Page 26 - ITU Kaleidoscope 2016

2016 ITU Kaleidoscope Academic Conference

The importance of this journalistic challenge for the BBC is
Production Distribution Consumption explored by Professor Steve Jones (Emeritus Professor of Genetics
at University College London) in his report to the BBC Trust in
2011 [8]. Here he highlights the need to consider due weight along
Figure 1: A simplified television service. side due impartiality. The BBC has a long tradition of making
ground breaking and informative programmes on the subject of
climate change, although obviously it hasn’t always be called that,
two components of the model shown in figure 1. The majority of with early examples like BBC Radio’s 1969 Reith lectures by
the footprint mostly results from buildings, technology, travel and Frank Fraser Darling called “Wilderness and Plenty” [9].
waste. As all these components are probably very familiar, they'll
only be mentioned in passing, and this paper will focus on the Landmark examples include David Attenborough’s 2006
programmes called “Are We Changing Planet Earth?” and “Can
more unique and hopefully interesting areas of programme
production and distribution. Furthermore the BBC has worked We Save Planet Earth?” and Dr Iain Stewart’s “Earth: The
hard to reduce this overhead and the Corporation’s annual report Climate Wars” three-part series from 2008. Last year Horizon, the
leading science series on BBC 2, covered the topic in a
[6] claims that “In 2015/16, 94% of the BBC’s controllable spend
was focused on content and delivery, with just 6% spent on programme entitled “Climate Change: A Horizon Guide” whilst
BBC Four examined the data in “Climate Change by Numbers”.
running the organization”. The BBC has also reduced emissions In fact the BBC’s news, current affairs and factual programmes
of CO2e from it buildings and onsite technology by 50,000 tines regularly examine the topic and the subject features in comedy,
since 2008, a reduction of 33%.
drama and entertainment programmes across all platforms as well,
as befits its importance in the modern world.
3. EDITORIAL CHOICES.
4. ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE
Opinions on the shape of the world differ and it is important for PROGRAMME MAKING.
public service broadcasters to navigate a way around this range of
views. In fact, being impartial is an obligation for the BBC as set
out in its Royal Charter. To aid its journalist and production staff The BBC started its sustainability journey in earnest in 2008 when
and to clarify to audiences how this is to be achieved, the BBC it set is first targets to reduce energy consumption, waste creation,
publishes comprehensive Editorial Guidelines [7] and this states water use and travel. Then in September 2009, in order to address
that “impartiality lies at the core of the BBC’s commitment to its the challenges of sustainable programme making, work began on a
audiences. We will apply due impartiality to all our subject matter carbon calculator that could give producers and managers an idea
and will reflect a breadth and diversity of opinion across our of the CO 2 e that their productions created. This project, know as
output as a whole, over an appropriate period, so that no Albert, had 4 main motivations. Firstly the BBC had no method
significant strand of thought is knowingly un-reflected or under- for understanding what the impact of one of its main activities was
represented. We will be fair and open-minded when examining on the environment. Secondly, the targets set the previous year
evidence and weighing material facts.” were high level and difficult to engage with, so it was hoped that a
Although this sounds clear, sensible and indeed obvious, it is an carbon calculator would allow programme teams to understand
area of reporting and programme making which is commonly and thus manage the impact of their activity. Thirdly, that waste
misunderstood. It does not mean that all views are equal or will be costs and any publicly funded organisation is obligated to be as
given an equal amount of air time, as the approach should be cost effective as possible. Lastly, because it was the right thing to
based on due impartiality, with matters grounded in fact and do. So for the BBC, whose reputation is its lifeblood, this was and
should not be detached from fundamental social and democratic remains a key driving force.
values. It also needs to be recognised that knowledge and views Several things were done to attempt to ensure that the Albert
change over time and this needs to be reflected the way the BBC initiative would be a success. First, the data input process was
reports things. simplified as much as possible, so that ordinary production team
members can understand what is required without specialist
knowledge or training. The questions it asks are chosen so that the
data can be gleaned, with a fair degree of accuracy, from a typical
set of production notes and records such as travel expenses and
facilities bookings. The process of collecting and imputing the
data shouldn’t be too arduous and typically takes one to two hours
(depending the scale and complexity of the production). Next
there has been clear and consistent executive leadership from the
last two directors of television, not only championing the use of
Albert in all productions but also pushing the sustainability agenda
at the BBC as a whole. However the BBC commissions many of
its programmes from independent production companies and so
early in the calculator’s life a relationship was forged with
BAFTA (the British Academy for Film and Television Arts) to
take on its hosting and to make it available to the whole of the UK
TV industry. After about 5 years we have managed to ensure that
pretty much every in house TV production logs its footprint in the
calculator and 50% of the top 140 independent production
companies in the UK are registered albert users, meaning that over
300 organisations have signed up to use it including Sky TV and
Figure 2: the carbon footprint of a typical hour of TV UKTV.
production totals13.6 CO 2 e [t] per hour 2015/16.

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