BBC promises revised proposals for local services

Earlier today, the BBC Trust refused permission for its £68m local video plans, arguing that it would not improve services for the public enough to justify either the investment of licence fee funds, or the negative impact on commercial media.

In response, the BBC said it accepts the Trust’s findings, adding that it believed the local video proposal would have strengthened the BBC's news coverage for local communities "and deliver real value for licence fee payers".

The BBC Trust challenged the BBC to instead improve its existing services. "That is a challenge we will pursue with vigour," the BBC said, adding: "We will consider a range of options for how we can best achieve this and will return to the Trust in due course."

The rejection of its plans caps a tough week for the BBC. Earlier this week, the BBC Trust revealed it is conducting a review of the commercial arm of the BBC, BBC Worldwide, promising to tighten its remit.

Addressing a House of Commons select committee for culture, media and sport, BBC Trust chairman Sir Michael Lyons said: "It is now an appropriate time to review the boundaries of [BBC Worldwide]. We are of the view that they need to be modestly contained, and the detail of that we will make public once we have finished our inquiries."