bassethound
12-01-12, 18:45
More than half the programmes broadcast on BBC channels are repeats, new figures have revealed.
BBC One aired 2,736 rerun shows in the year to March 2011, up 1.7% from 2006, according to figures released to the Daily Mail in response to a Freedom of Information request.
Nearly half of all content shown on BBC Two (49.8%) was repeats over the 12 months, up from just 30% six years ago.
BBC Four's schedule was made up of 79% repeated programming, but BBC Three hit 84.2% reruns, a total of 3,144 shows.
The average level of repeats across all four of the corporation's channels was 61%.
As the BBC readjusts to financial constraints under its new licence fee settlement, bosses have opted to focus more on primetime content on the BBC TV channels.
With so many hours to fill on the four networks, the corporation feels that focusing on creating big programmes and events, particularly for BBC One, offers the best value for licence fee payers.
A BBC spokesman said: "Repeats are scheduled to reach different audiences and are rarely shown in the same slot. On BBC One, for example, over 91% of programmes in primetime are new.
"Audiences value having several opportunities to catch something they may have missed."
But Matthew Elliott, of campaign group the TaxPayers' Alliance, said that the high percentage of repeats is doing a disservice to viewers.
"Viewers will feel cheated that they are getting endless repeats in return for their licence fee each year," he said.
"Auntie should scrap BBC Three if there aren't enough new programmes. Bosses need to focus on delivering high-quality and unique programming."
BBC One aired 2,736 rerun shows in the year to March 2011, up 1.7% from 2006, according to figures released to the Daily Mail in response to a Freedom of Information request.
Nearly half of all content shown on BBC Two (49.8%) was repeats over the 12 months, up from just 30% six years ago.
BBC Four's schedule was made up of 79% repeated programming, but BBC Three hit 84.2% reruns, a total of 3,144 shows.
The average level of repeats across all four of the corporation's channels was 61%.
As the BBC readjusts to financial constraints under its new licence fee settlement, bosses have opted to focus more on primetime content on the BBC TV channels.
With so many hours to fill on the four networks, the corporation feels that focusing on creating big programmes and events, particularly for BBC One, offers the best value for licence fee payers.
A BBC spokesman said: "Repeats are scheduled to reach different audiences and are rarely shown in the same slot. On BBC One, for example, over 91% of programmes in primetime are new.
"Audiences value having several opportunities to catch something they may have missed."
But Matthew Elliott, of campaign group the TaxPayers' Alliance, said that the high percentage of repeats is doing a disservice to viewers.
"Viewers will feel cheated that they are getting endless repeats in return for their licence fee each year," he said.
"Auntie should scrap BBC Three if there aren't enough new programmes. Bosses need to focus on delivering high-quality and unique programming."