Service Review of BBC Online and BBC Red Button Analysis of Public Consultation
By Helen Mather and Clare Luke Public Knowledge
March 2013
Table of Contents
1. INTRODUCTION 3
2. SUMMARY OF KEY THEMES 5
3. RESPONSES TO CONSULTATION QUESTIONS IN DETAIL 8
4. PROFILE OF CONSULTATION RESPONDENTS 59
APPENDIX A – SUMMARY OF FREEFORM RESPONSES 62
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1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 About the review The BBC Trust is the independent governing body of the BBC representing the interests of licence fee payers. The Trust’s role is to get the best out of the BBC for licence fee payers and to secure effective promotion of its public purposes. The Trust is required to represent the interests of licence fee payers, assess their views carefully and appropriately, and have regard to the competitive impact of the BBC’s activities on the wider market. It must also ensure that the BBC observes high standards of openness and transparency. Each of the BBC services has a ‘service licence’, which details its remit, outlining the overall format and particular characteristics the output of the service should embrace. The licence also indicates how the specific service should contribute to the overall delivery of the BBC’s public purposes. The BBC Trust is committed to reviewing each BBC service at least once during a five year cycle. This report will be considered as part of the review of BBC Online and BBC Red Button. The Trust has issued a service licence for BBC Online and BBC Red Button which sets out what the services are expected to achieve. BBC Red Button should provide continuous and constantly updated news, information, education and entertainment services for all digital TV audiences by offering interactive video, audio, pictures, text and applications. It should support and enhance some BBC TV programmes and provide a way of accessing BBC’s on- demand TV and radio content, as well as other material. BBC Online is made up of a wide range of content including news, sport, weather, TV, radio and learning resources (NB: BBC Knowledge and Learning are considered one product by BBC Online, however for the purposes of the consultation this has been treated as two products). BBC Online features programme clips; live and on-demand TV and radio; dedicated online only content and interactive apps. BBC Online should provide innovative and distinctive online content that supports and extends the BBC’s TV and radio services. It should also offer people greater choice and control over how they watch and listen to BBC programmes. It should be available and accessible to internet users at all times and be free to use. (CBBC and CBeebies websites are not included in this review of BBC Online. They will be looked at as part of a separate review of BBC Children’s Services.)
1.2 About the Public Consultation As part of any service review, the BBC Trust considers a range of different types of evidence including asking licence fee payers to respond to a number of specific questions about the services through an open public consultation.
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The consultation for this review was available for people to respond between 24th October 2012 and 23rd January 2013. In total 1,769 people responded: 1,375 using the online consultation form, 79 by downloading and emailing the consultation questions and 315 via a hard copy form. Some respondents chose to submit general comments via email or letter. These (25) are summarised separately in Appendix A. The responses to the public consultation were analysed by Public Knowledge, an independent research company, on behalf of the BBC Trust. This report summarises the key themes expressed by the public and provides an overview of the responses to the 16 sections of consultation questions: 5 for Red Button and 11 for Online. This report covers replies from individuals only; responses from stakeholders and organisations can be found separately on the BBC Trust website. The BBC Trust will consider a range of evidence, including the views summarised in this report, and will publish its conclusions on the Trust website (www.bbc.co.uk/bbctrust).
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2. SUMMARY OF KEY THEMES Note: These views presented are of individuals who responded to the consultation and should not be considered necessarily representative of all licence fee payers.
2.1 BBC Red Button The BBC Red Button service is highly valued among those who regularly use the facility. Convenience of accessing information – the ability to access news and other information free at the point of delivery and at the press of a button from the convenience of the living room is especially appreciated by many. This is particularly apparent among those who do not have any access or who may have limited access to the internet such as older and lower income people. For regular users the ease of use and navigation is praised. Enhanced coverage of major live events – the opportunity to watch content from live events such as Wimbledon or Glastonbury that is not available elsewhere is valued by many respondents. For example, the chance to watch matches from other courts at Wimbledon other than those being shown on BBC Two, or performances from more niche music acts on smaller stages at Glastonbury are particularly emphasised as examples where the viewing experience is enhanced and seen to provide a unique offer.
However, some aspects of the Red Button service are highlighted as needing some attention going forward in order to improve the offer. Some information not updated often enough – there are some content areas within Red Button which many feel are not updated as often as they should be in order to be of any real value. For example, latest sports scores can often be delayed with users needing to seek other sources to get updates. Local news and information is another area highlighted by many as not being updated regularly enough with some commenting it is neglected at weekends. Concerns over attention to detail and quality control – although there is a general consensus that the news stories are accurate, some concerns are raised over the presentation of the material. Errors in spelling, grammar and the accuracy of links to other information have been noted by many as often not meeting the high quality standards expected from the BBC. Reinstate the video offer – the recent reduction in the number of video components is raised as a concern by many, with a large proportion highlighting that this will negatively impact on the aspect they value most about the Red Button service: the additional and complementary content of major live events. In addition, the reduction in the video offer has
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impacted on the enjoyment of regular elements such as weather forecasts or news summaries. Improve the listings and promotion of the Red Button content – with regard to the enhanced broadcast material in particular, respondents suggest there needs to be greater publicity to raise awareness of the content. In addition, some frustrations are raised over inaccurate listings with promised content not being available.
2.2 BBC Online There is overwhelming support for the service offered by BBC Online including its support for broadcast content as well as the additional information provided in particular areas. Comprehensive and trusted coverage of news and sport – BBC Online is praised for its vast resource of information, in particular the coverage of news and sport. The BBC News pages are the first port of call for many as they trust it to provide accurate information about the main news and sport headlines. BBC Online is felt to provide relevant information about a range of subjects and issues and the availability of external links offers users the opportunity to explore further if necessary. BBC iPlayer valued for its ease of use and convenience – BBC iPlayer is highly commended by the majority of those who have used it. It is used for catching up on both TV and radio programmes and is felt to be of high quality and easy to use, especially compared to on demand services provided by other broadcasters. This service is also felt to offer good value for money for their licence fee by allowing them to watch missed programmes at their convenience.
There are a few areas for improvement raised by respondents to the consultation. These have been grouped by those that are content-driven issues and those that relate to functionality.
Content Increase range and depth of local coverage – although the BBC news and sport content provided online is broadly praised, this does not appear to extend to coverage of local issues. The local areas covered are felt to be too broad and not relevant or specific enough. Respondents feel that more should be made of journalists working on, or stories provided on, BBC Local Radio, in order to fill some of these gaps. In addition, links to relevant external sites such as local newspapers could offer a more local provision.
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Similarly, the coverage of local sports can be too limited for many respondents with too much emphasis on English Premiership football and insufficient coverage of lower leagues or non-league teams. Enhance coverage of minority sports – the BBC Online coverage of the Olympics is widely praised by respondents but many feel that the ongoing legacy is not being maintained as there is insufficient coverage of lower profile sports. Many feel that BBC Online has a duty to offer adequate coverage of a broad range of sports in particular those not covered by mainstream channels in order to raise their awareness and to offer a unique service. Functionality
Improve navigation and the search function – BBC Online is felt to be such a vast and valuable resource but where all of the content is not readily discoverable. At times pages can feel too cluttered to respondents, so that the desired information is not immediately obvious. The search function is felt to be sensitive to misspelled words or provides too broad and diverse a range of results. Respondents comment that they often find it more effective to search for BBC content via external search engines. Extend the window and broaden range of programmes available on iPlayer – many of those who use BBC iPlayer suggest that their use and enjoyment would be further enhanced if the period which the majority of programmes are available could be extended beyond the current seven days. In addition, many would like a greater range of programmes to be made available that are currently excluded including archive content.
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3. RESPONSES TO CONSULTATION QUESTIONS IN DETAIL
Note: These are the views of those who took part in the consultation and should not be considered necessarily representative of all licence fee payers. Quotes from responses used to illustrate different themes are presented as verbatim.
BBC Red Button
"BBC Red Button" is the name of the interactive TV services accessed by pressing the "red" or "text" buttons on your digital remote control. It should provide continuous and constantly updated news, information, education and entertainment services for all digital TV audiences by offering interactive video, audio, pictures, text and applications.
It should support and enhance some BBC TV programmes and provide a way of accessing BBC’s on-demand TV and radio content, as well as other material.
Red Button is available on all digital TV services (Freeview, Freesat, Sky and Virgin) and offers a digital replacement for the Ceefax text service.
There are some differences between what is available on the Red Button on Sky, Virgin, Freesat and Freeview.
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3.1: How often do you use BBC Red Button?
Total number of respondents: 921
Note: those replying by either email or post were more likely to reply to the questions about Red Button and did not necessarily complete the questions relating to Online. The majority of respondents answering this question are users of Red Button on Freeview and of those who do use Freeview, well over half (60%) use Red Button regularly.
Frequency of BBC Red Button use by platform (%)
26
14 62 64 Never 83
Occasionally 9 60 14 Regularly
24 27 8 9
Freeview Sky Freesat Virgin
Base: Freeview (799), Sky (599), Freesat (619), Virgin (547)
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3.2: BBC Red Button should offer accurate and up-to-date UK and international news, and information such as weather and travel reports.
How well do you think BBC Red Button does this?
Total number of respondents: 1640
Broad satisfaction with the provision of news and information Many respondents who use this part of the Red Button service are relatively satisfied with the level of accuracy and the frequency with which news and other information is updated. This is seen as a valuable way of readily accessing key headlines especially for those who do not have internet access.
“I use the BBC Red Button service for News (Local, National & International), Sports news, weather and for alternative feeds e.g. Wimbledon. It tends to be the first place I check for news and weather because I feel it is accurate & up to date on most subjects.” Male 45-54
“Invaluable lifeline as I do not take a daily paper or have internet access or Sky TV. Daily I check local news, travel, weather.” Female 65+
However, to further enhance their experience, respondents highlight various elements which they feel could be improved upon. These concerns are split between issues related to content and those focused on functionality.
Concerns over how frequently some information is updated While many respondents comment positively on how news and other information is kept relevant and up-to-date, others feel that it is not refreshed quickly enough in comparison to other sources such as the BBC News website or the internet more generally. A number of specific content areas are highlighted by many of these respondents as being overlooked and not refreshed as often as they could be: Local news and information – pages covering local news issues are felt to be areas that are not updated sufficiently, especially at weekends or in the evenings.
“The service if fine during weekdays but the weekend service, especially local news, is updated much less frequently at weekends.” Male 35-44
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Local travel reports, including both road and rail information, are perceived to be limited and not as up-to-date or as comprehensive as online services. In addition, those accessing the Red Button via the Freesat platform looking for the travel content indicate that this facility is not available to them. Sport – some respondents indicate that information on the latest scores across a number of different sporting events, including football, tennis, snooker and cricket, are not kept up-to-date and they have to rely on online services to be informed. Others feel that final results are not available for long enough with pages being replaced after a day or two. Science – other respondents refer to some specific news categories that do not appear to be updated as often as other pages with some content remaining on the respective front pages for weeks. The category of ‘Science and Technology’ is particularly referenced in this context by respondents.
Limited depth and range of news and information Red Button is seen to provide more of a summary of news that is available on the website or to provide an overview news service due to restrictions on the amount of text that can be used. Some respondents, while happy with the accuracy and relevance of the Red Button content, feel that more depth or detail could be provided. Respondents comment that more detailed information can be found on the BBC website or elsewhere on the internet. Comparisons are made with the Ceefax service which was favoured by some for providing more detailed news, and a wider range of more detailed information on specific topics such as travel and weather. In particular several respondents mention the lack of more detailed weather statistics such as temperature, rainfall, plus wind speed and direction indicators available on Red Button. Respondents also mention other information which is no longer available or has been reduced such as album and singles charts, music reviews and financial information.
“Red Button provides this information but only in a very simple summary style. There is often very little depth to content and reading the same article on my phone often provides better coverage of the same story.” Male 25-34
“I rarely use it since I have access to BBC Online via a smartphone, tablet, etc. It [BBC Online] provides quicker access and more comprehensive information.” Male 35-44
Concerns over the accuracy and care in presentation In terms of accuracy, the news and information provided by the BBC Red Button service is generally perceived to be reliable and trusted. However, some highlight inaccuracies with regard to spelling or grammar. Others refer to occasional inaccurate sports results or inconsistencies in weather reports across different pages. Some also refer to inaccurate labelling of news items, 11
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for example, a link labelled as ‘cricket’ actually directed users to news about cycling. In addition, others comment on broken links or error pages.
Concerns over the reduction in video content and multi-screen options The recent reduction in the provision of video loops and the choice of screens offered is commented on by some respondents as having affected their enjoyment of the Red Button service. In particular, the existing weather offer is not felt by some to be a satisfactory replacement for the loop that used to be available which had a weather presenter describing the forecast. Similarly, the reduction in the choice of news (and sport) multi-screens is felt by many to have affected the value they receive, as this was felt to be an enhanced offering to information they can otherwise access via other text-based services. “I miss the News multi-screen - in particular the ‘rolling’ weather presentation. Static information I can get on the internet.” Male 65+
Speed of access can be too slow at times For some respondents, accessing information such as news and weather is more convenient and quicker on devices such as smartphones, laptops or tablets. Time taken to load some pages on Red Button is referenced by many of these respondents. Some also comment on the cumbersome navigation when using the Red Button facility and that too many steps are needed to access information.
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3.3: BBC Red Button should enhance BBC TV and radio coverage of major sports, music and cultural events, such as Wimbledon and Glastonbury, via interactive features for the audience.
How well do you think BBC Red Button does this?
Total number of respondents: 1632
Broad appreciation of the enhanced coverage of live events Among Red Button users there is a strong feeling that coverage of live events is well delivered. It provides good quality coverage of sporting and music events that is both supplementary and complementary to broadcast TV content. Many feel that Red Button offers a quick and easy way to access unique content and would like more to be made available. For example some suggest that archive material could be shown during ‘down time’ on Red Button, for notable sporting or live music events.
The range of sporting events is praised as providing a window to showcase less mainstream sports across the year, such as Moto GP, skiing and golf, alongside sports such as football and Formula 1. The BBC coverage of the Olympics is particularly praised in this context as offering a wide range of events for viewers to choose from, including minority sports such as sailing.
Respondents appreciate the different aspects of a particular event that can be covered in this way, such as additional matches at Wimbledon or in a snooker tournament, as well as continued viewing of matches when the main channel schedule moves to other programming. In this context respondents refer to live music events, especially Glastonbury, where viewers are offered the opportunity to enjoy different stages and bands or behind the scenes footage. Respondents suggest this is content that would not normally be shown on any other channel and is therefore a unique and distinctive offering on the Red Button.
Concern over reduction in number of video streams There are concerns among some respondents that the recent reduction from five to one in the number of available video streams will negatively impact on the coverage of major live events they have previously appreciated. The online availability of this content is not felt to be a satisfactory alternative for these respondents. For some this is due to a lack of internet access or an inadequate broadband speed which impacts on the connection; for others, watching events such as this on a laptop is felt to be an unsatisfactory experience compared to watching it on the television.
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“The Freesat Red Button with different streams was excellent. It was easy to catch up with the repeated loops of sports updates or individual sports. It was fantastic that we could watch tennis or other sports and also have different audio feeds and watch streamed footage from festivals. It is much better via satellite than broadband... people have bought Freesat due to the Red button features. Online is not the way to go for all these events, it should be complimentary.” Male 55-64
Disparities in availability across platforms Respondents comment on the apparent disparity in the range of content available across different platforms. There is a perception that those who do not have subscription based TV, own a Smart TV or other technology required to access the additional content are now at a disadvantage. For example, respondents with a Sky subscription refer to their service offering multiple streams, especially in relation to Formula 1; during the Olympics and Paralympics the coverage on Sky Red Button extended to several channels of additional coverage with Freeview just showing one or two. Some also refer to the F1 forum not being available on Freeview. “I love having the extra video stream to get more out of an event, however I always used to get annoyed that as a Freeview viewer I was getting less than those who pay for their TV.” Male 16-24
“The Olympics had 24 dedicated channels for the red button on sky but only 3 on Freeview, 2 of which were showing the identical content already showing on BBC2 or BBC HD channels. It should not be the case that in order to view the best the BBC has to offer you need to purchase your competitors services.” Male 35-44
Greater promotion and provision of accurate listings Although the video component provided by the Red Button is generally considered excellent, many respondents comment that it is often poorly publicised and it is not always easy to find out what is scheduled to appear, either via TV listings or the EPG. Other respondents comment that the listings information available on Red Button is often inaccurate with promised streams being unavailable. “The Wimbledon and Olympics Red Button facilities were exemplary. Sometimes there appear to be events that are only on the Red Button rather than as an addition to network TV and radio coverage. I query how I am to know these will be on, or whether it indicates the BBC has rights to more content than it can show through network schedules.” Male 25-34
“It [Red Button] would be even better if there were clearer more accurate programming timetables, especially for music events.” Male 35-44
Expand ways of accessing the content
Some respondents mention that they would like to have the option to record the Red Button content or have access to it on BBC iPlayer. Others suggest
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that more information about available loops, such as how long they are, how long is left to run and what content is included would enhance their experience.
3.4: How easy do you find it to use the BBC Red Button service?
We’re particularly interested in the speed and look of the service, and ease of searching for the information you are looking for.
Total number of respondents: 1642
Broad satisfaction with the ease of use In general, for most respondents the Red Button service is not difficult to use and is seen as intuitive. Among frequent users, many are able to quickly access the information and pages they use regularly, especially when they are familiar with the page numbers. “Really easy to navigate around the website and to search for information. In terms of speed there are no complaints.” Male 16-24 However, there are a few elements that respondents comment on which could further enhance the ease of use.
Navigating to new content Some respondents comment that navigation is less easy when looking for unfamiliar pages or specific news items or sports results. A more efficient search function is suggested as a way to mitigate these issues. Regional services for news and weather are particularly referenced as being difficult to find with some identifying long or multiple menus that make the experience unwieldy. Others use the actual programme numbers to source content and this is seen by many as the quickest option. However, respondents mention that while some pages are available by number, others can only be accessed via the index which can be time consuming. “Not always straight forward to get out of. It is not easy to search for the information required and often leads to me giving up.” Female 55-64
“I sometimes information difficult to find, particularly when there are items on more than one page and you get the ‘more’ option.” Male 55-64
Greater attention needed on content listings As mentioned earlier respondents also comment that it is difficult to source schedule information for the Red Button service as this is not available from TV guide listings. The only way to find out ‘What’s on’ is seen to be from the live 15
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TV programme announcements. Others comment that content listings do not always correspond to what is being shown.
Some dissatisfaction over speed of loading Although respondents are broadly happy with the speed of the Red Button service, some complain that it can be slow to load, or that it buffers, freezes or shuts down altogether. There appears to be a difference in loading times depending on the platform used, with Freeview and BT Vision highlighted as being particularly slow to access. Some respondents therefore go directly to channel 301 on Freeview rather than access content through the Red Button. For those who want to quickly access information such as news and sport headlines, alternative sources such as smartphones or tablets are felt to be more readily available and convenient. “Tend not to use the text based info service, because it's slow, clunky and far easier to access information from a mobile device.” Male 16-24
Broad satisfaction with the appearance of the service Few respondents commented on the overall look of the service, preferring to comment on the content or functionality. Of those that did, some feel that while the text is easy to find it is not visually appealing with specific references to the small font size and the inconsistent colour schemes across the pages. Others find the split screen half text and half TV image design distracting with some preferring a full page of text as on Ceefax. “The look of the service is acceptable, though I preferred the full-page display of Ceefax. Some information is presented in a full page, but not the news, which I look at most often.” Female 65+
Comparisons with Ceefax A number of respondents refer to Ceefax and aspects of the service which they preferred to the current Red Button service. For example some found Ceefax quicker to use, the pages were easier to find and there was a greater choice of information available. Respondents refer in particular to financial information, local and regional news and sport news, travel information and detailed weather information.
“Menu pages take ages to load [on Red Button]. It’s not always possible to find a link to the extra TV channel coverage. Also on Ceefax, you knew the number of the page to type in and you got the information you wanted immediately. Now you have to go in, wait for it to load, go through the menus, and select what you want each time you want to look for something. It is not accessible in the same place each time.” Male 35- 44
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3.5: What do you think would make the BBC Red Button service better? Is there anything else you would like to say about BBC Red Button?
Total number of respondents: 1568
Most respondents reiterate elements raised in previous questions. Outlined below are the key areas and any additional suggestions made by respondents to improve the BBC Red Button service.
Maximising the use of video streams As outlined under question 3.3, many respondents feel there should be more than one stream to allow access to a greater variety of live video coverage of sports or music events. Some feel that this should be extended rather than reduced. This is seen as invaluable for sports such as snooker and Wimbledon as well as for live music events such as Glastonbury. Others comment that in order to maximise the use of the video content the additional streams should show different output to that being broadcast on a main channel. For example, some comment that a tennis match shown on BBC Two can sometimes also be shown on Red Button, therefore not offering enhanced coverage or broadening choice. Some also comment that at times two video streams can show the same event.
More depth and range of content Generally there is a call for more detail in particular areas, especially local news and information, and sport. Others feel that there should be a wider range of content, some of which seems to have been removed as the service has evolved such as financial news, regional weather and music charts. Many respondents would like more coverage of sport and feel this has recently reduced, particularly with the loss of the sport multi-screens. Greater coverage of minority sports is also suggested. Other suggestions to improve the service: A range of other specific examples were offered by respondents: Links to iPlayer to be made available in the future. Information should be kept up-to-date, with particular reference to sports results during live events such as football and cricket. Provide re-runs or delayed broadcasts of events during ‘downtime’ when there are no live events being shown. Users should be able to interact with smart phones or tablets for example and not just the TV remote for searching.
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The Red Button symbol should disappear from the screen automatically as it does on Sky channels.
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BBC Online
BBC Online is made up of a wide range of content including news, sport, weather, TV, radio and learning resources. It features programme clips; live and on-demand TV and radio; dedicated online only content and interactive apps. Please note that CBBC and CBeebies websites are not included in this review of BBC Online. They will be looked at soon as part of separate review. BBC Online should provide innovative and distinctive online content that supports and extends the BBC’s TV and radio services. BBC Online should also offer people greater choice and control over how they watch and listen to BBC programmes. It should be available and accessible to internet users at all times and be free to use.
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3.6: How often do you typically use BBC Online?
This may be via your desktop, smartphone (mobile phone with internet
access), tablet (e.g. iPad) or connected TV.
Total number of respondents: 1093
Note: those replying by either email or post were less likely to reply to the questions about Online. Over two thirds, (67%), of respondents claim to use BBC Online at least once a day. Total %
Several times a day 642 59 Once a day 92 8 Several times a week but not every day 163 15 Once a week 29 3 Less than once a week 69 6 Hardly ever or never 98 9 TOTAL NUMBER OF RESPONDENTS 1093 100%
3.7: What parts of BBC Online have you used?
Total number of respondents: 1062
Note: while respondents indicated their usage of different sections of the BBC Online Service at this question, at subsequent questions a greater or smaller number of respondents may have answered the more detailed questions about the specific web pages.
The most accessed parts of BBC Online are News, iPlayer and Sport. Total % News 927 87 iPlayer 816 77 Sport 777 73 Weather 743 70 Homepage 620 58 Radio 484 46 Knowledge 429 40 TV 391 37
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Learning 173 16 Other 61 6 TOTAL NUMBER OF RESPONDENTS 1062
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BBC ONLINE OVERALL
3.8a: BBC Online should provide innovative and distinctive online content that supports and extends BBC’s TV and radio services.
How well do you think BBC Online does this? Are there parts of BBC Online that do this better or worse than others?
Total number of respondents: 1181
General satisfaction with the range and distinctiveness of online content Respondents generally compare the BBC Online service favourably with other online news and information providers, describing it as easy to use and providing an interesting, informative, high quality service not available anywhere else. However, rather than it being particularly innovative, respondents generally feel that it is more important for BBC online content to be accurate, informative and up-to-date.
“Extra information about programmes, such as details of playlists and artists are vital. The quality on the Radio 3 website for example is first class. It is easy to discover the information I wanted to know about particular music being played. More generally the programme details (participants, location, broadcast dates etc) for both radio and television are thorough and do help finding out more information about programmes broadcast.” Male 25-34
“I think BBC does this very well with a brilliant and wide ranging selection online covering all areas. In particular, their recent addition to BBC iPlayer that involves rewinding live TV two hours is fantastic, which is a much better application than other live TV comparisons (Sky Go for example).” Male 16-24
“Not too sure I visit BBC Online for innovative and distinctive content. I see it much more as reliable, impartial provider of the nuts and bolts across a wide spectrum of information and entertainment.” Male 35-44
The majority of respondents comment that BBC Online provides a wide range of content, with the news and sports websites being most frequently mentioned along with BBC iPlayer. News – the BBC online news site is the main source of UK and international news for a large proportion of respondents with many of these citing it as their homepage. It is particularly praised for providing detailed information, especially on big news stories such as elections. In addition
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the magazine section within the news site is welcomed by many respondents as a distinctive way of providing coverage of a wider range of interesting topics. “BBC News is excellent online and has become my main source of news especially on my iPad.” Male 25-34 Sport – for some sports, such as Premiership football, and major sports events, such as the Olympics or rugby tournaments, the BBC sports pages are felt to provide comprehensive coverage. The links to external sites and the available video clips are welcomed as enhancing the BBC TV coverage. “It is the best website on the internet for news and sport. The first website I go to when I log on.” Male 35-44 iPlayer – the BBC iPlayer service is widely appreciated by respondents with many of these acknowledging its innovative design and functionality relative to other on-demand services. It is particularly valued for enabling respondents to catch-up on missed television programmes though some also use it for listening to previously broadcast radio output. “iPlayer is generally recognised by viewers as the 'gold standard' for content and delivery.” Male 55-64 “The latest changes in iPlayer are brilliant, and it's now a really good service that I frequently use. If only the other broadcasters could be persuaded to use the same interface and framework!” Male 45-54
There are other areas or aspects within BBC Online that are highlighted by respondents as being less distinctive or satisfactory and could be improved upon.
Overall design
Navigation and search function – for some respondents pages can be too cluttered, sometimes making content of interest harder to find. They suggest that being able to personalise or configure pages, making the content more relevant to the individual, would enhance the experience. In addition, the search function within BBC Online is felt by some respondents to be not fit for purpose, with comparisons made to external search engines which are generally considered more accurate and quicker routes to finding particular content within the BBC site. Others highlight the redesigned radio pages commenting that they are less intuitive than the previous design.
“Overall I think the content provided is excellent, though the search facility lacks some intelligence. When previously read articles cannot be re-found searching by key words there has to be a question raised regarding the effectiveness of the algorithms employed.” Male 45-54 “Searching is hard, the search engine lists obscure stuff. The only way I find stuff is either through Google or having a stab at guessing the URL. More use of alphabetical 23
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listing either straight or within trees e.g. radio or TV to programme by category then title.” Female 65+
TV and radio schedules – an area of the BBC website that is felt to be in need of attention is the profile of and navigation within the TV and radio schedules. Some respondents are unaware that the BBC website is intended to support BBC TV and radio content, believing it to be primarily a provider of news output and feel this part of the site would benefit from greater promotion. AV software – some respondents mention that the use of Flash restricts them from using iPlayer or embedded video clips, and HTML5 is suggested as a more universally accessible platform for enjoying iPlayer on smartphones and tablets.
News and Sport Although the news sites are generally rated very highly by many respondents, there are some aspects within this section highlighted by respondents as being less distinctive and needing greater attention. Original journalism - although many are very positive about the use of good audio and video within the web pages as a way of enhancing the online experience, some comment that there can be too much reliance on this content at the expense of well-written insightful journalism. In this context, the individual Editor blogs are praised. “I feel that there is a bias on the services towards providing video clips, rather than text media, which I find particularly annoying. Often I want to read a story, not to have to plug in earphones and watch/ listen. I particularly follow Formula 1, where the coverage is very poor indeed. Uploading a few video clips and links to other news feeds does not constitute journalism! Where are the original stories? I don't think there is enough of this type of coverage and the same applies to News coverage as well.” Male 35-44
Minority sports – many respondents feel that there is inadequate coverage of lower profile sports and that the BBC should be doing more to raise the profile of sports not covered by mainstream channels. In addition, there are some who comment that even within the coverage of football there is too much focus on the Premiership with other lower leagues and non-league teams being given less prominence, if any at all. “The BBC Sports website is awful for so-called 'minority' sports. Visit a particular sport's page and you are greeted with articles on the main page that are out- dated. Often news that happened a year or more ago is still headlining! Has nothing at all really happened in these sports for such large periods of time? Do people not play these sports any more? Either commit to producing the news that the athletes deserve or don't.” Female 25-34
Local and regional news - with regards to local or regional news some feel that there should be more of this content or that it could be more in 24
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depth. Furthermore the content could be up-dated more frequently, particularly at weekends. “Reporting of fairly large regions, e.g. West Yorkshire, and West Midlands, tends to be sketchy and often centres on particular areas at the expense of others. As an example, West Midlands coverage Is often dominated by news of Shropshire, which while being in the region west of the midlands, is not actually West Midlands at all. So much room for improvement - perhaps even breaking down the regional blocks into more discreet local areas.” Male 55-64
3.8b: What do you think of the BBC Online homepage?
In particular we want to know how clearly it shows the range of BBC Online content that is available and how easy it is to find what you are looking for.
Total number of respondents: 1216
Broad satisfaction with the ease of use The majority of respondents who use the homepage feel the layout is good and that it is generally easy to use, with a good range of content providing links to other BBC online content. Some respondents do not use the homepage as they have their preferred pages either bookmarked, logged as ‘favourites’ or set as their own ‘homepage’. Many of these respondents will then use those pages as a launch pad to access the rest of the sites rather than using the BBC Online homepage.
“To some it may seem cluttered, but I enjoy being able to come across many different types of content on the homepage. TV highlights, news stories, analysis, sport and iPlayer highlights sit well together and give a broad foundation of the BBC's services. The content of other pages is well signposted on the homepage.” Male 16-24
“The homepage can be confusing due to volume and format of content but in general gives a good idea of what is available.” Male 25-34
Other respondents comment on ways in which the BBC could improve the homepage.
Improve the search and navigation Following recent changes to the homepage, some feel that the new version has too much content and pictures, making it feel cluttered and harder to navigate. Others refer to the increased number of pictures and AV content affecting the time taken for the homepage to load.
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The search function is not seen as satisfactory with many respondents suggesting it does not offer accurate results. Many of these respondents prefer to use external search engines such as Google to find content within BBC Online.
Include personalisation capability A number of respondents prefer to have the option of being able to customise the homepage to their own settings and layout preferences. This was an aspect of the previous design homepage, now no longer available, and was identified as being of real benefit and a way of enhancing enjoyment of BBC Online.
“I really like it. It lets me find things I wouldn't often look for. Should have some degree of customisation though. I'm really not interested in football news, so I would rather see F1 news. I don't listen to Radio 4 so I'd rather see other suggestions. It would be good if it could learn what you're interested in and serve up other content that you may find interesting.” Male 16-24
“Preferred the old format before the revision, no longer customisable so now avoid using it.” Male 35-44
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NEWS
BBC Online has a number of commitments about its news coverage.
3.9a: How well do you think BBC Online News provides up-to-date, accurate and impartial coverage of UK and world news?
Total number of respondents: 1362
How well do you think BBC Online News provides up-to-date, accurate and impartial coverage of UK and world news?
Don't know 6%
Not at all 3% well
Not well 4%
Quite Well 32%
Very Well 56%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% Base: 1362
Overwhelming support for the BBC Online provision of UK and world news The vast majority of respondents (88%) think the BBC Online news provision of UK and world news is delivered well, with over half (56%) claiming it is done very well. BBC News online is seen by many as an extension of the BBC news provision more generally and as such is perceived to share similar values and held in high regard as a trusted news source. World news in particular is seen as exemplary. For many, BBC News online is their first and primary source of news, with some respondents using the BBC news site as their own homepage. BBC Online News is also seen as a reliable source of breaking news. The BBC’s editorial judgement is valued in the plethora of online news resources and is preferred by many to sites such as Google News, the aggregators of news content. 27
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“The live text available on certain high profile events is great for keeping track of everything as it happens. News articles are also very good at giving a short summary of stories in the first paragraphs while remaining fair and informative throughout.” Male 16-24
Some respondents suggested areas that they felt needed further attention to improve the online coverage of international and UK news:
Range and depth – while most respondents are satisfied with how comprehensive the BBC’s online coverage is, some comment that news reporting now seems to be more light-touch than in the past in terms of quality and substance. Greater depth and detail of reporting with some longer articles or features would be appreciated by these respondents. Others suggest that more audio or video clips or other footage could add a different perspective or further context to news stories.
In addition, some respondents specifically comment that international news should be more wide-ranging, including stories from a broader range of countries with some of these commenting that there can be too much focus on news from the USA in particular.
“There is far too much coverage about American issues. American politics, American weather, etc. all come down the newswires and are repeated by the BBC as if this content is somehow relevant to the UK. It's not - a minor rally for the Republican running partner? Please, there are far more newsworthy items to cover in Europe. There seems to be a distinct lack of European news items across the BBC.” Male 45-54
Impartiality - while most respondents feel that BBC News online is reliable and trustworthy there are some who feel the journalism can lack impartiality.
The most referenced area is political-bias - some feel the BBC’s online coverage can be ‘left wing’ while others comment there can be a bias shown towards the current administration. In addition, a few respondents feel that while the BBC’s online coverage broadly reflects news from around the UK there can be a regional bias towards London and the South East. Headlines – for a few respondents, the tone and wording of the headlines used on the BBC News site is at times felt to be misleading and not reflective of the actual story, perceived to be ‘attention-grabbing’ at the expense of accuracy.
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3.9b: How well do you think BBC Online News reflects news from the UK’s nations and local areas?
Total number of respondents: 1357
How well do you think BBC Online News reflects news from the UK’s nations and local areas?
Don't 7% know
Not at all 6% Well
Not well 11%
Quite 40% Well
Very 36% Well
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45%
Base: 1357
Broad acceptance of the way BBC Online News reflects news from the UK’s nations and local areas Over three quarters (76%) of respondents think the BBC Online provision reflects news from around the UK’s nations and regions, with 36% agreeing this is done very well. Range of local areas and depth of news coverage – for many respondents, the main concern here is the amount of local news stories covered. Three news stories per area on the UK map is felt to be insufficient to be able to adequately reflect a local area. Some also comment that local news headlines within one link on the map can cover large geographical areas, for example Tyne and Wear, or London, and that the local news service would benefit from being separated into smaller, more tightly-defined areas. Similarly, some respondents based in the devolved nations comment that coverage is often limited to two or three stories and does not provide
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regular, specific coverage from across the range of communities and regions within the country. Respondents suggest that the BBC could include more links to the websites of relevant local newspaper sites in order to broaden the range of its coverage in a greater number of local areas. In addition, respondents comment that the online site should provide more AV clips from BBC Regional TV and BBC Local Radio programmes as well as making more of the expertise of locally-based journalists.
“I think the news section is great. As for local coverage I just want there to be more. There are only a limited number of stories and they are generally quite short. I also feel our regional news programmes need a bigger online presence.” Male 16-24
Up-to-date content – among respondents who feel that the coverage of local news stories online could be improved one particular criticism is that stories are not updated frequently enough, and at weekends local headlines are not updated at all unless it is a major news story.
“Some BBC local news pages seem to only be updated when someone has spare time rather than as a dedicated service and always seems short and rushed. On national news the service does very well, and on large international news.” Male 16-24
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SPORT
BBC Online has a number of commitments about its sports coverage.
3.10a: How well do you think BBC Online Sport supports the BBC’s TV and radio sports coverage?
Total number of respondents: 1021
How well do you think BBC Online Sport supports the BBC’s TV and radio
sports coverage?
Don't know 20%
Not at all well 4%
Not well 4%
Quite well 31%
Very well 41%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%
Base: 1021
Broad support for BBC Online’s support of the BBC’s TV and radio sports coverage The majority (72%) of respondents think the BBC Online sports provision supports the TV and radio coverage, with 41% saying it is done very well.
Respondents feel that BBC Online offers high quality coverage of sport by providing a good overview of key headlines leading to comprehensive quality text and relevant audio/video content where available. Many visit the website for sports results as well as live scores, though some feel that these could be updated more frequently.
“Major sporting event coverage is terrific. It was a masterpiece at the Olympics, with everything watchable, plausible and repayable live, and available later, with excellent chapters and highlights. Also to keep the site running with no lag during
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(presumably) high traffic levels was a great achievement. No event has ever been covered better in my opinion.” Male 16-24
“Most of the problems appear to be formatting and updating. There is also a natural emphasis on football and major events. However, it is a little frustrating when it can take till the following day to be able to view results from say the Rugby Union Championship.” Male 55-64
There are some broad areas highlighted by respondents where the BBC Online sports coverage could improve in respect to supporting TV and radio output. Greater coverage of sports where no broadcast rights Some respondents comment that the BBC website could do more to provide coverage of sports where the BBC no longer has broadcast rights, such as a greater range of text commentaries or detailed overviews of tournament or competition stages. It is suggested that as some content is not available, the BBC could champion other less mainstream sports thus helping to develop them into major sports, as is perceived to have happened with Rugby League. Greater use of TV and radio content Some respondents would like more to be made available on the BBC website, relevant to different sports. Others, however, would prefer more emphasis on providing quality text and commentary rather than an over-reliance on AV content. Some respondents would like the ability to be able to easily switch between text commentary and live radio commentary. For example, if a link to simultaneous radio output was provided this would enable switching between preferred commentaries. Also a greater range of relevant links to external content would also be appreciated.
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3.10b: How well do you think BBC Online Sport covers major sports, sporting events and features ‘minority’ or lower profile sports?
Total number of respondents: 1016
How well do you think BBC Online Sport covers major sports, sporting events events events and features ‘minority’ or lower profile sports?
Don't know 20%
Not at all well 8%
Not well 13%
Quite Well 37%
Very Well 22%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40%
Base: 1016
Cautious support for BBC Online’s range of sports coverage Although over half (59%) of respondents think BBC Online covers major sports, sporting events and minority sports well, 22% feel this is done very well. While respondents are positive about the coverage of sport online generally, in particular the coverage of mainstream sports, some comment that there can be too much emphasis on just a few sports such as football, rugby, cricket and tennis. Football headlines in particular are felt to dominate the sports homepage. In addition, while many acknowledge that the coverage of major sport events is generally of a high standard, it is felt to sometimes ‘swamp’ the content at the expense of minority sports. Many of these respondents applaud the BBC’s coverage of the range of events within the Olympics and its coverage of the Paralympics and feel the BBC should continue with this legacy on an on-going basis.
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“Some minority sports seem to be very neglected. For example, the ice hockey page is rarely updated and I have to look elsewhere for British Ice Hockey news.” Male 16-24
“Give minority sports more prominence. If people want to read about football they can go to the football page, we don’t need 10 football stories on the sports homepage. This applies to all sports. If you want golf.....go to golf. In short, limit every sport to one item on the front page and use it more as a directory to find your own sport of choice. That way there can be more on the front page for other sports.” Male 55-64 Concerns are also raised about the range of the coverage within football, as it is felt to be too focused on the English Premiership with inadequate coverage provided for the lower leagues and non-league football teams.
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3.10c: How well do you think BBC Online Sport reflects the different sports events and sporting interests of each nation in the UK?
Total number of respondents: 1016
How well do you think BBC Online Sport reflects the different sports events and sporting interests of each nation in the UK?
Don't know 29%
Not at all well 7%
Not well 11%
Quite Well 32%
Very Well 20%
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35%
Base: 1016
Some concerns over BBC Online’s coverage of the different sports events and interests of the UK’s different nations Just over half of respondents think BBC Online reflects the different sports and interests of the UK’s nations, with 20% saying this is done very well. While there are positive references to sport from the nations such as Welsh rugby, many feel that coverage on BBC Online, as well as the BBC more generally, can be too ‘England-centric’. These respondents feel that sports content across Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales can be hidden away and less obvious on the homepage. Some mention there is inadequate coverage of international sporting events where the UK’s different nations are taking part, with too much emphasis given to the England team or English participants. Other respondents comment that coverage should focus on the sport irrespective of the nationality of the participants. They suggest that at times,
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coverage of an event can sometimes focus on a British sports person or team in preference to a generally higher quality match where a British sports person does not feature. This was mentioned most often in the context of football and tennis. At a more local level some feel there should be more focus on local sports teams regardless of the sport. In addition, as with local news more generally, some feel that local sports news also needs to be up-dated more frequently.
“Some coverage is far too nationalistic at the expense of showing the best of the event - tennis being prime example. If top seeds (from wherever) are playing they should be shown in preference to an unseeded Brit. By all means show that (on Red Button?) but not instead of the main games. This applies to television too!” Female 55- 64
“BBC Sport online is even more England-centric than BBC News online. Rugby coverage is a prime example. Even though the Pro 12 league featuring Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish teams is of a higher standard than English Premiership rugby it receives a much lower billing.” Male 25-34
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KNOWLEDGE
3.11: Online has a commitment to support BBC TV and radio programmes by offering online content to enhance knowledge, such as dedicated pages on a range of subjects including food, history, health, science, music and nature.
How well do you think it does this?
Total number of respondents: 1014
Note: while BBC Knowledge and Learning are considered one product by BBC Online, for the purposes of the consultation they have been treated as two products.
Knowledge - How well do you think it does this?
Don't 22% know
Not at all 2% Well
Not well 4%
Quite Well 42%
Very Well 30%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% Base: 1014
Broad support for BBC Online’s provision of content that enhances knowledge
Where BBC Online is often the first port of call for many in terms of news and sport, this is not typically the case for information on specific subjects. The dedicated Knowledge pages appear to be most used when there has been a signpost from a particular programme rather than used as a general resource. Some refer to using other sources on the internet when looking for information on a specific subject. However, nearly three quarters (72%) of respondents think BBC Online offers content that enhances knowledge, supporting the TV and radio coverage, with 30% claiming it is done very well. 37
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“Content is updated regularly and is informative and thought provoking. Found myself researching subjects featured in more detail many times.” Male 35-44
Among users of this content, the majority are very positive about its quality finding the pages clear and informative and covering a wide range of subjects. The following content is seen to provide valuable additional information to programmes.
Food - many respondents appreciate the Food webpages, particularly the recipes. These are described as having excellent content providing a lot of depth and detail to the subject and are seen as a good follow-up to the BBC’s cookery programmes. Music - respondents mention having access to archive material through the Music Showcase pages which is seen as a distinct positive, as well as referring to pages for specific channels such as Radio 2’s folk-music pages. Some feel that there is too much emphasis on popular music and that other music genres should be included such as Radio 3 content, jazz or world music. Science - some respondents refer to the information contained within the science section as a useful resource for teachers in the classroom, though for some they are felt to be too elementary with limited depth of information or access to more advanced detail.
Other elements are mentioned which may present a barrier to further use among some respondents:
Lack of awareness Some comment that more should be done to raise awareness of this valuable online content, with some suggesting better cross-promotion on other BBC web pages including the homepage. Alternatively, others suggest that the BBC could build on the interest in particular TV or radio programmes by providing links to relevant subject areas which can then be explored further.
“I do often use recipes from the Food section but I often use Google which brings up the BBC website as a hit. I very rarely think to use the BBC for its recipes despite it having a great selection. Do people know about it?” Male 16-24
Information not detailed enough Some respondents feel that while the content provided is generally good, in some areas the information is too basic with insufficient depth for their needs. These respondents tend to look for alternative or additional information sources such as more specialist websites. Whilst some of these respondents acknowledge that the BBC should not try and replicate more specialist websites, others feel that more could be done to
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make the content that is available more challenging and informative rather than simply providing the basics.
Poor search and navigation function Some respondents comment that it can be difficult to locate the relevant webpages linked to BBC programmes. These respondents suggest that if this complementary content was more obvious on the BBC Online homepage or within iPlayer, people may be prompted to look at additional, educational content they would not otherwise have been aware of. As highlighted in responses to previous questions and throughout the consultation, some suggest the search engine could be improved to facilitate the discoverability of this type of content.
“It’s often hard to find the related online content from the URL given in a particular programme. The viewer should be able to enter the URL and be taken directly to the programme page. The current fashion for "and follow the links to xxx" is unacceptable. Often the "links" don't exist or are buried in the small text at the bottom of the page.” Male 45-54
“The content is hidden for the user. Only one item is sometimes featured on the carousel, but there is no landing page that easily directs me to the music or science page. We only get the editors pick of the day.” Male 35-44
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LEARNING
3.12: BBC Online has a commitment to encourage learning by providing learning resources on a broad range of subjects aimed at children, adult learners, parents and teachers. This includes providing resources that use BBC TV and radio archives.
How well do you think it does this?
Total number of respondents: 1318
Note: while BBC Knowledge and Learning are considered one product by BBC Online, for the purposes of the consultation this has been treated as two products.
Learning - How well do you think it does this?
Don't know 52%
Not at all 2% well
Not well 4%
Quite Well 22%
Very Well 20%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% Base: 1318
Limited awareness/usage of BBC Online’s provision of resources to encourage learning Less than half (42%) of respondents think BBC Online’s provision of learning resources is done well. However, half of the respondents answered ‘don’t know’ to this question. This may indicate that they are not aware of or do not use the BBC Learning content. Of those who do say they use the BBC Online learning pages the majority are positive about the quality of content and subject matter, finding the pages a
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useful resource, informative and easy to use. The archives are also seen as a valuable resource for learning. Many who refer to working in the education sector or who are parents/guardians of children tend to use the site as a primary resource of information to help with learning. Some highlight the Bitesize modules as being beneficial, especially for those studying basic English and Maths. “BBC Bitesize GCSE site is very useful (I'm a teacher and it is a very popular resource for both teachers and pupils).” Male 25-34 “Use the resources regularly to help with school homework. Always find something relevant and helpful, regardless of subject.” Male 35-44 However, a minority feel that this should not be a commitment of the BBC as this information can be found on other more specific sites. It is felt by these respondents that the BBC’s focus should be on programming.
There are a few aspects of the BBC Online Learning highlighted by respondents which could increase their use or enhance the current provision.
Information not detailed enough especially for advanced or adult learners Some respondents refer to more specialised learning sites as being their preferred resource over BBC Online Learning. Among them there is a sense that, while the learning content on BBC Online is generally of a high quality, in some areas the information is too basic with insufficient depth depending on the relevant syllabus for teachers. Some suggest that there should be links from this content to more in-depth articles or relevant external sites. In particular, there is a feeling that the content is adequate to a certain level but lacks depth and deeper understanding for higher level courses or for adult learners beyond basic skills. Some praise the use of links to and content from the Open University and feel this could be developed for more advanced learners. Others suggest that the BBC should make more of both the TV and radio archives, where a wealth of programmes focused on enhancing learning could be used as widely as possible. Some would like to access whole programmes from the archive in addition to relevant clips.
Lack of awareness of these resources Many respondents comment that they are unaware of these learning resources. Others comment that more should be done to promote the valuable content available on the Learning pages. These pages are felt to be less prominent than other BBC Online products and should be more visible.
Poor search and navigation function As with other areas of BBC Online, some have difficulty in locating information in the archives and across the pages dedicated to Learning. Furthermore, the
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Learning pages can appear to be ‘disorganised’. Some feel better navigation will optimise access to the wealth of useful information that is available on BBC Online Learning pages.
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iPLAYER
3.13: BBC iPlayer should support BBC TV and radio via its live viewing and catch up service.
How well do you think iPlayer does this?
Total number of respondents: 1038
How well do you think iPlayer does this?
Don't know 12%
Not at all well 3%
Not well 6%
Quite well 32%
Very Well 47%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%
Base: 1038
Overwhelming support for BBC iPlayer The majority (79%) of respondents think the BBC iPlayer’s support for BBC TV and radio via its live viewing and catch up service is delivered well, with nearly half (47%) claiming it is done very well.
The vast majority of respondents are very positive about BBC iPlayer, in particular the catch up service as well as for live broadcasts. This service is felt to be an invaluable part of the BBC offering, allowing them to access a greater range of the BBC output at times and places that are convenient for them. In this respect iPlayer is seen to work well on a range of devices and platforms, although there are still some issues raised around the lack of availability of broadcast rights for iPlayer.
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“I use it more as a catch-up service. Works really well, easy to find programmes I want to watch. I wish it wasn't for just the last 7 days though!” Female 35-44
“Absolutely fantastic & has revolutionised the way we all think/watch television & listen to the radio. Emulated by all the other main broadcasters.” Female 55-64
There are a few areas highlighted within the BBC iPlayer service which some respondents feel could be improved to enhance their enjoyment further.
Review programme availability There are a number of aspects concerning the availability of programmes mentioned by respondents. Seven day catch up window - many respondents would like all content to be available on iPlayer for a longer period than seven days. Although BBC iPlayer is felt by many to be a superior service compared to other catch-up services, particularly for its ease of use and visual quality, those provided by other broadcasters are praised for making programmes available for longer periods. Others respondents comment that some programmes are available more quickly than others, and suggested that establishing a standard time for availability would be helpful from a user perspective. Archive – many respondents would like more material to be made available from the archives, especially programmes that are unlikely to be available on DVD. Some would also like films to be made available on iPlayer as well as more back-catalogue material of whole series for example. Some make comparisons in this respect with the service provided by Channel 4 OD.
“I think iPlayer is a great service and have noted the way you are adding formats to watch on. I think the best improvement would be to add archived programmes onto the iPlayer system, this could be done on a pay service if necessary but I think that is the next logical step.” Male 25-34
The latest changes to the service make this a very useful service. I use this quite often for catch-up services online. What I find irritating however, is the programmes frequently expire after only a short period of time, and the library doesn't seem extensive… The BBC has an extensive library of TV programmes that can't be bought on DVD so having access to this material via online service or Youview box really would make the service a must-have facility. Series downloading would also be useful, now that off-line watching is possible. The off-line storage periods should also be extended, as some of time limits are prohibitively short.” Male 45-54 Exclusions - some respondents are disappointed that certain programmes, such as Match of the Day, are not available on iPlayer. While they appreciate some may be unavailable for rights or licence reasons, respondents comment that other programmes seem to be unavailable for 44
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no obvious reason. There is a feeling that a wider range of content should be available where possible.
Improve search capability Some respondents feel the iPlayer search function could be improved to be more flexible, and less sensitive to cope with misspelling of programmes. Some also say they are unable to find a specific programme when using a programme or presenter name in the search box.
In addition to the content and features of iPlayer itself, a number of more technical issues were raised by some respondents which they feel have impaired their use of the service. Broadband – some respondents discuss their inability to use iPlayer due to insufficient bandwidths and the broadband download required to stream a programme. Similarly, some respondents suggest there should be longer buffering to support low speed broadband connections and allow a larger choice of stream qualities to help people reduce bandwidth consumption. Mobile devices – some respondents would like the ability to stream HD programmes to mobile devices as well as to download programmes via an app. Specifically some respondents mention the quality of the Android App which they feel could be improved Platform-neutrality – a few respondents suggest that the availability of iPlayer content should be consistent across all platforms. For example, via Virgin some Formula 1 content is not available while it is available online. Similarly, a few respondents would like iPlayer to be available via the BBC Red Button service, especially those who do not have internet enabled TV.
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TV
3.14a: Other BBC Online content about TV should provide innovative online-based entertainment content, including drama and comedy, to a wide range of audiences.
How well do you think it does this?
Recent examples include online Doctor Who games, the EastEnders spin- off "E20", and "Comedy Exclusives" that features original comedy sketches made for online viewers.
Total number of respondents: 1006
TV - How well do you think it does this?
Don't know 64%
Not at all well 4%
Not well 5%
Quite well 20%
Very Well 8%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% Base: 1006
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3.14b: Other BBC Online content about TV should promote creativity by providing online entertainment that complements BBC broadcast programmes. This includes behind-the-scenes footage, TV blogs and links to related BBC shows.
How well do you think it does this?
Total number of respondents: 981
How well do you think it does this?
Don't 52% know
Not at all 4% well
Not well 5%
Quite well 28%
Very Well 11%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% Base: 981
Limited awareness of BBC Online’s provision of innovative online- based entertainment content or other online content that supports programmes Less than a third (28%) of respondents think the BBC Online provision of innovative online-based entertainment content is done well. However, almost two thirds of respondents to this question answered ‘Don’t know’, indicating limited awareness or low usage of this provision. Slightly more (39%) agree that BBC Online’s provision of content about TV promotes creativity by providing online entertainment that complements BBC broadcast programmes is done well. However, again, around half (52%) are not aware of this aspect of the service. Overall, this aspect of the BBC Online services appears to be less well-known or well-used than other areas of the online service. In addition, there appears to be a considerable proportion of respondents who feel that resources on this content should be redirected to mainstream TV broadcasting, or to other areas
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of the Online service. Some comment that they are not interested in this type of content and feel it is irrelevant to them. Others comment that they are unable to access this additional online content due to broadband limitations and that it should be made available to all, via the Red Button or on DVD for example. However, among users many are complimentary about the service. They feel the additional content is creative, of high quality and a valuable addition to the programmes. In particular, many seem to appreciate the blogs and behind- the-scenes footage with Doctor Who pages most widely mentioned positively.
“There should be more interaction such as the online show page having a running social media feed showing what other people are saying about the show as it is being broadcast.” Male 16-24
“You referred above to Doctor Who online content, which seems a very good example of how the BBC makes excellent use of its web-based services. Background material, making-of, behind the scenes, cast/crew interviews, etc are all excellent and should be used as a shining example to the rest of the organisation. Online content is good, but should not be used as an excuse to replace traditional programming.” Male 45-64
There are some aspects mentioned by respondents where slight enhancements could be made.
Improve the range of content Some comment that this type of content seems to be targeted at a younger audience and therefore is not necessarily relevant to them. Others comment that there should be additional content for factual programmes as well as for drama and comedy. In addition, some respondents would like to see more TV archive content available as part of this service.
“Some programmes will benefit from this more than others. It would be nice if more show sites went into more detail about individual episodes- Have I Got News For You could link to relevant stories on the BBC News site, for instance.” Male 25-34 Improve awareness As many people seem unaware that this content is available some suggest this should be promoted more widely on TV or on iPlayer.
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RADIO
3.15: Other BBC Online content about radio should enhance BBC
radio stations in ways which complement broadcast programmes,
such as via video clips and podcasts.
How well do you think it does this?
Total number of respondents: 1003
4.15a: Radio - How well do you think it does this?
Don't 43% know Not at all 4% well
Not well 7%
Quite well 28%
Very Well 19%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% Base: 1003
Broad satisfaction with BBC Online’s provision of content to complement radio programmes Almost half (47%) of respondents think the BBC Online provision of content to complement radio output is done well. 43% of those who answered this question answered ‘Don’t know’, indicating limited awareness or low usage of this provision.
“The video of live sessions that is now available is excellent and the online service is generally reliable and high quality.” Female 35-44
“My main listening is to Radio 4 and Radio 4 Extra, which have extensive podcast libraries - this is great, as I often discover something part way through a series and can go back to the first episode to catch up (particularly factual programmes which seem to stick around longer on podcasts and iPlayer).” Male 25-34 Among those who use this online content most are complimentary about the service. Particular aspects highlighted by respondents were:
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Podcasts – these appear to be widely used and highly valued and considered a high quality offer. Some respondents would like to see an increase in the availability of podcasts but acknowledge there may be rights issues for some programmes, while others would like podcasts to be available for longer.
Webcams - listeners of Radio 1 and 5 Live in particular enjoyed the live studio webcams, video clips and interviews. Enabling the audience to enjoy a visual aspect to the radio broadcast seems to add a further dimension to their overall experience.
A number of respondents also used this question as an opportunity to praise the BBC’s iPlayer radio which is appreciated and enjoyed.
Some areas for improvement were also highlighted.
Improve navigation within station websites and on iPlayer Some respondents say they have struggled with navigation and in finding particular elements within radio websites. In particular, many of these respondents comment that it can be difficult to find particular content referred to during a radio programme. Some respondents commented that the website could be confusing and not intuitive with a number of pages relating to a specific programme for example. “R4 Today programme often mentions there is more on their website. Unfortunately their website is so badly designed it's impossible to find anything. Pretty much hopeless.” Male 45-54
In addition, others comment that it can be difficult to find particular podcasts or particular radio programmes on iPlayer, particularly with the new layout.
“Radio content seem neglected and never up to date. Find it hard to find out what on. Don't like new layout with new I player. Can’t find a thing!” Male 35-44
Increase availability of content Some respondents say they would like more radio archive content to be available as part of this service. This includes more classic radio broadcasts as well as orchestral recordings and comedy programmes.
Increase level of interaction The ability to engage directly with programmes is valued by many respondents and some would like even greater interactivity with the radio stations. For example more information online about the music being played or feedback from discussions on social media about the programme while live on-air.
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CONTENT AND EXPERIENCE
3.16a: BBC Online should reflect audiences in the different nations and local communities across the UK, through its news, sports, weather, travel and other online content.
How well does BBC Online do this? How could BBC online improve on this?
Total number of respondents: 917
Broad satisfaction with the way BBC Online reflects audiences from around the UK Generally it is thought that BBC Online reflects the different nations and local communities well. Respondents cite good travel, sport and weather content. As outlined earlier, there are some criticisms of local and regional news content. However, many recognise that local and regional news is a challenging remit to cover and that BBC Online does well in terms of the range of content from across the UK. Respondents suggest ways in which BBC Online could improve or enhance the local provision further, with these generally echoing responses given in question 3.9b regarding the provision of local news.
Greater depth of coverage across more areas Some respondents are keen to see more detailed information for their particular area, specifically in terms of travel, news and weather. Some refer to the previous incarnations of BBC Local web pages which were felt to have been more detailed. Some respondents feel that the emphasis is now on larger regions or cities rather than smaller local areas. Some comment that the content can be ‘England centric’ with some perceiving a particular bias towards London and the South East. There are also a few comments that convey a perception of underinvestment in regional news and sport; as a result BBC Online is not necessarily the first port of call for local news as it is not felt to be extensive or detailed enough. In this case respondents will turn to other news sources such as the local press.
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3.16b: BBC Online should encourage users to look at other online content by offering links to relevant non-BBC websites.
How well does BBC Online do this?
Total number of respondents: 934
Broad support for BBC Online’s provision of external links Among respondents there is widespread support for the use of links to non- BBC content as part of the BBC’s online offering of news, sports and other content. This feature appears to be well used and seen to widen the BBC’s online coverage of news and other events. It is perceived as very user friendly and respondents appreciate the use of small icons to sign-post links. It is emphasised that these external links should always be relevant, with a view to providing greater insight and enhancing the story or news bulletin. “I appreciate the little icon next to external links, so that I know whether I'm being directed to a BBC website article or an external link, and I can judge whether it is a link I want to follow.” Male 25-34
Other areas that are frequently mentioned by respondents are: Sport - links to non-BBC websites are particularly important for sports news where the BBC might have less detailed or specialist information, or when covering minority sports or games. Here, external links are seen to allow the BBC to effectively enhance the experience for the user. “This feature of BBC Online is pretty good, most useful I have found when linking to live scoreboards for European and PGA Tour golf events. Links to BBC Twitter pages is also useful for following related sports covered by those reporters.” Male 16-24
News – respondents appreciate the BBC featuring external links to alternative views and opinions on stories in order to offer a wider perspective. Some suggest further use links to external content such as academic papers, external blogs, official websites and other reports on the same story such as in local press.
The general concept of linked external content is widely applauded. Key areas for improvements suggested by respondents are an increase in the number of links; better sign-posting to links; including links within articles or links to more relevant articles to provide greater scope or insight. Some feel there was an over use of links to Facebook and Twitter while others feel links should only be to non-commercial sources.
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3.16c: BBC Online should encourage people to actively participate in discussion on content in a variety of ways, such as posting their own comments and videos to the BBC Online website.
How well does BBC Online do this?
Total number of respondents: 914
General acceptance of the role of BBC Online in encouraging participation Many respondents comment that BBC Online positively encourages participation and gives people many opportunities to discuss a range of online content and interact with broadcast programmes. This allows a truly free and open debate amongst online users, listeners and viewers.
However, there are some who express concern about online forums and question the value that they add where many of the comments are not relevant to the topic or can be ill-informed. These respondents say they would rather hear the views of an expert on the subject who can genuinely add value to a discussion. Similarly, others comment that as this aspect of online provision needs considerable input from BBC staff in order to moderate the discussion or simply to handle and process all the comments, it is not seen to be the best use of resources. In this vein respondents comment that it should not be the remit of the BBC to host discussions and videos, and suggest this kind of user- generated content is best placed on external forums such as YouTube, blogs or other social networks. “All it does is list email or text comments from often ill-informed listeners or viewers. I am not sure what service that provides. It would be better if these comments could be followed by an editor spelling out what is wrong with a comment. If not, others read it and assume it to be correct. This type of forum seems counterproductive in an organisation which provides the best news and information coverage in the country.” Male, age not given
“I question the value of this. Sometimes articles generate a huge amount of spurious discussion that must be resource intensive to control. I often avoid reading this user generated content for fear of being depressed by the comments.” Male 25-34
Among respondents who do use these features across BBC Online, some suggestions are offered to improve the facility.
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Intelligent login facilities - a number of respondents who regularly use these forums comment on the inconvenience of having to register and log in before being able to participate each time they use it. They feel it would be beneficial if details could be ‘remembered’.
“Reasonably OK - it is a pain sometimes to post comments since you have to log in each time, it would be great if you offered a ‘remember me’ function through cookies.” Male 45-54
Moderation – some respondents stress that for this kind of service to be most useful and in line with BBC values there needs to be careful moderation of the discussion in order to correct any inaccuracies so readers are not misinformed. However, respondents’ views relating to the level of moderation are polarised, with some commenting there should be more and some that there should be less.
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3.16d: BBC Online content should be easy to search and navigate so you can quickly find what you are looking for. BBC Online should also help you to discover new content from across its service.
How well does BBC Online do this?
Total number of respondents: 940
Concerns over the efficacy of the search and navigation functions Many respondents are able to find the content they use on a regular basis and do not tend to search beyond that. However, as noted throughout the consultation, others who want to find new or specific content express concerns that it can at times be confusing and not an easy task. Navigation - some comment that there is so much content it can seem cluttered and confusing and therefore difficult to find specific content. This comment is most commonly made in reference to the news and sport pages which are felt to be too ‘busy’. Some feel it is easy to find mainstream items but more difficult to find ‘niche’ content. Respondents note that some areas are more difficult to navigate than others and would appreciate better signposting or larger banners. “Apart from the core subject headings, which are fairly easy to navigate to, I am sure that there must be a wealth of other resources on the BBC website that I have not come across. This is unfortunate that this is happening and should be improved on by providing more information at a higher navigational level.” Male 45-54 Many respondents feel that they are directed to new content, most notably through the home page. Some feel that the new version of the homepage is very crowded with too much information and therefore it is harder to spot signposting to new content. “I like the new homepage and feel that it pushes new things to me I feel it could push more new things to me though and would like that to happen - take me to new place perhaps linked to what I view already.” Male 25-34 However as many respondents do not use the homepage and go directly to certain pages such as news or iPlayer they are not directed to, or made aware of, new content in this way. A few other respondents comment that they are less interested in new content than finding specific items they are looking for.
Search - with regards to the search capabilities, respondents express frustration at its effectiveness. For example, it can bring up too many unrelated results, especially when items are known to be available on the site. As a consequence some respondents often use external search engines such as Google to search for BBC content. 55
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“This is my main issue with BBC Online and the reason I do not access it more regularly. Time is precious and I do not want to be muddling through web pages when I'm looking for something specific and cannot locate it speedily. Improve the search facility.” Female 45-54
“BBC search was always rubbish. Far quicker and more accurate to use Google. If you're not going to do a better job than Google, then don't bother. It's pointless. Quite often searches on iPlayer completely fail to find the programme I'm looking for. Very poor.” Male 45-54
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3.16e: BBC Online should be more accessible to our users by being available on ‘4 Screens’. These are connected TV; desktop; tablet (e.g. iPad) and smartphone (i.e. a mobile phone with access to the internet).
How well do you think BBC Online is doing this? How do you think it could benefit BBC Online users?
Total number of respondents: 913
Broad appreciation for the wide availability of BBC Online The ‘4 screens’ employed by BBC Online are applauded and many respondents who use these services agree this is done very well. Respondents particularly mention the breadth, reliability, speed and effectiveness across the different platforms, agreeing that it greatly enhances the BBC Online offer and makes the BBC superior to its competitors in this regard. A few people also note recent improvements and constant developments that are taking place, particularly to the mobile site, and agree it is clear the BBC are going to great lengths to ensure the ‘4 screens’ are effective for its users.
There are some areas which some respondents refer to as needing refinements, all of which have been mentioned in previous questions: Consistent content - it is felt that ideally the BBC Online offering should be the same standard across all platforms by having access to the same level of content, and ease of navigation. Technical improvements - there are a small number of comments regarding the mobile sites, such as slow speed, but it is noted improvements were being made. Android users in particular feel under-served, with many noting that there should be more integration with android devices and enhanced support across a greater variety of platforms. The iPhone mobile app and mobile site are widely praised, but some mention it could be more varied and has limited content compared to the full sites: more video content for example is suggested.
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3.16f: Is there anything else you would like to say about BBC Online?
Total number of respondents: 647
Overwhelming support for the role of BBC Online within the BBC portfolio of services A few respondents comment that the development of online services is not the priority of the BBC, which should be to provide quality TV and Radio content. However the majority of comments emphasise how important the BBC Online offering is and how highly they rate the overall package. Most used this section of the consultation to applaud the BBC for the work it does. The majority of comments express great support for BBC Online, with some suggesting it is an unrivalled service. For many it is their main online news provider and primary source for a wide range of information. BBC iPlayer is seen as invaluable by most respondents as it is seen as widening the availability of the broadcast output. Respondents feel that online is an important aspect of the future of broadcasting and communications, and the BBC should be at the forefront of these developments. Many were keen to express their concern that the BBC should not cut services and wanted assurance of continued investment in BBC Online.
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4. PROFILE OF CONSULTATION RESPONDENTS
The BBC Trust is committed to ensuring that it listens to the views of a wide range of licence fee payers and therefore the consultation also gave respondents the opportunity to indicate their gender, age, location by nation of the UK, national identity, disability, religion, sexual orientation and ethnicity. The following tables show the available demographic information for the 1769 respondents to the consultation. Note: some respondents did not complete or partially completed these questions.
Gender Number of % of overall respondents total Male 1037 81 Female 224 17 Prefer not to say 27 2
Total 1288 100%
Age Number of % of overall respondents total 15 and under 8 1 16-24 75 6 25-34 130 10 35-44 222 17 45-54 219 17 55-64 283 22 65+ 329 25 Prefer not to say 32 2
Total 1298 100%
Disability Number of % of overall respondents total Yes 175 14 No 1013 79 Prefer not to say 92 7
Total 1280 100%
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Location Number of % of overall respondents total England 1096 86 Scotland 96 8 Wales 50 4 Northern Ireland 24 2
Total 1272 101%
Ethnicity Number of % of overall respondents total Asian or Asian British 21 2% Chinese 2 0% Indian 13 1% Pakistani 4 0% Other Asian background 2 0%
African 1 0%
Other Black background 1 0%
White 1133 89%
English/Northern
Irish/Scottish/Welsh 1085 84%
Irish 17 1%
Gipsy or Irish Traveller 3 0% Any other White background 28 2%
Mixed/Multiple ethnic group 3 0% Black or Black British 2 0% White and Asian 1 0%
Other ethnic group 11 1% Prefer not to say 94 8%
Total 1274 100%
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Sexual Orientation Number of % of overall respondents total Bisexual 25 2 Gay man 54 4 Gay woman/Lesbian 5 0 Heterosexual/Straight 1001 80 Other 9 1 Prefer not to say 165 13
Total 1259 100%
Religion/belief Number of % of overall respondents total Buddhist 6 0 Christian (including 555 45 Church of England, Catholic, Protestant and any other Christian denominations) Hindu 4 0 Jewish 2 0 Muslim 6 0 No religion 498 40 Other 35 3 Prefer not to say 157 12
Total 1259 100%
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APPENDIX A – SUMMARY OF FREEFORM RESPONSES
SUMMARY OF FREEFORM E-MAIL RESPONSES TO THE BBC RED BUTTON AND ONLINE CONSULTATION
In addition to those taking part in the consultation by completing the online questionnaire or by sending a proforma response by email or post, a further 25 more general comments were received by email.
These responses primarily focussed on Red Button and reflected issues already raised in the consultation report.
A number of these responses are in relation to sport and the recent changes to the number of video streams and therefore range of sports available on Red Button. While Red Button has been seen as a valuable source of sports content not readily available elsewhere, it is felt that this offer is now greatly reduced. For those not able to subscribe to other channels or without access to internet or adequate broadband the loss of this sport coverage is more greatly felt.
Other comments echo issues raised through the formal consultation process such as the lack of information about scheduling, poor spelling and grammar or mistakes, the need for better local or regional news and information, and more timely up-dates in relation to news and sport stories or results.
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Prepared by:
Helen Mather and Clare Luke Public Knowledge The Mill Hexham Business Park Burn Lane Hexham Northumberland NE46 3RU t: 01434 611160
Date of final report delivery: March 2013
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