'New technology' blow for BBC
Updated on 03 July 2007
The BBC's enthusiasm for new technology is not shared by the public, according to newly published.research.
Licence-fee payers are largely unmoved by the corporation's interactive TV services, digital radio stations and mobile phone content.
In the first audience survey of its kind, the BBC invited 4,500 members of the public to give their verdict on what the corporation's priorities should be and whether it is delivering them well enough.
The research revealed that the BBC is failing to deliver on many of the issues that mean the most to the public - with significant gaps between what viewers want and what they actually get.
Digital and interactive services came bottom of a list of audience priorities.
The BBC's six stated purposes for creating public value, as laid down in its charter, include delivering to the public the benefit of emerging communications technologies.
Last week the corporation launched its much-vaunted iPlayer catch-up service, allowing viewers to download TV programmes to their computers. There are plans to extend the service to mobile phones.
But asked whether they found it important that the BBC provide quality, enjoyable content across different platforms, only 44% said they cared about this on the internet, 36% on interactive TV, 29% on digital radio and just 15% via mobile phones.
They also felt the BBC was failing to adequately represent their local region. The research showed 64% believe it important that the BBC caters for their area and community, but only 50% think it does so properly.
Another area of contention was education. Of the parents who responded to the survey, 81% said they considered it important that the BBC helped their children with school or college learning, but only 68% said it was performing well in this area.
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