Elstein Calls For Strong BBC Through Regulation
Former Five executive and chairman of the Commercial Radio Companies Association, David Elstein, has set out his vision for a strong and independent BBC through the creation of a new ownership, management and regulatory structure.
Speaking at the CRCA’s Annual Reception last night, the high-profile radio boss outlined recent proposals by Stilpon Nestor, commissioned by the radio body, for the future organisation of the BBC.
Spelling out the need for a management and ownership reshuffle, Elstein said: “At the centre of Nestor’s proposal is the observation that, at present the BBC has no ‘owner’, no body whose sole purpose is to represent the interests of licence fee payers.”
The solution, put forward by Nestor, is three pronged; comprising the creation of “Ourbeeb”, a body which would as a shareholders’ meeting to take over the key ownership functions currently performed by the DCMS and Governors, including reviewing the BBC’s public service remit, setting conditions for new services, and playing an important role in their approval.
The second part of Nestor’s plan reflects the creation of Ourbeeb, with the creation of a “unitary BBC board”, with an “appropriate balance of non-executive and executive directors”. The board, Elstein explained, would be dedicated to the “effective management and enthusiastic championing” of the Corporation, while regulation would be provided by an extension of Ofcom’s current remit to address ex ante competition issues, and to bring regulation of the BBC’s output into line with other broadcasters.
Elstein said: “CRCA believes that this structure represents an excellent way to bring the governance and regulation of the BBC into line with modern international best practice. In this model, each of the three discrete roles currently blurred together within the BBC Governors, those of ownership, management and regulation, could be best handled by the most appropriate agency.”
He added: “When Tessa Jowell is asked about the outcome of Charter Review, she always returns to one theme: ‘a strong and independent BBC’. There is no doubt in my mind that the BBC is strong, and will remain so. Its independence might be assessed in a number of ways, but in terms of independence of regulation from management, more is needed than simple physical separation. It’s a bit more complicated than simply changing the postcode from Television Centre or Broadcasting House to Marylebone High Street. It depends on the implementation of a credible governance and regulation model going forward, and we believe that’s captured in the Nestor report.
Summing up his presentation, Elstein explained that his hopes for commercial radio surpassed those of Tessa Jowell, stating: “My ambition is a bit bigger than Tessa’s. I don’t just want a strong and independent BBC, I want to see strength and independence for all of UK radio, and indeed all of UK broadcasting. That, it seems to me, is a fine ambition for 2005”
Last year saw Elstein set out an optimistic vision for the future of commercial radio in his delivery of the Guardian Media Group lecture at the annual Radio Academy Radio Festival in Birmingham (see Elstein Sets Out Optimistic Vision For Commercial Radio).
CRCA: 0207 306 2603 www.crca.co.uk
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