BBC should rethink decision to cancel Crimewatch

In 1984 the programme Crimewatch UK was launched. This was an experiment, and no-one at the BBC had any idea if it would work. Would the public get involved? Would the police be willing to collaborate with the media? Would it really help to tackle crime?

The programme was a great success, as proved by its longevity. The once a month show had various segments including reconstructions, photofits and in later years CCTV footage. It appealed for information about murders, rapes, violent crimes and theft in the main, but all types of crime were featured at some points. There was a school of thought that the show could make people more frightened by featuring such harrowing crimes, but Nick Ross was always there at the end of the show to remind us that these types of crimes were very rare and this gave birth to his 'Don't Have Nightmares' catchphrase which is still remembered today.

It is impossible to quantify the positive impact that Crimewatch has had on our society. Inevitably, it is remembered for the appeals which helped solve some of Britain's highest profile crimes; the murders of Sarah Payne, James Bulger and Lin and Megan and Russell were all solved by viewers calling in to the show following reconstructions, and I know how thankful the families were for the help that Crimewatch provided. But it is with the lesser known cases that Crimewatch has made such a difference. Crimes of murder and rape which gained scant attention in the media but nonetheless had a devastating impact on the lives of those affected. Many of those cases would only feature in local newpapers and media, but Crimewatch gave them national exposure and many terrible crimes were solved, and dangerous criminals caught, by the monthly BBC broadcast. You have to wonder how much crime the programme helped deter too; how many criminals thought twice about committing a crime when they knew their face may end upon Crimewatch?

Some say that in the age of social media and online news, this monthly crime show has ‘had its day’ and needs to ‘move with the times’. But I would argue it is more important now than ever. Social media is awash with fake stories of alleged crimes and missing people, which have proved to be false. The panic and misinformation that permeates social media channels following criminal acts can also cause more confusion and difficulty for authorities trying to solve crimes. Crimewatch is a flagship BBC show which viewers know can be trusted.

The BBC has cited falling ratings as the reason for cancelling the show, but since 2010 it has only been shown 8 times or less per year, with viewers missing episodes due to the BBC’s sporadic scheduling of the programme. Indeed, an argument could be made that the fall in ratings has come about because of the BBC’s lack of support for the show, and the 2016 revamp merely exacerbated its decline by introducing gimmicks which distracted viewers from the important information being shared. The retention of ‘Crimewatch Roadshow’ is a sop that does little to mitigate the loss of the main show, as it a vastly different show aimed at a daytime audience.

The BBC is a public broadcaster, and as such has a duty to provide a public service. The BBC has many critics, both of its output and its mode of funding, but few people could argue that Crimewatch is one of its great success stories that has done much to help the police tackle serious crime in this country over the last 30 years and more. We call upon the BBC to rethink its decision to cancel the programme, and instead to show its support to a public service programme that has done so much to bring about justice to the victims of crime in the U.K.