BBC publishes results of deprivation study
BBC publishes results of deprivation study
The BBC has published the full findings of a “deprivation study” in which 80 homes had no access to any BBC content or services for nine days.
The results suggest many of those taking part underestimated the value their household gets from the BBC.
The study, conducted by research company MTM on behalf of the BBC, found that 70% of those who initially said they would rather do without the BBC, or would prefer to pay less for it, changed their minds and were willing to pay the full licence fee or more in order to keep BBC content and services.
Just under 200 people, based in 16 different locations in the UK and with a mix of views about the BBC, took part.
This study produced a near identical result to one conducted in 2014/2015 despite significant changes in the media market in the last seven years and a significant increase in global competition from other broadcasters, subscription services and platforms.
Since 2014 23 mainstream content streamers have launched, with a total of 38 now available to UK audiences.
BBC Director-General Tim Davie says: “It is great to see the role the BBC plays in people’s lives up and down the UK and it not only shows the importance of public service broadcasting it reinforces that we must continue the hard work to maintain that support and ensure we offer something for everyone.”
The new research focused primarily on licence-fee paying households who felt the BBC was of no or little value to them.
Of the 80 households involved, 30 initially said they wanted to pay nothing and not receive the BBC and another 30 only wanted to pay less than the full licence fee. A control group of 20 who were willing to pay the full licence fee was also included.
Households varied in size, age range and background and included singles, couples, young and older families, and shared homes.
They were unable to access any BBC services, across TV, radio, online and apps, for nine days, covering two full weekends. They were also not permitted to watch any BBC content available on other services such as Netflix or YouTube. In return they received the cost of the licence fee for those days, which works out at about £3.90.
On completing the study 42 of the 60 households, or 70%, who initially wanted to either pay nothing or less said they were willing to pay the full licence fee or more in return for the BBC.
Reasons for changing views included a realisation that they had underestimated the value their households get from the BBC and the amount of BBC content and services they consumed in their daily lives. This included missing out on high-profile dramas, event TV and live sport that brings the country together; missing CBeebies and CBBC; missing BBC iPlayer; missing the BBC radio stations/Sounds that they listened to; and missing BBC online services.
Other factors were an increased understanding of the variety of services the licence fee pays for; the high quality of content; missing content without advertising; and greater recognition of the cultural and societal role of the BBC in UK life.
In 2014 when the first study was started 21.5 million adults used the internet/social media for news, that compares to 39.2 million today, while 4.8 million UK households had access to SVOD services, compared to 20 million today.
The full report is available here.
The attack appears to have demolished antenna towers in the main part of the transmitting station site, but not the transmitter hall nor the rotatable antenna (pictured)at the south-west of the site.
