More than 600 industry professionals have signed an open letter ‘rising up’ against the BBC because of the command strategy which they called ‘irresponsible, inexperienced and failing’.
A petition, created by Reform The Industry and signed by ‘concerned’ producers, actors and independent production companies, has demanded urgent change in the way the broadcaster chooses which programs to greenlight, as there is a ‘shameful amount of wasted resource’ at the Beeb.
Reform The Industry said: ‘Despite a celebrated history, current systems fail to ensure high commissioners meet consistent standards or demonstrate recognized leadership in the sector.
‘Currently no BBC commissioner is working on Key Performance Indicators [KPIs]which creates a gap in measurable accountability.
“The vast majority of commissioning staff are neither best in class nor do they have the advanced expertise required to meet the changing needs of the public. “Many staff are stuck in outdated practices, with shortages of real experience that do not reflect the vibrant and diverse world we live in today.”
The campaign, organized by five producers, all of whom have active development work or commissions at the BBC, calls for a body independent of the Beeb with the power to investigate every major commissioning decision at the highest levels of the corporation.
They say some high commissioners earn six-figure salaries while operating without published targets.
Watchdog Ofcom was also labeled ‘toothless’ – without power – by the group of creatives.
More than 600 industry professionals have signed an open letter ‘rising up’ against the BBC over its commissioning strategy, which they called ‘irresponsible, inexperienced and failing’.
While the petition is not a direct result of cuts at the BBC, it comes after new director general Matt Brittin announced that around 100 to 150 hours of homegrown programming across all commissioned genres will be cut by the end of the 2027 to 2028 financial year to save £500 million.
A source close to the campaign told the Daily Mail: ‘There have been a number of meetings held by concerned producers in the UK and this campaign has emerged from that. Numerous concerns have been raised and the vast majority of producers believe that this change in the industry must start with the BBC.
‘There is an outrageous amount of wasted resources at a time when the BBC is cutting back on content and charging licensing fees to pay for more. A number of comments indicate that most producers are afraid to publicly stick their heads above the ground for fear of being blacklisted and negatively impacting their business.”
While the petition is not a direct result of cuts at the BBC, it comes after new director general Matt Brittin announced that around 100 to 150 hours of homegrown programming across all commissioned genres will be cut by the end of the 2027 to 2028 financial year to save £500 million.
As part of the cuts, Carpety Blank, Celebrity Mastermind and Live At The Apollo have been cancelled, while the Sunday episode of BBC Breakfast is being axed. Several Radio 4 programs have also been cancelled.
One producer, who has remained anonymous, said they felt ‘forced’ to keep their identity hidden because there is ‘that terrible feeling of – the moment you raise legitimate concerns, then suddenly that second or third series seems unlikely or development won’t go any further’.
They added: “I look at this issue from different angles, as an on-screen presence and as a producer. I have been involved in BBC drama, comedy and film and find it a difficult process and too often ill-informed.’
Last year the BBC faced widespread controversy after it emerged that the narrator of the documentary Gaza: How To Survive A Warzone was the son of a senior Hamas official.
During the program, viewers heard the voice of 13-year-old Abdullah, the son of Ayman Alyazouri, who worked as Hamas’ deputy minister of agriculture.
A review, said to have cost £100,000, was launched and led by Peter Johnston, the director of editorial complaints, and found that the document breached the BBC’s editorial guidelines.
In his findings, Mr Johnston found that no one at the Beeb was aware of the father’s position when the episode aired, but three people at Hoyo Films, the independent production company that produced the documentary, were aware.
Last year the BBC faced widespread controversy after it emerged that the narrator of the documentary Gaza: How To Survive A Warzone was the son of a senior Hamas official.
At the time, director general Tim Davie apologized for the ‘significant shortcoming’ and promised the Corporation would take action to prevent this from happening again.
A BBC spokesperson said: ‘The suggestion that the BBC commissioner is operating without KPIs, without oversight and without accountability’ is simply wrong.
BBC content is regulated by the BBC Board, Ofcom, the NAO and Parliament; and publishes comprehensive annual reporting on audience performance, commissioning outcomes, diversity and regional investment and its implementation in accordance with its public obligations, all within a framework of independent regulation and governance.
‘While we will always listen to constructive feedback from the sector, any debate on reform must be evidence-based and the BBC has one of the most transparent and accountable committee systems in the world.
‘We put audiences at the heart of everything we do and remain committed to working with producers across the UK to continually improve the way we power and support the creative economy.’
