When I think of the BBC, I think of great television . . . of shows like “Monty Python,” “As Time Goes By,” and “Top Gear.” Then there’s MySpace, the social networking site that is most commonly associated with giggling teenage girls. Well, the BBC has announced plans to pursue social networking, but adults need not worry that the corporation is chasing after “that crowd.”
A BBC spokeswoman told Reuters, in very careful and polite terms, “The teen part of this (trend) might have reached capacity, but there might be other communities that we could explore given the brand and our existing online presence.”
Indeed, it looks like the BBC will pursue its existing fan base rather than enact any programming changes. The Reuters report supports this theory, saying that “the sites will . . . be targeted at consumers who are already interested in such brands as the popular motoring show and BBC Good Food.”
That seems like a safe (and wise) way for the broadcasting giant to approach social networking. After all, while it just about everyone has jumped on that particular bandwagon, a lot of companies have had trouble achieving any level of success with it.
Yet there’s one obvious question about the BBC’s interest in social networking: when it produce some tangible result? I, for one, can’t wait to see something like MyTopGear come into being. According to Reuters, the BBC spokeswoman “said there was no time plan in place but that [the company] expected to continue to develop its online service over the next year.”
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Doug is a staff writer for Murdok. Visit Murdok for the latest eBusiness news.
