Forum for former BBC staff

Forum for former BBC staff
http://www.ex-bbc.net/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl >> News and Comment >> Met. Office http://www.ex-bbc.net/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?num=1440314811 Message started by Administrator on Aug 23^rd, 2015, 7:27am

Title: Met. Office
Post by Administrator on Aug 23^rd, 2015, 7:27am

The BBC and the UK Meteorological Office are to part company.

After a partnership which started on the 14th November 1922, because the BBC is

"....legally required to go through an open tender process and take forward the strongest bids to make sure we secure both the best possible service and value for money for the licence fee payer.",

the present contract has ended.

According to the BBC site, the future of the Met. Office staff who "read the weather" on the BBC is still to be decided.

Apparently, Severe Weather Warnings issued by the Met. Office will still be used by the BBC.

The BBC says that the tender process will be completed later this year, and they do not anticipate any significant changes to the presenting teams on-air.

The Guardian has their report here.

The Daily Mail has a report here. "Met Office fury as BBC 'gives contract worth millions to foreigners': Broadcaster announces plant to scrap its 93-year relationship with the weather forecaster

According to The Guardian's report from January 2010....written by Helen Pidd and updated in May 2014, here:-

"The Met Office risks losing its lucrative deal to provide weather forecasts to the BBC after the corporation decided to put the contract out for tender for what is believed to be the first time since 1923, it emerged today."

She continued with her report by saying....

"The Sunday Times reported yesterday that the Met Office contract with the BBC expires in April and the broadcaster has begun talks with Metra, the national forecaster for New Zealand, as a possible alternative. The BBC put the contract out to tender to ensure "best value for money", but its timing coincides with a storm over the Met Office's accuracy.

Metra already produces graphics for the BBC, including the 3D map that made some viewers feel sick when it was introduced in 2005. Weather Commerce, Metra's UK subsidiary, has usurped the Met Office in supplying forecasts to Tesco, Sainsbury's, Marks & Spencer and Waitrose. Retailers use forecasts to make sales predictions and for weather-related distribution issues.

Employees at Weather Commerce were under instruction not to speak to the media, but a source close to Metra told the Sunday Times: "The BBC is not happy with the service it has been getting from the Met Office; it thinks it's too expensive. We can provide a bespoke service that will undercut it. Because we already produce the graphics we've got a foot in the door, so we're optimistic."

The Daily Telegraph quotes Chris Bryant (Former Culture Secretary) as saying:- "I can see no rational reason why it would be in the national interest for a national broadcaster to use anything other than the national Met Office.”"