BBC Reviews Children’s Commissioning Practices Following Period Of Sweeping Change

02.11.2022 - 15:43 / deadline.com

EXCLUSIVE: The BBC is reviewing its commissioning practices in its Children’s & Education department following a two-year period of sweeping change.

Ordered by BBC Chief Content Officer Charlotte Moore’s department, Deadline understands an audit took place late last month and its findings are due back shortly.

The terms of the audit are wide-ranging and include whether commissioning decisions are being made that adhere to BBC public service values and examines the relationship between Patricia Hidalgo’s department and the new BBC Studio’s Kids & Family division, which used to be an in-house producer but was subsumed by commercial outfit BBC Studios earlier this year and can now make shows for other networks.

The BBC insisted that the audit is a “routine review” but several sources from both within and outside the department described it as “out of the ordinary,” with some who have worked there for many years saying they’ve never known it to happen. While the audit is internal, Deadline understands some external auditors have been involved with the process.

“The BBC conducts a number of audits every year across different areas including commissioning to ensure they are operating as effectively and clearly as possible,” said a BBC spokesman. “The BBC internal audit team are working with BBC Children’s on a routine review.”

Nuanced situation

Sources raised concerns to Deadline that the department is eschewing less commercial kids genres such as live action and factual entertainment for more sellable genres including animation and drama, for example the Christopher Eccleston-starring Dodger (pictured).

The situation is nuanced and others backed Hidalgo’s approach to creating local content that can be sold abroad.

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