BBC scraps ‘attitudinal’ restructure

In a dramatic U-turn, the BBC has scrapped plans to structure its marketing department to serve specific audience and “attitudinal” groups and will revert to marketing teams for each TV channel and radio station.

The U-turn scraps the structure BBC director of marketing and communications Matthew Bannister spent six months trying to impose.

It is understood Bannister’s proposals -“attitudinal” marketing groups for youth, mainstream, heartlands and regions – met resistance from executives on director-general Greg Dyke’s executive committee.

Bannister is leaving the BBC in December after 22 years’ service and six months into his marketing role. A BBC spokeswoman says: “Ensuring audience focus is what Matthew has been driving for.”

Many marketers will retain their original positions, though a deputy to the director of marketing and communications has yet to be appointed.