The BBC has announced plans to create a pool of up to 100 ‘public service reporters’ whose stories could be shared with local newspapers.
Director-General Tony Hall, left, set out plans for what he is calling an “open” BBC in a speech at London’s Science Museum this morning.
Among the headline intiatives will be a proposal to create a pool of reporters to provide impartial reporting on councils and public services.
The content generated by the team would be able to be used by both the BBC along with commercial local news outlets.
The corporation is also planning to set up a “News Bank” of regional or local video and audio content which could be accessed by local newspapers.
And it wants to create a hub for data journalism, in partnership with a leading university, that would make BBC expertise in data journalism available to local news groups.
Lord Hall said: “We will open up the BBC to other news providers, through a new partnership which we hope will help local journalism to thrive.
“We’ve been working with our local newspaper partners on an exciting scheme.
“Local democracy really interests me. I’ve seen for myself how important our local radio stations are, and I’m really proud of the way they serve their communities. But I now want us to go further.
“So, in future, The BBC would set aside licence fee funding to invest in a service that reports on Councils, courts and public services. And we would make available our regional video and local audio for immediate use on the internet services of local and regional news organisations.”
A BBC source added: “The growth of online news has had a big impact on the local news industry.
“While the BBC is not the cause of that, we do believe local news is essential for a strong democracy and we want to be part of the solution.”
However the Scottish Newspaper Society described the plan as a “Trojan horse” which would undermine local newspapers and destroy local news agencies.
Its director John McLellan said: “Instead of helping local news publishers, it would make the BBC even more powerful and would further concentrate coverage of news in the hands of the state-funded broadcaster.”
In his speech, Lord Hall set out the goal of a reshaped BBC that would become “an open platform for British creativity”.
“Let me be clear, an open BBC is a million miles away from an expansionist ambition. Indeed, it is the polar opposite. It comes from the desire to partner and share,” he said.
“With more partnerships with creative industries – ideas service, iPlay, local news – and cooperation. A BBC doing more for Britain at home and abroad. A more distinctive BBC.
“Our new, open BBC will be a true partner with other organisations. It will also strike a new relationship with audiences that will allow them to do so much more. Our new, open BBC will inform, educate, entertain – and enable.”
Today’s announcements will form part of the BBC’s submission on renewing its Royal Charter, which expires at the end of 2016.
The moves are being seen as an attempt by the BBC to head off ministerial attempts to curtail its output amid criticism that it has become “imperial” in its ambitions. The full text of Lord Hall’s speech can be read here.
In a separate development, regional publisher Local World has called for the BBC to outsource some of its news gathering to independent providers in the way it already does with production.
The call came in a submission to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport which is overseeing the Charter Renewal process.
Local World chief executive David Montgomery said: “We believe an ‘indie quota’ mechanism that enables the BBC to deploy some of its news and current affairs budget to commission independent, qualifying, local news agencies to cover professional reporting of courts and local government and make that available to local newspapers, as well as the BBC, is an imaginative step.
“It is our belief that this will lead to greater coverage, higher quality content, support for the training and development of journalists and value for licence fee payers. “
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More job cuts ahead then, these private companies will love that, free pics off the public and free copy from the BBC lol
So now the journos are going to understand what it feels like to be a photographer.
Let’s hope its reciprocal relationship, very doubtful.
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In my experience BBC visits to council meetings are rarer than hens’ teeth! Most of their local government coverage is gleaned from the pages of local newspapers who recognise the value of thorough coverage of their authorities.
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So instead of the beeb nicking stuff from regionals / locals, and the regionals and locals nicking it from hyperlocals it will be the beeb creating the content for a change?
Like, er, their job should have been already…?
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Wait a minute.
So the BBC, who have been robbing content from local newspapers on a daily basis for decades, now want to provide that content (can’t imagine where they’ll get it from)?
In turn, anyone with a TV licence would then effectively be paying the wages of someone writing for their local paper (which no one is buying anyway, because it’s all on the local BBC)?
This is nuts.
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Why the need for the 100 extra BBC reporters? Couldn’t the BBC TV reporter, BBC radio reporter and BBC web reporter who all turn up to the same job work it out between them to decide who can provide the content to local newspapers?
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In my experience the BBC did nothing but whinge to police forces that newspapers were getting exclusive stories and that the Beeb was being frozen out. They couldn’t grasp the fact that real reporters had dug the stories out independently and then sought comment from the constabulary involved. The only instance I can recall when the BBC took the lead on a so-called “crime story” was the disastrous helicopter debacle at Sir cliff Richard’s apartment!.
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There is so much wrong with this that it’s given me a screaming headache just thinking about it.
But no doubt the robber barons presently at the helm of the UK regional press will fall upon it with cries of glee as they consider all the extra staff they can make redundant.
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Shocked by this brass neck. Having worked in the BBC for a number of years I observed that the BBC’s idea of news gathering is combing through the print media for leads, especially the local and regional press.
This offer of ‘help’ from the state-funded broadcaster is a Trojan horse indeed.
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It’s a good idea to be fair. I agree that the beeb’s grass roots reporting could do with an overhaul though. I remember attending an EDL rally once and the beeb had security guards with them, all I had was two pens.
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There is such a lot of Beeb hating going in – my local paper doesn’t even send a reporter out of the office let alone court or council meetings – they like most reporters wait for a press release.
Local press is run by money grabbing companies – do you honestly think they give a hoot about the quality that’s in it!!!!
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Oh FFS, the BBC just don’t ‘get it’. Not satisfied with helping to accelerate the decline of local papers with ‘lifted’ online news content , they now want to take away the jobs of remaining local journalists as well.Regional newspaper owners must be rubbing their hands at the prospect of ‘free’ BBC content. Only solution is for all journalists and photogs that are left to become freelance and charge BBC and newspaper companies for stories.
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Mystified how the BBC intends to pay the wages of 100 extra journalists unless the licence fee is increased. They, like the regional press, have already made significant cutbacks in journalism elsewhere. Something doesn’t add up here…
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I’d like to apply for one of these jobs, but I suspect they’re already earmarked for someone’s niece.
That being said, I think it’s OTT for the print industry to blame its woes on the beeb, if they don’t send people to council meetings that’s their lookout, nobody else’s.
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It is easy to see how the Beeb will be able to afford 100 local scribblers and snappers – it will just recruit them from the ranks of unpaid wannabs who already provide copy and pictures to a growing number of weeklies and regional dailies!
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So, Old Hack, we may not be talking about proper journalism jobs at all then? Just glorified UGC, or what bean counters like to call ‘citizen journalism’…
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Agree with Newsquest Hack.
I’ve been on jobs where two or even three BBC bods turn up, each feeding in stuff to their section only. Nearly always it’s a barmy wasteful policy. BBC TV South Today are specialists, for instance, for sending someone or two (plus sound and camera team) out from Southampton or Portsmouth to find themselves working alongside someone who has dashed down from Londinium with a team!
Shoreham air crash was recent example.
Southampton’s other speciality is bad spelling or typos in on screen captions. Sometimes hilarious.
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That’s good of them – scrap the licence fee! Level playing field!
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Freelance Sub – you miss the point entirely!
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Fox, Hen house.
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This is laughable from the BBC. ‘Up to 100′ reporters nationwide. How thinly spread will they be and who really benefits? Most regional press editors will think the job is better done by their own.
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This wouldn’t be needed if local papers were able to employ a decent number of reporters.
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Let me get this straight (and declare an interest). As a freelance court reporter the BBC want to take my livelihood away from me with what will, effectively, be a loss making enterprise for them propped up by my licence fee.
And I’m not alone. There are others like me, and agencies, and staffers who are court and council reporters, all staring into the abyss if this goes ahead. And won’t do PA much good either will it. The trouble is they see it as ‘the wires’ so it is all free, but it ain’t.
When Murdoch wanted to take over Sky they were up in arms about his overreaching power but at least he is competing in the real world. Now they just seem to have said ‘What are the locals better than us at? Courts and councils. Well let’s have some of that.’ To say it is breathtakingly arrogant is an understatement.
And I echo the comments about the current level of BBC coverage. It’s all lifts and lifts (or to use the polite term: follow ups) unless it’s a biggie, then it’s all hands to the pump. Radio and TV, local and national of course, all doing the same thing. And when they’re lifting, sorry following up, your stuff they’re on the phone asking for a favour because they can’t find the address of the victim. Budgets are tight you see so we can’t pay. Well I can’t cash in those favours when it’s time to renew my TV licence, can I?
And if the greedy money men at the locals say ‘yes’ what will happen when the feet are under the table. ‘It’s expensive doing this. You’ve not got any court or council reporters left so we’re going to need a small contribution….’
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Well done BBC. After years of undermining local papers and pinching content and claiming it as their own, while wasting tonnes of money sending half a dozen staff (online, radio, local TV, network TV and so on…) to cover one job, they now want to put the nail in the coffin altogether. Absolutely crazy. I hope the general public sees this for what it is.
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This plan will just accelerate redundancies in regional newspapers. Why would your local evening/daily rag need dedicated council/health reporters if this goes ahead?
Should the BBC be subsidising the likes of Newsquest, JP et al in this way? I think this is one that might be nailed to the starting blocks.
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Surely this latest initiative wasn’t simply the brainchild of the BBC?
I don’t think Tony Hall has been having sleepless nights about how he can step in help save the local press in its dying death throws. I suspect it has more to do with JP’s Ashely Highfield and that panel of ‘interested parties’ that was set up to look at the way the BBC works. It’s probably the case that Tony Hall has been coming under pressure and ahead of the Charter renewal, is looking to appease those who feel the BBC has an unfair advantage and is using that advantage to kill off the regional and local press. However, make no mistake, any idea that the BBC is going to help turn around the fortunes of the struggling local rags is pie in the sky. The damage has already been done by the likes of Ashley Highfield and others. People are not going to be rushing to the newsagents to renew their subscriptions in the light of this latest BBC initiative.
Local journalism is but a shadow of its former self. The papers full of re-written press releases, news stories that shy away from upsetting potential advertisers, endless non-stories on the backs of dubious competitions and awards and stories about folk with various illnesses. Then, after sacking all the snappers, you can add all the diabolical User Generated Crap into this heady mix. Local newspapers are virtually begging what’s left of their loyal dear readers to send in their snaps and stories, praying that they’ll supply them with free-to-use material.
Rest assured reporters, if the BBC is going to help provide news copy for free, then you could find yourself walking through the same door your photographer colleagues walked not so long ago!
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100 journalists is 1.69 per BBC local radio station — how much difference will that make?
Some people on her, eg Freelance Sub and ‘Read all about it’, are using this to batter local newspapers for reduced coverage and ‘waiting for the press release’. This is not the fault or desire of local newspaper journalists, it’s entirely down to boards of directors with no newsroom experience among them and who place no value on editorial content or give a damn about its quality.
You can’t cover every council meeting or every court sitting if you are so short of staff that people are frightened to take lieu days for weekends and late jobs in case they’re unable to catch up on work.
JP has entire newspapers with a reporting staff of one — which means their BBC local radio station could soon have 0.69 of a journalist more than they do.
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As a lot of TM papers would openly admit they are no longer a paper of record, this is good news for readers/local democracy. It’s not so good for the staff of independent papers whose jobs are made more insecure.
That said, I imagine they would rather apply to the beeb than stay where they are, trying to forget why they wanted to become a journalist as they slavishly follow the numbers.
Local competition between independent news operations would make for a more healthy environment but the reality is, if that were the solution then it would be happening (though Belfast Live is an interesting example of opportunity). The BBC is not going to compete with private business in the current climate and papers rarely send anyone to council meetings so … it is what it is. Has PA shared a view?
At the very least, this is an acknowledgement from someone that local government news matters.
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A truly disturbing proposal. Local court and council news remains one of the strongest USPs of the local press. For that to suddenly appear all over the BBC’s local websites would play straight into the Beeb’s intention to see us off.
I hope the ‘powers that be’ dismiss this daft offer out of hand.
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It’s abut time the BBC gave something back. They have been leeching off the local Press for years.
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If the Beeb are stealing court and council stories from my local rag they will starve to death. They have not seen a reporter from my paper since mum was a boy.
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The BBC is a broadcaster, not a publisher. Scrap the licence fee!
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In reply to ‘Mr Angrier, East’, I am sorry if you think I’m attempting to over-state the current situation with regards to the regional and local press. I am merely pointing out the current state of the local newspapers that I see and read. I well understand the reasons and the last people that I would ever attempt to heap any blame on are those journalists/reporters who are office-bound and being asked to do an impossible task.
During the last few years, every time a reporter has left, there has been no replacement. Now, there are no snappers and those who are left are expected to provide images and video via their mobiles in addition to their other duties. When all staff are present, there aren’t enough to do the job. When staff are on holiday or absent through sickness, it’s just a nightmare.
My local newspaper is filled with content that nobody wants to read, let alone pay for and the latest ABC figures just reflect that. You buy a local newspaper to read about what’s going on and what’s happening in your local community. You don’t buy it because there’s a double-page spread that’s been lifted from PA, that has no local relevance whatsoever. You don’t buy to read fabricated news that’s been written on the back of the newspaper’s latest competition, be it ‘Chip Shop of the Year’, ‘Salon of the Year’, ‘Pub of the Year’, ‘Business of the Year’ and others.
So, I’m honestly sorry if I gave the impression that I was simply bashing the people who are trying so hard. I’m definitely not. I think, if you read my previous posting, you will see where I laid most of my blame and it certainly wasn’t the foot soldiers!
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Is that a photo of Tony Hall? Looks more like Kenneth Williams (when he was alive).
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