Jonathan Rhind
Via email at
: [FOI #30361 email]
18 March 2010
Dear Mr Rhind,
Freedom of Information Act 2000 – RFI20100358
Thank you for your request under the Freedom of Information Act (‘the Act’) of 8 March 2010,
seeking:
I am seeking information on the proposed BBC cuts in service. I believe there is to be a public
document that will explain the BBC's cost cutting proposals. Unfortunately I was unable to find this
from the BBC web site. In the absence of such a document I am seeking from the BBC an
explanation, with supporting evidence, for the proposed shut down of the 6Music radio station. I am
interested in what were the deciding factors and against which measures these were made?
I am especially interested in the BBC's view on the role of following factors in the decision:
- Whether commercial competition was a factor and if so, how it influenced the decision,
- Current, trend and projected listener numbers of BBC tv and radio stations standardised
against for the limited availability of digital radio services
- Cost benefits assessment of the decision. Please provide the actual business case that led
to the proposal for cutting 6Music.
- The relative importance the BBC assigns to the various genres of programming on radio
and why.
If this information is available elsewhere on the Internet as a single source and in full I am content
to pointed to it.
Last summer, the BBC Trust challenged the BBC Executive to develop a new strategy, focusing on
how the BBC can most effectively deliver its public service mission and meet audience needs and
deliver value for money. As you will be aware, on 2 March 2010, the BBC Trust published the
proposals drawn up by the BBC Executive,
Putting Quality First, which outlines the Executive’s
proposals, and is published on the BBC Trust website, at the following link:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbctrust/our_work/strategy_review/index.shtml
The BBC Trust is currently running a consultation on the Executive’s proposals. This is a 12 week
public consultation, which closes on 25 May 2010. You can respond to the consultation at the
following link:
https://consultations.external.bbc.co.uk/departments/bbc/bbc-strategy-
review/consultation/consult_view
You can also find further information about the Strategy Review on the BBC Trust website at the
following link:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbctrust/news/press_releases/march/strategic_review.shtml I trust that you find the above information useful.
Appeal Rights
If you are not satisfied that we have complied with the Act in responding to your request, you have
the right to an internal review by a BBC senior manager or legal adviser. Please contact us at the
address above, explaining what you would like us to review and including your reference number. If
you are not satisfied with the internal review, you can appeal to the Information Commissioner. The
contact details are: Information Commissioner's Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow,
Cheshire, SK9 5AF, telephone 01625 545 700 or see
http://www.ico.gov.uk/ Yours sincerely,
Charlotte Gibson
Advisor, Information Policy and Compliance
