Audience attitudes to the BBC

To support our mid-Charter review of how we regulate the BBC, Ofcom commissioned research into how the broadcaster is perceived by its audiences.

Audience expectations of the BBC in the current media environment

There have been significant changes in the media landscape in recent years, with audiences having more opportunities to access content via different services and devices. In particular, the growth in the number of streaming services is providing more content for audiences to consume at their convenience, whenever and wherever they are.

We commissioned a programme of quantitative and qualitative research to investigate where the BBC sits in the current market, and to better understand use of and attitudes towards the BBC.

Audience perceptions of the BBC First complaints system

Under the BBC First system, the BBC, unlike other broadcasters, can resolve audience complaints before they can be escalated to Ofcom.

We wanted to understand whether the BBC First complaints process continues to deliver for audiences. We commissioned this research to explore audience experiences of the process, alongside satisfaction of both the process and complaints outcome.

Drivers of perceptions of due impartiality

Building on our 2019 review of BBC news and current affairs, this research explores audience attitudes towards the due impartiality of BBC services in the context of the wider news landscape. We specifically want to understand the drivers behind these perceptions, exploring whether audience attitudes to the BBC’s due impartiality have changed and what challenges remain.

Drivers of perceptions of due impartiality: the BBC and the wider news landscape (PDF, 1.1 MB)