大象传媒

However, both channels can do even more to meet audiences' expectations that 大象传媒 programming is distinctive and contains fresh and new ideas, and the Trust has asked 大象传媒 Executive to implement a number of changes to address this issue, some of which have already been announced. The Trust will closely monitor the Executive's progress in making changes over the coming years.

The review also showed that 大象传媒 Four provides a high quality and distinctive offering but needs to find ways to increase its overall impact with audiences.

Sir Michael Lyons, 大象传媒 Trust Chairman, said:

"We have just agreed with Government a tough new licence fee settlement which gives the 大象传媒 stability for the remaining six years of the current Charter. It will present us with some difficult choices. But the Trust is clear that within that new settlement, the 大象传媒 must strive to further raise the distinctiveness of its programming in order to satisfy viewers' expectations, particularly for the flagship channels 大象传媒 One and Two."

Diane Coyle, the 大象传媒 Trustee who led the review, added:

"This review finds all three channels are broadly delivering on their remits - producing high quality and popular programming across the breadth of TV genres which makes a strong contribution to the delivery of the 大象传媒's public purposes.

"But our research shows that audiences demand more from the 大象传媒, with viewers looking for ideas they can't find anywhere else. The channels have significant influence and appeal, and while plans are already underway to improve daytime output, the Executive needs to be more ambitious and take more creative risks to satisfy viewers' expectations."

The review notes progress made by the Executive since the review's interim conclusions were published in July 2010. In particular the Executive has developed plans to increase the quality and ambition of daytime output on 大象传媒 One and 大象传媒 Two; and has provided the Trust further assurance that it has robust plans in place to meet the increasing need for high quality and impactful current affairs programming.

Overall conclusions

The Trust's review found that 大象传媒 One and 大象传媒 Two are performing well in many respects. 大象传媒 One is the most watched channel in the UK while 大象传媒 Two's reach is also substantial. Audiences recognise that both channels provide a high quality offering across all genres, and make strong contributions to delivering each of the 大象传媒's public purposes.

However, the review found some areas where both channels can improve, in particular to provide the distinctive offering that audiences expect from the 大象传媒.

• 大象传媒 One needs to harness its scale and size by being more ambitious and taking more creative risks in peak time. In particular, it should actively seek to increase the level of range, variety and surprise in pre-watershed peak time, and show greater creative ambition at 9pm. We would expect to see signs of improvement in audience perceptions by the end of 2011 and will consider at that point whether we need to ask for further action from the Executive to address audience concerns
• 大象传媒 Two should continue to implement its plans to make its factual, drama and comedy output more distinctive. Its aim should be to re-establish its position as a channel which audiences recognise as being manifestly different to 大象传媒 One
• Daytime output on 大象传媒 One and 大象传媒 Two needs to make a greater contribution to the 大象传媒's reputation for quality and distinctiveness. The Executive should therefore implement the proposals it has put forward in response to the Trust's interim findings to increase the quality and distinctiveness of daytime output.

The review also concluded that the Executive should aim to increase the impact of its current affairs programming on 大象传媒 One and 大象传媒 Two and implement its plans to improve the quality of opt-out programming in the nations of the UK.

Much of 大象传媒 Four's programming is seen as high quality and distinctive by its audience. Over 80 per cent of its programmes were rated original and different, the highest by some margin for any channel. The review found that 大象传媒 Four does not, however, significantly influence wider audience perceptions of the 大象传媒. 大象传媒 Four's challenge is to increase its impact, particularly in its core areas of specialism, and secure a greater reputational dividend for the 大象传媒, while also retaining its distinctive nature.

To help the channel realise this, the Trust expects the Executive to sign-post and promote 大象传媒 Four content more effectively on other 大象传媒 output and channels, as well as continuing its ongoing commissioning and scheduling collaboration with 大象传媒 Two.

The Trust will also amend 大象传媒 Four's service licence to reflect more clearly its editorial direction and focus.

Ends.

Notes to editors

Under the terms of the Charter, the Trust is obliged to review each 大象传媒 service once every five years. The review informed the Trust's consideration of the Executive's new strategy for the 大象传媒, 'Putting Quality First'.

The Trust's review had two broad aims: first to assess how well 大象传媒 One, 大象传媒 Two and 大象传媒 Four are performing against the commitments set out in their service licences, and second to consider the stations' future direction and determine whether any changes to the licences are required.

The Trust's findings were developed using a range of methods. A public consultation was carried out in autumn 2009 which received around 9,000 responses from licence fee payers, as well as submissions from the Trust's four Audience Councils in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. These responses alongside audience research, performance monitoring and discussions with 大象传媒 management and the creative community outside the 大象传媒 have given the Trust a clear picture of the strengths and weaknesses of each channel.