BECTU BACK £326M PLAN FOR MORE BBC CHANNELS

BECTU have come out in favour of a £326m plan for extra BBC services.
Responding to a consultation exercise run by the Department for Culture Media and Sport, BECTU welcomed proposals for nine new channels as a "vital reinforcement to the UK's digital broadcasting strategy".
All the new channels, five on radio and four on TV, would be transmitted on digital networks, and the union predicted that the availability of services over and above the existing analogue channels would encourage more of the audience to switch to new technology.
According to BECTU, the take-up of new equipment is likely to slow down once the so-called 'early adopters' and existing BSkyB viewers have all been set up with digital receivers. Analysts have suggested that as many as 40 per cent of households do not feel the need to buy digital TV sets or set-top boxes, partly because the new technology is closely associated with pay-as-you-view or expensive subscriptions.
Free BBC digital services could hasten the switch to digital that the government hopes will free up broadcast bandwidth, enabling more of the spectrum to be sold off to commercial users.
In their response, the union gives a special welcome to the BBC's planned Asian radio channel, and the two new children's TV services. BECTU said that cultural diversity, both in programming and in the workforce would be aided by a dedicated Asian station. Makers of children's programmes too will also benefit as the two new channels will have £82m to spend over two years, much of it is expected to be on original UK production. At present a high proportion of children's programming consists of imports and repeats, and BECTU welcomed the boost to new production, especially UK animation.
Despite the union's support for new BBC channels, difficulties could lie ahead for members at the BBC. The planned budget for the new services is £326m in the first two years, and savings are needed to raise the cash.
Already, there have been substantial efficiency savings at the BBC under Greg Dyke's drive to reduce overheads, and the Corporation's Limited subsidiary companies have been set tough profit targets.
Since Dyke revealed his vision for the BBC's future in July 2000, more than 1,000 jobs have been earmarked for redundancy, and two major industrial disputes have already broken out over cost-saving measures and job cuts.
Subject to approval from Culture Minister Chris Smith, the BBC hopes to launch some of the new services as early as Autumn 2001. (GB)