from Netflix, Monumental Sports & Entertainment, LinkedI, and Megapixel address ...
12/03/2025
Opening Doors of Perception: Meta's Ajit Ninan on Rethinking AR/MR Perceptua...
12/03/2025
With the 2025 Formula 1 season set to begin in Melbourne on March 16, Sky Sports is gearing up to deliver its most comprehensive F1 coverage yet. Following a th...
12/03/2025
Unicanal and Trece TV revolutionize Digital TV in Paraguay with Rohde & Schwarz ...
12/03/2025
Honoring Service, Celebrating Sport: Rohde & Schwarz UK Sponsors NavyFit Rugby D...
12/03/2025
New HVS-Q12 Represents a Quantum Leap in Switcher Design...
12/03/2025
Telespazio and ABS Expand Partnership to Deliver Tailored C-Band Connectivity So...
12/03/2025
ABC conducts independent audits across the TAG programs. In the March 2025 TAG s...
12/03/2025
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Moonlight: ESA program to create a satellite con...
12/03/2025
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
In 2025, Thales ranks among the top 0.01% of the...
12/03/2025
Consumer show back following hugely successful first series
10 March 2025 Following a hugely successful first series, The Complaints Bureau returns to RT ...
11/03/2025
By Lucy Spicer
One of the most exciting things about the Sundance Film Festival...
11/03/2025
Salsa is making a comeback, captivating new listeners with its infectious energy...
11/03/2025
For many people, music can serve as a reflection of their roots and upbringing. ...
11/03/2025
The solution delivers reliable, scalable and secure connectivity for critical pu...
11/03/2025
SAN JOSE, Calif. Harmonic has announced that Weigel Broadcasting has deployed Harmonics VOS Media Software, which offers playout-to-delivery capabilities, inclu...
11/03/2025
NEW BERN, N.C. Wheatstone will introduce a Linux audio driver for its WheatNet IP audio network during the 2025 NAB Show, April 5-9, at the Las Vegas Convention...
11/03/2025
NEW YORK A new study finds that as TV viewership for women's sports surged by 131% in 2024, the programming also saw a 56% year-over-year increase in ad im...
11/03/2025
Powerful switcher for news studio
FOR-A, a cutting-edge video broadcast technology company backed by more than 50 years experience, has installed its HVS-1200 ...