A leaked email has revealed that BBC has asked its journalists to come up with the money generating ideas for the corporation.
As per ‘The Independent’, BBC’s global news director Peter Horrocks sent an email to the staff in the BBC Global News Department, including the BBC World Service, asking them to present ideas for exploring new commercial oppurtunities.
The email states, "Let us know if you have any ideas on how we can strengthen our commercial focus and grow income … these objectives apply to all parts of Global News: editorial and non-editorial as no matter where you work you can help meet these objectives.”
The report has raised concerns that the impartial editorial standards of the organisation will be compromised for the sake of commercial success.
There are also fears that the BBC World News coverage in sensitive areas like China may be affected by the need to maintain advertising revenues.
Mr. Horrocks’s email adds "Please use these objectives during your appraisal to talk through with your line manager what these objectives mean to you as an individual and your role in the fulfilment of them."
BBC is drawing criticism from all the corners for asking journalists to produce money.
John Tusa, who worked as managing director of the BBC World Service between 1986 and 1993, told The Independent that the instruction was “appalling”.
Michelle Stanistreet, the general secretary of the National Union of Journalists, said the development was “shocking”, “outrageous” and “threatens the ethos at the heart of public service broadcasting,”
Media watchdog Ofcom is currently investigating the BBC over the effects of commercial interests on its news documentaries and other editorial programs. The BBC has broadcast a global apology for its editorial mistakes, and has scaled back its budget by 20 per cent over five years to pay its licensing-fees settlement, \\\’The Independent\\\’ reported.
Those cutbacks, including the loss of 2,000 jobs, have forced the organization to focus more on money-making strategies, according to \\\’The Independent\\\’.