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| Part Two |
Recognising the PotentialFrom the point of view of policy practitioners, the potential for broadcasters to assist with support for lifelong learning is not too difficult to see. Broadcasting in all its forms provides opportunities to:
Moreover, TV and radio provide opportunities to reach a range of audiences, which may be national, regional, local, or may be defined in other ways, for example by common interests or characteristics. Each station will have a unique viewer/listener profile; an individual series will also have a profile slightly different from that of the channel or the wider population. For example, Channel 4’s Equinox series has an audience with relatively more individuals in social class ABC1, more viewers over 35, and more men, than the population as a whole. Broadcasting presents prime opportunities for all institutions involved in the promotion of lifelong learning as a means of increasing the quality of lives for individuals, the opportunities open to them, and the flexibility and competitiveness of the workforce. Those who may be involved or be stakeholders in this process include:
Policymakers and practitioners in these organisations should be considering how their work might be supported by broadcast-based campaigns. It is important to note that individuals thinking of approaching broadcasters must first contact their press officers, who can offer important advice and may accompany them to early meetings. This Guide focuses on a number of recent projects which have aimed to realise some of this potential:
These five examples illustrate the range of approaches which are possible, and the differing audiences which can be targeted and reached. They reflect an understanding by DfES of the potential for joint work in this area. However, it is obviously not enough for the policy practitioners to understand the potential. This needs to be realised also by the broadcasters themselves. This may not necessarily be as simple as it sounds. After all, broadcasters are not primarily in the lifelong learning business; they inform and educate, true, but above all they entertain their audiences. Audience figures are the life-blood of broadcasting organisations, whether funded by advertising, by subscription, or from the public purse. Therefore, in order to make use of the potential power of broadcasting, there needs to be a clear understanding of how lifelong learning support can fit within, and if possible contribute to, these wider purposes. This means making very clear the potential which this work holds from a broadcaster viewpoint. Lifelong learning support programming, for instance, may be able to:
This understanding may be developed first by lifelong learning practitioners, but the detail must be added by broadcasters themselves. And it is only on the basis of a shared understanding of the potential benefits, that work between these partners can proceed. The task for those involved in developing lifelong learning, therefore, is to communicate these benefits to the broadcasters; for broadcasters, to be open to these possibilities and to communicate with the policy practitioners to realise them in detail. Broadcasters will need to be clear that any proposed work will not conflict with overall commercial imperatives, and in particular that viewing figures will not be adversely affected. Once this understanding is established between the two main partners, work can proceed. At this stage, there may be value in involving other partners, particularly institutions which provide or support lifelong learning. Examples of such partners are:
The huge role of television and radio in promoting adult education, inspiring interest, provoking thought, challenging attitudes and influencing behaviour, can all be supported by linking a programme to a free telephone helpline service. The learndirect service offers a free telephone helpline on all aspects of learning and careers, which can be used by any TV or radio broadcaster. The learndirect helpline has been trailed following a variety of programme strands including drama, documentary, education, religion and film. learndirect has handled calls for many broadcast led learning campaigns including Webwise, Computers Don’t Bite, Brookie Basics, and Count Me In. In addition the service supports a range of programmes on Channel 4 and continues to provide back-up support for regional broadcasters and their campaigns around local history, IT and the internet, numeracy and literacy. Experienced and qualified advisers provide a fast, accurate and completely impartial information and advice service on half a million courses UK-wide. The service also provides information on funding opportunities, Internet access points, and childcare provision. The Helpline is free and confidential and individuals can call as many times as they wish between Mondays and Fridays 9am to 9pm and Saturdays 9am to 12 noon. Partner and provider organisations such as these are usually vital in allowing the broadcast audience to pursue their learning beyond the first stages. It is vital that they are able to take on tasks which may be unfamiliar in nature or scope - in particular they will need to be able to deliver to the audience and at the time required by the nature of the broadcast. In order to involve these partners, it is again important to think about and communicate the potential of such work to them. Such potential can include, for example:
The potential for individuals is of course the final and equally vital part of the equation. Learning activities supported by broadcasting provide opportunities to:
How can all these potentials be realised? Initial ideas may come from policymakers, broadcasters, or partners - even from individuals. But the major part of the idea development work will need to be undertaken by broadcasters working with policymakers and, as ideas develop, with potential partners and perhaps individuals. Ultimately this work can be ‘looped back’ to strengthen and provide inputs to subsequent work with similar objectives (Figure 2.1).  Figure 2.1: The Ideas Loop Building the Case How does the process start? In the cases we examined, representatives of the policy stakeholder organisations (in these cases DfES) tended to approach broadcasters in the first instance. It is equally valid, and desirable, of course, for the reverse to happen. Either way, progress is best served by the preparation of specific, focused proposals, showing what is to be achieved, broadly how this is to be done, and the resource implications. Although co-operation can take many forms, all the cases studied involved an element of funding by DfES of some of the activities undertaken by the broadcaster and any partners. This can cover, for example:
The broadcasters funded other aspects of the work, generally on an overall shared cost basis. The items self-funded by broadcasters included:
The commitment of public funds imposes a degree of structure in that the joint work must have agreed targets and outcomes, and the overall benefits of the initiative must be clearly evidenced. However the aim is not to impose unnecessary bureaucracy or administrative overhead on the broadcaster; the cases we examined had been handled with a ‘light touch’ in terms of both design and implementation. The contracts agreed with DfES were concise but clear and focused on the work schedules agreed, with additional items such as evaluation and reporting also covered. This represents an appropriate degree of formalisation of normal practice in broadcasting, where verbal agreements can on occasion be accepted as a basis for extensive planning. What kinds of work can be covered by such proposals? In the next section we examine the possibilities and how they have been implemented in real situations. |
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