BBC reforms websites with links to local media

Posted by Caroline Huber on February 24, 2009 at 11:16 AM

The BBC intends to create more links to local media websites from its news websites in response to criticism and call for reform from the BBC Trust. The BBC also proposes in-video links to other local video providers and possibly video syndication partnerships and training collaborations with local media. Formal proposals for these changes and more will be submitted for consideration by the Trust later this year.

In a review of the BBC site released last year, the Trust assessed the risk of the BBC becoming a "dominant gateway service." The Trust critiqued the site's web accessibility and effectiveness, claiming the site was too much a "destination site" and not providing enough web navigation.

This morning the Trust officially confirmed its rejection of the BBC Local £68 million plan to expand local video online, recognizing potential negative impact on already pressured competitors. The Trust maintained that the BBC should concentrate on improving existing services.

As a publicly funded broadcaster, the possibility of a BBC monopoly is particularly worrying, and the prospective changes are the beginning of BBC reforms to allow for more competition and to ensure the continued existence of local media. At a time when local media are under threat, this issue is particularly relevant.

Source: Journalism.co.uk