Government Promises Review Before BBC Charter Renewal
The Government has warned the BBC that it will face a comprehensive review to win the renewal of its charter, which runs out in 2006.
Speaking at yesterday’s Oxford Media Convention, Culture Secretary, Tessa Jowell, dismissed rumours that the charter and the licence would be automatically handed to the BBC. She said that the Corporation would have to justify to its audiences that it “uses their money and earns their support by offering services that extend the range and enhance the standards of what is available to them.”
Jowell drew considerable criticism last year by saying that it would be somewhere between “improbable and impossible” to find an alternative to the licence fee before 2006. However, she insisted yesterday that the review would examine whether the BBC could continue to be the driving force behind public service broadcasting.
She said: “Charter renewal gives us the chance to look at the heart of the public service broadcasting system […] To ask what shape the BBC should be. To ask what range of programmes it should provide. To ask how it should be accountable to its audiences.”
The Culture Secretary promised a review of all of the BBC’s new digital services including, BBC3, BBC4 and the recently approved online curriculum for schools. She said: “We are committed to reviewing those services next year, to see if they are meeting the challenges that they were set.”
The Government also confirmed yesterday that the Communications Bill, which is expected to become law in July (see Government Finally Publishes Communications Bill), will be amended to recognise the importance of independent production companies to the broadcasting industry.
Following an extensive review into the independent production sector carried out by the ITC last year (see ITC Moves To Protect Content Of British TV), Jowell revealed that virtually all of the recommendations had been accepted into the Bill.
A code of practice governing how broadcasters treat independent producers will be introduced next year. It will be monitored by Ofcom, which will measure the quantity and quality of independent production.
Jowell said: “I want to provide the help that the independent production sector needs to grow and flourish. I want to protect it, but not to mollycoddle it. As far as the BBC is concerned I want to make sure that the licence fee really does become venture capital for this important sector of broadcasting.”
The move follows complaints from independent production companies over the way they are treated, particularly by the BBC.
DCMS: 020 7211 6200 www.culture.gov.uk
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