The BBC is turning a century old and is facing serious challenges

Can the flood of news and information that citizens receive through new technology displace traditional media?

Relentless and vitally important are the questions and findings of the BBC editor, who records them extensively in his publication, on the occasion of 100 year anniversary since the launch of the British public media.

“Great institutions, like great literature, are often born out of existential angst, as urgent responses to the prevailing horrors of their time. As with TS Eliot’s The Waste Land, published in 1922, so with the BBC” he says and adds:

“When Lord Raith (shot in the face in World War I) became the first director-general of the BBC, he had the national interest at heart. A Scottish engineer in post-war London wanted to develop the latest technology to rebuild a war-torn country.”

As the author of the text observes, today few people would suggest the creation of a public media. Even fewer would finance it, seeing it as an additional cost to households.

However, there are events for which it cannot be replaced by… classic news, such as the coverage of the death of Queen Elizabeth II, for which the BBC took the lead.

The BBC’s direct competitors, the editor says, include companies such as Netflix, which are valued in the hundreds of billions. As he observes, the BBC is forced to do things others do not (news, radio, religious programmes), is tightly regulated and under relentless political pressure.

Streaming services have also increased staffing and programming costs. Ultimately, the BBC will have to find what it can do that others cannot.

Generation gap

Young Brits, aged between 16 and 24, spend more time on TikTok alone than watching TV. Over the past decade, the time they spend watching TV has fallen by two-thirds.

Review

Despite the fact that the BBC is a state media, it always angers governments of all shades. Today, there are two big differences.

First, hostility from the government is much more relentless, thanks in part to social media.

Secondlythe BBC’s staunchest foes argue that this is an unnecessary British outing, in the age of YouTube and Instagram, information is abundant and free.

But, as the last few weeks have shown, it underlines.

The editor finds that although the British medium is slowly shrinking, it has the potential to renew its vote of confidence with its audience.

“This centenarian’s best hope is to return to the enlightened vision of the preacher who founded it. As Lord Reith knew in 1922, quality, not quantity, is the BBC’s best hope,” he concludes.

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