Even as it releases a plan to deliver greater value to audiences in the coming year, reasserting strategic priorities such as high-impact content, the BBC has been ordered to make £115 million worth of additional cost savings by 2028.
The Annual Plan for 2023/24 sets out the corporation’s plans to continue its business transformation in response to changing audience behaviour while delivering savings in a tough financial climate. The report emphasises how the BBC spent more on, and commissioned more hours of, UK originated TV content than any other organisation. It also highlights that the BBC has maintained its position as the UK’s number one brand for media, used by nine out of ten adults, with UK audiences spending more time watching BBC TV and iPlayer than Netflix, Disney+ and Amazon Prime Video combined.
The 2023/24 shows that the BBC will open more of its workings to make BBC News the most transparent newsroom in the world, building trust and accelerate the pace of change across our online services with an additional £50 million investment per year by 2025/26.
Content highlights in the year ahead include new dramas Jack Thorne’s Best Interests, Shane Meadows' The Gallows Pole, Sarah Phelps’ The Sixth Commandment, and musical drama in Champion from Candice Carty-Williams. The comedy slate has Undoing Martin Parker from Paul Coleman and Sian Gibson; Queen of Oz from Catherine Tate and Jeff Gutheim; and comedy thriller Black Ops.
Factual and Arts highlights include Planet Earth III, Once Upon a Time in Northern Ireland, BBC Scotland co-commission Murder Case, arts series Picasso: Monstrous Genius and Treasures of the National Trust and the BBC has committed to invest in British-produced children’s animation with comedy Super Magic Happy Fores and drama Digi Girl.
“Our plans outline an ambitious year of creative excellence from the BBC, with trusted news and high-quality content to provide the best value for all audiences,” said BBC Director-General Tim Davie. “This year we will bring people together like no other organisation can with the Coronation and Eurovision amongst the highlights.”
Yet, the report also shows that as part of the 2022 Licence Fee settlement and the economic environment, the BBC’s original projected annual savings requirement of £285 million by the end of the Charter in 2027/28 has now increased to £400 million. To that end the BBC says that it will continue to manage its finances “prudently”.
The 2023/24 shows that the BBC will open more of its workings to make BBC News the most transparent newsroom in the world, building trust and accelerate the pace of change across our online services with an additional £50 million investment per year by 2025/26.
Content highlights in the year ahead include new dramas Jack Thorne’s Best Interests, Shane Meadows' The Gallows Pole, Sarah Phelps’ The Sixth Commandment, and musical drama in Champion from Candice Carty-Williams. The comedy slate has Undoing Martin Parker from Paul Coleman and Sian Gibson; Queen of Oz from Catherine Tate and Jeff Gutheim; and comedy thriller Black Ops.
Factual and Arts highlights include Planet Earth III, Once Upon a Time in Northern Ireland, BBC Scotland co-commission Murder Case, arts series Picasso: Monstrous Genius and Treasures of the National Trust and the BBC has committed to invest in British-produced children’s animation with comedy Super Magic Happy Fores and drama Digi Girl.
“Our plans outline an ambitious year of creative excellence from the BBC, with trusted news and high-quality content to provide the best value for all audiences,” said BBC Director-General Tim Davie. “This year we will bring people together like no other organisation can with the Coronation and Eurovision amongst the highlights.”
Yet, the report also shows that as part of the 2022 Licence Fee settlement and the economic environment, the BBC’s original projected annual savings requirement of £285 million by the end of the Charter in 2027/28 has now increased to £400 million. To that end the BBC says that it will continue to manage its finances “prudently”.
