Our principal risks: risk tables

Audience risks

1. Inability to maintain a critical mass of high-quality content

• Potential impact: A reduction in our content offer would likely adversely impact our ability to reach audiences.
• Risk classification: Strategic risk
• Risk Owner: Chief Content Officer
• 2025/26 direction: Risk has remained static in year
• Public purposes: 2, 3, 4, 5
• Strategic priorities: A, B, C 

2025/26 update: We continue to deliver a wide range of high-quality content working with and investing in suppliers and partners across the UK. Macro financial and commercial pressures continue to drive competition for key IP along with ongoing pressure on the availability of third-party funding sources. This is amplified by our own funding position and the requirement for further savings which will impact the volume of programmes we can commission.

Approach to managing and monitoring risk: 

• Content and supply strategy annual review
• Content targets or performance monitoring
• Monthly Content Operations Group chaired by Chief Content Officer
• Monthly Content Commercial Group chaired by Head of Business Development & Partnerships
• New YouTube strategic partnership, expanding our content offering, including additional BBC YouTube channels.
• New network commissioning model

Residual risk:

• The combination of new and strengthened initiatives aimed at ensuring the supply of high-quality content and new routes to market are balanced by wider movements in the sector – notably platform and studio consolidation. For these reasons, the residual risk remains unchanged at the end of 2025/26. We anticipate the position will continue to remain unchanged in 2026/27.

2026/27 planned activities:

• Projects and interventions planned to grow IP value across genres, including funding new drama produced and owned by the BBC.
• New partnerships launched or being developed with a range of other content platforms and providers.

2. Inability to grow online destinations of scale to meet the changing needs of our audiences

• Potential impact: Audiences are unable to obtain sufficient value from our online propositions, resulting in the BBC losing market share to other Subscription Video on Demand (SVOD) providers and thereby less able to deliver public value in a digital world.
• Risk classification: Strategic risk
• Risk Owner: Chief Technology and Product Officer
• 2025/26 direction: Risk has remained static in year
• Public purposes: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
• Strategic priorities: A, B

2025/26 update: Digital strategy delivery continues, strengthening the BBC’s ability to grow and sustain online destinations of scale. The BBC Product Strategy 2025-2030 establishes a clear long-term framework focused on personalisation, discoverability, and habit formation to support Weekly Active Account (WAA) growth

Approach to managing and monitoring risk: 

• Integrated Digital Strategy
• Digital Roadmap - Quarterly Business Review
• Digital Roadmap - Funding approval
• Consolidated cloud capability under a unified platform

Residual risk:

• WAA performance remains below target with under-35 engagement an area of focus focus
• Audience migration from broadcast to habitual digital consumption continues at a slower pace than required to offset market change
• Global digital platform competition continues to constrain growth in reach and time spent
• Increased fragmentation across devices and manufacturer-controlled entry points reduces direct control over discovery and audience journeys
• Continued embedding of transformation / organisational change initiatives

2026/27 planned activities:

• Further scaling of personalisation and search capability, including search and page ordering improvements
• Acceleration of growth initiatives focused on acquisition, activation, and retention, with particular emphasis on under-35 audiences
• Continued platform architecture simplification to improve delivery pace and resilience
• Expansion of formats, including short-form video and interactive offerings, to strengthen engagement
• Ongoing enhancement of user journeys across connected TV and mobile environments
• Leveraging organisational transformation to accelerate responsiveness to audience behaviours, and time-to-market

3. Inability to maintain universal, easy-to-access distribution with significant prominence and appropriate value return

• Potential impact: Failure to maintain universal, easy-to-access distribution with strong prominence and value return could reduce audience reach, diminish brand visibility, and limit the BBC’s ability to deliver on its public service mission.
• Risk classification: Strategic risk
• Risk owner: Group Chief Operating Officer
• 2025/26 direction: Risk has remained static in year
• Public purposes: 1, 2, 3
• Strategic priorities: B, C, D

2025/26 update: The risk remains static. Global pressures and market dynamics continue to evolve against BBC interests but there are strong mitigations in place including government support and industry engagement.

Approach to managing and monitoring risk: 

• Annual policy review – Distribution
• Joint Venture Board approval
• Access & Prominence governance forum
• Partner contract reviews
• Distribution policy enabling measurement of success
• Horizon-scanning to identify new platforms/technologies impacting prominence
• Analytics trials enabling detailed measurement and dynamic metrics for assessing multi-platform prominence

Residual risk:

• Audience preferences are shifting away from linear broadcast where Public Service Broadcasting benefits from strong prominence and there is less competition, to on-demand streaming applications, social media services and video-sharing platforms.
• Big Tech influence over TV, smart speaker and in-car ecosystems continues to grow, with the political climate making regulation challenging
• TV market financial dynamics are driving device costs down, increasing manufacturers’ need to monetise user interfaces by selling prominence, self-preferencing their services and vertically integrating with their own operating systems.

2026/27 planned activities:

• Build scale in the Freely platform and secure manufacturer partners.
• Secure regulatory protection and prominence (Charter, PSM Review, Media Bill implementation) via the Charter review process.
• Deliver successful product integrations with third-party platforms that support prominence and value generation (e.g. Continue Watching, Long Press, Account Linking)
• Engage with government to plan the future of TV to ensure a managed broadcast to IP transition in PSB and audience interests.
• Progress development of ‘radically simple’ stick via Everyone TV.
• Progress integrations with third-party platforms.
• Increase off-platform distribution through strategic partnerships, including video-sharing platforms such as YouTube.

Funding risks

4. Significant reduction in income to fund public service activities from Licence fee collection, BBCC (profits and dividend) and or Government funding (Grants in Aid) received by BBC

• Potential impact: Reduction to the level of services delivered to audiences and a threat to Value for All.
• Risk classification: Strategic risk
• Risk owner: Chief Customer Officer
• 2025/26 direction: Risk has increased in year
• Public purposes: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
• Strategic priorities: B, C, D

2025/26 update: Licences in Force declined by almost 540k across the year, with 23.3 million in force at year end, with the decrease predominantly driven by a decline in households requiring a TV licence due to not consuming licensable content. Total households declaring No Licence Needed increased by 62k in 2025/26 to a total of 3.7 million households at year end.

Approach to managing and monitoring risk: 

• Annual licence fee collection plan - Board review
• Weekly licence fee actuals vs budget monitoring
• Monthly licence fee performance reporting (EMF performance reporting)
• Management of supply chain with established governance

Residual risk:

• Changing audience behaviour which may reduce consumption of licensable content or increased evasion
• Inability for critical suppliers to operate due to financial instability or operational disruptions thereby impacting income
• Engagement with the UK Government (DCMS) to secure a sustainable long-term financial future for the BBC in the next Charter

2026/27 planned activities:

• Funding model negotiations for new Charter
• Enhancing commercial oversight of revenue collection contracts and partners
• Increased resources in research, marketing and customer retention teams.
• Reviewing granularity of payment patterns to inform revenue collection activities.

5. Insufficient financial resources to deliver the strategy

• Potential impact: Reduction of overall value for our audiences with potential for declining audience performance.
• Risk classification: Strategic risk
• Risk owner: Group Chief Financial Officer
• 2025/26 direction: Risk has increased in year
• Public purposes: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
• Strategic priorities: B, D

2025/26 updates: Savings plans announced in prior years are on track, but with income structurally under pressure (see risk 4) the BBC's funding model is not sustainable. Additional cost reductions are necessary to fund our strategy and fulfil our purposes. An additional £500m of required annual savings in public service by 2028 was announced in April 2026.

Approach to managing and monitoring risk:

• Executive oversight of Savings Programme
• Board approval of one year Budget within the context of a three-year BBC Group plan
• Quarterly Review of financial forecasts
• Weekly banking provider financial health indicator monitoring
• BBC Group oversight of affordability, cash/debt headroom and capacity to fund strategic ambitions against budget, supported by annual stress testing via viability modelling
• BBC Public Service Broadcasting and Commercial financial performance and liquidity monitoring to identify, escalate and manage actual or emerging cashflow and BBC Commercial covenant risks
• Increased focus on accuracy of financial forecasting and funding availability

Residual risk:

• delivery of recently announced £500m savings programme by 2028
• delivery of Commercial growth plans
• Obligations and funding model in next Royal Charter

2026/27 planned activities:

• Further improvements to reporting for savings delivery confidence, and risks and opportunities through improved governance of the new saving programme.
• Implement new financial strategy and continue enhancing financial reporting controls.
• Continue protecting licence fee income through marketing activity and marketing spend effectiveness reviews.
• Future savings planning: 2026/27 savings are expected to be largely recurring. Immediate cost control measures were implemented in April 2026. Mobilisation and delivery of next wave of savings plans.
• Continued focus on Group-wide saving opportunities to unlock new savings.

Editorial risks

6. BBC is not perceived as an impartial, accurate and trusted provider of news and content

• Potential impact: Erosion of trust in the BBC. Serious breaches may result in Ofcom fines.
• Risk classification: Strategic risk
• Risk owner: CEO, BBC News and Current Affairs
• 2025/26 direction: Risk has increased in year
• Public purpose: 1, 5
• Strategic priorities: A

2025/26 updates: Audience impartiality indicators remain under pressure due to a combination of the broader news environment and some serious reputational incidents.

Those incidents included the two Gaza documentaries (one of which was aired by the BBC and the other rejected) and live Glastonbury coverage featuring an antisemitic performance. President Trump initiated legal action against us over an edit in Panorama. Gaza was just one example of an increasingly polarised environment, with audiences and stakeholders deeply divided.

A critical memo written by previous editorial advisor was leaked, resulting in a high public profile for a private paper. This was followed by the resignations of the Director-General and the CEO of BBC News. The organisation has been under some strain since then.

A review was undertaken of the Editorial Guidelines and Standards Committee (EGSC) which resulted in a number of actions being implemented to enhance action tracking and accountability. The review also led to the EGSC being renamed the Editorial Standards Committee (ESC). New Editorial Guidelines were launched during the year and are being reinforced through a comprehensive rollout and engagement programme.

Approach to managing and monitoring risk:

• Governance: BBC Board; Editorial Standards Committee (ESC) – Committee of the BBC Board
• Editorial Standards and Complaints Committee (ESCC) – Sub-committee of the Executive
• Revised BBC Editorial Guidelines: BBC Board Approval, ESC oversight and approval
• Editorial Guidelines apply to BBC content on all platforms, ensuring due impartiality and due accuracy for all content, exceeding Ofcom Broadcasting Code requirements
• Bespoke Election Guidelines for Parliamentary elections in Scotland and Wales, plus local government elections in parts of England – ESC approval
• Allocation criteria for Party Election Broadcasts for the different elections – ESC approval
• Discussion of emerging risks and issues at ESCC, Executive Committee (ExCo) and ESC. Content standards, serious editorial breaches, upheld complaints and Ofcom decisions reviewed by ESCC, ESC and at the Board
• Monitoring of 10-Point Impartiality Plan framework. Reviewed by the Director of Editorial Complaints and Reviews – ESC approval
• Implementation of EGSC review recommendations
• Monthly monitoring at ESCC of impartiality training statistics

Residual risk:

• Unpredicted reputational incidents
• Fragmented/polarised audience
• Increase in contested topics
• Increase in misinformation fuelled by AI

2026/27 planned activities:

• Continued embedding of 2025 Editorial Guidelines
• A further programme of Thematic Reviews and Internal Content Reviews within News, Nations and Content Divisions
• Enhancements identified post the programme review relating to Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone

7. Material breach of BBC Editorial Standards resulting in sanctions and/or fines, as well as reputational damage

• Potential impact: Breach of standards which may result in loss of trust in the BBC and reputational damage. A serious breach of standards could result in fines or sanctions.
• Risk classification: Strategic risk
• Risk owner: CEO, BBC News and Current Affairs
• 2025/26 direction: Risk has increased in year
• Public purposes: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
• Strategic priorities: A

2025/26 updates:

The Editorial Complaints Unit (ECU) found 48 breaches of editorial standards in 2025/26 (2024/25: 40), and two serious editorial breaches were identified by the Executive (2024/25: 5).

All were reported to the ESC and appropriate action was taken to try to mitigate against future issues. There was one Ofcom breach upheld in this period in relation to Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone, together with a sanction requiring the BBC to broadcast a statement on BBC Two which broadcast in November 2025 (2024/25: 3 breaches, none upheld).

The review of the ESC by the Senior Independent Director highlighted findings and recommendations were unanimously accepted by the BBC Board and implemented.

Approach to managing and monitoring risk:

• Governance: BBC Board; Editorial Standards Committee (ESC) – Committee of the BBC Board
• Editorial Standards and Complaints Committee (ESCC) – Committee of the Executive
• Editorial Guidelines and Editorial guidance, available to everyone making BBC content: public service, BBC Studios and Indies
• Editorial Complaints Framework
• Editorial complaints escalation process and monitoring of numbers and outcomes at ESC and by Ofcom. Complaints and whistleblowing disclosure reporting to the BBC Audit and Risk Committee and to ESC. Content standards, serious editorial breaches, upheld complaints and Ofcom decisions reviewed at ESCC, ESC and Board
• Updated training modules to accompany new Editorial Guidelines
• Monthly monitoring at ESCC of impartiality training statistics
• Annual internal audit of compliance procedures for pre-recorded content
• Editorial whistleblowing policy, accessible to all staff

Residual risk:

• Human error may result in breach of guidelines
• Live output brings risks
• Failure to implement the Editorial Guidelines or refer as required
• On-going legal disputes

2026/27 planned activities:

• Continued embedding of the 2025 Editorial Guidelines and rollout of Editorial Guidelines in international bureaux

Technology risks

8. The failure of a critical broadcast, online and/or operational technology resulting in significant disruption to operations, negatively impacting staff and/or audiences

• Potential impact: Potential to compromise our output to our audiences and meet our obligations to maintain broadcast and network resilience.
• Risk Owner: Chief Technology and Product Officer
• 2025/26 direction: Risk has remained static in year

2025/26 updates: Technology performance against key indicators has continued to remain stable as we continue to invest in our digital product capability and to transform our services, alongside maintaining our operational integrity and resilience, in a rapidly evolving, fragmented technology media landscape.

Approach to managing and monitoring risk:

• Operational support for major event and breaking news delivery, including Women’s Euros, Eurovision, the Six Nations and the Winter Olympics coverage
• Incident management and business continuity and disaster recovery processes and plans in place
• Targeted technology refresh and upgrade to maintain operational integrity and enhanced cloud resilience for digitised archive storage

Residual risk:

The Technology risk appetite has been refreshed to reflect the current external and internal technology risk landscape. Focus areas include supply chain risks; concentration risks associated with the increasing dominance of a small number of global technology companies providing interconnected services; increasing cyber threat; and longer-term future technology plans, including broader implications of transitioning to a fully Internet Protocol service.

2026/27 planned activities:

• Operational support for major event delivery, including coverage of UK local elections, US mid-term elections and the FIFA men's World Cup
• Technology resilience planning and rehearsal for specific operational risk scenarios with key internal and third-party stakeholders
• Maintaining stable core service operation, including core enterprise, connectivity, and revenue collection technology services; whilst modernising, standardising and increasing suitability for a Software as a Service and cloud environment
• Investment decisions for targeted investment in major projects and further standardisation and simplification of our media supply chain
• Joint technology and digital product roadmaps supporting next stages of transformation delivery, further aligning with strategic objectives

9. Significant cyber-attack resulting in substantial loss or theft of sensitive BBC data or a significant, prolonged period of outage.

• Potential impact: A significant cyber-attack could result in substantial loss or compromise of BBC data or a prolonged period of outage, resulting in material disruption to operations, with significant audience and/or staff impact.
• Risk owner: Chief Technology and Product Officer
• 2025/26 direction: Risk has increased in year

2025/26 updates: The cyber threat landscape continues to evolve in both complexity and scale, with a growing volume of interconnected threats affecting organisations globally, including those supporting UK Critical National Infrastructure.

Approach to managing and monitoring risk:

• Operational cyber security control framework in place protecting BBC infrastructure, systems and data from cyber threats
• Operational processes and response plans are established to manage cyber security incidents effectively
• Information Security Policy and Standards framework defines the BBC’s cyber security control environment, supported by a comprehensive training and awareness programme
• Vulnerability and patch management processes implemented to identify threats and remediate vulnerabilities across the BBC estate.
• Information security policies annual review
• Information security mandatory training completion monitoring

Residual risk:

• A structured process for reviewing and accepting residual risk is in place, including regular risk assessments and ongoing oversight of high priority risks, with appropriate scrutiny from operational teams, governance fora and third-party stakeholders.
• Key residual risks include those associated with third-party supply chains, state-sponsored cyber threat actors targeting Critical National Infrastructure, including the UK, and risks from emerging technologies.

2026/27 planned activities:

• Adoption of the National Cyber Security Centre’s Cyber Assessment Framework (CAF), to assess and measure the effectiveness and resilience of BBC’s information security controls
• Continued engagement with UK Government and industry partners to monitor developments in the threat landscape and further strengthen organisational resilience and incident response capabilities
• Ongoing use of independent third-party expertise in providing assurance and supporting continued development of our operational cyber-risk maturity

10. Failure of a key supplier, resulting in material disruption to operations with significant audience and/or staff impact.

• Potential impact: Major operational disruption, leading to service delays, audience dissatisfaction, staff strain, financial losses, and potential regulatory breaches.
• Risk classification: Operational risk
• Risk owner: Group Chief Financial Officer
• 2025/26 direction: Risk has remained static in year

2025/26 updates: The BBC has continued to strengthen its assurance over key suppliers, building on the updated Procurement Policy and the Supplier Code of Conduct, both of which have now been in place for a full year. Significant progress has been made on the implementation of a Supplier Lifecycle Management (SLM) tool – enhancing supplier obligation visibility, enabling ongoing monitoring of supplier risk, and streamlining contracting processes, tracking of contractual obligation and supplier due diligence checks.

Approach to managing and monitoring risk:

• Annual policy review – Procurement & Supplier Code of Conduct
• Annual review – Procurement contracting and approvals framework
• Annual key supplier segmentation assessment
• New key supplier due diligence checks
• New or amended contract approval for key suppliers
• Quarterly key supplier performance reviews
• Annual key supplier Code of Conduct confirmation
• Delegation of Authority framework in place for due diligence and application of contractual terms.

Residual risk:

• Residual risk remains elevated, reflecting continued macroeconomic and geopolitical volatility impacting the financial stability and operational resilience of the BBC’s global supply chain.
• Unexpected operational failures, cyber incidents, or changes in sub-contracting arrangements amongst key suppliers continue to pose risks of service disruption.

2026/27 planned activities:

• Group wide key-supplier criteria and risk-tiering logic to be defined, followed by supplier and contract data cleansing and migration to the new Supplier Lifecycle Management (SLM) tool
• Approval and implementation of the enhanced third-party framework and governance standards mitigating threats to BBC operations and data
• Alignment of key-supplier identification with broadcast critical services.
• Embedding consistent post-contract management routines, with continuous improvement actions
• Enhanced oversight of supplier obligations and risk indicators through SLM tool
• Implementation of revised Supplier Management governance forum, focused on the revised set of ‘key suppliers’
• Monitoring of agreed actions plans for suppliers identified as underperforming or requiring additional assurance

Safety and security risk

11. Failure to ensure the safety, security of individuals to whom we owe a duty of care, causing serious harm to the BBC's reputation.

• Potential impact: Failure to ensure the safety, security and welfare of individuals under our duty of care could result in serious harm, triggering reputational damage, legal consequences, and loss of public trust in the BBC.
• Risk owner: Group Chief Operating Officer
• 2025/26 direction: Risk has remained static in year

2025/26 updates: We have provided support to newsgathering operations around the world across a high volume of active war zones, providing safety for journalists and staff on the front line. The BBC faced protests at several sites across the UK reflecting the ongoing geopolitical environment.

At the same time, a number of our journalists have been subjected to online harassment, prompting the implementation of additional mitigation measures. Additionally, we have strengthened our safety framework, including the introduction of a new safety management system designed to promote a stronger safety culture, alongside updated staff training modules and enhanced safety and security practices to address current risks faced by staff during operations.

Approach to managing and monitoring risk:

• Annual policy review of relevant safety, safeguarding policies
• High-risk international deployment risk assessment process in place. Specialised training for staff deploying into or having oversight of high-risk News activities
• Safeguarding risk assessments for all productions involving under 18s
• Annual training programme review – Safety; Safeguarding; High-Risk
• Managing safety and security at UK events and productions, including implementation of provisions under Martyn’s Law (Protection of Premises – Terrorism Bill)

Residual risk:

• The security and threat to life risks associated with deployments into high-risk locations
• Protests and Civil Unrest: Demonstrations at BBC offices or production sites can escalate into confrontations, posing risks to staff, visitors, and infrastructure
• Targeted Attacks on Journalists and Staff: Journalists, especially those covering sensitive or controversial topics, may be targeted for harassment, physical assault, or surveillance
• Unauthorised Access and Insider Threats: Individuals gaining unauthorised access to BBC facilities or systems, either physically or through social engineering
• Terrorism and Extremist Threats: As a high-profile media organisation, the BBC could be a symbolic target for extremist groups
• Journalists and staff living in exile due to the geopolitical environment

2026/27 planned activities:

• Managing safety and security at UK events and productions, including implementation of provisions under Martyn’s Law (Protection of Premises – Terrorism Bill)
• Embedding safeguarding practices across the Divisions, including review of criminal records checks process and associated governance
• Continued support for our journalistic and editorial teams who provide coverage in hostile environments.

Financial reporting

12. Financial Reporting Risk – Material Financial Reporting Misstatement.

• Potential impact: Inadequate controls over financial reporting risk (FRR) could lead to a material statutory reporting misstatement.
• Risk owner: Group Chief Financial Officer
• 2025/26 direction: Risk has remained static in year
• Public purposes: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
• Strategic priorities: B, D

2025/26 updates: Progress has been made across the enhancement of Internal Controls over our Financial Reporting framework. Phase one comprises expected minimum controls across key month end close processes and is progressing well with Dry Run testing completed in Q3 and Q4. Phase two has a focus on controls in place for material financial statement line items and is at various stages of completion from process documentation to control design effectiveness activity and remediation of design ineffective controls.

Approach to managing and monitoring risk:

• Introduction of Expected Minimum Controls relating to material Financial Reporting Risk including:
• Manual Journals – Segregation of duties and material journal review controls
• Balance sheet reconciliations and introduction of substantiation principles including valuation and measurement.
• Accounting judgements and estimates process
• Quarter end balance sheet review process supported by Finance Director attestations
• Statutory reporting and Group critical processes
• Review of significant non-routine transactions
• Delegated authority in place
• Financial Reporting Governance Controls
• End User Computing Controls
• IT General Controls
• Internal Control over Financial Reporting Framework
• High-Risk Financial Statement Line Items are being better documented end to end with agreed risks and key controls
• Enhanced end-to-end control documentation including End User Computing and IT controls
• IT Control activity initiated for applications sitting across Public Service Broadcasting and BBC Commercial.

Residual risk:

• Embedding formalised, well-designed and effective controls into accounting processes takes time
• Temporary operational disruptions or incomplete adoption may occur
• Controls gaps could leave errors or fraud undetected

2026/27 planned activities:

Continued implementation of the Framework across the BBC Group, applying targeted remediations where necessary.