This Library Note sets out background information about the BBC’s purpose, funding and independence and explains the Royal Charter renewal process. It then provides an overview of the green paper’s four themes and highlights the views on these of the BBC Trust and, where relevant, those expressed by parliamentary committees.
BBC: Future Financing and Independence (611 KB, PDF)
The BBC is established by Royal Charter, rather than an Act of Parliament. It was first incorporated by Royal Charter in 1927, with subsequent renewals running for various periods of five, ten, twelve and fifteen years. The current Charter, Broadcasting: Copy of Royal Charter for the Continuance of the British Broadcasting Corporation, was laid before Parliament in October 2006. It came into effect in January 2007 and will run until 31 December 2016. The Charter sets out the public purposes of the BBC, guarantees its independence and provides the duties of the BBC Trust and Executive Board, which form its governance structure. It also makes provision for a Framework Agreement to be made between the Secretary of State and Director-General. This agreement provides more detail about those topics set out in the Charter but also those that are not, such as funding and its regulatory duties. The current Agreement, Broadcasting: An Agreement Between Her Majesty’s Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport and the British Broadcasting Corporation, was laid before Parliament in July 2006.
On 16 July 2015, John Whittingdale, the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, announced to the House of Commons that the Government had published a green paper as a first step towards the BBC’s Charter renewal. Mr Whittingdale told MPs that the BBC Charter Review would consider four key questions:
• What is the overall purpose of the BBC?
• What services and content should the BBC provide?
• How should the BBC be funded?
• How should the BBC be governed and regulated?
BBC: Future Financing and Independence (611 KB, PDF)
The Queen’s Speech is taking place on 11 May 2021. This will set out the Government’s legislative and policy programme for the new parliamentary session. This article provides a summary of the Government’s proposals for digital, culture, media and sport that may be included in the speech.
The Audiovisual Media Services Regulations 2020 transposed a revised EU directive into UK law. The current amendment regulations would make some changes to the earlier set, most notably to amend the duties placed on Ofcom, the regulator. The House of Lords Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Committee has raised some concerns about the UK’s ability to tackle online harm now that the UK has left the EU.
The British Library Board (Power to Borrow) Bill would grant the British Library board new powers to borrow money. This private member’s bill, introduced in the House of Commons, has received cross-party support. Having completed its initial stages in the Commons on 12 March 2021, it is scheduled to be debated at second reading in the House of Lords on 19 March 2021. This article summarises the bill’s provisions and its passage through the Commons.
