BBC Online has come under attack this week (4 April 2003) in the wake of UK culture secretary Tessa Jowell's order for it to justify its annual internet services spend.

The BBC's online and interactive services, including the controversial News 24, have already been scrutinised this year (2003) in a damning report from former Financial Times editor Richard Lambert.

Now, as part of a rolling examination of the BBC's online operations, the government has requested the company justifies its £100m spend on internet services.

In a report that must be submitted in June 2003, the broadcasting company will have to provide a critique of its online services. This will then stand in comparison to the objectives originally outlined by John Birt, former director general of the BBC, when he secured approval for the online division in 1997.

Its key targets were to provide original and unique content to users, though the co-operation has been accused of straying into services already provided by the commercial sector.

It is now expected that Ms Jowell will appoint a chairman to oversee a review of the BBC which will follow its own report.

Sources:
http://media.guardian.co.uk/newmedia/story/0,7496,936671,00.html
http://media.guardian.co.uk/city/story/0,7497,937147,00.html

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