Immediately after the outbreak of the pandemic, the Culture Select Committee launched an inquiry into the funding, regulation and remit of public service broadcasting. Given recent attacks on the BBC in particular by senior members of the government, including the prime minister, MRC believes it is vital both to defend the principle of public media but also to emphasise, once … [Read more...]
Coronavirus has strengthened the case for the BBC
Our second article on the impact of Coronavirus on media policy debate features a contribution from Professor Jonathan Hardy who argues that the need for the "collective provision of information and creative communications as a public service" - as epitomised by the BBC - has been strengthened by Covid-19. His article comes days before the deadline for the government's … [Read more...]
Democratise the BBC!
by Des Freedman With the resignation of Tony Hall as director general, there is talk of an ‘existential crisis’ at the BBC. The corporation is facing yet more budget cuts and the further centralisation of commissioning. Hall’s departure follows Boris Johnson’s threat to boycott the Today programme and Samira Ahmed’s … [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...]