BBC Director General Tony Hall reveals Middle East, Russia, Africa, North Korea and India expansion plans

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Lord Hall announces plans for Russian TV channel and North Korean radio
But he admits there will also be closures and cuts to existing services
BBC iPlayer may become part pay-per-view selling new and classic shows
Channels like BBC Four may be axed to boost corporation's drama budget
Expansion of World Service will need extra funding from the Government

Published: 05:38 EST, 7 September 2015 | Updated: 02:58 EST, 8 September 2015

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BBC chief Tony Hall today denied the corporation was 'expansionist' despite announcing plans for a new TV channel for Russia and a daily radio show for North Korea.

The Director General also revealed proposals for more Arabic services and extra coverage in the Middle East, India and Africa while admitting UK channels will have to be closed and services cut.

Lord Hall also said that the BBC World expansion to 'promote British values' worldwide may have to be at least part-funded by the Government because of a lack of funds.

Plans: BBC Director General Tony Hall, pictured today, has revealed plans for the corporation to expand further into Russia, North Korea and other parts of the world - but admits there may be cuts in the UK

Spending: This is how much the BBC costs the licence fee payer and Lord Hall said today they will have to raise more money because of propsed cuts

This Government funding would then be matched by commercial income, the BBC has said.

A spokesman added: 'Funding for the World Service will need to be discussed with the Government, but the rest of the proposals would be funded within the confines of the budget agreement with the Government, and will not require any additional licence fee funding.

'In order to pay for them, the BBC will deliver further efficiencies and scale back its operations elsewhere.'

Meanwhile BBC Four could be shut to save the corporation up to £50million a year, although Mr Hall said he would not reveal where the axe would fall until Christmas at the earliest.

He was speaking at the launch of his 'vision' for the BBC over the next ten years at the Science Museum today, and promised to deliver 'excellence without arrogance'.

Outlining the BBC's tough choices he said: 'Let me stress: this is not an expansionist BBC'.

But moments later he said of the BBC World Service: 'This is a service we want to strengthen and expand through new proposals we are also publishing today.

'My own strong view is that this is one area where this country's voice could be much stronger - especially in the Middle East, India and Russia and the states that used to make up the Soviet Union'.

Mr Hall is said to want to expand the BBC's output into non-democratic countries as rivals to channels like Russia Today and Al Jazeera, who also broadcast in the UK.

He said the plans would allow them to 'reach 500million people (worldwide), building on the unique power and brand of the World Service – one of our country's greatest assets abroad'.

Growth: Despite insisting that the BBC is not expansionist Mr Hall spoke of his desire to increase services in Vladimir Putin's Russia, Kim Jong Un's North Korea and also in Africa and the Middle East

Reaction: People reacting to the speech on Twitter had concerns about increasing services in the face of possible UK cuts

According to the BBC's report released in conjunction with Lord Hall's speech, BBC World would like to invest in the following areas:

In Russia a new digital service on platforms such as YouTube and the Russian equivalent Rutube, together with TV bulletins for neighbouring states. They would also consider a satellite TV channel for Russia
A daily news programme, seven days a week, for North Korea, initially delivered through Short Wave radio
News for Ethiopia and Eritrea on Medium Wave and Short Wave
New or extended digital and mobile offers in India and Nigeria
More content on the BBC Arabic Service to better serve audiences across the region, and target new audiences, with increased coverage of North Africa and the Gulf

But critics are concerned that this expansion will come as other services in the UK may be cut.

Katie North write: 'If Russia and North Korea want the BBC let them pay and not us!'

David Wall tweeted: 'As a licence payer i do not want my money funding services to Saudi Arabia Russia or North Korea

One BBC Three fan against plans to move the channel online said: 'My little prediction: The BBC wants to go global to survive and 'empire build'. Watch in coming years as it semi-detaches from UK'.

Fans are also using the hashtag #saveBBC4 amid fears the TV channel may be axed.

David Head tweeted: 'BBC4 is also the BBC TV channel with the greatest coherence. The others are just a mish-mash'.

Helen Gordon ‏wrote: 'BBC4 is a treasure and home to some fantastic drama over the years. Shutting it down would be terrible'.

Expansion: Lord Hall has argued that expansing BBC World can help promote British values in non-democratic or far-flung parts of the world - and may make part of iPlayer pay-per-view

Boost: Lord Hall said more money would go into dramas like Poldark and they may also set up a streaming service to rival Apple Radio or Spotify

In a speech to journalists and BBC stars and management he admitted the 'tough' settlement from Government means the must find cuts of 20 per cent in the coming years.

NO MORE £20MILLION SHOWS LIKE THE VOICE, HINTS LORD HALL

Super-expensive shows like the Voice could be a thing of the past, Lord Hall hinted today.

The eye-popping £20million price tag for the talent show has caused significant controversy with many questioning whether the BBC should have spent so much of the licence fee money on one TV show.

The Voice and some other shows are bought in by the BBC from major production companies, making them more expensive.

But an equivalent prime time shows like Strictly Come Dancing are made by the BBC themselves and are cheaper as a result.

Lord Hall said today that they will set up BBC Studios to produce more hits of its own.

Shows like Top Gear have made the BBC huge sums because they have been able to sell the show worldwide.

In his report Lord Hall said: 'Occasionally, we will take international formats and make them into BBC programmes, as we have with University Challenge, The Apprentice, The Voice UK and Dragons’ Den. But we aim to discover the next entertainment format ourselves—and are proposing to remove in-house quotas and set up BBC Studios to make that more likely'.

BBC sources have maintained that the Voice represented good value compared to the X Factor.

One said last year: 'At £650,000 per episode, The Voice costs less than The X Factor’s £1 million-per-episode budget'.

In the face of dropping revenues and proposed cuts he said: 'The BBC faces a very tough financial challenge. So we will have to manage our resources ever more carefully and prioritise what we believe the BBC should offer. We will inevitably have to either close or reduce some services'.

He also revealed today that BBC iPlayer could become part pay-per-view like online rivals Netflix and Amazon.

Some content would remain free to licence fee payers but also new series made by the corporation or rivals, or classic BBC shows from the archive could be offered to viewers for a fee.

He said: 'At its heart would be a free offer, with BBC content funded from the licence fee. We would also aim to make it possible to buy and keep programmes, as we're doing with BBC Store.

'One possible route is to use iPlayer, which we will put at the service of the sector, using its brand, technology and reach. But there are other ideas too, all of which we want to discuss and agree with partners'.

He also announced plans for longer series, some US shows can stretch to 22 episodes per season, and that the BBC will trial releasing all the episodes for a programme onto iPlayer in one go.

This will allow viewers to 'binge watch' several at once, following the model popularised by services such as Netflix which employ this technique, he said.

The BBC may also offer a streaming audio service rival to Apple Radio or Spotify, Mr Hall revealed.

Last night it emerged that BBC Four could be axed as the corporation tries to boost its drama budget to compete with online rivals such as Amazon and Netflix.

It has been reported that the closure could free up £50million a year to spend on shows such as Poldark, Wolf Hall, Sherlock and Line of Duty but BBC sources said this figure is speculative at best.

BBC Four is a highbrow arts and culture channel that has been the home to hits such as The Thick of It, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Mad Men and crime drama The Killing.

It also airs programmes that have been dubbed 'slow TV' such as All Aboard! The Canal Trip, a two-hour, real-time canal boat journey down the Kennet and Avon Canal.

It was launched in 2002 to replace BBC Knowledge and has a weekly audience of around seven million, less than the number who watched BBC One's Strictly Come Dancing on Saturday evening.

Pledge: Lord Hall promised to deliver 'excellence without arrogance' at the BBC in the next decade

Self-promotion: In a film made by the BBC to promote its work Malala Yousafzai praised the corporation while Professor Brian Cox defended the BBC and revealed its plans to expand scientific content

Support: Lord Hall had senior management including Head of TV Danny Cohen, centre, Director of News James Harding (left) and also star Sir David Attenborough (right)

While the BBC has refused to confirm or deny whether the channel could shut down in the foreseeable future, if it does, it will be on the heels of the decision to axe the youth-oriented BBC Three as a traditional TV channel.

Again, this was spun as both a cost cutting measure but also a way to divert £30million extra into the drama budget.

Lord Hall also used his speech the opportunity to lay out a 'positive' case for the BBC in response to the government's recent green paper on charter review that painted a picture of a smaller corporation.

His speech at the Science Museum in London comes after Culture Secretary John Whittingdale announced consultations on the future of licence fee funding for the BBC, questioning whether the corporation should be 'all things to all people' or have a more 'precisely targeted' mission.

Lord Hall said: 'For the next 10 years, we will need to ride two horses - serving those who have adopted the internet and mobile media, while at the same time making sure that those who want to carry on watching and listening to traditional channels continue to be properly served too.

'This is where the idea of an open BBC for the internet age comes from.'

Argument: The BBC has produced these graphics to argue it offers value for money and Lord Hall said it remains 'small' compared to media rivals

The director general said that the internet had made it easier to find information but harder to know whether to trust it.

He added: 'In the internet age our mission is simple: great British programmes and a trusted guide for every one of us.

'We want to take all the opportunities the internet creates to inform, educate and entertain in new ways.

'And to that traditional mission we would add a fourth imperative - to enable others to do that too.

'We want to open the BBC to be Britain's creative partner, to become a platform - a catalyst for this country's incredible talent.

'We intend to put our technology and digital capabilities at the service of our partners and the wider industry - bringing us closer together for the good of the country - to deliver the very best to audiences.'

When asked if he had a 'good deal' from the Chancellor George Osborne he refused to say yes.

Lord Hall said that the July Budget had left the BBC facing 'some very difficult choices ahead' and that some services would have to be closed or reduced.

In a settlement reached ahead of the Budget, the corporation agreed to help finance spending cuts by shouldering the cost of free television licences for people aged over 75.

It will cost the BBC an estimated £750 million by 2020, almost a fifth of the corporation's current annual income.

Lord Hall said that it meant the BBC would have to save 20% of its income over the next five years at a time when its share of TV revenues was likely to fall.

Plans: It has been reported that the closure of BBC 4 could free up £50million a year to spend on shows such as Poldark

Cost: This graphic reveals how the licence fee was spent in the past year and its overall cost per day

Spending: The latest figures show that the highest earners have been reduced but overal more managers are earning more than £100,000 a year

Another proposal outlined during the speech was the introduction of an 'ideas service' as a 'core part' of the vision for an 'open BBC'.

Lord Hall said the service would host content not only from the broadcaster, but also from the country's cultural institutions, from the British Museum and the Royal Shakespeare Company to the Edinburgh Festivals.

Other plans will see changes to the iPlayer that will allow rival shows to be seen on the catch-up service.

BEEB'S OFFER TO LOCAL PAPERS

A network of 100 public service journalists should be set up by the BBC to help sustain local newspapers, its boss will say today.

Director general Tony Hall made the radical offer as he battles against criticism that the BBC's 'imperial' website seriously threatens the health of Britain's news media. Under plans seen by the Daily Mail, the new journalism network would be likely to be funded by the licence fee.

It would produce content for use by both the BBC and commercial news organisations such as local newspapers, websites and even television stations.

'I want to experiment with the BBC issuing bigger and bolder series all at once on iPlayer, so viewers have the option of 'binge-watching',' said Lord Hall.

He added that the ambition is to create a 'platform for Britain's creativity and an even better experience for UK audiences'.

This is not the first time the idea of scrapping BBC Four has been floated. While being asked about whether the BBC could operate with less funding, head of TV Danny Cohen said last year: 'For BBC Four, that means if future funding for the BBC comes under more threat then the likelihood is we would have to take more services along the same route [as BBC Three].'

It was also claimed earlier this year that Lord Hall threatened to shut down BBC2, BBC4 and every local radio station unless Mr Whittingdale backed down over his plan to force the BBC to bear the £750million-a-year cost of providing free TV licences to the over-75s.

While the BBC has now taken on this cost, it is believed to have done so in exchange for concessions such as closing the loop hole that allows people to watch BBC programmes on catch-up through iPlayer without having to pay the TV licence.

BBC Four could be axed as the corporation tries to boost its drama budget to compete with online rivals such as Amazon and Netflix

BBC iPlayer could be adapted to rival Netflix and Amazon with pay-per-view TV for 'binge watching'

BBC iPlayer could become part pay-per-view in a bid to bring in more cash and fight online rivals Netflix and Amazon, it was revealed today.

Lord Hall said that much of the BBC's day-to-day content would remain free but it appears new exclusive shows or classic series could be watched for a fee.

The Director General also admitted that rival broadcasters could also be offered the chance to sell their shows on iPlayer.

Cash cow? The BBC's highly successful iPlayer could be changed to include pay-per-view shows like those found on Netflix

He also announced plans for longer series, some US shows can stretch to 22 episodes per season, and that the BBC will trial releasing all the episodes for a programme onto iPlayer in one go.

This will allow viewers to 'binge watch' several at once, following the model popularised by services such as Netflix which employ this technique, he said.

Lord Hall warned that the BBC was losing out to rivals like Netflix and Amazon who already sell some of the BBC's shows already.

The director general said: 'I now want to experiment with the BBC issuing bigger and bolder series all at once on iPlayer, so viewers have the option of ‘binge watching’.

'The iPlayer helped create a market, and others followed with successful players of their own. But the result is that consumers have to search across many different video players. And Britain is losing out to global players, who are busy building platforms that could become gatekeepers to British content.

'We want to explore new opportunities to help bring original British content together, to help audiences and industry alike make the most of this opportunity to support our cultural crown jewels. Our aim would be simple – to increase the traffic to, and investment in, original British content.

'At its heart would be a free offer, with BBC content funded from the licence fee. We would also aim to make it possible to buy and keep programmes, as we’re doing with BBC Store.

BBC backs new payment system – taxing ALL households whether they watch live TV or not to generate even more money

The BBC is backing a new German-style household levy system to replace the licence fee, it has emerged.

It believes the proposal will help solve the problem with the current system, which only targets homes that watch live TV and not those who use the iPlayer to watch on-demand television.

This is a particular issue among the younger generation.

The corporation believes it can generate more money from the move and mitigate the £700m in cuts it has to find as part of a funding settlement with the government that includes covering the cost of free TV licences for those aged over 75.

According to the Guardian, It would also help the BBC avoid having to pay £100m for the cost of TV Licensing, the body which collects the licence fee and tracks down evaders.

Giving the household levy a green light is a 'decision for government', according to the BBC, but the corporation said it will now open discussions on 'whether that is a justified investment in the creative industries'.

The BBC is backing a new German-style household levy system to replace the licence fee, which currently only targets homes that watch live TV and not those who use the iPlayer to watch on-demand television

A version of the household levy was introduced in Germany in 2013.

Non-payment of the TV licence fee is a criminal offence, and the body has come in for criticism for the costs and time that go into trying to prosecute evaders.

In May it emerged that half a million households no longer had sets – potentially allowing them to opt out of the £145.50 annual charge – during the 15-month period to the end of 2014.

The number is expected to soar in the next few years as rising numbers switch to viewing programmes on catch-up services such as BBC iPlayer and ITV Player using laptops, tablets and phones, which are often exempt from the licence fee.

Meanwhile, almost 23,000 of the people charged with dodging the BBC licence fee last year were never convicted, figures released in July showed.

More than 3,500 a week faced prosecution for failing to pay the charge – more than a tenth of all cases to come before magistrates.

But official figures have revealed that more than one in ten cases in England and Wales ended without a conviction, putting defendants through stress and wasting hundreds of thousands of pounds of public money.

Talk of the new levy system began to gain traction in June when the corporation's chief Tony Hall revealed that the BBC licence fee could be scrapped in 10 years – and replaced with a 'household tax'.

Lord Hall, the BBC director-general, defended the £145.50 a year charge and insisted families would have to pay more if it was replaced with Sky-TV style subscription model.

But he admitted it could be replaced by a new way of funding the corporation, adding: 'I'll go along with the argument that's it got 10 years life in it.'

Speaking on BBC1's the Andrew Marr Show, Lord Hall said a 'household tax' - as proposed by the Commons Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee - was a 'very interesting idea'.