Annex B
Proposed Tier 3 requirements
Public Voice fully supports the 3WE proposals
outlined below:
3WE proposals on Tier 3 requirements:
— that there is a role for legislation
in making fully explicit what the Tier 3 requirements on broadcasters
are;
— that the remit reviews for Channel
4 and Channel 5 should aim to achieve strong and specific wordings
on their core requirements (and that in the case of Channel 4
the existing remit is not weakened here) against which they can
be held to account;
— that there are methods and systems,
short of "box-ticking" or quotas, for the objective
external measurement of public service broadcasters' performance
with regard to Tier 3 requirements;
— that the Secretary of State should
require OFCOM to have an internal unit or department dedicated
to, and with expertise in, the monitoring and enforcement of positive
content obligations in Tiers 2 and 3;
— that, in the event that OFCOM's reach
does not extend to the BBC for Tier 3 requirements, the Secretary
of State should ensure that his own department contains expertise
in monitoring and enforcing positive content requirements for
the BBC (see below for OFCOM and the BBC);
— that the Secretary of State should
establish a citizens' panel, as an advisory board to OFCOM's positive
content department, able to research, consult publicly and comment
upon broadcasters' achievement of their core requirements; to
give input to OFCOM's reports on public service broadcasting to
the Secretary of State; and to suggest innovations in public service
broadcasting;
— that, in the event that OFCOM's reach
does not extend to the BBC for Tier 3 requirements, the Secretary
of State should establish a similar citizens' panel to work with
the BBC board of governors; and
— that the regulators be given active
powers in graduated steps (short of the withdrawal of licences
and/or the use of "back-stop" powers) in order to intervene
with public service broadcasters who are measurably failing on
Tier 3 requirements.
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