The BBC as ‘a unique public sector cultural organisation’, according to John Ellis (Royal Holloway, University of London), and broadcasting is no longer the only way of carrying out its mission to inform, educate and entertain. ‘If the BBC genuinely believes that TV will migrate online – which after all is the rationale for BBC3 a a broadcast service’, Ellis argues, the next obvious stage is linking licence fee to i-Player and not broadcasting. Read Ellis’s five arguments about the BBC here
On 31 December 2016 the BBC’s Royal Charter will expire. What should the future for the BBC as a public service broadcaster look like in a fast-changing digital landscape? How should it be financially supported, and by whom? Should it continue to hold its place as the nation’s leading public service broadcaster, and benefit from a universal licence fee? Join us via live stream on Tuesday 15th December from 6 pm onwards which is available on our events page – as policymakers and practitioners take on this hotly debated topic to consider how this British institution should be funded.
Confirmed speakers:
Greg Dyke, former Director-General of the BBC (2000-4)
Brian Eno, musician and producer; delivered the BBC Music John Peel Lecture 2015
Professor Mariana Mazzucato, RM Phillips Professorship in the Economics of Innovation, University of Sussex
Toby Syfret, Head of TV, Enders Analysis
The event is chaired by Lord (David) Puttnam, former Deputy Chairman of Channel 4 (2006-12)
“The idea that young people are going to get to a certain age and automatically return to TV and linear scheduling is deeply misguided. The spread of young audiences across multiple content sources and delivery methods is set to increase as they get older. Social media is the EPG of the next generation and disengaging from the proprietary mind-set and spending more of the licence fee on shows that find the audience, wherever they may be, is the key to the BBC’s continued evolution.” Read the full article by Luke Hyams in Huffington Post.
“The dismemberment of the UK’s regional television system provides a cautionary tale. If it teaches us anything, it’s that promises would be made – then broken – and vital obligations chipped away, resulting in something indistinguishable from Channel 5, which cannot possibly be in the interest of the broad televisual audience” according to David Puttnam. Read the article in full by David Abraham in Campaign.
According to Einar Thorsen (Bournemouth University) the freedom to innovate is one of the core purposes of public service television. Focusing on the BBC’s contribution to digital and multi-platform media, Thorsen argues for strengthening of the commitment and inclusion of web and mobile platforms in the delivery of public service. Read Thorsen’s submission here