Brooke Warns BBC

Peter Brooke, National Heritage Secretary, speaking last night at the Royal Television Society Convention, warned the BBC that it must not assume that it would win the battle for the renewal of the charter. The BBC’s current charter expires in 1996.

Brooke praised the reforms introduced by John Birt, but said further changes would be necessary to secure the future of the licence fee. Many in the BBC fear that because cost cuts have been so successful the licence fee may be cut, instead of increased, as hoped.