NATIONAL AUDIT OFFICE

REPORTBYTHE COMPTROLLERAND AUDITORGENERAL

Management of the BBC World Service

ORDEREDBY THE HOUSEOF COMMONS TO BE PRINTED 15 MAY 1992

LONDON : HMSO 29 f7.00 NET MANAGEMENT OF THE BBC WORLD SERVICE

This report has been prepared under Section 6 of the National Audit Act, 1983 for presentation to the House of Commons in accordance with Section 9 of the Act.

John Bourn National Audit Office Comptroller and Auditor General 13 May 1992

The Comptroller and Auditor General is the head of the National Audit Office employing some 900 staff. He, and the NAO are totally independent of Government. He certifies the accounts of all Government departments and a wide range of other public sector bodies; and he has statutory authority to report to Parliament on the economy, efficiency and effectiveness with which departments and other bodies use their resources. MANAGEMENT OF THE BBC WORLD SERVICE

Contents

Pages

Summary and conclusions 1

Part 1: Background and scope 5

Part 2: Resource requirements and output 7

Part 3: Financial management 10

Part 4: Broadcasting efficiency 14

Part 5: Measuring effectiveness 21

Appendices

Case studies

1. English Current Affairs 25

2. Arabic Service 27

3. Polish Service 29

4. Swahili Service 31

5. Apportionment of overheads 33 MANAGEMENT OF THE BBC WORLD SERVICE

Summary and conclusions

1 With an estimated global regular audience of 120 million the BBC World Service is among the best known, and most reputable, of international radio broadcasting organisations. Its independence and high standard of broadcasting are widely recognised. Speaking at his press conference after the attempted coup, former President Gorbachev said the BBC World Service had been his main source of information during his confinement. Its reports had been the most reliable and thorough. And, following their release as hostages in Beirut, Terry Anderson, Tom Sutherland and Terry Waite paid strong tributes to the World Service.

2 As at January 1992, the World Service provided programmes in English and in 37 other language services for 817.75 hours a week. The Service is funded by grants-in-aid from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, some El43 million in 1991-92. It also monitors public broadcasts and News Agencies from a number of other countries, funded through separate grants-in-aid of El6 million.

3 The World Service is a constituent part of the BBC and shares the general objectives of the Corporation. It has a further explicit obligation to provide an accurate and unbiased, independent news, information and analysis service, to give a balanced view of national and international developments and to represent British life accurately. It has full editorial independence which is a key ingredient of its worldwide reputation.

Scope of NAO’s 4 The National Audit Office examined how the World Service’s grants-in-aid examination were determined in relation to the number of languages and hours broadcast. They also reviewed the World Service’s financial management, its broadcasting efficiency and its procedures for measuring effectiveness. To illustrate these matters, the National Audit Office undertook four case studies covering English Current Affairs, and the Arabic, Polish and Swahili Services.

5 The Foreign and Commonwealth Office, in consultation with the World Service, determine the number of languages and hours that are broadcast [the “Prescription”) and provide funding on a triennial basis. The World Service is responsible for programme content and for satisfying the Department that it is providing the required broadcasts economically, efficiently and effectively. The World Service has a generally satisfactory system of resource planning, financial management and control, including internal value for money reviews, and has developed comprehensive procedures with which to assess the effectiveness of its output. But within this sound framework, the National Audit Office identified some areas of weakness and have suggested some improvements.

Resource 6 The World Service produced its first corporate plan in 1991 after funding requirements and for the current Triennium had been agreed. The plan was not designed to hours broadcast consider longer term resource requirements beyond the next three years.

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The National Audit Office suggest that corporate planning should precede and consequently inform discussions on future funding levels and should take a longer term perspective. This would enable decisions on resow-ce requirements to be considered in a more structured way. Clearly, it may be necessary, subsequently, to adjust the corporate plan following the Triennium funding agreement. The World Service intends to proceed in this way (paragraph 2.4).

7 The World Service has to agree every permanent change in amount of time broadcast with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. On some occasions this has led to protracted negotiations for changes which the World Service intended to fund within the grant-in-aid. It does not seem cost-effective for the World Service and the Department to have to agree every marginal change in output. While not reducing accountability, the World Service might be given more authority to vary the amount of time broadcast within set limits as long as there was no increase in overall costs and that the changes did not conflict with, and there was an appropriate balance between, the Department’s priorities, agreed languages and the overall goals of the Prescription (paragraphs 2.11 and 2.13).

Financial 8 The World Service exercised proper financial control and has been management successful in redeploying resources to priority areas. There were some deficiencies in management information but the proposed new financial system should remedy them. However, by not apportioning all overheads to output services, it is difficult for the World Service to determine whether hours broadcast are justified in terms of their total costs, although detailed marginal cost information is available and regularly used (paragraphs 3.3, 3.4 and 3.11).

9 A knowledge of total costs is important not only for internal decision making, but also when the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the World Service consider possible changes in output. As a matter of priority the World Service should ensure that its new finance system apportions all overheads to output services on an appropriate basis, such as hours broadcast; and distinguishes between costs under local managers’ control (e.g. travelling expenditure) and those outside it (e.g. finance support services) (paragraphs 3.11 to 3.14).

10 In July 1990 the World Service reviewed its purchasing procedures with a view to improving its purchasing techniques and expertise. Changes made should encourage the World Service to improve its commercial approach, increase competitive tendering and relate specifications more closely to the full-life cost of goods purchased (paragraphs 3.6 and 3.7).

II Cash flow forecasting was weak, with the result that the Foreign and Commonwealth Office have had to make sizeable adjustments to the funds advanced to the World Service. Cash flow management could be improved if the World Service had its own bank account separate from the BBC Domestic Service. The World Service implemented this in January 1992 (paragraphs 3.8 to 3.10).

12 Considerable progress has been made in reducing the level of support functions provided by the BBC Domestic Service to the World Service. The

2 MANAGEMENTGFTHEBBCWORLDSERVICE

reduction in shared costs means that there is less risk of cross subsidisation between the grant-in-aid and the BBC Domestic Service and vice versa. The detailed review arrangements to ensure that there is a fair apportionment of shared costs are time consuming. The BBC have tried to reduce this effort by charging the World Service directly for some support functions. Charging for all support services might be a more efficient means of accounting for shared expenditure although the need to attribute central costs fairly would remain (paragraphs 3.15 to 3.18).

13 The World Service does not recover full costs of providing its income earning activities, although it has set a target to increase income over the next three years. In recovering costs, the World Service takes account of the ability of countries to bear a full charge and the policy of their competitors. The World Service should continue to seek to recover full costs from its revenue earning activities and look for other opportunities to generate revenue (paragraph 3.19).

Broadcasting 14 Broadcasting during key listening hours in different time zones makes it efficiency difficult to utilise studios and associated staff fully. But, in general, the World Service has implemented a number of measures to improve efficiency. However, further improvements could be made in studio utilisation; and in the efficiency with which studio managers are deployed, particularly through the proposed computerisation of the studio allocation process. Improvements are also being made to staff rotas but, in addition, independent staff inspection and other workload measurements should be considered (paragraphs 4.5 to 4.14).

15 The World Service has a continuing capital programme to improve the quality and efficiency of broadcasts and to take advantage of technological developments. While the appraisal of projects was generally adequate there were some instances, when broadcasting need was seen as the prime justification, where no assessment had been made of the rate of return to justify the proposed expenditure. In these cases, a number of options had been costed and compared. And, in the evaluation of the requirement for studio replacements, the World Service did not always take full account of the impact of the efficiency savings it was planning to secure. The discipline of full capital appraisal should be applied to all projects (paragraphs 4.20 to 4.24).

16 Providing high quality worldwide broadcasts is expensive and there are many factors which can influence the cost of programmes, ranging from the use of studios to transmission requirements and the sophistication of the target audience. Nevertheless there was a wide range in the cost of broadcasting for each of the 37 output services, from between ~500 to ~1500 an hour. Apart from its annual budget review the World Service did not undertake internal comparisons to justify such differences. More attention might be paid to the implications of these varying costs in determining the balance of output (paragraphs 4.25 to 4.27).

Effectiveness 17 Between 1981 and 1991 Elf36 million was spent on capital projects intended to improve the audibility of the World Service’s broadcasts and the modernisation of Bush House facilities. While there have been some improvements in audibility, there has only been a partial assessment of the

3 MANAGEMENTOFTHEBBCWORLDSERVlCE

impact of this investment, However, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office intend to ask the World Service to undertake such an assessment when the final element of the 10 year programme is completed.

18 The World Service’s reception reports indicated that 15 per cent of their global audience experienced poor reception but this varied between 19 per cent and 41 per cent for four services examined by the National Audit Office. The Office took advantage of the recent liberalisation of foreign relations to carry out an independent audibility survey by asking State Audit Offices worldwide, including those in eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union, to listen to the World Service. Over 20 offices took part in the survey and nearly 60 per cent replied that they could hear programmes very clearly but the remainder either had to pay close attention or could not tune in effectively. This initiative has provided the World Service with valuable additional audibility information (paragraphs 5.3 to 5.10).

19 The World Service has recognised that it lacks detailed information on its competitors’ output; on the impact of its programmes; that it has not had regular audience measurement, even in key target areas; and that data on major audience sizes was updated on average only once every five to six years. Proposals to remedy these shortcomings could not be afforded from within the current Triennium funding agreement. But the World Service has now developed a research strategy which should provide more information on audience size and the impact of broadcasts (paragraphs 5.13 to 5.15).

20 It is clearly difficult to obtain reliable information on audience sizes and even more so to assess the impact of programmes. Nevertheless, such information is necessary for resource decisions, for improving broadcasts and for determining whether the World Service is meeting priorities within its objectives. The National Audit Office therefore consider that there is a need for the World Service to ensure that all key audiences are surveyed at intervals sufficient to meet those requirements. It also needs to include more qualitative assessments of the impact of broadcasts; and to ensure that its capital expenditure programme brings commensurate improvements in audibility.

General 21 The National Audit Office concluded that, in comparison with other internationalbroadcasters, the WorldService appeared more advanced in its approach to resource management and in its value for money reviews. It also had a more developed audience research capability and other broadcasters often purchased data from the World Service on audience profiles. However, the World Service also had a major advantage in the guarantee of three year funding which facilitated forward planning. The World Service sees itself as an organisation in the midst of planning and implementing changes intended to make itself more efficient and effective.

22 The relationship with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office lies at the heart of these arrangements. It has successfully evolved in recent years following the Perry Review: consideration might now usefully be given as to whether further advances might be made through putting that relationship on a more contractual basis, in the way that has been successfully developed in other areas of government work.

4 MANAGEMENT OF THE BBC WORLD SERVlCE

Part 1: Background and scope

1.1 The BBC World Service exists to provide an the BBC, dated 8 January 1981. Under external broadcasting service to target paragraph 13(5) of the Licence and Agreement audiences overseas, and to monitor the the BBC is required to plan and prepare World broadcasts of selected overseas countries, in Service programmes in the national interest accordance with objectives and requirements and to transmit them to countries in languages agreed between the World Service and the and at times prescribed by the Government. Foreign and Commonwealth Office. It aims to The Diplomatic Wing of the Foreign and broadcast reliable and balanced programmes Commonwealth Office are the prescribing of high professional quality and to ensure that department and are accountable to Parliament they are generally audible in target countries. for the grants-in-aid. By being trusted it brings credit to Britain. 1.6 The World Service has full editorial 1.2 It has an estimated 120 million regular independence which is a key feature of its listeners around the globe. These include worldwide reputation. In accordance with its former President Gorbachev who, speaking at objectives, agreed with the Department and his press conference after the attempted coup, the BBC, the World Service seeks to provide said the BBC World Service had been his an accurate and unbiased, independent news, main source of information during his information and analysis service; to give a confinement. Its reports had been the most balanced view of national and international reliable and thorough. developments; to represent British life accurately and to increase the understanding 1.3 Three months later Terry Waite, after his and spread of English. release from captivity in Beirut, said that World Service had helped keep him alive both spiritually and mentally. His fellow hostage, BBC Monitoring Tom Sutherland, admitted that “the BBC has everybody beaten hands down” and another 1.7 BBC Monitoring was founded in 1939 and is hostage, Terry Anderson, said that the World responsible for the collection and Service news coverage “had always been dissemination of information from foreign superb”. broadcasting and news agencies. It exchanges monitored material with the Foreign 1.4. The World Service is funded by Foreign and Broadcast Information Service of the United Commonwealth Office grants-in-aid - El43 States. By agreement the two organisations million in 1991-92 and currently broadcast, divide the world for monitoring purposes. mainly on shortwave, 817.75 hours a week - Monitored information is available to all BBC 214.5 in English, 531 in 37 vernacular Newsrooms and Government Departments. language services and 72.25 hours of English The service recovers some of its costs through language teaching. In addition, BBC sales to the commercial sector, news agencies, Monitoring monitors public broadcasts and foreign embassies, academics and journalists. news agencies from around the world. It is funded through separate grants-in-aid of El6 million. Perry Review

1.8 In 1984 the Perry Review conducted by the Aims and objectives Treasury, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the BBC, undertook a detailed 1.5 The World Service, as a constituent part of the examination of how the World Service was BBC, shares the general objectives of the operated. The review made a number of Corporation which are defined in the 1981 important recommendations for improving the Royal Charter, the Licence and Agreement and accountability, efficiency and effectiveness of in the Resolution of the Board of Governors of

5 MANAGEMENT OF THE BBC WORLD SERVICE

the World Service. The National Audit Office 1.11 The National Audit Office also visited the assessed the results of this review in their Voice of America, the United States report on the Foreign and Commonwealth Information Agency, Cable News Network, Office’s Financial Control and Accountability and Deutsche Welle to determine whether any of the BBC External Services (HC 44, lessons could be learned for the World 1986-67). It was following this report that in Service’s operation and management. On 1967 the BBC agreed that the National Audit effectiveness, the National Audit Office asked Office should have access to the World 35 overseas audit offices to comment on the Service to carry out value for money audibility of the World Service. The National investigations. Audit Office acknowledge the assistance provided by all parties.

Scope of examination World Service Television 1.9 This is the first time that the National Audit Office have examined the World Service and 1.12 World Service Television, which began the report covers four main areas: transmitting in April 1991, is not funded by the Government and is therefore not covered [a) how the Foreign and Commonwealth by this report. However World Service Office in consultation with the World Television News draws on some information Service determine the level of funding provided by World Service radio, in particular and the number of languages and hours through shared news gathering and editorial broadcast (Part 2); control. The Foreign and Commonwealth (bl how the World Service exercises Office have recognised that difficulties could financial management over the grants-in- arise through the differing funding aid (Part 3): arrangements for the two services. As a result they obtained assurances from the BBC in (c) how the World Service ensures that its 1990 that the grants-in-aid would not bear any resources used to make and broadcast of the costs of World Service Television. If the programmes are used efficiently (Part 4); World Service should incur additional costs and in providing information for the television (d) how the World Service reviews its service, corresponding charges are made to effectiveness (Part 5). World Service Television. 1.10 To illustrate these matters the National Audit Office undertook four case studies covering English Current Affairs, and the Arabic, Polish and Swahili Services (Appendices 14).

6 MANAGEMENT OF THE BBC WORLD SERVICES

Part 2: Resource requirements and output

2.1 The Foreign and Commonwealth Office, in quality and impact: and identifies scope for consultation with the BBC, agree the level of improving efficiency; for example, between funding for the World Service; determine the 1985 and 1989 the World Service redeployed number of languages and hours broadcast El2 million from support services to direct through an annual prescription review; and broadcasting. The current Triennium, set the conditions governing the grants-in-aid covering 1991-92 to 1993-94, provides for a The World Service is responsible for five per cent increase in real terms [Table 1) programme content and for satisfying the and takes account of further efficiency savings Foreign and Commonwealth Office that it is of El4 million planned by the World Service. providing the required broadcasts economically, efficiently and effectively. Table 1: Triennium funding 1991-92 to 1993-94 1991-92 1992-93 1993.94 f million ;,yiH$r f million World Service: revenue 117.02 133.39 Determining funding requirements capital 26.12 23.13 24.03 Monitoring: revenue 12.32 13.53 14.96 4.12 4.75 2.2 In order to facilitate longer-term resource capital 3.43 planning, the World Service has been funded Source: BBC World Service CorporatePlan. In 1991-92 wffurn prices on a three year basis since 1985-86. 2.4 In June 1991, the World Service published its 2.3 As part of the triennial funding negotiations first corporate plan based on agreed the World Service now assesses each output Triennium proposals. The World Service service and activity from a zero base: intends to update this annually and to use it considers options for enhancing programme to assist in determining resource

Figure 1: BBCWorld Service: Expenditure comparison with hours broadcast

Expenditure(fm) Broadcasthours

,I _ ;;;y--

80.0 - 800

77.5 - 770

75.0 -

730 72.5 1965-86 ’ 196687 ’ 198748 ’ 1966-89 ’ 1989-90 ’ 1990-91 Financialyears

Source: BBC World Service Figure 1 shows that the rise in the number of hours broadcast has been greater than the increase in the operating expenditure (excluding depreciation).

7 MANAGEMENT OF THE WORLD BBC SERVICES

requirements. However, it is designed to cover 60 per cent of prescribed hours were only the current year in detail and does not devoted to core activity or targeted to high consider longer-term staffing or other resource foreign policy priority areas and accounted requirements in depth. for approximately half of the total cost of the output services; in 1990-91, 34 per cent of prescribed Determining languages and hours hours were targeted to medium priority broadcast foreign policy areas and 16 per cent to low priority foreign policy areas and accounted 2.5 The number of languages and broadcast hours for a similar proportion of the total cost of which are funded by the grants-in-aid are the output services; defined in the Prescription which is the total costs of 16 output services determined by the Foreign and targeted essentially to low and medium Commonwealth Office in consultation with foreign policy priority areas exceeded the the World Service. All output services are costs of those targeted to the higher reviewed jointly caver a three year period as priority foreign policy areas; and part of a rolling programme of prescription reviews. The aims of these reviews are to Table 2: BBCWorld Service Output Services assess the broadcasting effectiveness and cost Service Hours broadcast of services -but excluding programme per week content which is the World Service’s editorial World Service English: 214.50 prerogative. World Service in English 168.00 English Alternative for Africa 29.75 EnglishAlternative for Europe 7.00 2.6 As at January 1992, 817.75 hours a week were RegionalEnglish Initiative (for Asia) 5.00 prescribed in English and 37 other language English Alternative for Asia 2.50 services, including English [Table 2). The English Alternative for the Caribbean 1.25 English Alternative for the Falklands 1.00 World Service also rebroadcasts programmes A& 73.50 on foreign local radio stations. However BSCEnglish teaching 72.25 Russian 56.00 rebroadcasting is not covered by the SpSp;sh(for Latin America) 31.50 Prescription, as only material already 26.50 produced for programmes directly broadcast French(for Africa) 24.50 Mandarin 24.50 is used. Since 1985-86 the hours broadcast by German 21.00 the World Service have increased by 9 per Hungarian 17.50 cent while broadcasting operating Romanian 17.50 ~;~@~ese (for Europe& Africa) 14.00 expenditure, excluding depreciation, has 13.75 increased by 4 per cent in real terms (Figure Hindi 13.50 Persian 12.75 1). Bulgarian 12.75 French(for Europe) 12.25 2.7 The Foreign and Commonwealth Office set Turkish 12.00 Greek 10.50 priorities for World Service output, with Indonesian 10.50 broadcastsin English as the core activity. In Urdu 10.00 Bengali 9.75 addition the Prescription has been adjusted to Finnish a.75 respond to a number of international crises Ha&? a.75 and developments. For example, during the Swahili 8.75 “i&lX”CSL- 8.76 Gulf War the number of hours broadcast in Burmese 7.50 Arabic rose from 63 to a peak of 98 per week Pashto 7.50 for which the Department provided El.3 Slovak 7.25 Somali 7.00 million and the World Service provided Thai 7.00 s250,OOO [Appendix 2). Serbian 6.50 Croatian 6.50 SlOVMX 5.75 2.8 The National Audit Office analysed Cantonese 5.25 expenditure on the output services compared Portuguese(for Brazil) 5.25 Tamil 3.00 to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s Nepali 2.25 current foreign policy priorities. They found -..Sinhala 0.75 that: I Olal 017.75 Source: Foreignand CommonwealthOffice/world Swvice Note: Roundedto the nearest 15 minutes at 1 January 7992

8 MANAGEMENT OF THE BBC WORLD SERWCES

l sums in excess of E500,OOO were spent broadcast. On some occasions this has led to annually on output services such as protracted negotiations even for changes French for Europe, Greek, Portuguese for which the World Service intended to fund Africa, Spanish for Latin America and from within the existing grant-in-aid. The Turkish, targeted to areas currently Department told the National Audit Office classified as low priority in terms of that negotiations had taken some time where foreign policy. the World Service’s proposals had not been in accordance with the Department’s priorities. 2.9 The World Service told the National Audit Office that it had its own priorities based on 2.12 The World Service considers that, while broadcasting criteria. Although these often ran recent practice had improved, the system in parallel with the foreign policy priorities, itself was somewhat inflexible. It considered they also took into account the need to that tight control through the Prescription develop and maintain the loyalty of an constrained better performance by preventing audience over a period of time and to seize the World Service from broadcasting more suitable new broadcasting opportunities. hours from within the agreed grant-in-aid. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office 2.10 The Department told the National Audit pointed out that the Prescription system was Office that in exercising their responsibility not intended to constrain performance but to for the Prescription they took very careful ensure that resources were devoted to priority account of the World Service’s broadcasting areas and that changes to output should be criteria. In the few cases where the World made on that basis. The Department and the Service’s priorities did not mesh with the World Service are discussing arrangements in Department’s priorities, the Department this area. sought to agree a way forward with the World Service. Where the Department had reduced 2.13 While not reducing accountability, the the hours of a particular service or, as with National Audit Office consider that the World Malay and Japanese, cut them altogether, they Service might be given more authority to vary had done so only after long and detailed the amount of time broadcast within set limits discussions to reach agreement with the as long as there was no increase in overall World Service. costs and the changes did not conflict with, and there was an appropriate balance 2.11 The World Service has the authority to make between, the Department’s priorities, agreed temporary increases to the Prescription to languages and the overall goals of the cover special events, but is required to agree Prescription. with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office permanent changes to the amount of time

9 MANAGEMENT OF THE BBC WORLD SERVICE

Part 3: Financial Management

3.1 Within the framework of the Prescription and totalling E8.3 million for 1987-89 to the Triennium Funding agreement the World 1989-90 and follow-on savings of f4.3 Service exercises financial control through its million in 1990-91. priority-based budgetary system, its internal Between 1986-87 and 1989-90 there was a value for money programme, its purchasing 2 per cent reduction in indirect costs, arrangements and through cash flow mainly overheads, with funds redeployed management. The World Service uses these to output services. However indirect costs systems to plan and control its resources, to have since increased from 29 per cent to minimise its overhead costs and to identify 35 per cent of total running costs, due areas where costs can be recovered through mainly to the increase in the rent for Bush revenue earning. HOUSe. Budgetary guidance for 1991-92 required Priority based budgeting that objectives should be quantified so that achievements could be monitored. For the 3.2 The budget cycle is based on the Managing five departments examined by the National Director’s annual statement of Direction Audit Office 112 objectives were set of which sets out broad global objectives and which 55 per cent had quantified targets. broadcasting priorities, including areas to target for savings, considers difficulties likely 3.4 Reliable information is essential for financial to arise in the coming year and highlights any management. However, the World Service has significant areas of broadcasting technical recognised that its existing information weakness. Drawing on this, managers review systems were not integrated and that their objectives and put forward proposals. improvements were required to help managers They are also required to identify scope for perform effectively, including the improving efficiency and attaining a savings development of key indicators -an essential target of 5 per cent with a view to meeting the requirement of accountability. Specific areas World Service’s current Triennium efficiency of concern included the need for commitment target of 4.5 per cent over the three year reporting to provide information cm goods or period. Bids and savings are prioritised and services ordered; improvements in the speed, subject to review by the World Service accuracy and frequency of financial reports; Directorate to determine what can be afforded and management information that was easier within the grants-in-aid and the Prescription. to understand. The World Service intends to The budgetis then submittedfor reviewto the introduce a new finance system in April 1992 BBC Director General and then presented to and now has a strategyto provide a full the Board of Management and the Board of management information service which would Governors for formal approval. provide data on key performance indicators.

3.3 The National Audit Office examined budget proposals from five World Service Value for money programme departments for 1991-92 and considered the impact of the budgeting process in 3.5 Since 1985 the World Service has had an redeploying resources to priority areas. They internal value for money programme to found that: examine whether its output services and support functions were spending the right l Between 1986 and 1989 the World Service amount of money and to make identified scope for redeploying f12.6 recommendations to improve efficiency and million (5.6 per cent of total running costs management. Since 1985 annual savings have for the period] to higher priority areas. been up to f611.300 a year and cumulative This was achieved through transfers total financial savings have reached

10 MANAGEMENTOFTHEBBCWORLDSERVICE

El.5 million; the World Service estimates that issued to date less payments made, together at least a further E43,OOO should be realised in with projected expenditure for the following 1991-92. month.

3.9 The World Service’s total expenditure for Purchasing arrangements 1990-91 was very close to planned target. But the quarterly reconciliations of actual and 3.6 In 1969-90 the World Service spent f32 estimated expenditure did not usually take million on goods and services ranging from place until 6 weeks after the period end when sophisticated engineering and electrical consolidated accounts became available. As a equipment, maintenance work, transport and result cash flow forecasting was weak so that: office supplies. In July 1990, to improve its purchasing techniques and expertise, the at the end of each of the four quarters of World Service reviewed its purchasing 1990-91 there were variances from the procedures. The review concluded that: prescribed cash balances by: -El million; responsibility for purchasing was +f3.1 million; if4.4 million and +f6.3 inadequately co-ordinated: purchasing million: and policies were not clearly defined; insufficient final year outturn for 1990-91 showed a specialist purchasing knowledge existed cash balance of over f8 million compared within the World Service: and some scope to an approved level of El.65 million, existed for obtaining improvements in the mainly because f6 million was being held price, quality and delivery of goods, by a stakeholder to meet the increase in Nevertheless a wide range of suppliers existed Bush House rent which was then under and a recent analysis of major capital negotiation. purchases had revealed that 96 per cent of contracts were awarded following competitive These deficiencies required sizable funding tendering. In all about 75 per cent of all World adjustments by the Department on a number Service purchases by value are made in of occasions. competition. 3.10 The Foreign and Commonwealth Office have 3.7 The World Service is implementing the expressed ccmcern at the World Service’s review’s recommendations. Strategic inability to forecast cash flow requirements purchasing ccmrses have been introduced for more accurately. To a large extent, cash flow senior and middle managers; the appointment management was complicated because the of a central purchasing officer is being BBC operate a single bank account covering considered; a World Service purchasing both the Domestic and World Services. policy has recently been adopted and revised Uncertainty about the World Service’s cash purchasing procedures are being formulated. needs was increased because charges for These changes should enable the World shared services are debited to World Service Service to improve its commercial approach, funds only quarterly. The World Service told increase the already high proportion of the National Audit Office that it introduced a competitive tendering and relate separate bank account 1 January 1992. specifications more closely to the full-life cost of goods purchased. Controlling overheads

Cash flow management 3.11 In 1990-91 the World Service’s studio, accommodation and administration overheads 3.8 The objective of the World Service’s cash flow cost f33.2 million, some 32 per cent of total management is to ensure that sums are made expenditure (Figure 2). These included available on time to meet estimated payments internal support functions and those shared and to keep cash balances within a level set with the BBC Domestic Service. In addition by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. transmission costs amounted to some f22 Twice a month the World Service is funded million. by the Department based on a statement of need. The funds issued from the grants-in-aid are based on projected cash balances, sums

11 MANAGEMENT OF THE BBC WORLD SERVICE

for promoting improvements in efficiency. Figure 2: World Service Expenditure- Since April 1991 studio manager costs, use of 1990-91 (f millions) telephones and transport have been charged to OverseaslEuropean English the relevant output service. As part of a f25.4m f11.7m strategy for enabling output services to have full responsibility for programme cost control (“User Choice”) and the World Service intends to charge out all studio costs from April 1992. It is also planning to charge out accommodation and associated overhead costs from April 1992 as a first stage and, in a second stage, to apportion most other overhead costs. However the World Service is not intending to charge out the costs of the central news department since this is regarded Overheads:Admin as a core activity. Appendix 5 identifies the f29.2m various elements of the World Service’s overheads and the extent of progress made in Overheads:Studio f4.0m apportioning all overheads to output services. Figure2 shows that overheadsfor 1990-91 (studios, accommodation,administrative resources& shared services) (ii) Shared services represented31.8 per cent total World Service Expenditure 3.15 Some f25 million of the World Service’s [i) Internal overheads running costs (24 per cent) are for support functions provided by the BBC Domestic 3.12 For the purposes of financial management it is Service. These include mainly engineering important that World Service managers costs as well as certain finance, personnel and receive information on those costs they can other administrative support. The World directly influence. These include the use of Service is charged for these costs either studios and studio managers to make and directly or on the basis of an agreed broadcast programmes; their use of centralised apportionment. The Financial Memorandum services such as the news department: to a governing the grants-in-aid sets out the basis lesser extent, transmission costs: and support of the apportionment. This states that World services such as telephones and transport. Service broadcasting and monitoring should be charged only for specific Domestic Service 3.13 As part of successive Prescription reviews costs arising from additional work undertaken (paragraph 2.5) the World Service has on their behalf. This convention is known as undertaken specific exercises to identify the “extra definable principle”. overheads relevant to language broadcasts. However, the management information system 3.16 The basis of the apportionment is reassessed does not apportion all overhead costs in this annually in a 3-year rolling review covering way. This has meant that, while management each BBC department which provides a information was suitable for identifying the shared service. The process is a time potential to redeploy resources, it was more consuming exercise but is diminishing as difficult for the World Service and the Foreign more devolution and direct charging are and Commonwealth Office to ascertain and introduced. The apportionments are examined question total cost of a service or activity o* to by the BBC’s external auditors who review the assess the wider financial implications of methodology and check that they have been changes in output. The World Service told the properly applied. They do not review the National Audit Office that its management basis of every individual apportionment, but information strategy [paragraph 3.51, and in do review material adjustments. particular its new finance system, would address this. 3.17 At the time of the Perry Review in 1984 shared services accounted for 40 per cent of 3.14 Internal charging, whereby users take World Service running costs. By March 1991 responsibility for the overheads they this had reduced to 24 per cent and of this 6.5 consume, is an important financial discipline per cent was apportioned and 17.4 per cent was a direct charge, mainly for the running of

12 MANAGEMENT OF THE BBC WORLD SERVICE

transmitter stations. The reduction in shared in 1990-91 [as planned) while the World costs has been achieved through introducing Service shop achieved a surplus of El4,000. more direct charging and by the World The World Service also recovers a proportion Service relying less on the Domestic Service of its costs from: publications, mainly for support functions. “London Calling” and “Huna London” [Appendix 21: BBC Transcription which sells 3.18 The National Audit Office do not have access radio programmes to overseas broadcasters; to the BBC Domestic Service records. Their BBC Topical Tapes which are weekly examination of shared services expenditure programmes in English airmailed to radio was therefore confined to the papers held by stations in about 60 countries: and from the the World Service, including the BBC sale of monitored material. The total cost of Domestic Service papers supporting the these activities in 1990-91 was ~5.3 million of shared service costs. From their examination, which ~2.8 million was recovered. the National Audit Office had sufficient information to conclude that the 3.20 Business plans have been produced for all of apportionments were properly assessed and these activities except for Topical Tapes that the extra definable principle was where the income, less than glOO,OOO, is followed. considered too small to justify a plan. Each plan defines strategic and financial objectives for the next four to five years. The World Revenue earning Service has set a target to increase revenue and cost recovery by f400,000 by 1993-94. 3.19 The World Service seeks to recover some of its BBC Monitoring plans to increase its income costs and to generate income from two from f571,000 to Z700,000 by 1993-94 while revenue sources: BBC English, which markets Transcription income is targeted to increase teaching courses, and the World Service shop. by 18 per cent by 1992-93. BBC English incurred a net deficil off113,ooo

13 MANAGEMENT OF THE BBC WORLD SERVICE

Part 4: Broadcasting effkiency

4.1 The resources required to broadcast the World the scope for further improvements in studio Service are: studios for the preparation and utilisation. They developed a model for transmission of programmes; 2027 staff, planning studio manager deployment. As a consisting of journalists, production, support result, since January 1991, studio managers and management personnel; and transmitter have worked an experimental new shift stations for relaying broadcasts. In addition pattern intended to provide greater flexibility the World Service has an on-going capital in return for an increase in the shift allowance programme to improve its audibility and to from 8 to 12.5 per cent of basic pay. enhance programme quality. The National Audit Office examined how efficiently each of 4.5 The National Audit Office examined studios these were managed and how the cost of and studio manager utilisation on three days programmes was controlled. in May 1991. They found that:

4.2 Most World Service programmes are made l Between 1400 to 2000 hours GMT 90 per internally or by the BBC Domestic Service. cent of studios were in use but between Recently the BBC Domestic Service has 0800 and 1400 and between 2000 and announced that an increased number of their 2330 hours, they were unoccupied on programmes will be brought in from average for some 50 per cent of the time. independent producers. The World Service, l Studio managers were not used for 39 per however, considers that independent cent of their contracted hours. However, production in radio is still at a very early consultancy advice had indicated that stage in its development in the UK and does because of preparation time and natural not appear to be able to offer programmes in breaks, they could only be fully utilised languages other than English. Nevertheless the for 75 per cent of their contracted hours. English Service is constantly reviewing the possibility of using outside production firms l There were considerable variations in the in those areas where their programmes could amount of studio time taken to make be relevant: it plans to commission a small programmes (Appendices l--4). number of independent productions in 1992-93. 4.6 The World Service told the National Audit Office that the large rise in studio utilisation in the afternoon was a consequence of Studios transmission times, set by listening patterns in target areas and the need to assemble 4.3 In 1991 the World Service had 51 studios of programmes prior to transmission to ensure different levels of technical complexity. up-to-date news coverage. At other times of supported by 167 studio nianagers. These are the day target audiences were either asleep or used for live transmissions, recordings, at work. To encourage programme makers to programme mixing and editing. use more studios at off peak times variable charge out rates for studio managers were 4.4 The World Service has secured some introduced in October 1991. The World improvements in studio efficiency; for Service also emphasised that its intention to example since 1987 it has saved or reallocated improve programme quality further would some 132 hours of studio time and sane 268 result in studios being used to make more hours of studio manager time per week. In complex programmes. order to make users more aware of costs, output services are now charged for their use 4.7 The World Service’s consultants (paragraph of studio managers and, from April 1992, they 4.4) concluded that, because of preparation will have studio costs devolved to them. In time and natural breaks, studio managers 1990 the World Service appointed could only be fully utilised for 75 per cent of consultants, Campion Willcocks, to consider their contracted hours. At the National Audit

14 MANAGEMENT OF THE BBC WORLD SERVICE

Office’s request, the World Service analysed 4.11 The World Service employs staff directly one day’s rotas which indicated that the new involved in making programmes such as shift system had increased studio manager journalists, producers and studio managers: utilisation to 89 per cent. The World Service technical support from engineering staff; and believes that further improvements may be general administrative support. They are possible with the introduction of charging subject to the same grading system, rates of studio managers to users. pay and conditions of service as other BBC staff. Changes in staffing levels are decided 4.8 In response to a recommendation of the Perry annually, mainly as part of the budgeting report in 1984 (paragraph 1.71 the World process. In line with the BBC Corporate Service set out to develop a computer system Policy, World Service has set a target of a I which would allocate studios and studio per cent reduction in staff numbers for managers. However this project ran into 1992-93. There is no long term planning delays and cost overruns and was abandoned beyond the present Triennium. Before in 1989 at an estimated cost of EE~,OOO of implementation, changes in staffing are which f48,OOO has contributed to other discussed quarterly at senior management systems. As part of its Information meetings. Technology Strategy, the World Service has now identified a commercial software package 4.12 Staff savings have arisen from the budgetary that should provide more efficient studio and process and the World Service’s internal studio manager allocation as well as value for money reviews (paragraph 3.5). performance indicators. It aims to have this in Between 1987-88 and 1990-91 staff savings place for testing in June 1992 and fully totalling E2.16 million were realised, of which operational in September 1992 at an estimated f655,OOO arose from a rolling programme of cost of E50,OOO. value for money reviews. But there are no independent staff inspection or other work 4.9 The National Audit Office also examined load measurement procedures outside this programme listings on one sample day which programme. The World Service is updating indicated that in 52 per cent of bookings, job descriptions for all staff to include studios were capable of making more complex performance objectives and intends to programmes than they were actually used for. complete this within the next two years. It In general, between 1989-90 and 1990-91 for also intends to introduce individual the World Service as a whole, the number of objectives for appropriate staff. studio hours required to produce one hour of transmission had increased from 2.11 to 2.47. 4.13 In June 1991 29 per cent of staff were And, similarly, the number of studio performing support functions with 71 per cent managers’ hours had increased from 2.88 to involved in frontline work such as the 3.05. The World Service told the National preparation and delivery of programmes, Audit Office that this was explained by an monitoring output or other essential services. increase in the complexity and quality of The World Service intends monitoring the programmes broadcast, necessary to respond ratio between support and frontline work and to competition from other broadcasters. has set a target for broadcasting to shift 2.5 per cent of financial and human resources to frontline work each year. Staffing 4.14 Broadcasting 24 hours a day requires that a 4.10 As at 31 May 1991, the World Service large number of production staff are employed broadcasting and monitoring directly on a shift basis. The World Service has employed 2,605 staff (2,113 in broadcasting) identified that this is an area where some at a cost of E71 million (E53.9 million in efficiency improvements could be made. A broadcasting). Between 1989-90 and 1990-91 new shift pattern has been introduced for staff numbers increased by 3.9 per cent and studio managers (paragraph 4.3). From their costs increased by 15.8 per cent. Broadcasting examination of four output services staff are expected to rise from 2,027 in (Appendices 14) the National Audit Office 1989-90 to 2,247 by 1992-93 to meet the noted that managers were reassessing their requirements of the Triennium settlement and rotas for other staff. The World Service is also an increase in broadcast hours. aiming to improve efficiency by removing restrictive practices, in order to allow

15 MANAGEMENT OF THE BBC WORLD SERVICE MANAGEMENT OF THE BBC WORLD SERVICE

production staff as well as studio managers to and is effective for three years. At the same mix programmes and transmit them from self- time the World Service intends reviewing operated studios. This is part of the World costs and performance standards annually and Service’s policy of “staffing to need”. is monitoring them quarterly.

4.18 The number of hours that transmitters Transmitter stations broadcast are determined by the target areas set out in the Prescription (paragraph 2.5). 4.15 The World Service broadcasts world-wide The main short wave transmitters cannot through a network of transmitters and relay normally be dedicated to any particular stations located in 12 countries at 17 sites - service or programme but are used to meet the five in the UK and 12 overseas (Figure 3). In total broadcasting requirement. Information 1991-92, operating costs are estimated to be on transmitted hours is kept for each station f22.45 million for broadcasting nearly 42,000 and can be used to calculate an hourly charge hours of programmes. out rate.

4.16 The five UK transmitters and those in 4.19 The National Audit Office considered how Ascension Island, Cyprus, Hong Kong, efficiently transmitters were managed. They Masirah, the Seychelles and Singapore are found that in 1990-91 transmitters broadcast operated on an agency basis by the to 75 per cent of their full potential capacity Transmission Operations Department of the but there was a significant range in their BBC. Different agreements exist for the other utilisation from 60 per cent at Orfordness to overseas stations and include full service 89 per cent at Hong Kong. The average cost of contracts; a separate joint management transmitting programmes for one hour for all company; and reciprocal arrangements with stations in 1990-91 was E45.84 with a range other international broadcasters for exchanges from i21.31 in Lesotho to E99.42 in the of broadcasting hours. Seychelles (figure 4). However, in comparing performance, consideration has to be given to 4.17 Since April 1991 the World Service has had a the constraints of the Prescription, differing formal agreement with the BBC’s objectives, availability of target audiences and Transmission Operations Department which operating conditions for each transmitter sets out the performance standard required for station. each station and the projected annual operation cost. The agreement is intended to improve the control over transmission costs

Figure 4: BBCWorld Service comparative unit cost of transmitters expenditure/transmission hours - 1990-91

Antigua Ascension Hong Kong Masirah Rampishar WOOffZ?rtOn Sk&on Orfordness Davently Cyprus Singapore Lesotho

Unit costs (f per hour transmitted) Source: BBC Transmissionand OperationsDepartment. Excludes Foreignand CommonwealthOffice costs at Masirah, Cyprusand Orfordness

Figure4 shows that in 1990-91 there was a wide variation in the unit operation costs of running each transmitter station

17 MANAGEMENT OF THE BBC WORLD SERVICE

Capital programme important during the Tiananmen Square crisis. 4.20 The World Service’s capital programme is funded separately by a different grant-in-aid 4.24 The justification for the improvements in from revenue costs and is intended: to studio facilities was based on the need to improve the audibility of broadcasts replace worn out plant, to improve especially in the Indian Sub-continent: to programme quality, and to provide maximum support improvements in programme quality; operational flexibility. However, the National to take advantage of technical developments: Audit Office found that the expected benefits and to replace worn out and obsolescent plant were not quantified, for example in terms of and buildings. Some 200 projects are under staff savings and reduced studio costs. The way with projected expenditure of &I54 World Service told the National Audit Office million - 55 of these projects involve that benefits would be quantified when the expenditure in excess of slOO,OOO. A rolling targets for producers operating studio ten year projection of capital expenditure is equipment were met. discussed with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, whose approval is required for all projects in excess of the World Cost of programmes Service delegated authority [flOO,OOOJ. The World Service had asked the Department for 4.25 Providing reliable, high quality independent the delegated authority to be raised above the broadcasts that can be easily heard in target present limit which had not been amended for areas around the globe is the main objective of 10 years. the World Service but consideration also needs to be given to the relative cost of 4.21 The National Audit Office examined seven programmes. The World Service has produced capital projects to assess whether they were a number of performance indicators intended properly justified and controlled by the World to target improvements in costs and Service. These were: the East Asia relay efficiency. These include hours broadcast per station in Hong Kong; the new medium wave employee, which it intends to increase from facility at the Lesotho transmitter; three studio 14 in 1989-90 to 15 in 1993-94; and the cost replacements; BBC Monitoring’s of transmitting one hour of broadcasts, which accommodation refurbishment; and a the World Service intends holding at 1990-91 Monitoring computer systems project. levels for the next three years. Against these indicators, which are for the World Service as 4.22 The National Audit Office found that a whole, the National Audit Office examined improvements had been made to appraisals the individual unit costs of each output procedures: capital projects were now service and the indicators which were used to prioritised: they were generally completed measure their performance. within budget; and greater use was made of discounted cash flow techniques to compare 4.26 They found that the cost of broadcasting one costs on a consistentbasis. However, for a hour variedconsiderably between services significant number of projects the primary from ~513 per hour for the English alternative justification was broadcasting need and no for Asia service to El,503 per hour for the rate of return was calculated to determine the Japanese service (Figure 5). Its high cost was economic value of the proposed investment. one of the reasons why the Foreign and In these cases, a number of options were Commonwealth Office discontinued the costed and compared. Japanese service in 1991. Costs were mainly influenced by differences in transmitter 4.23 Work on the transmitter station in Hong Kong location and frequency usage as well as by the began in 1984 after approval by the Foreign amount and sophistication of competitors’ and Commonwealth Office and the Treasury. output in the target area. These factors led to The station was fully operational by variations in programme allowance, usage of September 1987 and cost GUI4 million. It is studio managers’ time and mix and content of located in the New Territories and its running programmes. costs in 1990-91 were some f816.000. The World Service considers that the station has resulted in significant improvements to signal reception in the Far East and was very

18 MANAGEMENT OF THE BBC WORLD SERVICE

4.27 The National Audit Office found that there the four services examined in detail by the was very little effort by the World Service, National Audit Office, there seemed to be outside its annual budget process, to justify scope for further reductions in the production different levels of cost and performance. Of costs of the English Current Affairs service

Figure 5: BBCWorld Service comparison cost of language services (unit cost (f) per hour based on 1990-91 expendiiure)

BBCEnglish English-Asia Tamil Nepali Portuguese(for Africa) Vietnamese Romania French(for Europe) English-Africa Bulgarian Serbc-Croat Spanish(Latin America) French(for Africa) Hungarian Russian Czechoslovak Finnish Malay Burmese Indonesian Cantonese Mandarin Polish .._ ., Thai Bengali Persian Hindi Greek Sinhala Somali Pashto Turkish Germanfor GDR Urdu Arabic Ha&? Poriugese(for Brazil) Swahili Japanese WS in English

3d0 4;c Source: BBC World Service FinanceDepartment Figure5 shows there was a considerable range in the unit cost of broadcasting one hour for each language service

19 MANAGEMENT OF THE BBC WORLD SERVICE

[Appendix 1) - indeed the Service told the and Swahili services (Appendices Z-4). The National Audit Office that it was planning to World Service told the National Audit Office reduce its usage of studio resources. In that performance indicators, with particular addition there was a general lack of reference to programme quality were being performance indicators for the Arabic, Polish developed in all output services. MANAGEMENT OF THE BBC WORLD SERVICE

Part 5: The effectiveness of the World Service

5.1 The effectiveness of the World Service 5.4 As yet there has only been partial assessment depends on whether its broadcasts can be of the impact of this capital programme. The heard, the size of its audience, and the impact Foreign and Commonwealth Office are of its programmes. However, the extent to planning to ask the World Service to which the World Service can obtain reliable undertake such a review once the final fixed audience research data depends on the element at the Skelton station was completed openness of the societies to which it at the end of 1991. The high priority for the broadcasts. For example, as formal research is World Service is to improve audibility in the impossible in China, Vietnam, Burma, Indian Sub-continent where reception quality Afghanistan, Iran and Cuba, feedback is is insufficient to compete effectively with its currently very limited. Listeners’ letters also competitors. This is being addressed by provide srxne reaction to World Service improvements at the Masirah relay station programmes, but they do not constitute a which will be undertaken during the current reliable source of systematic feedback on Triennium. audiences’ preferences and motivation, and cannot be used to assess audience size. The 5.5 Since 1986 three research projects have World Service received some 537,000 directly assessed the audibility of broadcasts listeners’ letters in 1990. to Yugoslavia, the former Soviet Union and Turkey. In addition other projects have looked 5.2 The World Service’s International at the “before and after” effect of new Broadcasting and Audience Research transmitter developments, particularly in Department has responsibility for providing connection with the Indian Ocean Relay information on the size, nature and tastes of Station in the Seychelles. The World Service the World Service audience. Evidence is also has 282 monitors located around the derived mainly from audience measurement globe who provide information on audibility. and other analysis commissioned from independent research organisations. 1n 5.6 Between September 1989 and June 1990, the 1990-91 expenditure was ~9oo,ooo, 0.8 per World Service carried out a world-wide cent of the World Service’s total annual project, “Can you hear me”, which focused on expenditure. each output service for one specific week. This was intended to assess frequency usage, rather than audibility, with the main purpose Audibility of informing decisions on the deployment of frequencies. As a direct result usage of some frequencies has been reduced with savings 5.3 Between 1981 and 1991 the World Service amounting to Z235,OOO per annum. pursued a ten year programme, agreed with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, to 5.7 In order to gain an impression of the current improve the audibility of its broadcasts. This audibility of each output service the National work was originally estimated to cost Audit Office examined reception analysis El02 million at 1981 prices, with major reports provided by the World Service investments in Rampisham, Cyprus, Hong monitors for the summer of 1990 and the Kong, and the Seychelles; in satellite winter of 1990-91. Table 3 shows that on distribution and the modernisation of Bush average a listener to the World Service had an House facilities. This programme was 85 per cent chance of good reception. But significantly modified to include major there was a considerable range and listeners to developments in Ascension Island and the Arabic service were likely to have had a Skelton, and incurred actual expenditure of 41 per cent chance of poor reception. El66 million (f126 million at 1981 prices).

5.8 This information is primarily used for frequency management and its purpose is not

21 MAN.4GEMENT OF THE BBC WORLD SERVICE

to provide direct audibility information. The has increased from 80 million in 1978 to 100 World Service emphasised that some million in the early 1980s through to 120 assessments related to monitors outside the million since 1985. The World Servic target area; in addition the Gulf and areas considers that decreases in audiences in subject to jamming affected both the Europe have been broadly matched by Arabic and Mandarin Services; and the increases in Africa and South Asia. quality of monitors’ reports varied. 5.12 The most recent global audience estimate was based on measurements in over 80 countries. Table 3: Reception quality However, the World Service told the National Broadcasts Summer 1990 Winter 1990-91 Audit Office that the global figure of 120 good to fair poor good to fair poor million was composed of roughly a third reception reception reception reception % % % recent reliable figures, a third older research, Worldwide 85 15 ii 16 more than five years old, and a third Arabic 64 36 59 41 extrapolation. It acknowledged that, if a “sell- by date” was applied to the data supporting CantoneseMandarin 7463 3726 6778 :: Hindi 81 19 81 19 the global audience, the figure the World Source: BBC WorldService: BroadcastCoverage Deparimenf Service would be able to use with confidence would be much lower. At the same time, World Service pointed out that, bearing in 5.9 To make an initial attempt to fill the gap in mind that the estimate excludes heavily the provision of direct audibility information, populated countries such as China [paragraph the National Audit Office wrote to State Audit 5.1), the global audience figure might also be Offices worldwide, including those in Eastern larger. Europe and the former Soviet Union for which information had previously been difficult to obtain. The National Audit Office asked its Impact of programmes correspondents to listen to the World Service on three days in April 1991. Over 20 offices 5.13 Assessing the impact of programmes is took part in the test, 58 per cent reported that difficult but since 1986 the World Service has they could hear programmes quite clearly, 27 undertaken 162 audience research projects per cent found they had to pay close attention and a further 70 are in progress. The but 15 per cent were unable to find the geographical distribution of these projects is pr0gR3lllllE. set out in Table 4.

5.10 The World Service’s programmes were heard Table 4: Audience research projects clearly in Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Sierra CompletedProjects Total % Leone, Tanzania, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, projects in progress Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Jamaica and the 198690 at 26.4.91 Westernand SouthernEurope 29 8 37 16 Cayman Islands. The respondents in Pakistan, East and CentralEurope/USSR 28 36 16 Philippines, Thailand, Poland and Turkey had Africa 25 1: 38 16 to pay close attention, while the respondents ArabWorld 17 9 36 11 South Asia 10 9 19 a in Sierra Leone, Hungary, Turkey and Far East 17 5 22 9 Venezuela were unable to find the programme Latin America 15 23 10 on some of the days. North America/Caribbean 7 ; World Wide 14 6 2: “9 Capital planning Group 2 Total 162 70 23: IO:, Size of audience Source: World Service International BroadcastingResearch Deoartment 5.11 The World Service estimates that it has a global regular audience in any language of 120 The majority of the projects, 135 out of the million, defined as those listening at least 232 total (58 per cent), were carried out once a week. The estimate for the World mainly to provide audience measurement data Service in English is 25 million [figure 6). and listener profiles. Qualitative information, These estimates exclude China, Vietnam, on the impact of programmes, particularly on Burma, Afghanistan, Somalia, Cuba and Iran listener attitudes and motivation, are included (paragraph 5.1). The global audience estimate when the number of listeners found in

22 MANAGEMENT OF THE BBC WORLD SERVICE

23 MANAGEMENT OF THE BBC WORLD SERVICE

measurement surveys are sufficient to make Britain to determine whether the World conclusions from the research reliable. Service was effective in communicating a Qualitative research techniques are still being positive impression of the UK in Portugal. The developed by the research industry and study was based on an interview survey of research companies are not yet able to offer 750 adults in Lisbon and evaluated the impact qualitative surveys in all countries. of programmes directly broadcast and those rebroadcast. The survey indicated that World 5.14 The World Service has recognised that there Service programmes had a positive effect on are a number of shortcomings in its attitudes to Britain. All the state audit offices assessment of the impact of broadcasts. In who replied to the National Audit Office’s particular: survey (paragraphs 5.9 and 5.10) were very 4 supportive of the World Service, commenting . There was a lack of information on the on the unbiased nature and high standard of ! actual impact of broadcasts, listeners’ their broadcasting. attitudes and on competitors’ output. . Because of the limited resources available Rebroadcasting there was no regular pattern of audience measurement, even in key target areas. On 5.17 In order to reach wider audiences and to average, quantitative data for major improve audibility the World Service audiences was updated only once every rebroadcast programmes by using five to six years, although the actual communication satellites to deliver high intervals varied widely: the shortest quality signals direct to local radio stations. interval was one year for Europe and the These then transmit World Service longest was 10 years for the India State of programmes to their local audience. West Bengal.

. There was, often, no quantified 5.18 Rebroadcasting is particularly widespread in information on audience reaction to major Europe, the USA and Australia and is series and other programme initiatives and increasing in many other countries. The costs the World Service relied, to a large extent, to the World Service vary: in developed on listeners’ letters. countries the full cost is often borne by the rebroadcasters, but, in others, the World 5.15 1n order to remedy these shortcomings the Service seeks to strike a deal which reflects World Service proposed, as part of the local conditions. As a general rule Triennium review (paragraph 2.31, a three rebroadcasting is cheaper than developing year research budget of f3.45 million. This transmitter facilities to improve the signals would have funded 140 projects in the first delivered from the UK or via a relay station. two years; 80 for quantitative and 60 for qualitative data. However, this could not be Both World Service and the Foreign and funded from within the final Triennium 5.19 Commonwealth Office consider settlement. Despite this, the World Service rebroadcasting is potentially a cost effective f575,OOO hasallocated some for research means of delivering high quality World projects in 1991-92 and has developed a Service programmes. At the same time they research strategy which defines the balance are both conscious that rebroadcasting between the quantitative evidence necessary facilities may suddenly disappear, for to keep information on World Service example through political turmoil, and would audiences up to date and the qualitative not wish to abandon direct broadcasting to research required by the output services. The high priority areas on shortwave frequencies. World Service monitors the quality of its Information on the secondary audiences output through frequent programme reached through rebroadcasting is difficult to evaluations (Appendices 141. obtain because the majority of rebroadcasters do not have sufficient research data on their In 1990, the Foreign and Commonwealth 5.16 audiences. Office commissioned a study, independently of the BBC, from Research Surveys of Great

24 MANAGEMENT OF THE BBC WORLD SERVICE

Appendix 1 English Current Affairs

Startedbroadcasting: 1960s Estimated audience: 25 million

Staff: 52 1991-1992 budget: f2.111,589

Hours broadcast per week: 37 hours 16 minutes Cost per hour broadcast: fl,469

Obiectives: Ta provide comprehensive news and current events for a worldwide audience, to preserve and enhancethe BBC’s reputation, to maintain and improve standards and to develop new programmes

Programme content: Newshour,Twenty Four Hours, Outlook. World Today, Assignment People and Politics, Personal View, Europe’s World, Seven Seas and Media Watch

Background The World Service in English, of which Current Affairs is part, provides a 24 hour radio service, broadcast 365 days a year. Current Affairs aim to preserve and enhance the BBC’s reputation for accuracy, impartiality and trustworthiness.

Programmes broadcast include “Newshour” as the flagship news and current affairs programme; “Outlook”, a 25 minute topical affairs programme; “World Today” a 15 minute programme on specific international developments; “People and Politics” a weekly 30 minute programme covering political and parliamentary debate in the UK; and “Personal View” a weekly 15 minute talk about life in the UK and abroad. The cost per hour broadcast has doubled in cash terms since 1986-87, reflecting inflation levels, as well as devolved costs such as charges for studio managers. During this period Current Affairs has been a key area for programme enhancement.

Staffing In 1991 the service’s 52 staff consisted of four management, 33 production and 15 support. Current Affairs plan to increase their staff to 60 in February 1992 in order to introduce further programmes, mainly Europe Tonight/Today and a third edition of Newshour.

Management and senior producers worked a 24 hour, three shift rota system, seven days a week, while producers and reporters worked a two shift system. Some overlap in shifts was necessary to cover the full range of programmes and to ensure adequate continuity. The shift times were 0700-1700 hours; 1200-2230 hours and 2200-0800 hours. The current rota was implemented in 1987 and reviewed in 1988 and 1991. It consisted of 10 shifts daily in July 1991, an increase of four shifts per day since 1987.

Studio usage Each week 239 studio hours were used to broadcast 37 hours and 16 minutes - 6.4 sludio hours Cw eah hour broadcast. Bul there were variations depending on the programmes, for example, 42 minutes of the “24 Hours” programme was allocated 9.5 hours of studio time because of overnight shift patterns. This allocation will be reduced under “Staffing to need” provisions. In general ad hoc bookings were reducing as producers made more use of audio work shops to prepare broadcast material. Further reductions are planned.

The Service recognised that there was scope for reducing production costs and the Service expect to dispense with five hours of overnight studio managers’ time in 1992-93. Further saving should be realised through rationalisation of programmes and office and production space.

25 MANAGEMENT OF THE BBC WORLD SERVICE

Programming 7 Between 1988 and 1991 the weekly number of hours broadcast have increased from 32 hours and 21 minutes to 37 hours and 16 minutes (15%). Repeats represented 34 per cent of broadcasts per week in 1991 compared to 39 per cent in 1988.

8 Between September 1990 and August 1991 840 hours of World Service material was broadcast on the Domestic Service and current affairs were prominent in these broadcasts. Domestic radio programmes totalling some 205 hours were repeated on the World Service. No charges were made either way.

Rebroadcasting 9 Over 300 stations in more than 60 countries rebroadcast BBC World Service in English. In addition an unknown number of stations unofficially rebroadcast programmes.

Performance 10 Programme performance measures used by Current Affairs concentrated mainly on measurement audience size and not on the use of resources or cost of output, although the head of the deuartment uses budget and resource control in his management assessments. ! Performance measures included: audience head counts and attitude surveys; total outlets taking rebroadcasts; quality control through the Network Editor’s daily meeting and a weekly English Services review; formal producer meetings and playback of programmes to assess editorial content, interest and topicality; and monitoring of out-turn against financial budgets.

Audience research 11 In 1991 the estimated global audience of the World Service in English is put at 25 million. This was broken down as follows:

1987 1991 million million 3.5 Western and Southern Europe 3.0 Easternand Central Europe and USSR 3.0 I Africa 6.0 10.0 Arab World 0.8 1.0 South Asia and the Far East 8.0 9.0 Latin America 2.7 ) 1.0 North America and the Caribbean

Total 25.0 25.0

12 In addition in the first seven months of 1991 44,929 listeners’ letters were received.

26 MANAGEMENT OF THE BBC WORLD SERVICE

Appendix 2 The Arabic Service

Started broadcasting: 1938 Estimated audience: 10 million

Staft: :3 + up to 25 casual (broadcasJing) 1991-1992 bud9et: f2.935,000 (publications)

Hours broadcast per week: 73 hours 30 minutes Cost per hour broadcast: f766

Objectives: Ta be the most trusted and widely listened to international broadcaster ta Arabic speakers everywhere, and to do this by reflecting British values while taking account 01the educational, cultural and information needs of the audience.

Programme content: News and Current Affairs, light entertainment, science, art, sport. religion and English teaching by radio

Background 1 The Arabic Service broadcasts directly to 21 countries. During the Gulf War the number of hours broadcast rose from 63 to a peak of 98 per week for which the Foreign and Commonwealth Office provided El.3 million and the World Service provided Z&Z~O,OOO.From April 1991 weekly broadcast hours were reduced to 73.5, an increase of 10.5 hours over the pre Gulf crisis period. This increase was funded from within the existing grant-in-aid.

2 In 1991, 39 hours (53 per cent] were devoted to news and current affairs each week, 19 hours (26 per cent) to music, 11.5 hours (16 per cent] to features, sport and religion and 4 hours (6 per cent) to English teaching by radio and other items. Some 52 per cent of current affairs material was generated by the Arabic Service itself the rest coming from the World Service central departments. The cost per hour broadcast increased by 46 per cent in cash terms since 1986-87 reflecting inflation levels, devolved costs and improvements in programme quality.

3 In addition the Arabic Service produce “Huna London” a monthly Arabic output service magazine which is widely distributed in the Middle East to promote the Arabic Service’s programmes and the UK generally. This publication has not recovered its costs and in 1991 the Service planned to launch a weekly current affairs magazine and refocus the monthly as a youth magazine. As a capital injection was required which could not be funded from the grant-in-aid, a joint venture company was being set up with the BBC retaining a controlling interest. The BBC’s aim is that the Arabic publications should become self financing.

staffing 4 In 1991 the service’s 78 full time staff consisted of six management, 46 production and 21 support, with a further 5 involved with publications. Staff in current affairs, . presentation, features and music worked on rotas. Some rotas were revised in June 1991 to provide extra broadcast hours and programmes without any increase in staff. The service considered that the new rota pattern should result in notional savings of up to f50,OOO a year.

Studio usage 5 Each week 104 studio hours were used for transmission and pre-transmission recording - one hour and 25 minutes studio time for each hour broadcast. The average preparation time for a live topical sequence was two hours and 10 minutes. For non-topical pre recorded material an average of 1.25 days were needed for 30 programme minutes.

27 MANAGEMENT OF THE BBC WORLD SERVICE

Programming 6 Approximately 12 per cent of items broadcast were repeats. Since June 1991 the Service have operated a new programme schedule including a live light entertainment show. “The Open Programme” which is broadcast for two hours during the quieter mid afternoon period.

Rebroadcasting 7 Control by overseas governments of the media inhibits rebroadcasting in the Middle East. From September 1989 the Service have provided news and current affairs material to the Arab Network of America which now broadcasts to six North American cities. The World Service received 5~0,000 for material provided in 1990-91 and regular royalty payments are being negotiated. This is an example of the World Service having editorial control over the rebroadcasting of its material. One hour of programmes is also relayed Monday-Friday by the BBC’s Greater London Radio.

Performance 8 Quarterly monitoring exercises were carried out based on 60-90 minutes of output measurement which was translated into English. During the Gulf crisis an independent Arab expert reported directly to the Managing Director of the World Service on the objectivity of Arabic broadcasts. The Service were also considering introducing indicators in 1992-93 covering audience reach and response (number and satisfaction]; programme output per person; and a programme quality index (sound and editorial quality).

Audience research 9 World Service estimated that its regular audience in Arabic before the Gulf crisis was at least 10 million. Surveys a month into the crisis showed significant increases in listening, with audiences more than doubled in Egypt and the United Arab Emirates and significantly increased in Saudi Arabia. Further surveys were carried out in Jordan and Syria and others were underway.

10 Over 17,260 listeners’ letters were received by the Arabic Service in the first seven months of 1991.

28 MANAGEMENT OF THE BBC WORLD SERVICE

Appendix 3 The Polish Service

Started broadcasting: 1939 Estimated audience: 1.9 million

sta1l: 33 1991-1992 budget: f1,126,000

Hours broadcast per week: 26 hours 30 minutes Cost per hour broadcast: f817

Objectives: To provide an effective and attractive selvice of news, current affairs and general programmes geared to the current needs of a Polish audience and adapted to the reguirements of rebroadcasters.

Programme content: News and current affairs, magazine. documentary and feature items plus regular programmes on arts. Social development, the UK, technology, religion and English teaching by radio

1 Polish is part of the Central European Service, which also broadcasts in Czech, Slovak, Hungarian and Finnish. The number of hours broadcast in Polish have remained constant since 1981 when 45 minutes was added following the imposition of martial law. Each week 5.3 hours (20 per cent) of transmission time are devoted to news, 7.5 hours (29 per cent) to current affairs and 13.7 hours (52 per cent) to features and other items. The cost per hour broadcast has increased by 62 per cent in cash terms since 1987-88 reflecting inflation levels, devolved costs and improvements in programme quality.

Staffing 2 In 1991, the service’s 33 staff consisted of four management, 23 production and six support grades. There was a flexible rota for the production team which was introduced in 1990 and yielded a total of 218 shifts per person annually. Seventy per cent of staff worked this rota system. The shift times were 10.30 to 18.00 hours and 14.00 to 22.00 hours. There was considerable overlap between shifts but this was due to programme timings and there was little overlap of responsibilities.

Studio usage 3 Each week some 42.25 studio hours were used for transmission and pre- transmission recording. In addition an average of 10.13 studio hours were used to prepare features and non topical material. This represented a ratio of 1.97 studio hours to produce one broadcast hour.

Programming 4 Prior to the cessation of jamming in 1988 programmes were repeated several times to ensure maximum coverage. The return to democracy has resulted in competition from both the Polish State Radio and the newly formed independent stations. BBC Polish journalism has been sharpened, presentation improved and the format, content and range of programmes developed to ensure that listeners are not lost to competitors. Although the Polish media are no longer subject to censorship, there is an increased need for accurate coverage and analysis of Polish events and trends as well as British and international affairs.

Rebroadcasting 5 The Polish Radio network has recently become less centralised opening up new opportunities for rebroadcasting. Nineteen independent Polish local stations now have broadcasting licenses and the BBC has entered into agreements with all of them to rebroadcast a selection of World Service programmes -up to two hours daily. These transmissions are on FM and ensure that programmes cover some 95 Per cent of Polish territory and reach a large audience with top quality reproduction. Unlike the American Radio Free Europe, the BBC does not pay for any of these rebroadcasting facilities.

29 MANAGEMENT OF THE BBC WORLD SERVICE

Performance evaluation 6 Management accounts are reviewed monthly and the Service proposes setting performance indicators. Programme quality is assessed through central reviews, in- service evaluations and by regular playbacks and daily programme post mortems.

Audience research 7 Under the Communist regime it was difficult to assess the Polish Service audience. The main source of audience figures was Radio Free Europe which indicated that in 1986-87 BBC Polish was listened to by 31 per cent of the adult population. A World Service survey in 1989 suggested that the audience was much lower at 1.9 million (7 per cent of the population). Research is currently underway into audiences reached through rebroadcasting.

In 1988, an audibility study indicated that on shortwave there was between 89 per cent and 94 Per cent chance of good reception. For medium wave, reception quality was only marginally less at 80 per cent - 90 per cent.

Over 12,000 letters were received by the Polish Service in the first eight months of 1991. This compares with 5,650 letters for the whole of 1989 and 3,720 letters for 1988.

30 MANAGEMENT OF THE BBC WORLD SERVICE

Appendix 4 The Swahili Service

Started broadcasting: 1957 Estimated audience: 3.6 million (Kenya and Tanzania only)

Staff: 12 1991-1992 budget: f504,300

Hours broadcast per weeks 8 hours 45 minutes Cost per hour broadcast: f1.105

Objectives: Ta act as a source of impartial and reliable information, to increase audience size, to enhance the UK’s standing and to provide a breadth of coverage and service in response to listen&changing needs

Programme content: News, current affairs, sport, culture. music including “Rekodi Bora” pop music and the “Maarifa club” - listeners’ letters

Background 1 Swahili is part of the African Service, which also broadcasts in English, Hausa and Somali. Swahili is listened to by audiences in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Zaire, Mozambique and the Cornores. The number of hours broadcast were last increased in 1988 by 15 minutes per day. In 1991, 2.8 hours (32 per cent) of transmission time were devoted to news each week, 4.8 hours (55 per cent) to current affairs, 42 minutes (8 per cent] to music and 27 minutes (5 per cent) to other items. The Swahili Service originates 42 per cent of the material broadcast; the remaining 58 per cent originated in other World Service sections such as central news, science and the African Topical Unit. The cost per hour broadcast has risen by 62 per cent in cash terms since 1986-87 reflecting inflation levels, devolved costs and improvements in programme quality. staffing 2 In 1991, the Service’s 12 staff consisted of two management, nine production and one support post. The present rota pattern was introduced in 1989. An internal African Service working party started to examine shift working and workloads in the African Service in 1991 and identified the need for more efficient rotas in some areas of the Service. The review is now being completed by an external consultant. The statistics so far available do not suggest that there will be any recommendations specific to the Swahili Service.

Studio usage 3 Each week some 18 studio hours were used for transmission and pre-transmission recording, representing a ratio of 2.05 studio hours for each hour broadcast.

Programming 4 In 1988 a new relay station was opened in the Seychelles to improve the audibility of the African Service in East Africa. At the same time, the Swahili Service programmes were radically restructured. The core output of the Swahili Service is news and current affairs and now consists of a world news bulletin, plus a flexible sequence of explanatory or analytical talks or despatches on major news stories, broadcast in a 15 minute transmission at dawn, in a 45 minute transmission in the early evening and a 15 minute transmission in the late evening.

Rebroadcasting 5 Officially, there is no rebroadcasting of Swahili but Radio Tanzania use the Swahili Service as a source of non-Tanzanian news, for which the BBC was usually credited. Material from the “Maarifa Club” is published in a weekly Tanzanian newspaper free of charge. In return, the paper credits the BBC and prints all advertisements for World Service output, also free of charge.

31 MANAGEMENT OF THE BBC WORLD SERVICE

Performance evaluation 6 Performance evaluation mainly covered audience size and composition. Some numerical targets are established as part of the setting of objectives, and performance assessed against these targets. Efficiency was monitored through analysis of monthly operating statements and by comparison with budget. Other efficiency data such as the average number of staff employed and average programme preparation time were produced specifically for the National Audit Office but were not kept as a matter of course. The African Service conduct quality reviews of its three output services three times a year. Programmes are also examined at regular playbacks.

Audience research 7 Audience research was last undertaken in 1990 which indicated that the Swahili audience had grown to approximately 2.6 million (22 per cent of the adult population) in Kenya and approximately 1 million (9 per cent of the adult population) in Tanzania.

8 The quality of reception in East Africa has greatly improved since the opening of the Seychelles relay station in 1988. A survey in 1990 indicated that 71 per cent of the audience in Tanzania could hear what was being said quite clearly.

9 Over 8,000 listeners’ letters were received by the Swahili Service in the first seven months of 1991.

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Appendix 5 BBC World Service: Apportionment of overheads

ExpenditureArea Costs currently Future possibility Possible methodology Benefits/difficulties involved allocated to service of allocating cost for allocating overheads in allocating overheads Studio costs NO. Plannedfrom April 1992. Rechargedon an hourly tariff Cost controllable by service/local Information services rate. Pro-rata to usage by managers. Full attribution of studio and sound librariesto service costs should encourage optimum use be considered in 1993 of studio time.

Studio Managers Yes. From April 1991. Rechargedon an hourly rate. Cost controllable by service/local costs Variable rate introduced in managers.Encouragesoptimumuse. October 1991. Variable charge-out rates introduced in October 1991 should encourage off-peak usage.

News department NO. Not foreseen, Pro-rata in relation to usage Usage controllable by senricellocal but feasible of News department output. managers. Encouragesoptimum use of output and highlights areas of gwatest use.

Central Talks and NO. For consideration in Rechargeon basis of cost of Usage controllable by service/local Features April 1993 production. managers. Encouragesoptimum use of Central Talks and Features.

Transmission costs NO Feasible. Marginal Cost pertransmission hour. Charges are made in the use of transmission costs and individual transmit+% where audibility improvement improved audibility is being sought. costs to be considered. Such changes affect the cost to the individual service which can decide whether the extra cost is wothwhile.

IBAR NO. Under consideration Pro-rata to use of services Costs of services, related to benefits for ad hoc research provided by IBAR. can be accessed by services. More projects discerning use of research services and improved value from ISAR OUtpUt. Support Se&es:

Accommodation NO. Planned for April 1992 Allocation of cost on float Encouragesoptimum usage of area basis. available space. Total costs only controllable centrally.

Telephones Yes. From April 1991. Call analysis. Costs cantollable by services/local management.Increased awareness of Transport Yes. From April 1991. Pro-rata to usage by services costs. Finance NO. Not foreseen. except Pro-rata on service co?.tbasis. Cost not controllable by managementaccounts services/local management. Awarenessof full costs.

Administration NO. Staff training. travel Pro-rata to usage by services Awarenessof full cost. unit and catering to be considered in April 1993

Publicity NO. Planned for April 1992 Direct costs of providing Encouragesthe assessment of costs printed publicity and against benefits merchandising for individual services

Computer services NO. To be considered in Pro-rata to usage by services Awarenessof full costs April 1993 (excluding EDit)

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ExpenditureArea Costs currently Future possibility Possible methodology Benefits/difficulties involved allocated to service of allocating cost for allocating overheads in allocating overheads

Overheads(finance, NO. Not practical Specific tasks to be charged Cost not directly controllable by personnel, legal for. Otherwise costs could be services. But cost of commissioned advice) apportioned as a proportion work would be clear. of direct language programme cost.

Suppolt Services NO. Feasible Oirect charging to World No direct control of costs possible (Engineering, News & Service could be introduced by language sewicesllocal managers. Current Affairs) with subsequent allocation although costs can influence usage/ to services on a w-rata basis. demand.

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Reports by the Comptroller and Auditor General Session 1992-93

The Comptroller and Auditor General has a date, in session 1992-93, presented to the House of Commons the following reports under Section 9 of the National Audit Act, 1983:

Overseas Aid: Water and the Environment HC8 Coastal Defences in England HC9 The Sale of the Twelve Regional Electricity Companies ‘HC 10 Department of Social Security: Resettlement Agency HC 22 Ministry of Defence: Operation of the Royal Dockyards under Commercial Management HC 23 Quality of Service: War Pensions; Mobility Allowance; Attendance Allowance; Invalid Care Allowance HC 24 Management of the BBC World Service HC 29

35 Printedin the United Kingdon for HMSO Dd.oiOS979.o6,92,3382/5c,567%118132