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NORTHERN IRELAND MANAGEMENT REVIEW 2011/12 a 01 Introduction 02 Two minute summary 04 Service performance 2011/12 12 Looking ahead 2012/13 16 Key priorities for next year 2012/13 17 Contacts 18 BBC Northern Ireland management Cover image New television drama from BBC Northern Ireland – 6Degrees. INTRODUCTION We also continued our work to grow the volume and value of network programmes that are made in Northern Ireland. Current affairs, factual, drama and comedy programming were all part of this mix – attracting appreciative audiences and much critical success. Like so many other organisations, this has also been a period of real financial challenge. We have faced some difficult choices and will need to make further reductions in expenditure and staffing over the coming years. None of this is easy. Our concern, however, has been, and will remain, to avoid any adverse impacts on the service that we provide to local audiences. We play “We have a responsibility to a central role in cultural and community reflect, describe and explain life in Northern Ireland and are confident the whole of community life that we can make an even more effective contribution to local society and the wider in Northern Ireland.” BBC. Making this ambition a reality will be a key priority for my teams in the next It has been a year of challenge 12 months. and remarkable achievement – technical, creative and editorial. We can report on another busy and successful year for BBC Northern Ireland. Our services retained their popularity and broad appeal, connecting with Peter Johnston audiences in different ways across the Director, BBC Northern Ireland schedule. We delivered several new drama projects for television and radio; provided extensive coverage of the Assembly election and The Queen’s visit to the Republic of Ireland; extended our business and economics journalism; explored life in contemporary Northern Ireland through documentary series and debate; created large-scale music and entertainment events; and brought local voices and talent to a region-wide audience through an ambitious programme of outside broadcasts. 1 TWO minUTE SUMMARY BBC Northern Ireland aims to provide something of value for everyone in the community through a broad range of programmes and services which inform and stimulate debate, celebrate and support cultural and sporting life, and reflect local interests and experiences for audiences within Northern Ireland and across the rest of the UK. Hours of local television output Hours of BBC Radio Ulster/Foyle by genre in 2011/12 output by genre in 2011/12 These totals describe local programming on BBCNI These totals describe the volume and type of programming television during 2011/12; 65.75 hours of this output provided by BBC Radio Ulster/Foyle. Much of this output (equivalent to 34% of qualifying non-news hours with a involves listener interaction. Continuous output in this value of £5.15million) was commissioned from the local categorisation includes specialist music and other strands. independent sector. Genre Hours of programming produced Genre Hours of programming produced Comedy, Entertainment and Music 19 Continuous Output 5,098 News and Weather 393 News and Weather 3,715 Current Affairs 29 Sport 443 Sport 75 Factual and Factual Entertainment 54 Drama 5 Children’s and Education 13 2 Average weekly 15-minute reach Average weekly 15-minute reach of BBC One in Northern Ireland of BBC Two in Northern Ireland Reach is described as a percentage of the total population Reach is described as a percentage of the total population who consumed BBC television programming over a who consumed BBC television programming over a specified time period (in this case 15 minutes). These totals specified time period (in this case 15 minutes). BBC Two reflect the continuing popularity of BBC television, but also remains the primary channel for much of our sports and the effect of competition from other broadcast services minority language programming. It is also used to give on digital platforms. audiences another opportunity to see local programmes. 09/10 73.3% 09/10 49.7% 10/11 77.8% 10/11 49.2% 11/12 77.3% 11/12 49.4% Average weekly reach for Average weekly unique browsers of BBC Radio Ulster/Foyle BBCNI Online (millions) Reach is described as a percentage of the total population These totals describe the average number of weekly who consumed local BBC radio services in Northern unique browsers during April each year on the Ireland. These totals represent an average of the quarterly BBCNI website. audience figures that were produced by Rajar across the review period. BBC Radio Ulster/Foyle retains its place as the region’s most popular station. 09/10 35.3% 09/10 0.66 10/11 36.3% 10/11 1.01 11/12 36.5% 11/12 1.27 Local BBC television output totals (Hours) BBC Radio Ulster/Foyle output totals These totals describe the hours of BBCNI television (Hours) programming for local audiences. The volume and profile These totals describe the hours of programming on BBC of our output is aligned against relevant Service Licence Radio Ulster/Foyle. The volume, profile and content of and SoPPs commitments and the BBC’s Public Purposes. our output are aligned against the station’s Service Licence These totals can fluctuate over time as a result of the and the BBC’s Public Purposes. These totals can fluctuate cost/type of programme being commissioned, the over time as a result of the cost/type of programme being timetabling of programme deliveries, etc. commissioned, the timetabling of programme deliveries, etc. 09/10 627 09/10 9,514 10/11 656 10/11 9,470 11/12 760 11/12 9,256 3 SERVICE PERFORMANCE – TELEVISION, RADIO AND ONLinE 2011/12 We provide programmes and services across radio, television and online – bringing the stories of local people to audiences at home and across the UK. BBCNI television the Assembly and local government BBCNI television provides a reflecting elections; policing, security and justice issues; mirror to local society. All aspects of life are the challenges facing the health sector; The captured in its programmes. These include Queen’s first visit to the Republic of Ireland, people and events from Northern Ireland’s including extended live coverage of key past and ever-changing present; celebrations events; the Irish Presidential election; Ian of local achievement and diversity; news Paisley’s decision to retire from active and current affairs; and documentary ministry and his subsequent illness; and the strands. Quality, distinctiveness and editorial effect of autumn flooding on communities ambition are central to all of this work. in Fermanagh. Our specialist and district BBCNI-produced programmes delivered reporters brought range, depth and a large audiences across the year – helping succession of story exclusives to BBC to enhance and extend the appeal of BBC’s Newsline; business and economics coverage services at local level. was enhanced with the creation of a new Our news programmes remain a trusted, editor role and team; and we made and popular, source of information, reports effective use of social media in finding and analysis. Major stories and developments new ways to connect with, and involve, in recent months have included: coverage of our audiences. 1 2 1. Exploring history with Dr Eamon Phoenix in Ninety Year Nation. 2. Celebrating a comedy genius – Frank Carson. 4 Northern Ireland We followed the work of the Assembly also the focus of a popular, and much talked and Executive with a new-look Sunday Politics about, series filmed over an extended and launched Stormont Today with a revised period in Ballysally. The Estate told the editorial brief and time slot. Other stories of local people and described some developments are planned in this area as of the triumphs and challenges of everyday part of a phased refresh of our politics life. Consumer concerns from across the output. These will seek to optimise the region were highlighted in a returning series impact and benefits of BBC investment, of In Your Corner; 6Degrees provided a fast- building on established strengths and paced and engaging depiction of college life expertise. Long-form interviews, at a fictional Belfast campus; we looked at commentary and debate will remain political and other changes in society with essential features of this mix, but we’ll Denis Murray’s reflections on his 20 year also want to try some new and different career as the BBC’s Ireland Correspondent; approaches, including changes in presentation. and we got an alternative perspective on Spotlight brought audiences a range of events surrounding the outcome of the stories from behind the news headlines, Saville Inquiry in Bloody Sunday: The including investigative reports on the wide- Long Wait. reaching effects of the downturn in the Commerce (and dogged optimism) in the housing market; local views on Scotland’s midst of conflict were profiled in an debate about independence; alleged failings affectionate documentary about Belfast’s in the work of the Police Ombudsman’s Europa Hotel, and we looked at John office; alcohol misuse; and the internal Hume’s pivotal role in local politics in a workings of the Orange Order. Our skills specially commissioned film biography. Social and reputation in current affairs journalism history was the theme of Those Were The have also helped to secure an increasing Days, an archive-based series about changes number of commissions for BBC network in technology, culture, home life and television, including Panorama investigations business, and we had some powerful into FIFA, car insurance fraud and political television nostalgia with repeat screenings funding, and This World programmes of Graham Reid’s iconic Billy Plays. The on the Vatican, Wikileaks and the place events and terrible human cost of the of Mormonism in the USA.