What a busy few months it’s been for media moguls and the broadcast ‘bros’!
Having successfully completed an $8 billion merger with Skydance earlier this year, Paramount then turned its attentions to wooing Warner Bros. Discovery, only to find both Netflix and Disney had also been sending flowers. While initially it looked as though Netflix had been successful in its suit, Paramount has since mounted a hostile takeover bid. The ensuing kerfuffle has even attracted the attention of President Trump who now says he’ll be “involved” in deciding which of the rivals gets to take Warner Bros home. In the meantime, Delta Airlines has a new deal with YouTube which means its passengers will get its content on tap. Closer to home, Canal+ has taken over the South African broadcaster MultiChoice and Comcast/Sky is in negotiations to buy parts of ITV.
If you were in any doubt about either the international nature of modern-day media business or how quickly new tech and older media are converging, doubt no more.
All of which makes the forthcoming BBC charter renewal process seem almost quaintly parochial by contrast. And while comparisons to David and Goliath are not quite apt given both the national and global stature of the BBC, what it throws into relief is just how distinctive and unique an institution our national broadcaster is.
To be clear, as a public corporation, the BBC belongs to and is beholden to us – the people – which is why we should all be interested in making sure it is fit for its purpose of educating, entertaining and informing audiences both now and in the future.
As part of SSMT’s advocacy work, we collaborate with a range of organisations to promote and celebrate the distinctiveness of the UK’s public service media and to protect the vital contribution it makes to civic life. The British Broadcasting Challenge is one of them.
Set up four years ago, the British Broadcasting Challenge, has written a new report “Renewing the BBC: A New Charter For Britain and For the World”, with recommendations designed to future proof the BBC in an increasingly uncertain and polarised world where global media powers are increasingly being concentrated in the hands of a few.
Their recommendations include:
- A new and permanent Charter establishing the BBC’s right to exist in perpetuity
- An independent body with responsibility for appointing the governing board
- An independent assessment of BBC funding
- A new BBC purpose of countering disinformation
- Operating agreements between BBC and government to be updated every 10 years
Click here to read the report and their recent letter to the Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy.
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