BBC Northern Ireland Management Review 2012/13 MANAGEMENT REVIEW 2012/13 – NORTHERN IRELAND BBC Northern Ireland will continue to develop the range and appeal of its local and network content to meet the needs of our home and UK-wide audiences If you wish to find out more about the BBC’s year – including full financial statements and performance against other public commitments – then please visit www.bbc.co.uk/annual report CONTENTS 01 NATIONAL DIRECTOR INTRODUCTION 02 TWO MINUTE SUMMARY 04 SERVICE PERFORMANCE 11 KEY PRIORITIES FOR NEXT YEAR Front cover 12 CONTACTS Proms in the Park 13 NORTHERN IRELAND MANAGEMENT at the Titanic Slipways. Management Review 2012/13 – Northern Ireland MANAGEMENT REVIEW 2012/13 – NORTHERN IRELAND NATIONAL DIRECTOR INTRODUCTION Peter Johnston This has been an important year for BBC Northern Ireland during ‘‘ Innovation is the lifeblood which our services enjoyed broad and popular appeal. Across the period, we had a rich mix of content on TV, radio and online for of broadcasting. It involves local and UK audiences and have achieved record audience figures the development of new and approval. Our core task of reflecting society in all its different aspects, formats and ideas and finding providing impartial news and current affairs and showcasing the stories, talent and creativity of this place remains as important better ways to engage local today as at any time in our history. and network audiences. There were many stand out moments from the Titanic Centenary, the Olympic Torch Relay, The Queen’s Jubilee visit, Our ambition is to reflect Proms in the Park to the spectacular Sons and Daughters concert opening Derry~Londonderry, UK City of Culture 2013. It was the variety of people’s lives also a year of transformation. Digital switchover for TV took place marked by a unique and to nurture and showcase programme simulcast with UTV and BBC One NI HD was local creative talent.’’ launched securing an important platform for our local content in the future. Our plans continue to ensure the right technical and property infrastructure is in place for the next era of public service broadcasting. While there has been remarkable creative, editorial and technical achievement, the year has not been without its challenges. Our activities are taken forward in the midst of real financial constraint. The challenge now is to maintain the range and appeal of what we do and the approval of our licence-fee payers. By developing existing partnership arrangements and investing in new initiatives, we can make the licence-fee investment in Northern Ireland work even harder, leveraging creative and economic benefits for the BBC, the wider creative sector and our local audiences. Peter Johnston Director, BBC Northern Ireland Management Review 2012/13 – Northern Ireland 01 MANAGEMENT REVIEW 2012/13 – NORTHERN IRELAND TWO MINUTE SUMMARY BBC Northern Ireland aims to provide something of value for everyone in the community through a broad range of programmes and services which inform and stimulate debate, celebrate and support cultural and sporting life, and reflect local interests and experiences for audiences within Northern Ireland and across the UK. Hours of local television output by genre in 2012/13 Hours of BBC Radio Ulster/Foyle output by genre These totals describe local programming on BBC NI television in 2012/2013 during 2012/13; 73.93 hours of this output (with a value of These totals describe the volume and type of programming £5.35m Gross and £5.25m Net) was commissioned from the provided by BBC Radio Ulster/Foyle. Much of this output involves local independent sector. listener interaction. Continuous output in this categorisation includes specialist music and other strands. Genre Hours of programming produced Genre Hours of programming produced Comedy, Entertainment and Music 18 Continuous output 4,891 News and Weather 379 News and Weather 3,529 Current Affairs 29 Sport 479 Sport 72 Factual and Factual Entertainment 83.93 Drama 3.10 Children’s and Education 11.95 Average weekly 15-minute reach of BBC One Average weekly 15-minute reach of BBC Two in Northern Ireland (%) in Northern Ireland (%) Reach is described as a percentage of the total population Reach is described as a percentage of the total population who who consumed BBC television programming over a specified consumed BBC television programming over a specified time time period (in this case 15 minutes). These totals reflect the period (in this case 15 minutes). BBC Two remains the primary continuing popularity of BBC television, but also the effect channel for much of our sports and minority language of competition from other broadcast services on programming. It is also used to give audiences another digital platforms. opportunity to see local programmes. Management Review 2012/13 – Northern Ireland 02 MANAGEMENT REVIEW 2012/13 – NORTHERN IRELAND TWO MINUTE SUMMARY Average weekly reach for BBC Radio Ulster/Foyle (%) Average weekly unique browsers of BBCNI Online (Millions) Reach is described as a percentage of the total population who These totals describe the average number of weekly unique consumed local BBC Radio services in Northern Ireland. These browsers during April each year on the BBCNI website. totals represent an average of the quarterly audiences figures that were produced by Rajar across the review period. BBC Radio Ulster/Foyle retains its place as the region’s most popular station. Local BBC television output totals (Hours) BBC Radio Ulster/Foyle output totals (Hours) These totals describe the hours of BBCNI television programming These totals describe the hours of programming on BBC Radio for local audiences. The volume and profile of our output is Ulster/Foyle. The volume, profile and content of our output aligned against relevant Service Licence and SoPPs commitments are aligned against the station’s Service Licence and the BBC’s and the BBC’s Public Purposes. These totals can fluctuate over Public Purposes. These totals can fluctuate over time as a result time as a result of the cost/type of programme being of cost/type of programme being commissioned, the timetabling commissioned, the timetabling of programme deliveries, etc. of programme deliveries, etc. In 2012/13, the reduction in hours was due to the station closing transmission at midnight. Management Review 2012/13 – Northern Ireland 03 MANAGEMENT REVIEW 2012/13 – NORTHERN IRELAND SERVICE PERFORMANCE Television, radio and online – bringing the stories of local people to audiences at home and across the UK. BBC Northern Ireland Television Major news stories included the computer crisis at the Ulster BBC Northern Ireland television represents and reflects Bank; the opening of the Marie Stopes clinic in Belfast which Northern Ireland’s wider society in the context of continuing, featured as a BBC Network exclusive; coverage of the Union significant political, economic and social change. This is the focus Flag protests; the horse meat food scare; and a major operation of our local news and non-news output which seeks to capture to cover the Spring snow storm, the subsequent farming crisis and portray all aspects of local life to home and UK-wide and Executive’s emergency response plans. audiences. Our programme mix is constantly rejuvenated with Spotlight’s Missing Millions, an investigation into Sean Quinn’s assets new formats, talent, ideas and approaches; an evolutionary was one of the most watched BBC One local programmes with strategy originating from the BBC’s mission to inform, educate 17% of the NI adult population tuning in. And the BAFTA and and entertain. Celtic award-winning programme, Shame of the Catholic Church, BBC Northern Ireland news and current affairs is a defining for This World generated multiple spin-off stories and reaction aspect of our output. Within a highly competitive television news with a network audience of 1.2 million. market, it is trusted and valued by our audiences particularly Hearts and Minds concluded after a long and distinguished run. during times of crisis when people often turn to us for updates The View, a new political debate programme launched. Stormont and information. Today, Sunday Politics and Inside Politics were refreshed and BBC The news gathering capability of BBC Newsline and investigative Newsline moved to single-headed presentation with distinguished strength of Spotlight provide debate, analysis and exploration of broadcaster, Noel Thompson moving to Good Morning Ulster. issues affecting the whole community and the important stories Our specialist correspondents delivered stories on health, of the day. BBC Newsline reaches 55% of the adult population in education, security, policing, justice, business and the economy Northern Ireland each week. and also covered politics and the work of the Assembly and This year, substantial air-time was dedicated to large-scale Executive. Holding to account, reporting on and analysing the civic and community events which began with live coverage and work of the devolved institutions will remain a strong specials around the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic, commitment of the BBC in Northern Ireland. the arrival of the Olympic Torch Relay, The Queen’s Jubilee visit to Northern Ireland and historical features on the Ulster Covenant and Derry~Londonderry, UK City of Culture 2013. Darragh MacIntyre in the BAFTA award-winning Mark Carruthers presents a new politics Shame of the Catholic Church for This World discussion programme, The View Management Review 2012/13 – Northern Ireland 04 MANAGEMENT REVIEW 2012/13 – NORTHERN IRELAND SERVICE PERFORMANCE Sporting fixtures and achievements featured across our output; not least the success of our local golfers. We chronicled the world-beating achievements of Rory McIlroy, Graeme McDowell and Darren Clarke making use of unique access. A documentary; Rory Being Number One, followed the sporting icon during a remarkable 12 months. As well as domestic and international soccer, live coverage of rugby including the Six Nations Championship; the Schools’ and MacRory cups, GAA and the NW200, summer 2012 had a full line up for sports fans.