Thinktank: “Cut BBC remit and set other channels free”
The BBC’s remit and licence fee should be reduced over time to only include programmes and services that the market would not provide, according to a new report.
A rightwing thinktank, the Centre for Policy Studies, has published a PSB report by former BSkyB head of public affairs Martin Le Jeune, which suggests freezing the BBC’s licence fee and gradually disposing of the corporation’s assets, including Radio One and Two.
Le Jeune claims that “public sector broadcasting only has a very limited role to play in the age of multi-channel television” – and said that “over time [the BBC’s] remit and funding should be reduced as the market provides more excellent programming in response to public demand”.
He believes the BBC should focus on “impartial news and current affairs, children’s television, classical music and speech radio”.
The report also dismissed the need for a second public service broadcasting entity to rival the BBC, as advocated by Lord Carter’s interim Digital Britain report and Ofcom’s second PSB review.
“A lot of capital has been invested in the idea of saving PSB plurality,” he said. “Some sort of deal will be stitched together in the next few weeks to ensure that a second PSB broadcaster survives, probably be reengineering Channel 4.
“Nonetheless, this effort is futile. And the principle behind it is misguided. The principle is also wrong. There is no longer a need for an alternative PSB provider.”
Le Jeune claims that terrestrial broadcasters should be given the freedom to succeed or fail according to how well they meet the needs of their viewers.
Channel 4 also came under fire in the thinktank’s report – Le Jeune said the broadcaster should be privatised and learn to live within its means, with a “focus on broadcasting excellence rather than holding out the begging bowl”.
ITV received less criticism from Le Jeune, who said the commercial broadcaster should be set free from its PSB obligations and be allowed to flourish or decline in the open market.
However, he accused the BBC of being “a persistent me-too broadcaster with a serial record of imitation”.
“If people argued that the BBC should run commercial-style radio stations, or offer general entertainment programmes, or cover formula one, or buy US-imported programming, or show celebrity dancing competitions, they would be politely reminded there was no purpose in mimicking the commercial sector with taxpayers’ money,” Le Jeune added.
In response, a BBC spokesperson said: “The suggestion that the BBC should be reduced to only market failure provision is not new and has been systematically rejected over many decades by parliament and the public. There is no evidence of any public support for such a proposal, which would strip the BBC of everything but minority and niche programming.
“In fact, the most recent research shows that the public want more, not less from the BBC, and in particular hugely value our wide range of popular programming which Le Jeune would like to see given away to commercial operators.”