BBC director general Mark Thompson has placed creating the ‘best journalism in the world’ as the number one content priority for the corporation.
In a strategic review released today he said that under his plan the BBC will “focus increasingly on areas where it adds most value and is truly distinctive such as: eyewitness reportage; international newsgathering; specialist analysis and explanation; investigative journalism; and current affairs”.
News priorities outlined by Thompson include:
• Strengthened specialist analysis, in particular in science, the environment and social affairs;
• Increased business coverage at a local and global level;
• Strengthened commitment to international newsgathering and reportage in parts of the world with growing geo-political importance such as China and Brazil;
• Enhanced commitment to scrutinising the local democratic process, including through multiplatform coverage of local government and politics through Democracy Live;
• Enhanced coverage of UK arts and culture.
He said that BBC News Online will focus its specialist analysis and interpretation on a generalist, not specialist, audience.
And under today’s proposals the entertainment news category will be “refocused” to “reflect a more serious, concise agenda with stronger coverage of the media industry, culture and the arts”.
Thompson’s proposals now go to the BBC Trust for further consideration. It is holding its own public consultation on the future direction of the BBC which closes on 25 May.
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