BBC no longer needs to broadcast a minimum of new factual programmes - The Guardian

The BBC will no longer have to broadcast a minimum amount of new factual programming on BBC1 and BBC2 after a long-established quota was abolished by the BBC Trust.

The factual quota was dropped as part of the trust's review of the way it monitors the BBC's output.

BBC trustee David Liddiment said the quota did not add anything to the trust's ability to monitor the channels' factual output because of the wide range of programmes which were defined as factual.

"Our review concluded that BBC1 and BBC2's quotas for factual programming – which covered everything from Frozen Planet to Cash in the Attic – did not add anything to our ability to govern these services effectively and needed to be removed," he said.

Liddiment said the changes were intended to make the licences "clearer and easier to understand".

"As a former programme maker, I know that setting boundaries to creativity is a finely balanced thing," he said.

"Too little structure risks creating programmes which don't hit the mark with audiences; but too much can slow down the creative process."

He added: "In particular, we took a careful look at the use of quotas or targets – a subject of much debate over the years.

"While these should never exist for the sake of it, we concluded that quotas are helpful in some areas alongside qualitative commitments.

"For example, remembering that BBC1's serious arts output nearly disappeared under a previous governance regime, we are clear that a minimum quota for arts and music on BBC1 alongside a small quota for religious programmes, is necessary."

The service licences for all of the BBC's TV channels and radio stations will be simplified and updated as part of the review, the trust said.

With digital TV switchover now complete, the references to "driving digital take-up" will be removed from the licences for BBC3 and BBC4.

The trust said the budget section would be "edited" with the licences' scope section "simplified".

Commercial radio trade body the Radio Centre, one of six organisations which responded to the trust consultation, called on the trust to "examine ways of sanctioning under-performing BBC services".

The Radio Centre said the trust should publish more regular updates on how its services were performing and should "prioritise quality before audience reach" and called on all BBC radio services to have a specific target age range.

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