CRCA Joins Calls For Independent BBC Regulation
The Commercial Radio Companies Association has become the latest organisation to call for independent regulation of the BBC under the review of its charter, due to take place in 2006.
The organisation claim that regulation would create a “more equitable regulatory balance between the publicly funded broadcaster and commercial broadcasters” and would create useful distance between the Government and the BBC.
The group also suggest that funding of the corporation’s radio operations should be controlled through such an external regulator to provide transparency to the ways in which the licence fee is managed.
Recent research by the Panorama programme revealed that almost 70% of people in the UK want fundamental changes to the way the BBC is governed (see UK Viewers Call For Change In Way BBC Is Funded). There have also been calls for abolition of the BBC’s licence fee, and for commercial broadcasters to be allowed to bid for funding to make public service programmes (see Tory Report Calls For Reduction Of BBC Licence Fee).
The CRCA’s comments were made as part of a response to the Department for Culture Media and Sport consultation over its review of the BBC’s Royal Charter.
Paul Brown, chief executive of the CRCA said: “CRCA believes that the BBC’s different funding ought to mean it has a clearly-defined and different purpose from that of commercially-funded broadcasters. We desire a proper balance between ratings and the kind of programming that is worthy of public funding.”
He added: “The best means of achieving this, and providing accountability to the public who fund it, is via independent regulation of the BBC. An effective external regulatory framework will ensure the UK can continue to boast a strong radio industry comprising both publicly and commercially funded services that compete with each other to the benefit of the listener.”
Last month the Incorporated Society of British Advertisers called on the Government to take action to stop the BBC using its “massive licence-fee funding” to compete with rival commercial broadcasters. The group claimed that market distortion inflicted by the BBC on commercial media and its advertising customers will continue if not addressed as part of the corporation’s Charter Review (see ISBA Calls For Government To Take Action Against BBC).
CRCA: 0207 306 2603 www.crca.co.uk
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