BBC Accuses BSkyB Of Switchover Sabotage

BBC director general Mark Thompson has accused BSkyB of being opposed to the government’s plans for digital switchover and against the development of Freeview.

Thomson also suggested in a speech at the Smith Institute in London that BSkyB’s chairman, Rupert Murdoch, was trying to use his influence to get the government to “put a squeeze” on the licence fee.

Thompson said the digital switchover process had to be properly resourced or it would fail. “Some of those who have been lobbying in private and public against our licence fee proposals do not wish the government’s plans for digital switchover well,” he said.

“Sky, for instance, is implacably opposed to them. They believe that the build-out of digital terrestrial is quite unnecessary and that those people who can’t currently get Freeview or cable should simply be told to use Sky if they wish to convert to digital.

“The licence fee is the main funding mechanism for switchover. If you want switchover to be abandoned or fail, what better place to start than to try to use your influence… to put a squeeze right now on the licence fee?”

The licence fee debate took an unusual turn yesterday, with Thompson announcing that the Corporation has reduced the bid to £149 from £180 (see BBC To Revise Down Licence Fee Bid), but warned that if it failed to have this approved, plans would have to be scaled back and its new broadcast centre outside of Manchester could be axed.

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