BBC North is to start collating and publishing data related to how much impact it is having on the region in terms of investment.
Peter Salmon, director, BBC North, made the announcement in his blog, adding:
“This ‘Northern intelligence’ will then help inform our strategy in terms of spending the licence fee and building partnerships to make a sustainable contribution to the creative and regional economy.”
“We intend to publish details of our progress and impact at regular intervals.”
But, he continued, this wasn’t purely about “justifying our move to Salford” – this revelation does come just a few days after the Commons Public Accounts Committee visited MediaCityUK.
Instead, he argued it was about “ensuring that we keep our promise – to establish a centre of creative innovation here in the North of England, making programmes for the entire audience, and delivering a long-term and sustainable return to the regional and national economy. That feels like a virtuous circle.”
BBC North has come up its own model to measure its economic footprint, which will include information about expenditure and employment by the BBC and other companies in the sector.
“Additionally as part of the process we will talk to companies big and small to help build the most accurate picture possible.”
Salmon wrote that by producing programmes in the North of England, the BBC was making a valuable contribution to the region:
“Not just in terms of our own direct investment but also through the value generated for the UK economy as a result of that expenditure in production and digital companies, in technology, publishing and other areas – our Gross Value Added. In 2011/2012 our GVA had risen almost twenty per cent to £391 million and it will continue to increase.”
