BY LUCY CAULKETT
The White paper is to regulate the BBC for the first time in its 90 year history.
The announcement about White Paper’s publication by the Government set out by the culture secretary, Whiittengale, has as its aim to set out an operation of a more robust and ”clearly defined governance and regulatory framework, more transparent and accountable to the public it serves.
The BBC’s external regulation means the independent regulator of-com will become the official regulator of the BBC , replacing the internal BBC Trust
Among the requirements are for the BBC to publish the names of its stars who earn £450,000 or more. Changes include:
- A rise in the license fee(£145.50) in line with inflation for the next 5 years.
- Plans by the government to introduce a new process for determining what the license fee costs every five years
- Viewers to be charged from now on for watching BBCi player, closing a loophole they say cost them 150m a year.
- The BBC charter to be renewed every 11 years rather than 10 years.
- A strong unitary board for the BBC
- A press statement from the BBC read:
The funding agreement we made with the Government last year is confirmed. We will take on responsibility for TV licences for the over 75s, in exchange for modernization of the licence fee to close the iPlayer loophole this autumn, an increase in the licence fee linked to inflation, and no new top-slicing. With the extra £85 million per year for the World Service, the BBC’s funding settlement is comparable to other public sector bodies – where funding has not been protected.
The BBC’s reform programme is endorsed, so we can press ahead with plans to create BBC Studios as a commercial subsidiary and allowing the BBC, for the first time, to make programmes for others.
Importantly, the White Paper has not argued that the BBC should reduce its scale or scope, or that we should sell commercial assets. This will ensure that the BBC is able to make fantastic programmes for the British public. It also acknowledges the BBC’s significant progress on improving efficiency.
Tony Hall, Director-General of the BBC, said: “This White Paper delivers a mandate for the strong, creative BBC the public believe in. A BBC that will be good for the creative industries – and most importantly of all, for Britain.
DISCONTENT
However, the BBC expressed discontent on some aspects of the White paper. Director general, Tony Hall said: “We have an honest disagreement with the Government on this. I do not believe that the appointments proposals for the new unitary board are yet right. We will continue to make the case to government. It is vital for the future of the BBC that its independence is fully preserved.”
While there are many things we strongly back and endorse in the White Paper, the current proposals for the unitary board require further consideration. In terms of the process, we think the chairman and deputy chairman should be appointed by the Government through an independent public appointments process. After that, we want a board that is the right size, with the right balance of skills and the right talents, appointed in the right way.
DEBATE
The BBC feel that certain aspects of the White paper need to be further debated as they feel there are areas of the White paper with the potential to undermine their independence and discretion in their operations.
Rona Fairhead, Chairman of BBC Trust, said: “We recognize that the Government has moved, but we need to debate these issues to ensure the arrangements for the board achieve the correct balance of independence, public oversight and operational effectiveness. We believe there is more than enough time to get this right, and we will continue to discuss this with the Government.”
DISTINCTIVE
With respect the call to be distinctive, the BBC emphasize that they are already distinctive, but support the ambition to be even more distinctive in the future. A statement by the BBC added.
1. ”It is important that the implementation of the White Paper’s proposals are done in a proportionate way to ensure the BBC’s creativity is enhanced and not diminished. We would not support the addition of red tape and box-ticking.
2. The BBC will shortly be announcing a set of reforms to BBC Online recommended by a creative review of the service announced last year and led by the BBC’s Director of News & Current Affairs.
3. We have also announced a new partnership with local news providers, building on the proposals we set out last September. These proposals will help ensure that there is strong scrutiny of local democracy and the courts system: bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/2016/bbc-nma-partnership
4. The importance of the BBC determining what programmes it makes and when it shows them has been preserved. The Government has no plans to tell the BBC what programmes to make, or when to show them, nor is it providing regulators with the power to do so. The White Paper, rightly, says this is a matter for the BBC’s board – just as it is today.
5. The Government has also set up a contestable fund for diversity and children’s programming, which they will consult on in the autumn. This fund is designed for other broadcasters, and will be funded by the Government from their previous under-spend on broadband funding.
6. The BBC has also set out proposals for how it will enhance coverage and representation in the nations. A copy of the proposals can be viewed here: bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/st
The BBC acknowledge the White paper as one that will provide the BBC with long term stability and a strong foundation to continue to inform, educate and entertain the entire British public. It will according to the BBC
” allow the BBC to be more open, more creative and more distinctive than ever – a beacon of quality, and a standard-bearer of British values, admired the world over”.
The White paper to be regulate the BBC is expected to be beneficial to the BBC and the public in general, but there have been allegations levied against the Culture Secretary for ”meddling” in the BBC affairs. It is not certain whether there might be ulterior motives in the Culture’s secretary’s proposals especially after the BBC revealed only last month an affair he had with a prostitute, which the culture secretary claimed not to have known she was a prostitute.
STORM
The revelation kicked up a storm, with some news outlets initially accused of deliberately covering him up by not publishing the revelation which they knew about and the BBC criticized in some quarters for revealing the news. However, the decision to reveal the news was right, because it was and still is useful information to have, and also within the brackets of the broadcasters rights to free expression where there is a public interest. It is reasonably arguable that it was the Culture secretaries personal duty to know the job of any woman he becomes sexually involved in, and not complain if he failed to find out information that eventually leaks out to the press.
We hope to see any positives effects on the BBC intended by the White paper in order to retain the positive aspects of the BBC and benefit from any enhancements in its operation in such a way that will continue to serve the public in a great and valued manner.
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