Disseminating research

The BBC is currently coming under fire again, accused of pandering to market share and commercial constraints rather than focusing on public service.

In my experience, the Beeb and its staff not only engage in the creation of knowledge concerning the organisation's spheres of interest, but also actively promote the dissemination of that knowledge - something that many private enterprises benefit from.

One example: BBC staff host free monthly meetings for online community developers, with an excellent roster of guest speakers. Quite a number of them have in their past lives woked at the BBC, or still do so. Which other media organisation is aiding professional development for this particular professional group?

Another example: the Beeb last autumn posted on its website Accessibility study of BBCi: Problems faced by users with disabilities, a report commissioned from a usability agency. Other website operators will find this kind of information invaluable, but how many private sector organisations have ever done the same? And how many of the organisations currently criticising the BBC?

Download the report from the website commissioning page (available as pdf or Word file)