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May's BBC Charter Review report is out
11/5/05: The latest BBC Charter Review monthly report from the DCMS - dated May 2005 - is now available. Read it on this site.
"Welcome to the twelfth monthly update on how the BBC Charter Review is progressing.
We're now into the final month of the three-month period of Green Paper consultation, and details on how to respond to it - as well an update on the number of responses we've received as part of the exercise so far - can be found in the 'Consultation' section below.
Election 05...
The calling of the Election has had some logistical implications, particularly with regard to what we're able to publish on our website. However, with a lot of the work to be done involving research and analysis of issues raised during the last round of consultation - much of it based on the questions set out in the Green Paper - and the consultation period itself continuing unabated until 31 May, there's still plenty to be done.NEWS
House of Lords Select Committee disbanded until after the Election...As reported earlier, following the publication of the Green Paper, the House of Lords established a Committee under the chairmanship of Lord Fowler to consider the review of the BBC Charter.
The press release announcing the establishment of the Committee can be found here
The Committee, chaired by Lord Fowler, was made up of:
o Lord Armstrong of Ilminster,
o Baroness Bonham-Carter of Yarnbury,
o Baroness Gibson of Market Rasen,
o Lord Holme of Cheltenham,
o Baroness Howe of Idlicote,
o Lord Kalms,
o Lord King of Bridgwater,
o Bishop of Manchester,
o Lord Maxton,
o Baroness O'Neill of Bengarve, and
o Lord Peston.With Parliament dissolved on 11 April 2005, and the State Opening of the next Parliament expected to be on 17th May 2005, the Committee will need to be re-appointed after the State Opening. It is expected oral evidence hearings will be held again from the beginning of June.
The deadline for written submissions remains Monday 2nd May 2005. The Press release and guidance on submitting evidence can be found here
Previous Evidence Sessions:
The Committee has already held a number of hearings, including with the BBC - attended by Michael Grade and Mark Thompson - and with the DCMS, attended by Lord Macintosh.Recordings of previous meetings can be watched on the web by searching the archive at http://www.parliamentlive.tv
Transcripts of the BBC and Lord McIntosh hearings can be found under the General Information section of this Extranet.
Details of future meetings (once arranged) can be found here
The Committee is aiming to report back prior to the publication of the White Paper and is seeking written submissions; more information can be found on the above press release.
Consultation on the Green Paper now well underway...
The consultation dates are unaffected by the calling of the Election. This means that the consultation on the contents of the Green Paper runs, as originally planned, until 31 May. Anyone wishing to contribute should do so as soon as possible.
We have advertised the consultation as widely as possible, including through the national press, and had, by the May Day Bank Holiday, received over 3,350 responses to the consultation.
Details of how to contribute to the consultation can be found on the revamped Charter Review website here
The link contains a copy of the Green Paper, a Welsh version, copies of the consultation leaflet in both languages, and an easy to follow list of links to the key individual Green Paper Consultation Chapters.
There is also an online questionnaire that doesn't take long to go through and that we'd encourage as many people as possible to complete it here.
[please note that the above link is a "word" copy of the online version that can be found on the consultation home page, see previous link]
And you can of course also write to us at:
bbccharterreview@culture.gsi.gov.uk
Or
BBC Charter Review Team
DCMS
2-4 Cockspur Street
London
SW1Y 5DHFollowing the consultation, the Government will be drafting a White Paper that will firm up those proposals where a number of options still remain.
GREEN PAPER - MAIN POINTS
Just as a reminder of the main points...Governance
· Governance system needs to be reformed and reconstituted to provide clear structural separation between the functions of delivery and oversight.
· We propose the creation of a new body that we have called the 'BBC Trust' to take on the oversight role; responsibility for delivery would be delegated to a formally constituted Executive Board.Funding
· The BBC should be funded by the TV licence fee for the next ten years.
· We will assess the funding needs of the BBC in order to set the level of the licence fee from April 2007 and there should be a further review towards the end of switchover of whether there might be a case for other funding methods, particularly subscription, to make a contribution after 2016.
· We will also review the existing licence fee collection policy.Constitution
· The best way of giving the BBC the independence and stability it needs will be to renew its Royal Charter for ten more years.Accountability
· BBC Trust should operate a new, rigorous system of performance measurement for every BBC service.
· This should be clear and transparent and should ensure that the BBC takes account of the thoughts and opinions of those who pay for the BBC. Complaints handling process could be improved.Size and Scale
· The BBC's current range of services has broad support and there are no proposals to shut down or privatise any of them - any significant change should be subject to a public value test.
· BBC requires sufficient scale to provide high quality services, excellence in training and research and to sustain critical mass of in-house production.
· BBC needs to operate a competitive commissioning system - will consider further both BBC's own proposal for "window of creative competition" and option of increasing 25% quota.
· Services should reflect full range of geographical communities in the UK, including making a greater contribution to regional programming for regional audiences - should also mean BBC moving its staff out of London to a greater extent, and supporting a range of production centres across the UK.Building Digital Britain
· The BBC has an important role to play in maintaining universal access to quality broadcasting;
· BBC needs to play a leading role in building digital Britain, developing and promoting new technology so that all licence fee payers can benefit;Commercial Services
· The BBC should be encouraged, as now, to generate income from commercial activity - for example by selling programmes overseas.
· Inefficient or poorly-performing commercial businesses should be sold. Commercial services should have sufficient links to BBC content. There should be no cross-subsidy from licence fee for commercial services, and all commercial businesses should be rigorously and transparently regulated.GREEN PAPER RESEARCH REPORT
The qualitative research project (undertaken to test the options contained in the Green Paper) can still be accessed hereSEMINARS
Transcripts of the seminars on Models of Governance, Culture, Sport Informed Citizenship, International Role, Radio, Learning, Representation of Nations Regions and Communities, Commercial Services, Television, Principles of Governance & Regulation, Funding, and Public Purpose can still be accessed hereWHAT'S HAPPENING IN DCMS AT THE MOMENT?
We're focusing primarily on the consultation and the follow up work around the issues covered in the Green Paper. The consultation work is focused on initial analysis of contributions received ahead of more detailed analysis to be carried out shortly, and the wider follow up work is being taken forward via a number of projects, with teams and plans already established.ARE THERE ANY CHARTER REVIEW EVENTS PLANNED?
Nothing at the moment, but some events may be arranged around the Green Paper consultation and details will posted on here when we have them.WHAT IS THE OVERALL TIMETABLE FOR THE CHARTER REVIEW?
2 May 2005 - Deadline for submissions to Lords Select Committee on Charter Review
31 May 2005 - Deadline for DCMS Green Paper consultation
Later in 2005 - White Paper and further consultation
2006 - CompletionWHO TO CONTACT?
Contacts in Government Departments can contact me directly on
nick.crowther@culture.gsi.gov.ukor 020 7211 6422 at any time, and with any thoughts on any aspect of the Review. I would encourage stakeholder organisations to whom this note is forwarded to contact their stakeholder managers within the Department, who will forward any comments to me. Or, if something comes up at short notice you'd like to pass on to us or would like advice on, then you can of course always contact me directly. All feedback will be considered very carefully.
More soon from the Charter Review Team.
Michelle McCarthy
BBC Charter Review
Department for Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS)
4th Floor
2-4 Cockspur Street
London
SW1Y 5DH
Tel: 020 7211 6918 (Fax ext:6330)What do you think of the BBC? We are consulting on the key proposals and questions contained in the Government's Green Paper 'A strong BBC, independent of government', and would like to receive your views. Please complete our online questionnaire at www.bbccharterreview.org.uk. Thank you."
LINKSUK Parliament web site
Parliament live - video archive
Charter Review web site
BBC - The Future
Last modified: Wednesday, May 11, 2005
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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.
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Previous stories
Public Service Broadcasting
BBC - How it must change
Model answers for BBC charter consulation
Europe’s media unions back BBC workers in jobs fight
Charter Review Monthly Update - April 2005
Leading broadcasters to speak on Future of the BBC and ITV
Unions to strike over BBC job cuts
BBC cuts will be devastating, says IFJ
Thompson cuts rip heart out of BBC
Protecting public service broadcasting
Replacing the BBC licence fee...
Final line up for Peacock conference
Green paper is good in parts, says CPBF
BBC governors to go, its public service role to stay
Conference to defend Public Service Broadcasting
Governance of the BBC: Social Market Foundation event
2005 crucial year for public service broadcasting
BBC - How it must change
BBC Charter Review Monthly report - No.4 (August 2004)
Welcome
