The BBC has brought in 26-year-old entrepreneur Brandon Relph to join its strategy team. Relph, who founded his first company at the age of 13, will focus on helping the broadcaster connect with younger audiences.
This move comes as the BBC, along with other traditional broadcasters, faces a significant challenge in retaining young viewers. Many 16 to 24-year-olds are opting for content creators on platforms like YouTube and TikTok over traditional television.
Relph has previously described himself as someone who understands youth culture, having built a career that includes creating a company around the Minecraft video game before he was 16. His appointment is viewed by some as a much-needed step for the BBC to adapt to changing media consumption habits.
While the BBC is reportedly the only UK brand in the top five most used media for the 16-34 age group, reaching 63% weekly, figures within the corporation are aware of the scale of the challenge. Jo Redfern, a digital media expert, stated that anyone tasked with making the BBC indispensable to under-24s requires internal and external momentum due to the urgency.