October 28, 2019

Ofcom has published its annual report on the BBC and the findings of its review of BBC news and current affairs. The report assesses the corporation’s performance over the period April 2018 to March 2019.

Ofcom has found that the BBC is generally serving viewers and listeners well, through the breadth and quality of its programmes. People’s satisfaction with the BBC remains high, comparing well with other TV and radio broadcasters.

However, like many broadcasters, the BBC is vulnerable to a rapidly changing media landscape. Ofcom’s findings show that the BBC must do much more to connect with today’s children and younger adults, through relevant, appealing, and well-placed content, or it could lose a generation of potential licence-fee payers.

Alongside the report, Ofcom has also published the findings of its review of BBC news and current affairs.

The review finds that the BBC remains the UK’s primary news source, and has maintained its reputation for trusted and accurate reporting. In a time of increased fake news and disinformation, BBC news is still the place people go for a reliable take on events, particularly breaking stories.

However, younger audiences are turning away from BBC news and current affairs, increasingly using social media and news “aggregator” services where the BBC is just one of many sources. To read Ofcom’s press release in full and for links to the reports, click here.