Industry | 2009.06.10
BBC faces challenges in engaging young people
But BBC Trust report on youth output concludes that the corporation serves young people well
The BBC faces "growing challenges" in engaging young people with its news provision, according to a BBC Trust report on the corporation\'s youth output published today .
In the report, Younger Audiences: BBC3, Radio 1 and 1Xtra, the BBC Trust said that engaging young people with the news represented a "major challenge" and promised to report on BBC News\'s performance in reaching this audience in future annual reports.
However, the overall conclusion of the report – which examined BBC3, Radio 1 and Radio 1Xtra, as well as BBC Switch and learning service BBC Bitesize – was that the corporation serves young people well.
Nine out of 10 young people use BBC services every week, and the corporation as a whole provides a good range of quality content for this group, concluded the report. Young audiences were defined as those aged between 13 and 34.
"In terms of delivering the citizenship purpose, there is a growing challenge to engage young people, especially those from lower income households, with the BBC\'s news output, particularly on television," the report added.
"The BBC will need to use the full range of its platforms – TV, radio and online – to find a solution to falling consumption of television news and consider the role of the broad-appeal linear TV and radio services alongside online. Given the importance of news to the BBC\'s public service remit, this is a major challenge for the BBC."
BBC executives were also warned in the report that the corporation\'s youth content must conform to editorial guidelines while tailoring content to the young. The report also criticised the level of awareness and usage of BBC3\'s online offering, insisting that the channel "can achieve more in this area".
Radio 1 executives were also told to refocus on winning more younger listeners, with the BBC Trust promising to monitor the station\'s listening figures among the 15- to 29-year-old demographic over the coming years.
This was not highlighted as an area of concern in the 2008 BBC annual report, but the age range of Radio 1\'s audience was noted as a cause of concern by the trust in 2007 .
"We believe it has potential to increase its public value further, given the strength of its market position," the report said of Radio 1.
Work on the report began in September 2008 and included a 12-week consultation with licence fee payers as well as 9,000 responses from the public, the largest response the BBC Trust has had to a service review.
BBC trustee Alison Hastings, who led the review, said: "Although the BBC is doing well, there are areas where more can be done, for example through more ambitious speech output on Radio 1, continuing development of BBC3\'s online activities and encouraging young people to access BBC news in ways that suit them. We will now look to BBC management to build on the good work they have in place.
"Young audiences are one of the hardest groups to reach. Our review shows that BBC3, Radio 1 and 1Xtra are doing a particularly good job in serving young people. BBC3\'s strong reputation for comedy, Radio 1\'s promotion of new UK music and ability to reach a large number of young people with its news bulletins, and 1Xtra\'s support for music not heard elsewhere are all strong achievements."
In a BBC management statement, director of vision Jana Bennett responded to the report by insisting that the corporation had already begun to tackle a number of the challenges identified in the report, including engaging more young people with news output.
Bennett added: "The BBC is committed to delivering the best possible services for young people. We welcome the review\'s finding that the BBC serves young audiences well overall, with nine out of 10 young people using BBC services each week, and that across BBC3, BBC Radio 1, BBC 1Xtra, and formal learning on BBC Online, young people have a positive view of the BBC and it remains an important part of their media consumption."
Tim Davie, the BBC audio and music director, said: "The BBC Trust has concluded that Radio 1\'s high reach to young people makes it a very important service to the BBC.
"Supporting new music and promoting new artists in the UK is at the heart of Radio 1\'s offer and we\'re pleased the trust has recognised the station\'s strong contribution to delivering the citizenship purpose to young audiences. We welcome the trust\'s recommendations and our strategy is to renew our focus on serving a young target audience."
The BBC3 controller, Danny Cohen, added: "I\'m delighted the review highlights the range, quality, creativity and innovation of BBC3\'s output, as well as its analysis of the rapid growth of the channel amongst young viewers. I agree with the trust on the challenges that face us and we\'ve already begun to tackle them."
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