Bottomley Welcomes New BBC Governor

National Heritage Secretary Virginia Bottomley has written to Sir Christopher Bland, the new Chairman of the BBC Governors, welcoming him to his post. The letter also sets out the key issues in the new Charter and Agreement and in the light of recent public and Parliamentary debate.

The issues raised include:

• approving and monitoring clear performance objectives for the BBC
• enhancing the accountability of the BBC to licence fee payers
• taking forward the clearer regulatory role for the Governors to defend the public interest
• overseeing and enforcing standards of taste and decency and impartiality
• ensuring the BBC’s output remains a benchmark in terms of quality, diversity and regionality of programming, by which other broadcasters are measured
• exploiting commercial opportunities at home and abroad, building on the BBC’s international reputation in the new digital broadcasting era

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