BBC survey sees viewers ask it to ‘make programmes less diverse’ | UK | News
A survey of the BBC’s programs and broadcasts showed that viewers want the broadcaster to serve “our society in today’s rapidly changing world”. The broadcaster is renowned for its news, dramas, documentaries and sports, serving the public for generations. Survey participants now demand content from across the UK that “brings people together”, calling for “the country’s best storytelling”.
There was “strong support for a BBC that pursues the truth without an agenda” after a total of 872,701 people posted their views on the broadcaster’s content and what they would like to see in the future. In the survey, 11% of respondents gave feedback about diversity, representation and inclusion, including comments about “political correctness.” Some said the BBC should be “less diverse on screen and on air”, while many called for “more representation of different parts of the UK” outside London.
Some viewers asked for less diversity-related content, saying the streamer had “lost touch” and that there were “concerns about the balance of representation between different audience groups.”
There were calls for the BBC to have “more diversity as well as less diversity on screen and broadcast”, but a total of 85% voted for the importance of “indigenous” storytelling.
In the section “What the BBC should stand for”, 93% of respondents agreed that it was essential to “pursue the truth without an agenda”. The broadcaster has summarized the results and will now take feedback for future programmes.
In the summary, the BBC wrote: “In today’s rapidly changing world, you look for a BBC that will serve our community. There is strong support for a BBC that pursues the truth without any agenda, supports the best local storytelling and content from across the UK, and brings people together.”
In the survey, 91 per cent of respondents said it was important for the BBC to be “independent of the government of the day”, while 5 per cent said it was “unimportant”.
On whether the BBC “offers something for everyone”, 59% of 872,701 respondents rated it effective, while 24% thought it was ineffective.
When it comes to reflecting the views of people across the UK, including different parts of the UK, 51% said it was effective and 24% said it was ineffective. The remaining percent voted “I don’t know.”
BBC director general Tim Davie said: “We’ve had such an incredible response to this survey, which shows how much people care about the BBC. I’d like to thank everyone who took part and shared their views with us.”
“I believe the BBC has never been more needed, both in the UK and around the world.
“The results of the survey are clear – our viewers want an independent BBC that delivers high-quality programs and content they can trust, telling the stories that matter to them and reflect their lives.”
In its final report, the BBC made clear that it wanted to “make sure we are on the right track, especially on important issues such as independence and how well we reflect the lives of everyone in the UK”.
The channel also shared that it will continue to listen to viewers and added that it wants “to hear more from young people as the new generation of BBC viewers.”
