BBC Should Be Floated Say Experts

In a report released today entitled ‘What Price Public Service? The Future of the BBC’ the Adam Smith Institute recommends that the Corporation should be floated on the stock market, and the licence fee phased out over the next ten years with funding being totally covered by advertising and sponsorship.

In response to the Government Green Paper on the future of the BBC, published in November 1992, the report maintains that an Arts Council should be set up to monitor public service funds, promote competition and to ensure that proper standards are maintained. It believes that members of the public would be keen to invest in the Corporation, an opportunity to allow ‘ordinary shareholders’ to have an insight into an institution which has been criticised for its ‘shut door’ policies.

Regarding the Government’s fear that advertising could change the face of the BBC for the worse the report maintains that its addition would be very unlikely to have an adverse effect on ratings given that BBC’s output is already quite similar to that on ITV.

Adam Smith Institute: 071 222 4995