2022: Towards 500 million

Page 1 Page 2 FOREWORD

At the end of last year, before I was I also went outside the BBC to hear invited to join the Executive Board from a range of external voices; from of the BBC, James Harding asked other media companies, from social me to look into the role News could networks, and from educational bodies play in helping the BBC reach the amongst others. Everyone I met spoke Director-General’s target of doubling of the high regard they have for the the global reach of the Corporation BBC, and the unique position it has to 500m by 2022. It is an ambitious both within the UK and internationally. target and I was delighted to take on But many spoke, too, of the the task. When James asked me to do frustrations they can encounter when it he knew that, although I have spent trying to work with the Corporation. a great part of my life in the news Out of all these conversations has business, I have never worked for the come this report. Let me be clear BBC and my opinions and conclusions about what this report is and what would be those of an intrigued it isn’t. This is not a blueprint for the outsider. executive to pick up and carry out Over the past few months, I have over the next few years. It is the views spent time getting to get to grips of an outsider as to how, if the BBC with the BBC - a big job. Trying to is committed to doubling its global understand its inner workings has left reach, it might think about doing that Sir Howard Stringer me full of admiration but also, at times, over the coming years. Some of the confusion. I have met programme suggestions are ones that could be makers from the World Service Group enacted immediately and without who have inspired me with their much disruption; others require more creativity, their ambition and their thought and exploration as well as commitment to finding the best way investment. It is now for the executive of serving their audiences. Whether it to take this report up and decide what, was hearing about BBC World News, if any of it, they want to follow up on. the mobile first strategy of the Hausa I have greatly enjoyed the last few service or the innovation in BBC months as I have got to know the inner Trending, I have been impressed by workings of the BBC, and I am grateful all the staff I have met. I spent time to all those who have given up their with staff from BBC Worldwide, too, time, both internal and external, to gaining an invaluable insight into the help me in my task. commercial arm of the BBC.

Page 3 Page 4 introduction

The BBC is the greatest broadcaster The global reputation of the BBC in the world. From drama to has been founded on the World Globalisation entertainment, exploration of the Service and the vital role it plays natural world to news, it delivers in providing accurate and impartial and technological first class programmes and content, news to countries which lack reliable with a reputation for quality that news provision. This mission remains innovation are travels around the globe. For more central to the BBC - and the ambition than 80 years the World Service has to reach an audience of 500 million embodied the core values of the BBC around the world does not change transforming life - impartiality and accuracy - exporting this core commitment. It is important British values of accountability, fairness to remember the benefits the World the world over. and freedom of speech. More recently, Service has brought to domestic the success of BBC exports such as audiences, too - because of it UK Top Gear, Doctor Who and Sherlock audiences have received international has cemented the BBC’s reputation for news coverage characterised by quality, wit, intelligence and originality. greater breadth, greater depth of understanding and greater insight. Globalisation and technological Kofi Annan has spoken of the World innovation are transforming life Service being the UK’s greatest gift the world over. New countries are to the world in the twentieth century rising in global significance, long- - and this should apply for the twenty- established political norms are being first century as well. If the BBC were challenged, and more people than to reach 500 million by diluting the ever before have access to the world mission of the World Service, then it through television and the internet. would have failed. This report explores A new aspirational global middle how the BBC can build on and develop class is developing, not wealthy this crucial role. by the standards of the West but with a new found individualism and So how can the BBC achieve the enough money to give it a consumer Director-General’s target? The first power which will soon be felt the thing to say is that this will need the world over. Meanwhile the explosion whole of the BBC to work together. of information available online has On its own, BBC News currently meant that the value placed on trusted reaches just over 250m a week sources of information and news has internationally. Beyond News there is never been higher. a wealth of amazing content across the BBC. Although this report focuses It is within this context that the on the changes News can make, it Director-General set the ambitious is important to recognise that BBC target of reaching 500 million people Worldwide with its three new brands, a week by the centenary of the BBC in BBC Brit, BBC Earth, and BBC First, 2022. To understand this purely as a will help to drive the BBC’s audience numbers game would be wrong. When reach. With BBC World News, the Tony Hall first spoke of his ambition to BBC’s international 24/7 English double the global audience of the BBC news channel, these can provide he said it would be done by improving an important draw to potential quality. In other words, by making partnerships. content that is so good that half a billion people will want to seek it out wherever they can find it.

Page 5 This report… has introduction CONT. chosen to focus on areas where Much good work is already going ACTION POINTS on within News to increase the transformation Mobile and social first global reach of the audience. World Service English is the cornerstone • Make content first for mobile, and to is necessary - of the World Service Group and will appeal to social audiences continue to be central to the BBC’s • Accelerate move from broadcasting a change in global offer; radio output remains vital on social sites to interacting with and new multiplatform programmes audiences and gathering news such as Outside Source are exciting • Invest resources into a few key mind-set, a developments. WS English remains by services with the greatest potential far the biggest BBC radio network in for digital growth (in particular new service, terms of audience size - a significant Arabic, Brazilian (Portuguese), achievement. In the language services, English, Hindi & Spanish), and give or a different too, experimentation is bearing fruit them licence to innovate. whether it is the mobile first initiative • Invest in providing more video and of the Hausa Service or the social re-versioning it across as many policy. newsgathering of BBC Turkish. New languages as possible language television bulletins are • Establish international opinion forum driving up reach and television will online continue to be central to the BBC over Partnerships the next ten years, as it is currently very effective in driving up reach • Consider a comprehensive and awareness. This report does not partnership with another national or set out to restate what is already international broadcaster, involving underway; instead it has chosen to deeper newsgathering collaboration focus on areas where transformation • Develop more language bulletins to is necessary - a change in mind-set, a be shown on host broadcasters new service, or a different policy. The • Look for opportunities to exploit most important areas for innovation successful BBC programme brands identified are around the digital offer including The One Show and of BBC News, and the approach to Countryfile. partnerships abroad. • Look for joint venture TV opportunities in mature markets BBC News has a formidable history of identifying a need for reliable New opportunities news provision around the world and • The BBC should consider the ensuring it has the technology in opportunities to open at least place to meet that need. This report one new language service for an explores the ways that through a audience facing a severe deficit in greater understanding of the needs of free and impartial news – potentially some audiences, the right responses to Ethiopia (Amharic), or, if a realistic technological change, and a true grasp route to market can be found, North of how best to operate internationally, Korea (Korean) BBC News can build on past principles • Examine the case for a multi-genre to reach an even larger audience in the free to air channel in Africa future. Commercial permissions Focusing primarily on News but • The BBC should review policies spreading more widely where around commercial activities in applicable, this report sets out what markets outside the UK. Specifically, the obligations and opportunities this means looking at: are for the BBC globally, the actions • Native advertising on features needed to take advantage of them, • Reducing internal barriers around and the difficult choices the BBC will sponsorship of globally broadcast need to consider if it really wants to Licence Fee content expand reach - and get to an audience of 500 million across the globe. Page 6 Page 7 the opportunity

CURRENT REACH THE WORLD IN 2022 PLATFORMS: By 2022 mobile Currently, BBC News reaches around 256m around the world with World Mobile broadband is Service, World News and bbc.com/ By 2022 mobile broadband is news. Within this there are big expected to grow by up to 2.5bn expected to grow audiences in South Asia, Africa, the with 1.5bn new users across China Middle East and the US. 40% is in and India, and a further quarter of English, with stories written for many a billion across East Africa, South by up to 2.5bn audiences across the globe. The Africa and Nigeria (with a similar remaining 60% is in other languages growth elsewhere in Africa). These with 1.5bn new and is more tailored to local markets. phones will predominantly be used The weekly reach figures from 2013 by the emerging middle class in those users across China suggest radio reached 145m, television markets – with a level of disposable around 112m and online around 40m; income and access to media. Most of and India, and a clearly the overall figure includes the members of this market segment some overlap. Significant shifts are also expected to be strong social are underway, however, in the way and chat site users, although as chat further quarter of audiences come to the BBC. apps proliferate that audience will be increasingly fragmented. a billion across Overall digital reach for the BBC – News and Worldwide - outside the It is also worth noting that growth UK stood at a peak of around 150m in mobile is found in some of the East Africa, South monthly unique users in March 2014 countries facing a severe deficit in free (a big news month). This is more than and impartial news. For example, in Africa and Nigeria CNN but still less than Buzzfeed’s peak both Burma and Afghanistan amongst of 160m, and only the same as the younger audiences there is a small but (with a similar MailOnline’s 150m monthly audience significant increase in mobile access in English alone. Given Buzzfeed, for which looks set to grow over the example, was only founded in 2006, coming years. growth elsewhere this raises the question of why the BBC’s global digital reach is not more TV & radio in Africa). significant. The BBC digital offer is split TV access will also grow in most across English (which forms the largest developing markets, taking media segment) and languages sites. Many consumption from radio, which of the latter are small teams stretched will become much more local and across multiple platforms with digital entertainment driven. Audio will still reach so small as to barely show in be important but is expected to move their own markets, although they are mostly to smartphones as part of a growing quickly. It is impossible to multimedia digital offer; having said escape the conclusion that the BBC is that re-broadcaster distribution will punching well below its weight in the continue to be a valuable route to digital world. If the target weekly reach audiences in some markets. of 500 million is to be met, digital is going to be very important and a step change needs to be made to make the most of it.

Page 8 the opportunity CONT.

Potential market sizes in 2022 TV Market Broadband Market (Adult population who can access that Mandarin 88 (Sat only) 719 platform – millions) India (Hindi + English) 453 393 (Combined Informa & World Bank data, *Estimate only) Spanish Latin America 265 252 Indonesia 134 174 MARKETS Brazil 133 153 Taking that projected growth in mobile Arabic* 160 100 broadband access and television, the Africa (English) 114 144 BBC projections for market growth are as follows: Pakistan 86 67 Bangladesh 59 48 English (global market segment, plus Hausa 29 42 specific markets in India, Africa and the US) • Has the potential to see a significant Swahili 28 39 growth in market size (c. 50%) with many of those being language Africa Alongside languages the Global learners who are typical aspirant • English, Hausa and Swahili markets English population alone is estimated audiences more likely to have an have strong BBC heritage and to grow to about 1.5bn (including interest in BBC news. are the markets with the best foreign language learners). South Asia penetration. • In a TV and Digital age it should be • The largest area of mobile possible to maintain that high level broadband growth. of penetration through a strong • This market has a BBC heritage but mobile offer and by launching a TV currently only very moderate levels channel into the relatively immature of penetration. market to convert the existing • The television market for news in audience. However as radio reach India is already very crowded with is likely to decline this will preserve around 200 news channels. currently large reach in the area • Focus on the large languages – rather than delivering significant Hindi, English for Asia, Tamil, Bangla, additional reach. Urdu – could see at least 50% • There are also markets in Africa increase in reach. in which the BBC currently has no presence but could be worth exploring on the grounds of languages of need.

Page 9 In 2022, audiences the opportunity CONT. facing a severe deficit in free and Latin America AUDIENCES impartial news • Market with limited BBC brand The BBC’s global audience, across all awareness and low penetration platforms, sits in two large categories. will still be at the levels. The first: people living in the countries • Latin America has a diverse and of greatest need, places where choice well developed media scene of news media is restricted by poverty, heart of the BBC’s although little global news provision oppression or lack of a functioning potentially creating an opportunity state. The second: developed and global mission. for the BBC. developing media markets. In the • Potential to provide significant latter, the audience breaks down into a growth on current BBC reach. large and growing audience of young China & Indonesia people (18-34) in developing countries, as well as an audience of older and • Markets with limited BBC brand wealthier people worldwide. awareness and low penetration levels. Audiences with the greatest need • China is important but is also the most challenging of markets for In 2022, audiences facing a severe news, and for the time being looks deficit in free and impartial news will set to remain that way. still be at the heart of the BBC’s global • Indonesia offers the potential for mission. The majority of these are in significant digital growth at relatively Africa, where the BBC broadcasts low cost. in Arabic, English, French, Hausa • Despite China’s challenge, with the (northern Nigeria), and Somali; but right product both markets have also include markets such as Burma potential to provide significant and Afghanistan. In many of these growth on current BBC reach. markets the BBC is a provider of both local news - about the country and Middle East region – and global news. In these • Through the successful Arabic countries of need, the BBC should channel, the BBC has a high level of be committed to maintaining the penetration in this market. current level of services, although the • There is the opportunity to grow languages served may change over this through population growth and time. increased access to broadband, There are currently some countries however significant further with no access to reliable news that penetration with news-only content the BBC is not reaching and could is unlikely. consider. It is worth looking at Africa. For example, with at least 93 million people, Ethiopia is the second most populous country in Africa. A service in the national language Amharic, could reach a significant number. Elsewhere too there are still a number of countries where media freedom is curtailed, including North Korea which is generally accepted to have one of the least free media industries in the world. Although there are significant obstacles put in place by the government, an impartial, accurate news service would be enormously valuable to the people of North Korea.

Page 10 Moreover the the opportunity CONT. internet is fundamentally a The emerging global middle class FOCUS FOR THE BBC FOR 2022 social experience There is also a significant growing Given that broad picture of market middle class audience in the growth and where the audience will for this audience developing world which the BBC be, what should the focus be for the should be reaching, and must reach BBC? if it is to achieve the target set down which wants news by the Director-General. In these • The combination of the growth in countries, there is often good and mobile broadband and the growth that both informs diverse local news provision but a lack in the young, aspiring global middle of in-depth international news on offer. class dictates that the BBC must focus on serving the needs of that and has social This audience breaks down into two audience in whichever market it is distinct groups: an older, wealthier operating in. currency. audience which primarily comes to • Continuing to serve audiences news through television and a younger with the greatest need: the BBC audience for which the internet is World Service must continue to increasingly the primary source serve audiences around the world of news. Moreover the internet is where reliable, impartial news isn’t fundamentally a social experience for available. Resources in existing this audience which wants news that services should be maintained, both informs and has social currency. although the World Service must This mobile audience is looking for keep an open mind about whether immediacy (breaking news) and it is serving the right audiences diversion. The choice of stories needs and should consider creating to be shaped by users’ changing new services where necessary. habits across the day: shorter stories Specifically, the BBC should explore in the morning, longer in the evening. opportunities to open a service in International stories need to be big Amharic for Ethiopia and continue to (the Arab Spring, Russia’s annexation consider whether there is a way to of Crimea) in order to seem as serve the population of North Korea important as more local news. • Investing in markets with the largest growth potential: to serve global audiences as effectively as possible the BBC needs the best offer in the languages with greatest reach. It should aim to invest in digital leadership and TV presence in: • Hindi, Bengali and Urdu for South Asia • Spanish and Portuguese for Latin America • English (and less heavily Hausa) for Africa • Global English, in particular digital services • China – through English learning • Indonesian – a lower investment but with high digital potential

Page 11 Page 12 Principles for getting TO 500m

BE A DIGITAL LEADER Within that, the BBC must pick its digital champions based on a Any hope of reaching 500 million is combination of the biggest markets going to rely heavily on a successful and markets where there are digital strategy and this means the interesting opportunities for growth. BBC has to be a digital leader – and The BBC has identified the following not a broadcaster with a digital add- top languages: on. With an estimated 2-2.5bn people gaining access to mobile broadband in the next 10 years, the potential gains Current biggest services Markets with digital growth opportunities for the BBC are enormous. Global English Hindi This won’t happen with the current Spanish in Latin America Hausa (Nigeria) BBC digital offer. The BBC has the Brazil Urdu advantage of great journalists, a breadth of content across languages Arabic Turkish and English sites, access to domestic Persian Indonesian BBC technology investments and, as Russian China – but with restrictions an organisation, a heritage in video. And yet despite all these advantages the BBC is, currently punching below From these languages a number its weight digitally. The language sites should be prioritised in terms of are growing quickly, but from such a resource, with the biggest resource low base that their reach and market going to the largest markets, i.e. penetration continues to be minimal. English, Latin America, Arabic and BBC.com has a good starting position Hindi. The BBC must also prioritise but will have to innovate and grow between platforms. At the moment, significantly from its current position some of the key language services risk if it is to take its place at the centre of being held back because resources the BBC’s global English offer. are spread too thinly across different Key to success in the digital space is platforms. Language services must going to be the speed and boldness have the freedom to prioritise key with which the BBC moves. Within platforms and move resources News, after a strong start, the BBC has accordingly. not been as fast to innovate online as In some language services where the other news providers. If it is to take potential for the current website is advantage of the growth in mobile limited, different approaches should broadband, the BBC must be quick to be taken to use the resources most spot trends and to understand how efficiently. Focusing on podcasts or social is developing. making a home solely on social media To take advantage of this great sites could be more effective in some opportunity, the BBC needs to focus markets. Curating re-versioned global on the following: stories from major language sites using external translation or in-time Prioritise mobile automation could both expand the offer and free up resources. It is worth Fundamentally, the BBC has to shift noting, however, that were the BBC its focus from putting traditional to go down this latter route, there is a broadcasting first to putting mobile risk that the product would not be of a first. By 2022, the BBC should be high enough quality to cut through in mobile first in every market outside a competitive market where the BBC the UK. currently has little purchase.

Page 13 The conundrum

Principles for getting to 500m CONT. for the BBC is how it turns Once it has prioritised languages The answer lies in encouraging and resourced teams, the BBC needs journalists across all services to recognition into to tailor its content for mobile. This respond to the shifting needs and means identifying the interests of the tastes of a specific audience. To be greater reach. audience and tailoring the news offer as effective as possible in serving to reach those; the young aspiring audiences online journalists must have classes are more interested in softer, the freedom to tailor their output or ‘near news’ content which has to appeal to them. The headline has social currency, such as entertainment, to cut through, and the tone and technology trends, health, and storytelling must be relevant to the accessible business stories. The target audience, encouraging them to publishing cycle should be continuous return. and the writing of the stories should This is not about dumbing down. It is be punchy and concise, reflecting the about having an acute understanding way the audience reads stories on of the audience and making news mobile. relevant to them in the same way Newsbeat and Newsround write stories Maximise social online which, while never deviating For the audiences the BBC is trying from the core journalistic values of to reach globally – both in markets the BBC, present each story in a way of need and emerging middle class which is particularly relevant and markets – social media, accessed engaging for the target audience. on mobile, is increasingly of crucial importance. Whether it is the global In the main markets the BBC is English market, students in Burma or targeting, there should also be young professionals in India, social investment in social newsgathering. networks are hugely important in BBC Turkish has led the way terms both of access to news and experimenting with this in the BBC passing news on. If the BBC is to and in 2013 it had an average of 22% successfully deliver news to this of direct traffic from social media, as audience, it needs to crack social news opposed to 4% for bbc.com/news. provision. Optimise video The key to this is conquering social In a digital world, video integrated into sharing which, in turn, is dependent a news story is increasingly crucial for on a good understanding of the success. The BBC is in a very strong audience. Take a look at the approach position to offer great video content; of Buzzfeed. Buzzfeed’s impressive it has an enviable news archive and 140-160 million monthly unique users a formidable number of reporters worldwide has been built up on the around the world. There is already principle of social sharing; that is: some very impressive work going on people passing stories on to friends including by the Global Video Unit and those friends coming to read which reversions material from World them on the Buzzfeed website. By Service languages. But more must be comparison, whilst the BBC is the most done. tweeted news organisation globally, this doesn’t automatically translate into hits on the website in the same way as Buzzfeed. The conundrum for the BBC is how it turns that recognition into greater reach.

Page 14 The BBC cannot

Principles for getting to 500m CONT. offer an opinion of its own but it could The BBC needs to make it a priority In terms of the English language site, to have great video; this means the BBC needs to think about how it – and - should ensuring archive video is used can add character and personality. wherever possible, but also making The BBC cannot offer an opinion explore curating sure reporters in the field know that of its own but it could – and should their first priority is to provide video – explore curating opinion online. opinion online. for online. The crucial point here is One idea the BBC should explore is that the digital audience does not hosting an international op-ed page have the same expectations of video on its website. This could host a range as the audience for an evening news of opinions from world leaders and television bulletin; the video should globally interesting voices which have immediacy, relevance and bring together debate and insight. character. The BBC’s global reputation helps it get significant interviews and there Distinctive offer is no reason why a BBC international Underpinning all this is the need for opinion service should not have the the digital offer to have character that same draw for international figures. will punch through to the audience. In terms of the language services, Within the UK, BBC News has the desire to provide a distinctive distinctive programme brands with a offer should allow the opportunity strong, defining character. Often that for a radical re-think of how services character is defined by the presenter in big markets are run. They are still or presenters, but it also comes from small in country and, therefore, have the choice of stories, the range of more freedom to act like start-ups, guests, the diversity of opinion and aiming to disrupt the market. In this the tailoring of the output to the context, language services should aim intended audience. These programmes to have an acute understanding of adhere to BBC values but interpret their audience, an agenda that serves impartiality as a representation of a that audience, and the technology good range of opinion rather than not to respond quickly to the audience’s having any opinion at all. Online, the needs. Each service should be given BBC has taken a different approach. the freedom to create an offer which It presents itself with the neutral tone truly serves its target audience. If the of a news bulletin. When looking at audience the BBC is targeting in these the competition online, it is clear that markets is young and aspirational, the the sites that are growing quickly service the BBC is providing needs to – whether it is Vice or Buzzfeed or be agile and responsive to serve the Upworthy – are the ones that have a audience’s changing habits. really distinctive character.

Page 15 The BBC needs to

Principles for getting to 500m CONT. find ways to do the partnerships that PARTNERSHIPS Mobile partnerships On mobile having your app in front have been seen as To be truly ambitious about how wide of a user has become key to getting an audience can be reached, the BBC their attention and commitment. That ‘too hard work’. must open up to partnerships. It will makes mobile operators (as well as need to use the brand resonance it social sites) important gatekeepers. already has to form partnerships to There are real opportunities to generate more localised content and build partnerships with mobile to distribute it more widely. Building operators (and potentially handset on existing partnership experience manufacturers) to pre-load BBC news the BBC needs to find ways to do the apps onto handsets in some key partnerships that have been seen as markets. To do that the BBC News ‘too hard work’, while keeping the apps in those languages or for those editorial independence that creates markets must stand out. That will that brand appeal. mean investing in development and Social partnerships in video content (the draw for mobile operators looking for subscribers to Although much of what the BBC start to use data) for a small number of can do on social and chat apps key languages, such as Turkish, where does not need a formal partnership, there is already operator interest. building better relationships can make a genuine difference to what Television partnerships it can achieve. Chat app providers Television is one of the most powerful have shown a willingness to work ways to reach new audiences around with the BBC in multiple markets to the world. There are three principal make it easier for their users to get ways the BBC could explore this area: BBC content. But at other times the BBC has shown an unwillingness to • A deeper approach to collaboration work with digital organisations on with other national or international collaborative projects. While these news organisations. Drawing on their may not have had a significant direct journalists to make BBC reporting impact on reach they are the kind of better and using the BBC’s global opportunity that marks the BBC out network of reporters to give them as either a potential partner or too a different international dimension, difficult to deal with. The BBC should and increase the BBC’s exposure. aim to build working partnership • Developing more international news relationships with all big and all the bulletins to be broadcast on host significantly growing new social and broadcasters; this is an extension of chat apps, looking for opportunities to the current model operated by the improve or promote content for those TV Unit in Global News which has audiences proved very effective in extending reach. The TV Unit currently serves nine languages by translating a core of BBC content from English, as well as making programmes in a variety of lengths. It supplies content to partner stations as well as streaming video online on BBC websites. Bespoke bulletins could be made more frequently (say twice daily) and delivered in other languages. The TV Unit strongly believes that there would be demand for this from partners.

Page 16 BBC should…

Principles for getting to 500m CONT. build on its most successful – and • In mature markets of Latin America NEW OPPORTUNITIES and India look for opportunities unique – ‘near New language services for co-branded channels. There are clear challenges here; BBC editorial As set out earlier, serving audiences news brands’… independence is essential and in who otherwise have no access markets that limit foreign ownership to accurate and impartial news is The One Show… editorial control must be clear and absolutely fundamental to the global the risks carefully managed. But proposition of the BBC and it is crucial for those big and costly markets it the BBC keeps assessing whether it is Countryfile. can give the BBC a way to reach serving the right audiences. audiences it couldn’t afford to This report has had neither the time otherwise. Existing interest from nor resource to investigate fully the media organisations shows the feasibility of new services but a couple potential here. of areas stand out as worth exploring. Away from direct news provision, two Firstly, in Africa there are a number additional strategies for extending of languages the BBC could consider. television reach should be explored. For example, in Ethiopia, a service in Firstly, the BBC should look to build the national language Amharic, could on its most successful – and unique - reach 5 million Ethiopians weekly. ‘near news’ brands, seeking partners to Given where the market is, it could make them for local language markets. make sense for this to initially be a This builds on the recently announced simple mobile model developing into global version of Newsbeat. Two a mobile driven digital offer. North that stand out are The One Show, Korea remains one of the least open rightly known for its mix of celebrity, countries in the world. Given the entertainment and current affairs, lengths the government goes to in and Countryfile. In addition, the BBC order to block outside media, the BBC should look for more opportunities to needs to continue to consider how it produce Newsround internationally. could best serve the population, either Newsround is a unique proposition, with a news service on radio or digital offering comprehensive coverage of or through other BBC services such as world news tailored to 6-12 year olds. English language teaching. In each case, it would be cost-effective to reversion films produced for the domestic outlet in different languages and to work with a local partner to build the content around those films. Additionally, the rise of video aggregation opportunities online offers the BBC new, simplified, ways to engage with a large number of smaller partners. If it were to focus on increasing the amounts of its own video it creates, there is an opportunity to extend reach and awareness by syndicating a selection of that widely available through such aggregators. The BBC would be the provider of content even if it does not own the distribution, although some control would still be essential.

Page 17 One significant

Principles for getting to 500m CONT. new television opportunity for New television opportunities English language learning As stated in the introduction, television The Chinese market remains a the BBC… is central to the strategy of reaching significant challenge due to the a greater audience by 2022 and this restrictions on news. However given is the launch of report does not intend to re-state the scale of the opportunity and the current strategy. genuine need for information it is a TV channel in one where the BBC should be more One significant new television ambitious. English language learning opportunity for the BBC, which Africa. offers a genuine opportunity to reach would not rely on partnerships, is the this market and establish long term launch of a TV channel in Africa. The awareness of the BBC. Partners in localisation of the radio market in China have already expressed interest Africa and the decreased demand for in an expanded BBC offer. World Service on partners threatens a large key audience. A TV market in As well as delivering greater reach early development offers the chance in China, English language learning to convert that audience to a BBC could also add reach globally and, in channel (as was achieved in Arabic). a multi-billion dollar market, provide Such a channel could carry not just a commercial return. In 2012 the news but a range of genres to widen market for people studying English its appeal. Taking advantage of the in their home country was estimated development of digital television at $50 billion. This market is forecast in Africa, such a channel would be to grow at over 25% per annum from offered free to air. The channel would 2012 to 2017. According to the British require the buy in both of Worldwide Council, there are over 1.5 billion and News and would, in the short to people learning English worldwide of medium term, require a BBC-wide whom only 15% are following formal commitment to provide the investment English language teaching provision. and accept the loss of some revenue in Meanwhile language learning is order to secure the long term position going digital. In the period 2011-2016, of the BBC in Africa. spending on digital English language learning products will have risen by It is important to note that both over 40% in Malaysia, over 30% in new language services and an Africa China, and over 20% in Indonesia and channel would require investment Brazil. to establish, and that previous assessments have suggested that Whilst there is no suggestion the neither could be funded purely BBC should be building schools commercially. and employing teachers itself, looking around the BBC it is clear that there is general recognition internally that globally the BBC sets the gold standard for English and whilst it cannot provide the teaching expertise, it can provide a wealth of content to help bolster a curriculum in partnership with an education specialist. This is a highly competitive market and success is not guaranteed. For the greatest impact the BBC should bring together activities across World Service and Worldwide into a single concentrated approach in China and globally.

Page 18 The BBC will

Principles for getting to 500m CONT. need to have a more open stance COMMERCIAL MINDSET There are a number of areas the BBC should look at again to assess towards innovating The structure of the BBC – established whether there is scope for a looser by Royal Charter, primarily funded approach which would allow the BBC in advertising… by the licence fee – has conditioned to operate according to local market the way the BBC operates in foreign norms. Probably the most significant if it is to continue markets. Broadly speaking the BBC’s is the area of native advertising. BBC. position has been cautious as it has com/news native ads around feature sought to ensure that operations content could generate around $2 to generate the abroad have not damaged the BBC’s million a year. The BBC should consider reputation at home. Commercial this. More generally it will need to income it needs. revenue has been a welcome addition have a more open stance towards rather than a core part of the BBC’s innovating in advertising outside income. the UK and a greater willingness to It is right that the BBC has taken an consider whether it can make new approach which seeks first to protect formats work for its brand if it is to its reputation but in many markets the continue to generate the income it BBC is now operating as a commercial needs. The BBC should also avoid broadcaster and it needs to embrace creating extra barriers to commercial the local norms of the markets it is income through being reluctant to operating in; it needs to be happy to take sponsorship outside the UK for make money that can be invested in programmes that were made in the providing better quality services at UK with Licence Fee income. home and abroad. Finally, the BBC should look at the rules around handling users’ data. As projects such as MyBBC bring an increasing opportunity to understand audiences, and as advertising money moves more and more to personalised adverts, the BBC must plan upfront how it will use all the data at its disposal outside the UK for commercial as well as site experience purposes – and aim to make sure its systems and the messages given to international audiences allow it to do that.

Page 19 Page 20 Conclusion

In 2022 the BBC will reach its The BBC needs to do all this whilst still centenary. With the World Service as maintaining the quality of television Now is the time the cornerstone, it has established and radio services it currently a global reputation for excellence, broadcasts around the world. More for the BBC to impartiality and first class programme than that, the BBC must continue to making. look for new opportunities – more be ambitious. partners for language service TV The target of doubling global reach bulletins, a multi-genre channel in by 2022 has provided a timely Africa, a new language service in opportunity to reassess the BBC’s Ethiopia – which will further reinforce global role in the emerging digital the mission of the BBC. media world. The BBC should not seek to reach 500 million weekly for the Moving to digital first, whilst still sake of it. Rather, that reach figure is maintaining radio and television the expression of a desire for the BBC provision, is not straightforward. to provide even better content than In order to achieve it, the BBC will it already does; content of a quality need to become more open in which draws in an audience of half outlook, particularly when it comes a billion across television, radio and to partnerships. It needs to become online. more confident in sharing its content and platforms where appropriate and Central to any global role must be in engaging in partnerships where it the services to the audiences facing will not have full editorial control. This a severe deficit in free impartial requires a significant shift in mind news which are at the heart of the set within the BBC; nonetheless it is World Service. Provision of impartial, necessary if the BBC is to continue to accurate, accessible news to audiences have the global recognition it deserves. where there is no other reliable news In addition, it needs to become more provision has long been at the heart commercially oriented, or at least less of the BBC’s mission and must remain hesitant about raising revenue outside so. That mission embodies the values the UK. Among other things this that make the BBC such a well-loved should include exploring raising money institution at home and abroad. It from various kinds of advertising and is a mission which, for many years, sponsorship. has greatly enriched the quality of international reporting on the BBC in This is an ambitious plan of action. the UK. The BBC must do more than But now is the time for the BBC to preserve those services, it must also be ambitious. For many years, it was look to see where new services might dominant in a world of analogue be needed. broadcasting on radio and television. The biggest challenge the BBC faces is Building on that core provision, whether it has the capacity to evolve BBC News must look to how it from being an analogue behemoth can transform itself to best serve into a corporation agile enough to audiences around the world. respond with speed and dexterity to Fundamental to this has to be a the demands of the digital world. It has commitment to putting digital first started moving in the right direction in all markets other than the UK. The but it needs to move farther and faster rapid growth of mobile broadband if it is to enjoy the global reach the around the world – including in Director-General has called for. markets of need – must compel BBC News to reallocate resources and change ways of working so as to best meet audience needs. Despite being a large news organisation, the BBC needs to demonstrate the agility of a start-up in responding to rapidly changing habits and expectations. Page 21