by Justin Schlosberg Time for a review of impartiality rules during elections? It is frequently said that a free media is the cornerstone of a healthy democracy and none more so than during an election period. But democracy is only well served if all political views are given equal prominence and fair interrogation. We know we have a partisan press but during … [Read more...]
BBC Panorama on anti-semitism: a catalogue of reporting failures
The BBC transmitted an edition of Panorama on 10 July called ‘Is Labour Anti-Semitic?’, presented by John Ware. It contained allegations that senior Labour figures close to Jeremy Corbyn had interfered with the internal investigations process and that the Party was insufficiently committed to tackling anti-semitism within its own ranks. In response, the Labour … [Read more...]
BBC delivers government policy as it scraps free licence fee concession for most over-75s
The BBC has today taken a decision that effectively positions it as an outpost of the Department for Work and Pensions. By agreeing to take away free licences for the vast majority of the over- 75s, the Corporation is implementing government cuts instead of standing up to them. While some 1.5 million households may be eligible for free licences if at least one resident … [Read more...]
Media Manifesto 2019
MRC has pulled together extensive academic research and a number of briefing reports produced by, and in consultation with, a broad range of experts and stakeholders to produce our latest Media Manifesto. It charts a roadmap towards genuine progressive reform that is both practical and radical; replacing legacy frameworks with a media policy fit for the 21st century. It … [Read more...]
BBC consultation on Over-75s licences: Government should fund its own welfare policy
The Media Reform Coalition has published its submission to the ongoing consultation on who should fund free licences for the over-75s. The BBC is set to assume full responsibility for the £750 million cost from 2020. We have no desire to see this "concession" disappear but believe that the government should fully fund it seeing as it was included as a central platform of their … [Read more...]
MRC submission to BBC Editorial Guidelines consultation
The BBC is currently consulting on its editorial guidelines, the rules that govern the Corporation's relationship to, for example, impartiality, accuracy, commercial references and harm and offence. We believe that the draft guidelines set out important principles, provisions and protections. But the issue with the BBC has always been less with its official editorial … [Read more...]
BBC Reform Proposals: Parliamentary launch 16 October
Following the publication of the Media Reform Coalition's draft proposals on the future of the BBC, we have organised a public debate on "The Future of the BBC: Public Media in the Age of Google and Facebook" in Committee Room 9, Palace lf Westminster at 6.30pm on Tuesday 16 October. Free tickets are available here. We have also received some tremendous endorsements for the … [Read more...]