Bill Gash Commercial Director

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The Changing Face of Television
PG Diploma in Public Communications 12/13 April
2006 Option Module MPC1165 New Media
Bill Gash Commercial Director T. 020 7691 6310
M. 07940 178621 Bill.gash_at_information.tv
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The Changing Role of Television

• TV Today
• What is its attraction
• TV Trends
• Key Issues for Public Sector Communications
• The Phillis Report
• 7 Principles for modern government communications
• A New Way of using TV
• Key Recommendations from Phillis, applied
• Some examples of it working..
• Summary

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Communications Issues

• Complex messages to communicate
• Multiple audiences and stakeholders,
• Internal and external
• Seeking public/private partnerships, to fund
  communication
• Role of the news media, distorting their message
• Need to quantify results, effects, outcomes and
  R.O.I
• Need to stretch the message and the budget over
  time
• Need to innovate and break new ground

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TV Today

• 70 of homes have multi-channel digital TV
• Sky Digital has 7.6m subscribers, plus 595,000
  Freesat users
• Cable (NTL, Telewest) has 2.7m
• Digital Terrestrial (Freeview) solus homes total
  6.5m
• 34m VCRs in use in the UK
• 1.4m Personal Video Recorders (PVRs), Sky
• 2.3m DVD recorders
• The highest level of digital TV penetration
  worldwide, ahead of the US (55 homes) in second
  place
• Digital switchover has started, to be completed
  in 2012

Source Ofcom, The Communications Market, Digital
Progress Report, Digital TV Q4
2005, published 17 March 2006
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TV remains very popular

• TV remains the lead medium for the majority of
  adults this is true for all age groups and is
  irrespective of internet access
• The media hierarchy
• hours/adults weekdays TV 3.9, Radio 1.3, Internet
  .8
• Hours/adults weekends TV 4.5, Radio 1.5, Internet
  1.0
• TV versus the Internet
• 15-24 year olds spend 14.8 hrs per week online
• But average 24hrs per week watching TV
• Family viewing
• 21 of family time watching TV together, 39 at
  weekends
• Watching TV remains the core shared activity in
  the family home

Source IPA TouchPoints Survey, March 2006,
www.ipa.co.uk/touchpiints
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What is its enduring attraction?

• 74.7 of people use TV as a talking point with
  friends, family and colleagues
• Adults who live together spend nearly two hours
  per day watching TV together
• One in five people like interacting with their TV
  
• Almost a third of people have used the
  interactive features on their TV in the last six
  months
• Nearly two-thirds of people agree that TV helps
  them learn new and different ways of doing things
  
• 44 of consumers report using the internet and
  the TV at the same
• At the same time TV remains more trusted than any
  other medium, through being a regulated platform

Source ThinkBox/Future Foundation 2005 Base
995 Adults aged 15, UK
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TV Viewing is changing

• from Passive - to Active
• from Receipt of message - to Participative
• from Collective - to Individual
• from Limited choice - to Total access
• from Predictable patterns - to Wider repertoires
• from Less movement - to Greater flexibility
• Existing behaviours and views are being
  supplemented by new ones TV is capable of more
  uses

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We no longer watch TV, but use it
Source ThinkBox/Future Foundation 2005 Base
995 Adults aged 15, UK
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Viewers enjoy exercising control
Source ThinkBox/Future Foundation 2005 Base
995 Adults aged 15, UK
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TV Viewing has Social Currency
Source ThinkBox/Future Foundation 2005 Base
995 Adults aged 15, UK
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Interactivity appeals to younger viewers
Source ThinkBox/Future Foundation 2005 Base
995 Adults aged 15, UK
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TV Trends

• Viewer attitudes and behaviours
• 31 find advertising intrusive
• 89 find excessive TV advertising irritating
• Control shifts from broadcasters to viewers
• Empowered by technology, remote controls, Sky
• Zapping, Time-shifting, self scheduling, ad
  skipping
• More devices powered by IP or satellite
  distribution
• PCs, Mobile, iPods, Home Media Centres, Taxi,
  Trains,
• TV on demand watch what you want, when you
  want
• Homechoice, BT Vision, NTL
• Traditional business models (ads/sponsorship)
• Undermined, under pressure, competing with more
  media
• A potential funding problem, less revenue fewer
  programmes
• New Business Models
• Relaxed regulation

Source IPA TouchPoints Survey, March 2006,
www.ipa.co.uk/touchpiints
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Key Issues for Public Sector Communicators

• TV remains popular
• TV accounts for the highest share of media time
• But the way you can use TV is limited
• PR, but ultimately control rests with the news
  media
• Advertising, but often ill suited to many
  communications campaigns
• Broadcast Sponsorship, provided you can find a
  suitable vehicle
• New ways being used include
• Client Funded Programmes (Investors in People,
  National Blood Service)
• But requires compromise between you needs and a
  broadcasters agenda
• Message Placement (Teenage Sexual Health in
  Hollyoakes scripts)
• But client message is embedded in what may be a
  negative environment
• The Challenge
• How can public sector communications use TV more
  effectively?
• How to use the power of TV to inform, educate,
  explain and direct viewers?
• How to adapt for the on-demand future, where
  viewers have control?

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The Phillis Report

• The fundamental issue addressed by the report was
  stated as..
• The three-way breakdown in trust between
  government and politicians, the media and the
  general public
• The Report suggested 7 key principles for modern
  government communications
• Openness, not secrecy.
• More direct, unmediated communications to the
  public
• Genuine engagement with the public as part of
  policy formation, not as an afterthought
• Positive presentation of government policies and
  achievements, not misleading spin
• Use of all relevant channels of communication,
  not excessive emphasis on national press and
  broadcasters
• Co-ordinated communication of issues that cut
  across departments, not conflicting or duplicated
  departmental messages
• Reinforcement of the Civil Services political
  neutrality, rather than blurring of government
  and party communications

An Independent Review of Government
Communications, Chaired by Bob Phillis January
2004 www.gcreview.gov.uk
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Information TV

• A New Way of Using TV
• Enables better communications
• Allows organisations to use their own programmes
• Utilises an unconventional broadcast license
• Applies a simple business model
• Offers inexpensive delivery
• For programmes that can inform, engage and direct
  interested viewers
• Choosing watch, seeking advise, ideas, help

Insert your programme here
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How to use programmes to engage your audience

• Create programmes that
• inform, educate, explain, demonstrate
• Guide the viewer on options and next steps
• Promote these using existing communications
  channels
• PR, web, email, direct mail, newsletters,
  advertising, viral, via partners, internal
  communications
• At minimal extra cost
• Create a self selecting, interested, receptive
  audience
• Seeking advice, ideas, help, direction
• Making a conscious appointment to view
• Via digital TV (Sky) or broadband Internet
• Direct viewers using calls to action embedded
  within the programme
• Call lines, email, web pages, forums, polling,
  SMS
• Viewer feedback, polls, message boards
• Measure what people are doing and thinking as a
  result of watching it

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The Sponsored Programme Business Model

• All clients
• Control the promotion, editorial content and
  delivery
• Decide when to broadcast/frequently repeat
• Buy the hours on the channel to deliver their
  programme
• Invite their audience to watch, learn from and
  act upon the programme
• Public bodies (COI, Government departments, NGOs,
  etc)
• Can embed calls to action, within their programme
• Can deliver un-mediated communications
• Commercial businesses
• Can be useful or be entertaining using branded
  programmes
• Support, fund, promote a public bodys sponsored
  programme
• Can co-sponsor and advertise within these

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Phillis Recommendations

• R1 the focus of attention should be the
  general public
• Information TV is an accessible free to air
  channel
• R5 the public want information that is more
  relevant to them and where they live
• Information TV permits regional messages to be
  delivered, integrated and themed to a very local
  level
• R8 We found a culture of secrecy and partial
  disclosure of information which is at the root of
  many problems we have examined
• TV is by far the best way of conveying
  information and Information TV allows government
  to disclose fully, without selective media spin
• R10 A new approach to briefing the
  media..briefings should be on the record, live on
  television and radio daily lobby briefings
  should also be televised
• Information TV can be used for just this purpose,
  without political or journalist commentary,
  allowing the public to form their own judgements
• R11 We found that, although significant
  resources are being devoted to websites, the
  impact has been diluted by a lack of integration
  within departments and across government
• Programmes broadcast on Information TV can
  functions as a media hub allowing the public
  and stakeholders to understand an issue and
  directing them onto specific resources and
  services offered.

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How can Public Sector Communications use TV?

• To provide helpful information and guidance
• Explain complex, sensitive or contentious
  subjects, rationally
• Making this accessible and understandable
• Let interested viewers, become an informed,
  engaged audience,
• Direct viewers to specific resources to help
  them further
• Use it to seek their feedback and opinions
• Deliver un-mediated communications removing
  media distortion
• Control news flow, editorial content and
  delivery of their messages
• Communicate with internal and external
  audiences, employees, citizens, businesses,
  stakeholders

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Whos using it?
Department of Trade and Industry targeting
business NHS Scotland targeting the
employee Local Government Association -
extending the value of events Crime Concern
explaining gun crime and exclusion issues, Royal
Television Society Ministers speech on PSB /
Switchover European Commission environment,
health, food, youth, BT sponsoring a programme
explaining FOI COI Open I, information
programmes for the deaf Food Standards Agency
public consultation events Scottish Executive
Our most effective form of unmediated
communications Chris Dempsey, Head of Marketing
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Enough PowerPoint!!Lets watch some television
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Summary

• TV is evolving going digital and offering more
  choice and greater control to viewers
• This creates challenges and opportunities for
  communicators
• Especially as TV remains the No1 medium for most
• Viewers are not just watching, but using TV
• Its too big to ignore, but how can you harness
  its power?
• A new way of using TV with your own programmes
• Where you control promotion, content and delivery
• To achieve measurable outcomes and out-takes
• By inviting an interested audience seeking help
• To watch, learn from and act upon

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Thank you

• Bill Gash Commercial Director
• T. 020 7691 6310 M. 07940 178621
  Bill.gash_at_information.tv

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From Awareness to engagement
Alex Aiken Head of Communications, Westminster
City Council
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ROSIE The Route Map

• RESULTS A clear focus on outcomes, rather than
  outputs
• OBJECTIVE Clarity about organisational goals
• STRUCTURE Unified communications
• IMPLEMENTATION by linking communication and
  business objectives
• EVALUATION Thorough research means honest
  benchmarking and evaluation of projects -
  measuring everything.

Alex Aiken Head of Communications, Westminster
City Council
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• Output measures for management
• Outtake measures for communication effectiveness
• Outcome measures for the business
• Combined role with research/consultation

Alex Aiken Head of Communications, Westminster
City Council
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Other views

• Lucien Hudson Director of Communications, DCA
• Background
• Phillis Review 2004 The report called for a
  redefinition of government communication into a
  more customer-focused two-way dialogue with the
  public, based on a strategic pan-media approach.
• government communication had traditionally
  focused on news management and paid-for activity,
  such as advertising.
• modern communications environment and its
  associated impact on the public's media habits,
  meant that government needed to redefine its
  approach
• ? Public trust / engagement
• FOI Operating in a more open environment
• Media - Immediacy of news and range of channels
  greater demands for news / information due to
  the availability of more media channels (24-hour
  news channels, internet). Press and public
  expectation of more, and more immediate
  information. Need to be able to respond quickly
  to developments.
• Public (consumers) / stakeholders

Lucien Hudson, Director of Communications,
DCA November 2005
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Other views

• Challenges are
• To become more demand / customer focused - embed
  two-way communication
• to bring the views of the public to the centre of
  policy and service development, not just to tell
  people about what we are doing.
• To identify and work better with stakeholders and
  delivery partners
• To connect better with frontline services - one
  of our hotlines to and from the public to
  understand the demand and to engage our people
  fully in development and delivery of the best
  services we can manage.
• To be more strategic
• more proactively identifying and working to meet
  changing consumer needs
• identifying and working to the real priorities

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Other views

• To facilitate this
• Research
• Greater use of research to understand our
  customers and their needs
• Use risk / threats matrix - assess the impact
  (intensity) and likelihood (persistency) of the
  demand
• Better engagement with specific communities and
  going beyond our traditional stakeholder / public
  consultation base.
• Closer collaboration with key partners - e.g.
  across the CJS
• DCA example
• Has changed structurally have a dedicated
  consumer strategy group and developing
  strengthened communications functions across the
  Dept and its agencies.
• Consumer strategy function works closely with
  policy and communication colleagues to inform
  communications and influence policymaking from
  the start. Aim is to build message about customer
  focus into all communications, internal and
  external and to put the customer at the heart of
  everything that we do.
• Strong research function quantitative and
  qualitative use of focus groups understanding
  and making links with BME communities and
  engaging youth, using the right language
  communicate through channels that are trusted and
  appropriate for each group.
• Research examples - changes in societal trends in
  the UK, minority ethnic parents
• Using research and closer collaboration with
  stakeholders and delivery partners in policy and
  operations - examples voters and voter
  registration, CJS (victims advocates),
  magistrates
• Developing new working practices to ensure
  consumer strategy and comms are involved from the
  start of projects

Lucien Hudson, Director of Communications,
DCA November 2005
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Other views

• DH example Citizens Summit
• Major public engagement exercise (announced
  summer 2005) to design the next stage of reform
  and improvement in the NHS and social care.
• There will be large-scale deliberative events at
  the local, regional and national level for
  patients, users, the public and NHS staff to work
  together.
• DWP example National Pensions Debate
• Overarching comms strategy developed for whole of
  DWP. Customer at the heart of approach.
  Encouraging business to look beyond
  organisational silos and to join up
  communications channels/messages/content around
  needs of customers (i.e. move away from
  producer-led approach).
• Comms now successfully influencing business and
  channels strategies, rather than just being
  effective deliverers of messages.
• To conclude
• Challenge keeping to our vision and strategy, but
  to be sufficiently responsive to emerging public
  / stakeholder demands.
• Understand the bigger picture no more silos
  but also segmenting audiences where appropriate.
• Greater inter-organisational collaboration and
  collaboration between organisations.
• Costs getting the balance right between where
  we can cut costs and knowing where we need to
  allocate budgets.
• Authority - ensuring that there is support and
  direction from senior officials

Lucien Hudson, Director of Communications,
DCA November 2005