It鈥檚 been a fascinating week. One day we were helping deliver a , the next being quizzed by the Commons Public Accounts Committee.
The Committee visited MediaCityUK Salford following the NAO鈥檚 Value for Money audit of our move to Salford. Before the hearing itself, MPs toured the site, visited departments and the studios and met with some of our apprentices now working here at 主播大秀 North.
The NAO report found the 主播大秀 had "relocated to Salford on time and maintained broadcast continuity" as well as coming in under budget. During the PAC hearing itself my colleagues and I were robustly questioned on specific aspects of the move including our relocation policy, spending plans and our ambitions.
But I was pleased that the Chair of the Committee, the Rt Hon Margaret Hodge MP commented that "for a public sector project [the move to Salford] on the whole has got a good report" and congratulated us on a move that had been a "well managed and effective transition".
We remain mindful however that there is still a great deal to be done. We must continue to deliver value for money through greater efficiencies and firmly establish our presence across the region for the long-term. when he urged us "to keep the rocket boosters firing".
First and foremost, our major commitment is to make the very best programmes - from Old Jack鈥檚 Boat on CBeebies to our nation-uniting sports coverage to 主播大秀 Breakfast and North West Tonight - for the entire UK audience.
By making programmes across the North of England we also make a valuable contribution to the region. Not just in terms of our own direct investment but also through the value generated for the UK economy as a result of that expenditure in production and digital companies, in technology, publishing and other areas 鈥� our Gross Value Added. In 2011/2012 our GVA had risen almost twenty per cent to 拢391 million and it will continue to increase.
In the past two years, we have actively supported programming making and projects across the North which have had a direct impact on the creative and regional economy across the North of England.
As well as the spectacular Bollywood Carmen Live on the streets of Bradford, there was last year鈥檚 The Preston Passion and in March 2011 Frankenstein鈥檚 Wedding 鈥� Live In Leeds. These were all bold, innovative programmes, celebrating Northern culture and supported by local partnerships.聽
The North East has seen serious investment not only from 主播大秀 Children鈥檚 with the likes of Wolfblood and The Dumping Ground, but also from peak time drama like The Paradise and the comedy Hebburn. And the 主播大秀's investment in Northern drama has stretched from Lancashire with In the Flesh to the hills of Derbyshire for The Village, to rekindled romance with Last Tango In Halifax.
With all these projects now successfully returning to our screens, it鈥檚 vital that we keep track of the impact of that investment. So we have created our own model to measure the economic footprint of 主播大秀 North across the region.
We have started to collect information on expenditure and employment not only from the 主播大秀 but also other companies in the sector, so we can build a map of our activity. Additionally as part of the process we will talk to companies big and small to help build the most accurate picture possible.
This 鈥楴orthern intelligence鈥� will then help inform our strategy in terms of spending the licence fee and building partnerships to make a sustainable contribution to the creative and regional economy.
We intend to publish details of our progress and impact at regular intervals - but this isn鈥檛 about justifying our move to Salford.
It鈥檚 about ensuring that we keep our promise 鈥� to establish a centre of creative innovation here in the North of England, making programmes for the entire audience, and delivering a long-term and sustainable return to the regional and national economy. That feels like a virtuous circle.
Peter Salmon is Director, 主播大秀 North