BBC Scotland New Channel Public Interest Testdownloads.bbc.co.uk/aboutthebbc/insidethebbc/... · everyday and show a mix of different types of programmes aimed at audiences in Scotland

BBC Scotland

New Channel Public Interest Test

Presentation of results

28 July 2017

260142212

Contents

2

1 Introduction

3

2 Which channels are currently viewed most often by people in Scotland, how are they perceived

and what does this mean for a new channel?

6

3 What value do people place on the proposed new channel and its features and what are the

implications for how it is promoted?

12

4 How likely are people to watch the new channel and what impact will this have on existing

channels?

20

260142212 BBC Public Interest Test

Introduction

1

The BBC intends to launch a new BBC Scotland TV channel, which is subject

to a ‘Public Interest Test’ to ensure the BBC Board is satisfied that it supports

the BBC’s mission and is of value to the public

4 260142212 BBC Public Interest Test

Which channels are

currently viewed most

often by people in

Scotland, how are they

perceived and what

does this mean for a

new channel?

What value do people

place on the proposed

new channel and its

features and what are

the implications for how

it is promoted?

How likely are people to

watch the new channel

and what impact will this

have on existing

channels?

How do the general public in Scotland perceive the new

channel and its value to society and them personally?

A sample of 1,038 adults aged 16+,

geographically and demographically

representative of Scotland, was

interviewed between 14th June to 8th

July 2017.

All interviews were conducted face-to-

face, in-home, using Computer

Assisted Personal Interviewing

(CAPI).

Quotas were set on working status

and presence of children within

gender, and region.

Data was weighted to match known

population profile information to

correct any under- or over-

representation of specific groups.

TNS’ face-to-face Scottish omnibus – the Scottish Opinion Survey – was used

to interview a representative sample of the Scottish population

260142212 BBC Public Interest Test 5

This project was carried out in compliance with our certification to ISO 9001 and ISO 20252 (International Service Standard for Market, Opinion and Social Research)

Which channels are currently viewed most often by people in Scotland, how

are they perceived and what does this mean for a new channel?

2

Freeview and subscription services were reported as the main ways of

accessing television, with differences in age particularly evident


Q.1 Which, if any, of the following types of television does your household receive at the moment on your main set? Please look through the list carefully.

NOTE – Full descriptions of each type of television provided to respondents

Base: All adults aged 16+ in Scotland (1,038)

31

30

3

3

19

4

1

2

6

1

Freeview

Sky Digital - with subscription

Sky Digital – without subscription

Freesat

Virgin Media

BT TV (formerly BT Vision)

TalkTalk

Other type of television

I do not have a television in my household

Don't know

%

Significantly more 16-34 year olds

have no television in their

household compared to 35+:

14% vs. 3%

Any Sky TV

33%

BBC channels and services were the most popular ‘in the last 7 days’, reaching

three quarters of the population


Q.2 Which of these television channels or services have you watched on any device in the last 7 days? Please include all the channels or services you’ve watched at home, at a friend’s house, in a pub or anywhere

else.


72

42

13

20

22

8

19

BBC One

BBC Two

BBC Three

BBC Four

BBC News

BBC ALBA

BBC iPlayer

% viewed p7d

55

11

16

50

8

36

5

30

28

8

STV \ ITV1

STV2

STV Player \ ITV Hub

Channel 4

All 4

Channel 5

My 5

Sky (any Sky channels)

Netflix

Amazon Instant Video

Any BBC:

76%

Any STV/ITV:

63%

Any Channel 4:

52%

Any Channel 5:

37%

% viewed p7d

One quarter are dissatisfied with TV programmes from Scotland, with older

audiences most polarised


Q.12 How satisfied or dissatisfied are you with the current range of TV programmes that come from Scotland?


6 4 5 9

17 13

19 18

31 41 30 24

38 33 41 39

8 9 5 10

All adults (1,038) 16-34 (246) 35-54 (255) 55+ (537)

Very satisfied

Fairly satisfied

Neither

Fairly dissatisfied

Very dissatisfied

%

Among all adults, BBC TV records the highest levels of approval


Q.3 On a scale of 1 to 10, where 1 means extremely unfavourable and 10 means extremely favourable, please tell me your general impression of each of the following broadcasters.


9

12

17

26

37

3

1

1

3

3

3

2

2

3

2

4

4

4

6

3

5

5

5

8

3

14

15

17

20

9

10

13

15

12

8

18

20

16

12

11

19

17

14

6

14

8

5

4

2

7

7

6

5

2

4

BBC TV

STV\ITV

Channel 4

Channel 5

Sky TV

Don't know 1 Extremely unfavourable 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Extremely favourable

Total sample %

High

approvers

(8-10)

35%

28%

23%

10%

25%

Mean

score

6.51

6.47

6.27

5.45

6.49

When rated by viewers, approval for BBC TV is higher than other terrestrial

channels, but is in close competition with STV (and Sky)


Q.3 On a scale of 1 to 10, where 1 means extremely unfavourable and 10 means extremely favourable, please tell me your general impression of each of the following broadcasters.

Base: All adults aged 16+ in Scotland who watch each channel (shown in brackets)

2

2

3

5

4

2

1

1

1

3

1

3

3

4

3

3

5

4

4

7

3

13

13

17

25

10

11

15

17

18

10

20

25

21

21

18

22

22

21

11

26

10

6

5

4

16

8

8

7

4

7

BBC TV (820)

STV\ITV (687)

Channel 4(544)

Channel 5(416)

Sky TV (308)


Those who have watched channel in the last 7 days %

High

approvers

(8-10)

Mean

score

41%

36%

34%

19%

49%

6.79

6.80

6.71

6.15

7.19

What value do people place on the proposed new channel and its features and

what are the implications for how it is promoted?

3

Respondents were provided with a showcard with a short description of the

new channel and asked their first impressions, then provided with more detail

and asked about the value of the new channel to them and society


The BBC is considering launching a new TV channel next

year specifically for audiences in Scotland.

The new channel would be on-air from 7pm-midnight

everyday and show a mix of different types of programmes

aimed at audiences in Scotland - including comedy, current

affairs, documentaries, drama, entertainment, lifestyle, news,

music & sport.

Approximately 60% of its programmes would be new, the rest

would be repeats of programmes previously shown on BBC

channels.

There would be an hour long news programme on Monday-

Friday at 9pm covering Scottish, UK & international stories

from a Scottish perspective, with shorter bulletins at

weekends.

This new channel would become the main home of Scottish produced/Scottish focused programmes

on BBC TV - BBC Two would no longer show this programming during the evening (Scottish

programmes on BBC One in Scotland will be unaffected, BBC Two may still show Scottish

programmes during daytime).

It would have a budget of around £30m a year to spend on programming - £18m of this would be new

investment, and £12m would be using the money that is currently used for Scottish produced/focused

content on BBC Two. As a comparison, BBC Four currently has a programme budget of £33m, BBC

ALBA has a programme budget of £13.6m.

It would take the place on the on-screen programme guide currently occupied by BBC Four (which

would move further down the programme guide), and would also be available on BBC iPlayer for

the whole of the UK.

Creating this channel would mean there would be more opportunities for people making TV

programmes in Scotland, in both the BBC and the independent sector. It would also mean more

competition for other TV channels (including Scottish TV channels like STV).

Q.4 On a scale of 1 to 10 where 1 is extremely

unfavourable and 10 is extremely favourable,

please give your first impressions of this proposal.

On a scale of 1 to 10 where 1 is extremely unfavourable and 10 is extremely favourable,

please give your general impression of this proposed new channel and its wider impact…

Q.6 …thinking PERSONALLY about the value to you and your household.

Q.7 …thinking more widely about SOCIETY AS A WHOLE.

Initial impressions of the new channel are relatively positive, but the proportion

of high approvers declines significantly once a full description has been

provided


Q4 / Q6 / Q6


6.17 5

4

7

9

9

7

3

4

3

4

4

3

5

5

5

14

18

20

11

12

13

16

17

17

16

16

17

4

4

4

12

7

6

First impression ofproposal (Q.4)

Value of new channelto you and yourhousehold (Q.6)

Value of new channelto society (Q.7)


%

High

approvers

(8-10)

Mean

score

33%

27%

27%

6.17

5.83

6.06

Asked

after full

description

provided

15

36

34

28

33

33

Q.4

First impression of proposal

35

26

21

25

29

31

30

20

26

27

16-34 year olds are significantly more favourable than those aged 55+; C2DEs

slightly more likely to value the proposal personally

Q.6

Value of new channel to you

and your household*

Q.7

Value of new channel to society

as a whole*

16-34

35-54

55+

ABC1

C2DE


*Asked after a full description provided


% of each group who are High approvers (8-10 out of 10) in relation to the new channel

No significant

differences by gender

16

48

41

41

Q.4

First impression of proposal 31

25

23

11

10

12

Views towards the new channel are correlated with existing approval of the

BBC, with the highest approval among those most supportive of the

organisation (and limited approval among those who do not)

Q.6

Value of new channel to you

and your household*

Q.7

Value of new channel to

society as a whole*

High approvers of BBC

(360)

Medium approvers of BBC

(441)

Low approvers of BBC

(155)


*Asked after a full description provided


% of each group who rate the new channel as 8-10 (High Approval) at each question

Of all features of the new channel, the opportunities it offers for TV production

in Scotland and the mix of programmes are most appealing, whilst the budget

generates most disapproval


Q.5 Here is a list of some of the features of this proposal that were mentioned in the description. For each one please say whether you:

Base: All adults aged 16+ in Scotland (1,038) *Mean score where ‘Agree strongly’ = 5 and ‘Disagree strongly’ = 1

57

50

47

40

40

40

34

33

30

22

24

20

26

23

25

19

23

24

28

19

13

15

17

19

20

27

36

22

29

21

33

53

35

1

1

3

2

1

6

5

9

7

4

10

3

3

5

3

3

8

6

7

8

6

14

2

1

2

2

2

2

2

2

2

2

3

That it will provide more opportunities for people making TV programmesin Scotland

Shows a mix of different types of programmes

The focus on audiences in Scotland

Increased competition for other TV channels (including Scottish TVchannels like STV)

The channel and programmes will be available to watch on iPlayer

The hour-long news programme at 9pm on weekdays that will coverScottish, UK and international stories from a Scottish perspective

On air between 7pm – midnight each day

Has around 60% of new programmes and the rest are repeats

That programmes made just for audiences in Scotland will no longer beon BBC Two but be on the new channel

That it will take the BBC Four slot on the on-screen programme guide

The budget of around £30 million

Approve strongly Approve slightly Have no feelings either way Disapprove slightly Disapprove strongly Don’t know

Mean

score*

Total

approve

Total

disapprove

77% 4.28 5%

70%

76%

4.07

4.22

8%

3%

65% 3.99 6%

58% 3.94 4%

63% 3.84 13%

58% 3.77 11%

61%

50%

3.71

3.58

16%

15%

35% 3.42 10%

39% 3.26 24%

% - Ranked by mean score

The Scottish focus and potential for a variety of (new) programmes are

appealing to the public


Q.8: What, if anything, do you like most about this proposed new channel and its wider impact?


32 10

6

5

4

4

3

3

15

6

5

3

10

5

3

6 29

Any mention for / about Scotland (total)

- Scottish focus / perspective (sub-total)

- It's a Scottish channel / it's Scottish

- Aimed at / for Scots / Scotland

- Scottish programmes

- It's made / based in / from Scotland

- Scottish news (sub-total)

- It's about Scotland

Any mention programme types (total)

- Any mention news (sub-net)

- Variety of programmes / choice

- Local programmes

Any good for Scotland (total)

- Good for Scottish TV / creative industries (sub-total)

- Good for Scotland's economy

New programmes

Nothing

%

NB: Mentions of 3%+ only shown. Full details on data tables

‘Good for Scotland’ more likely to

be mentioned by younger (15%

of 16-34s vs. 6% 55+) and ABC1

(13% vs. 7% C2DE)

The cost of the channel is the biggest concern, though only spontaneously

mentioned by around one in ten

19

12

5

3

3

8

5

4

4

45

Concern over cost/ cost too high/ waste of money (total)

- The cost/ the budget/ the 30 million

- Waste of 30 million pounds/ could be put to better use

- Cost is too high/ 30 million is a lot

Repeats/ too many repeats

Poor timing / programme schedule

Parochialism/ will be just Scotland/ needs to be for UK

No need for more channels (total)

Nothing

Q.9: And what, if anything, do you like least about this proposed new channel and its wider impact



NB: Mentions of 3%+ only shown. Full details on data tables

%

How likely are people to watch the new channel and what impact will this have

on existing channels?

4

Just over half (52%) claim they would watch the new channel, with around one

in six very likely to watch


Q.10 How likely would you be to watch this channel regularly?


15

37 22

10

16 Very likely

Likely

Neither likely nor unlikely

Unlikely

Very unlikely

%

47

57

49

54

53

ABC1

C2DE

16-34

35-54

55+

% likely

Whilst younger people are more favourable to the

new channel, they are less likely to say they will

watch the channel regularly

BBC channels are most likely to be watched less by those likely to watch the

new channel, with BBC1 and BBC2 most affected


Q.11 Do you think you would watch any of the following TV channels or services less often if this new channel was launched? Please say all that apply

Base: All who are likely to watch the new channel (549)

8

7

1

3

2

1

1

BBC One

BBC Two

BBC Three

BBC Four

BBC News

BBC ALBA

BBC iPlayer

%

14 Other channels

%

Any BBC:

15%

Other channels include: any STV/ITV,

any Channel 4, any Channel 5, any Sky,

Netflix and Amazon Instant Video


Thank you

Kantar TNS | 23 Alva St, Edinburgh, EH2 4PS | www.tnsglobal.com

Alastair Graham

[email protected]

0131 243 3920

mailto:[email protected]

Documents

BBC Scotland New Channel Public Interest Testdownloads.bbc.co.uk/aboutthebbc/insidethebbc/... · everyday and show a mix of different types of programmes aimed at audiences in Scotland