» SubscribeMain section
-
Top story
CPBF attacks Thompson's 'Threats to the BBC'
Granville Williams
A longer version of the lead item from Freepress 143
'We like to make sure we always have one review [of the BBC] in process and two pending,' Bill Bush, special adviser to the Culture Secretary, Tessa Jowell, said in January 2003. The gloating tone of this remark suggests something of the gulf between theory and practice in the relationship between government and the BBC.
In theory, the BBC is meant to operate independently from government, yet when the BBC applies the policies laid down by government, the reverse happens.
In 1994, as part of Charter renewal, the Conservative government required the BBC to expand into new media, to generate commercial revenue and build a presence in global markets. The BBC did this, and provoked fierce attacks from its commercial rivals, who then lobbied the Labour government, citing competition law, to charge the BBC with unfair trading, abuse of licence fee money, and distorting the market.
The result has been a string of reviews: BBC Online, BBC News 24, BBC3, the children’s channels, and so on. Also there has been an escalation in government intervention in the operations of the BBC. As Georgina Born points out in her excellent book, Uncertain Vision, ‘government instruction dictated BBC policies, which provoked competitors’ hostility, which in turn elicited government sanctions against the BBC.’
Now we have another report, by the independent panel, chaired by Lord Burns. The report states that it wants to help ensure a ‘strong and independent’ BBC but its proposals, if implemented, would have the opposite effect. It proposes another review of the BBC’s funding and structure half way through the next Charter renewal in 2012, a move towards subscription, close monitoring of the BBC’s remit by an independent body, and a sharper focus on distinctive public service programmes.
BBC Director General Mark Thompson has announced 2900 job cuts, and plans to boost the amount of independent programming, move parts of the BBC out of London and sell off assets. Aidan White, General Secretary of the International Federation of Journalists, condemned the plans: “It appears that the BBC is responding to pressure from hostile interests and private sector predators who are passionately opposed to public service broadcasting. But sacrificing jobs, selling off assets and privatising sections of the Corporation will not protect the BBC from attack by its enemies; the key battle is over the future of public broadcasting.’
Again the government is interfering, with Tessa Jowell enthusiastically supporting an increase in independent production, a policy which will do great damage to the BBC’s programme making capacity. The government’s interference in the BBC, vividly demonstrated in the events around the death of David Kelly, is part of a broader pattern of unacceptable intrusion into the operations of the organisation.
It is absolutely vital that policies to enhance the BBC’s independence, and to push back the influence of government in its day-today workings, are pursued. The problem is, as Georgina Born points out, the government’s drive to curb the BBC is fuelled ‘by its ideological discomfort with a creative and powerful public sector, and its insalubrious political interest in appeasing Murdoch’s press.’
Last modified: Friday, December 10, 2004
Previous miscellany stories
BBC joint unions condemn Thompson plan
NUJ members to resist job cuts
Galloway wins libel case decisively
IFJ welcomes Ukrainian call for independent journalism
BP's con-tract of the century
Human rights group says Ukraine coverage is biased
New report on media ownership
IndyMedia seizure: the facts
Campaign, WACC join the wave of protest in support of IndyMedia
Wanted: Views on the future of local television
Another world is possible
CPBF adds its voice to IFJ protest
Without Comment 1
Without Comment 2
Whistleblowers get organised
Obituary: Paul Foot
Broadcasting: the European dimension
NUJ launches PR guidelines
Toxic Sludge
1979, trade unions and journalism
Silvio Berlusconi: Television, Power and Patrimony by Paul Ginsborg, Verso £16.00
Support the European Social Forum
Free Press - 115
Free Press 116 - complete contents
FBI seizes hard drives of Indymedia server in the UK
IFJ Condemns Israeli Twists and Turns of Justice as Banned British Journalist is Forced to Return Home
CPBF Condemns "Bizarre Judgement" in Ewa Case
Ewa Wins Appeal - Still Detained
Privacy and accountability
The Sun and Hillsborough
-
Notices
Events & Announcements
World Press Freedom Day
More reporters are currently imprisoned in Turkey than in any other country in the world. Only a matter of weeks ago lawyers failed to persuade a Turkish court to release a 76-year-old journalist from a Turkish internet news station.
World Press Freedom Day on Friday May 3, 2013 is being marked in Britain by a rally to highlight the dangers facing journalists in Turkey and in this podcast, Nicholas Jones speaks to Barry White, Organiser at the Campaign for Press and Broadcasting Freedom, and Sam Bamford, the TUC's policy officer for Eastern Europe and Africa about the importance of a campaign to highlight international press freedom.
The World Press Freedom Day rally is being staged by the National Union of Journalists at the NUJ head office, Gray’s Inn Road, London WC1 on Thursday May 2, 6pm-8pm.
DATELINE: 27/4/13
UK launch of EU media campaign
DATELINE: 13/3/13
The UK launch of a 'European Citizens' Initiative' calling for EU rules against concentration of media power will take place on Thursday March 21 from 11:00am – 12:30pm in Committee Room 4A at the House of Lords, London. Guest speakers will include actor and activist Hugh Grant (pictured), media consultant Claire Enders, Professor Steven Barnett, Barry McCall (President of the NUJ) and Marc Gruber (Director of the European Federation of Journalists).
A European Citizens' Initiative is an official petition, like a Downing Street petition. If it succeeds in gathering a million signatures across the EU, the Commission is obliged to respond.
This petition calls for the EU to act to protect media pluralism and press freedom.
CPBF Annual General Meeting
DATELINE: 1/3/13
Make a note in your diary
Saturday 13 July 2013 from 10.00am
NUJ HQ, 308/312 Gray's Inn Road, London WC1.
Leveson, media ownership, CPBF future work.
DOWNLOAD FREEPRESS NOW
DATELINE: 26/3/10
Download Freepress in PDF, ePub or mobi format. Issue 194 now available.
MEDIA FOR ALL CONFERENCE
DATELINE: 26/3/10
Papers from the Media for All Conference
MEDIA MANIFESTO
DATELINE: 26/3/10
The media’s job is to inform and entertain us but we rely on them too to tell us what our rulers and representatives are up to. In the run-up to the Iraq war the government used spin and disinformation in the media to create panic and mislead people. The truth is coming out now, but we need stronger, more independent media to be able to scrutinise governments and make informed choices.
-
Previous stories
Miscellany
BBC joint unions condemn Thompson plan
NUJ members to resist job cuts
Galloway wins libel case decisively
IFJ welcomes Ukrainian call for independent journalism
BP's con-tract of the century
Human rights group says Ukraine coverage is biased
New report on media ownership
IndyMedia seizure: the facts
Campaign, WACC join the wave of protest in support of IndyMedia
Wanted: Views on the future of local television
Another world is possible
CPBF adds its voice to IFJ protest
Without Comment 1
Without Comment 2
Whistleblowers get organised
Obituary: Paul Foot
Broadcasting: the European dimension
NUJ launches PR guidelines
Toxic Sludge
1979, trade unions and journalism
Silvio Berlusconi: Television, Power and Patrimony by Paul Ginsborg, Verso £16.00
Support the European Social Forum
Free Press - 115
Free Press 116 - complete contents
FBI seizes hard drives of Indymedia server in the UK
IFJ Condemns Israeli Twists and Turns of Justice as Banned British Journalist is Forced to Return Home
CPBF Condemns "Bizarre Judgement" in Ewa Case
Ewa Wins Appeal - Still Detained
Privacy and accountability
The Sun and Hillsborough
