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Purnell to address campaign’s ‘Keep Broadcasting Public’ conference
150/Kathleen Lowe
DATELINE: 25/2/06
The government’s long-awaited White Paper on the future of the BBC will be presented to trade unionists and media campaigners by the minister responsible for broadcasting, James Purnell, on Saturday 1 April. That is also the new date of a major conference 'Keep Broadcasting Public - BBC Charter Renewal’ where Mr Purnell, Minister for Creative Industries and Tourism, will be the keynote speaker.
The event is being held at the London headquarters of the National Union of Journalists - a joint conference of the CPBF, TUC and the Federation of Entertainment Unions (FEU).
In the White Paper and accompanying agreements the government will lay down its proposals for the BBC’s next Royal Charter - the ground rules for the BBC’s operations over the next decade. The conference has been moved to 1 April because the White Paper is not now due until March and because the new date offers the opportunity to debate with the Minister directly.
The broadcasting unions are already grappling with extensive job cuts and privatisation being inflicted on their members at the BBC. They fear that an unfavourable Charter, influenced by pressure from the big commercial broadcasters and the government’s desire to keep the BBC on a tight rein, could leave the Corporation with a much reduced role as a public service broadcaster.
Arrangements are in hand for the CPBF to put these concerns to Mr Purnell at a meeting on 7 February and the April conference will reinforce the Campaign’s efforts. The event will analyse central issues such as ‘top slicing’ of the licence fee, BBC governance, the role of Ofcom, and keeping production in-house. It will also organise a concerted campaigning push on the Charter when it comes before Parliament in the late spring.
Full details of speakers and the conference agenda will appear in the next issue of Free Press. Meanwhile readers can use the enclosed flyer to register and keep up to date with developments by visiting this website.
Last modified: Saturday, February 25, 2006
Previous public service broadcasting stories
‘Keep Broadcasting Public’ Conference: Minister to present new BBC Charter
BBC White Paper: Why The Delay?
Lords back licence fee
KEEP BROADCASTING PUBLIC
Lords Back Licence Fee
Conference to press for stronger BBC
Pressure on the BBC
White Paper delayed
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Lords slam Government's charter plans
Campaign rejects call for licence-fee to fund digital switch-over
Keep Broadcasting Public - revised and updated
Jowell confirms digital switchover timetable
Happy fiftieth for ITV?
BBC governance proposals are non-negotiable
Switch to digital threatens Public Service
NUJ calls on BBC bosses to give back bonuses
The BBC After The Strike
Robin Aitkin and the biased BBC
NEWS FROM THE USA: Inspiring Conference
CPBF Response to Green Paper
MAKE THE MEDIA AN ELECTION ISSUE
BBC Cuts
PLATFORM - Replacing the BBC Licence Fee
EU Commission gets tough
Latest from BBC Charter Review team
What the CPBF told the Lords and the DCMS
NUJ to oppose job cut plans at divisional level negotiations
BBC proposes framework for detailed negotiations
Ofcom publishes Charter Renewal response
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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
‘Keep Broadcasting Public’ Conference: Minister to present new BBC Charter
BBC White Paper: Why The Delay?
Lords back licence fee
KEEP BROADCASTING PUBLIC
Lords Back Licence Fee
Conference to press for stronger BBC
Pressure on the BBC
White Paper delayed
Digital TV campaign and the Midlands MPs
Lords slam Government's charter plans
Campaign rejects call for licence-fee to fund digital switch-over
Keep Broadcasting Public - revised and updated
Jowell confirms digital switchover timetable
Happy fiftieth for ITV?
BBC governance proposals are non-negotiable
Switch to digital threatens Public Service
NUJ calls on BBC bosses to give back bonuses
The BBC After The Strike
Robin Aitkin and the biased BBC
NEWS FROM THE USA: Inspiring Conference
CPBF Response to Green Paper
MAKE THE MEDIA AN ELECTION ISSUE
BBC Cuts
PLATFORM - Replacing the BBC Licence Fee
EU Commission gets tough
Latest from BBC Charter Review team
What the CPBF told the Lords and the DCMS
NUJ to oppose job cut plans at divisional level negotiations
BBC proposes framework for detailed negotiations
Ofcom publishes Charter Renewal response
