Recommendation 14

On taking up his new role in September 2020, the BBC Director-General outlined four new strategic priorities for the organisation—delivering high-quality content, developing the BBC’s online presence further, growing commercial income, and a renewed commitment to impartiality.25 We considered that these priorities will require investment and we pressed the BBC for details on how this investment will be paid for, particularly in the context of the uncertain financial climate in which it operates. The BBC told us that the four strategic priorities each have different financial impacts and the necessary investment will come from commercial returns and through the BBC taking tough choices in areas such as content expenditure, where it will probably have to make fewer programmes but ensure that their impact is high.26 22 C&AG’s report, paras 6, 7, 1.12; Q 58 23 C&AG’s report, paras 12, 15 24 C&AG’s report, para 3 25 C&AG’s report, para 16, Figure 17 26 C&AG’s report, paras 16, 3.8; Q 39 12 BBC strategic financial management