euro news1705v4_news 21/05/2016 09:00 Page 1
Government reveals BBC reform plans
the BBC to take risks, to create confidently and
organisations and experts have engaged in the
he UK Government has set out
unashamedly the highest quality, distinctive
Charter Review process.”
reforms to the BBC designed to
content for all audiences. It will provide the
In a Statement to Parliament, Whittingdale
enable it to thrive in the future
said the BBC is and must always
and ensure it remains a
remain at the very heart of
valued public broadcaster.
British life. “We want the BBC
It proposes an 11-year
to thrive, to make fantastic
Charter to separate it from
programmes for audiences, and
the political cycle with
“We want the BBC
act as an engine for growth and
editorial independence to
to thrive, to make
creativity. Our reforms give the
be enshrined in it along
fantastic
BBC much greater
with measures on diversity.
programmes.”
independence from government
The BBC is governed by a
– in editorial matters, in its
Royal Charter, with the current
governance, in setting budgets,
Charter set to expire at the end
and through a longer Charter
of 2016. Following a
Period. They secure the funding
consultation, the Government
of the BBC and will help it
has now set out its plans for
develop new funding models for
reform in A BBC for the future:
the future. At the same time,
a broadcaster of distinction
these reforms will assist the
ahead of publishing a new
foundations for a stronger, more independent,
BBC to fulfil its own stated desire to become
Charter.
more distinctive BBC that will inform, educate
more distinctive and to better reflect the
The Government has set out a new framework
and entertain for many years to come.”
diverse nature of its audience. They place the
for the BBC that it says:
l allows it to focus on high quality,
“The proposals take into account views from
BBC at the heart of the creative industries – as
distinctive content which informs, educates
more than 190,000 people who contributed to
a partner of the local and commercial sectors,
and entertains while also serving all
the Government consultation, an independent
not a rival.”
audiences;
review of the governance and regulation of the
“The BBC will operate in a more robust and
l enhances its independence whilst also
BBC led by Sir David Clementi, a public opinion
more clearly defined governance and
making it much more effective and
study considering in particular the views of
regulatory framework. And it will be more
accountable in its governance and
underrepresented groups, and a review of the
transparent and accountable to the public it
regulation;
BBC’s market impact. In total, more than 300
serves and who rely on the BBC to be the very
l makes support for the UK’s
best it can possibly be, so that
creative industries central to
it can inform, educate and
UK Minister slams pirate STBs
the BBC’s operations – while
entertain for many years to
Baroness Neville-Rolfe, UK Minister for Intellectual Property, has
at the same time minimising
come,” he concluded.
launched the Government’s IP enforcement strategy, highlighting
any undue negative market
Government will now listen
the threat of illegal streaming services and set-top boxes.
impacts;
to feedback from key groups
The strategy document – Protecting creativity, supporting
l increases the BBC’s
including Parliament. It will
innovation: IP enforcement 2020 – lays out the areas that the
efficiency and transparency;
publish a draft version of the
government sees as the most pressing priorities, and some of the
and
Charter – the formal document
work that it sees as most necessary to make sure that IP
l supports the BBC with a
that sets out the plans – in the
enforcement works.
modern, sustainable and fairer
coming months. It expects the
She noted that a universal service obligation for broadband of
system of funding.
new Charter will then come
10 megabytes for every household by 2020 would be “amazing”
Secretary of State for Culture,
into force from 1 January 2017.
for consumers and legitimate online businesses, but an open door
Media and Sport, John
Press coverage has been
for pirates to push out yet more infringing content.
Whittingdale MP, said: “The
unanimous that the BBC has
“Set-top boxes and IPTV constitute a disruptive technology.
proposals that we are publishing
escaped more radical reform
Both the boxes, and the online services which they access have
are the result of one of the largest
because of the Government’s
legitimate uses, but they have been subverted on a massive scale.
and most open consultations ever
reluctance to engage in a fight
The business of satellite and cable broadcasting is a multi-billionconducted. We have taken on
in the run up to the EU
pound industry in Europe and brings a wide range of cultural,
board extensive views and
referendum. However, the
sporting, educational and leisure programmes to an immense
evidence from those who watch
proposal for Government to
audience,” she said, noting that as technology has developed and
and listen to the BBC – those who
choose several members of the
broadband speeds have increased, it is now entirely possible to
love it, those who can be
BBC’s board has come under
receive programmes in high quality over the Internet avoiding the
frustrated by it and those who feel
fire even from some on its own
use of decoders entirely.
underserved by it.”
benches and is unlikely to
“These reforms will embolden
survive the process.
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6 EUROMEDIA