BBC Trust

The BBC Trust has published its work plan for 2016, setting out its priorities and key areas of work until the end of the current Charter period on 31 December 2016.

Charter Review

This year the Trust will continue conducting research and engaging with audiences to ensure that the public’s views are represented to the Government during the review of the BBC’s Charter. 

The Trust will respond to the Government’s forthcoming White Paper on Charter Review and play an active role in the development of the new Charter and Agreement.

Service performance

In 2016 the Trust will complete and publish the final two service reviews under the current Charter:

• The review of local radio and news services in England including regional TV news and current affairs, and local online news, will be published in the spring.
• The review of news and radio services for Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland (will be published in the summer. 

Editorial Standards

The independent review of the BBC’s reporting of statistics in its news and current affairs programming, led by former UK National Statistician Dame Jil Matheson, will be published in the summer.

A follow-up report on the Trust’s 2008 impartiality review on BBC network news and current affairs coverage of the four UK nations, will also be published later in the year.

Value for money

This year the National Audit Office has decided to conduct two value for money examinations of areas of BBC activity, which will be laid before Parliament and published by the Trust.  The first will examine whether the BBC displays strong financial and operational management of its workforce including freelancers and contractors.  The second will examine the cost-effectiveness of licence fee collection. 

Other work

The Trust will submit advice to the Government on the options for the future supply arrangements for BBC TV, radio and online content, including the BBC’s proposal to establish BBC Studios as a commercial venture.  Should the Government agree in principle to the establishment of BBC Studios, the Trust would begin a formal regulatory assessment.

We will also publish the findings of an independent review conducted by Ernst & Young of the separation arrangements between the BBC’s public and commercially funded services including in particular the approach to transfer pricing between the two.