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Top-slicing: Kaufman decries 'stupid' legislation
http://www.bectu.org.uk/news/482
DATELINE: 19/10/09
Veteran MP, Gerald Kaufman, lent his support to the campaign to stop top-slicing of the BBC licence fee at the lobby of Parliament this week. The former chair of the parliamentary culture select committee joined fellow Labour MPs at a meeting called to discuss the government's Digital Britain proposals.Gerald Kaufman, often a critic of the BBC during his high-profile years, condemned the plan to hive off 3.5% of licence fee income as a "stupid piece of legislation."
Some 60 NUJ and BECTU representatives from across the country briefed MPs on their fears for the BBC's future independence from government should ministers proceed with the controversial proposal.
With 7,000 jobs cut by the BBC in the past four years and with the Labour Party preparing for a monumental fight at the next election, the BBC's long term future was at stake, speakers said. Speaking in defence of BBC funding and PSB, Mark Scrimshaw, chair of the union's BBC Division said "what we face now is nothing compared to what we may face next year."
Caroline Flint, Stephen Pound, Neil Gerrard and Jeremy Corbyn were amongst several MPs who took the time to pledge their support for the joint union campaign whilst recognising the urgent need for a new approach to ensure that commercial news media - both in broadcasting and print - can continue to provide a sustantial service to regional audiences.
Union speakers highlighted the existence of credible alternative ways of funding regional news from commercial broadcasters.
BECTU NEC member, Jane Perry, warned that the "government is being seduced by something that we know instinctively will not work." Peter Cox, also an NEC member, highlighted the lack of control of public funds which would ensue if independent producers, whose primary responsibility is to their shareholders, were to secure BBC funds in this way.
The discussion underlined the challenge which faces supporters of the licence fee in their efforts to preserve BBC funding, and with it, the good health of UK public service broadcasting. Stephen Pound expressed doubt that the unions' levy proposals would win political support whilst accepting that 'intellectually' the case was there to be made.
Jeremy Corbyn, meanwhile, worried that the public was being 'cut out' of the debate. "We've got to create popular support for the principles of public service broadcasting and we have got to develop this quickly," he said.
Neil Gerrard spoke pointedly about the threat to the local press. Hundreds of jobs have been lost this year due to lack of investment, the increasing influence of the internet and the recession in advertising.
Looking ahead, Caroline Flint, encouraged the unions to seek an adjournment debate to engage MPs across the House in the issues. The joint unions have circulated thousands of postcards urging support for the 'don't top-slice' campaign. Have you sent yours?
Next month's Queen's Speech will determine the next phase of the campaign.In September BECTU and the NUJ held fringe meetings at the Labour and Lib Dem party conferences.
Last modified: Wednesday, October 21, 2009
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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.
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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.
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DATELINE: 1/3/13
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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
Briefing on Product Placement
TV broadcasting in Northern Ireland under threat
New report shows we can bridge broadcasting funding gap
EU parliament hosts battle on future of public broadcasting
Troubled ITV cuts jobs and costs
MPs' report expected to question BBC and Channel 4 linkup
Government considering options to solve funding crisis at Channel Four
The Slippery Slope of Public Funding: Where Will it End? Now we know:
ITV strike ballot called off
Sertuc conference postponed
Here we go again!
Campaigning for quality television
The future of PSB - postponed
Opting Out
Citizenship and Public Service Broadcasting
How do Ofcom and the BBC Trust see their Roles?
Commission recommends new TV channel for Scotland
Ofcom's 'smash and grab' raid on the BBC licence fee
World Service threatened
Wales, Devolution and Democracy
CPBF responds to Ofcom public service review
NUJ slams 'simplistic' top-slicing arguments
PSB on ITV - No thanks!
BBC unions ballot for action on jobs
Crisis looms in kids' telly
Scottish Broadcasting Commission wants to hear your views
Begin the fight back: How corporate strategists neutered the BBC
Joint statement from the BBC, BECTU, the NUJ and UNITE
BBC unions ballot for action
New Labour takes revenge on BBC
Future of ITV PSB at stake
