Regional newspaper publisher Northcliffe has launched a fierce attack on the BBC for pushing ahead with its local online video plans.
Broadcast regulator Ofcom is currently carrying out an inquiry into the potential market impact of the corporation’s plan, which involve spending £23m a year creating video-based news on 60 local BBC portals.
In a written submission to the inquiry, Northcliffe Media said there is no justification or public value case for the BBC plans and questions why public funds are being used to make “further aggressive inroads into the provision of local content at the expense of commercial operators.”
It said that far from being distinctive, the BBC’s proposals would duplicate services being provided by regional media publishers and other commercial operators across the UK.
Key points of the Northcliffe submission include:
Northcliffe managing director Michael Pelosi, who is also president of the Newspaper Society, commented: “The BBC has huge advantages over commercial operators.
“It has used its massive public funding and resources, brand potency, unrivalled distribution network and cross-promotional opportunities to become the most powerful media brand in the world and the leading UK player in television, radio and on the internet. Now, it is seeking to extend that market leadership into the provision of local news and information.
“Northcliffe’s journalists have been providing video news for up to two-and-a-half years. At least 50 of Northcliffe’s websites will carry truly local video content by September when a rollout of the company’s next generation internet publishing platform is complete.
“The BBC’s claims that it will introduce a new level of local video news-gathering do not stand up to scrutiny, as many of the local video sites mirror areas covered by regional newspapers and their websites.”
Mr Pelosi also said the BBC plans showed insensitivity to – or even disregard for – the challenges faced by commercial media in the regions at a time when advertising revenues were falling.
The BBC Trust is expected to publish interim recommendations on the corporation’s local online video plans in November, with the final conclusions of the public value test due next February, following a second stage of consultation.
Comments
Peter Steele (05/08/2008 16:20:48)
You can’t stop the BBC juggernaut – they’ve cornered the internet news market and can’t wait to get more iplayer stuff on their regional pages
They should give the money to ITV’s loss-making regional news output, which is better in quality to the BBC’s. And bring back Anglia Soccer Night too.
Rob (05/08/2008 20:38:05)
Northcliffe reporters have been providinf video news for up to two-and-a-half years, but they aren’t being paid for it. And they are not getting the proper training to produce truly professional videos. It’s a shame Michael Pelosi and Northcliffe are not prepared to back their own staff to compete with BBC, rather than try to get the BBC to stop competing. After local newspapers will always have the local contacts, they should be given the resources to make effective use of them.
Pete Jones (06/08/2008 13:23:23)
ITV’s new service better quality? What planet are you living on? Grade’s leadership has seen the once proud service turned into a complete joke. At least the beeb tries to fund proper journalism unlike Northcliffe which tries to do everything on the cheap.
John Baxter (15/08/2008 15:39:45)
If local newspapers want to put out quality video then they should invest in some decent equipment and employ some staff to do just that, produce video news, the BBc guys will not be expected to shoot a video and edit it whilst on route to photograph a cheque presentation, then attend a local football match.
They will not compete with the BBC because the BBC will do the job correctly, with the correct staff and equipment.
Not on the Cheap !
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