BBC spared wholesale changes in UK Government review Editor
| 13 May 2016
The assault that many feared the UK Government was about to mount on the BBC in a far-reaching review of the corporation in its operation and funding will not be realised.
BBCMuch to the relief of the BBC and the media industry in general, but much to the consternation of right-wing politicians, the reviews announced in a White Paper released by UK Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, John Whittingdale, will see major changes in how BBC is governed but guarantees the security of the licence fee for the next 11 years.
The UK Government says that its new framework allows the BBC to focus on high quality, distinctive content which adheres to the Reithian values of informing, educating and entertaining while also serving all audiences. Whittingdale asserted that the new guidelines enhance its independence whilst also making it ‘much more effective and accountable’ in its governance and regulation.
With regard to the latter, the BBC Trust, the body responsible for ensuring licence fee payers gain value for money, will be abolished and replaced by a new, unitary board consisting of between 12-14 members. In contrast to the previous BBC Governors and BBC Trust, where appointments were made under the public appointments system, the BBC will be responsible for appointing at least half of the board members. Worryingly the UK Government will appoint the remainder.
In another key development, UK broadcast regulator Ofcom will become the external independent regulator of the BBC.
Commenting on the White Paper, A BBC for the future: a broadcaster of distinction Whittingdale said: “We have taken on board extensive views and evidence from those who watch and listen to the BBC - those who love it, those who can be frustrated by it and those who feel underserved by it. These reforms will embolden the BBC to take risks, to create confidently and unashamedly the highest quality, distinctive content for all audiences. It will provide the foundations for a stronger, more independent, more distinctive BBC that will inform, educate and entertain for many years to come.”
Responding on behalf of the BBC, Director General Tony Hall said the White Paper affirms the importance of the BBC to the public and to the creative industries, and will provide the BBC with long-term stability and a strong foundation to continue to inform, educate and entertain the entire British public.
He added: “This White Paper delivers a mandate for the strong, creative BBC the public believe in. A BBC that will be good for the creative industries - and most importantly of all, for Britain. There has been a big debate about the future of the BBC. Searching questions have been asked about its role and its place in the UK. That’s right and healthy, and I welcome that debate. At the end, we have an 11-year charter, a licence fee guaranteed for 11 years, and an endorsement of the scale and scope of what the BBC does today. The White Paper reaffirms our mission to inform, educate and entertain all audiences on television, on radio and online.”
Despite Hall broadly agreeing with the reforms, he stressed that the BBC’s view of how the new unitary board would be appointed differs from that held in government. “We have an honest disagreement with the government on this. I do not believe that the appointments proposals for the new unitary board are yet right,” Hall remarked. “It is vital for the future of the BBC that its independence is fully preserved ... It is important that the implementation of the White Paper’s proposals are done in a proportionate way to ensure the BBC’s creativity is enhanced and not diminished. We would not support the addition of red tape and box-ticking.”
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