1 Introduction
1. In March 2006, the Government published its White
Paper on the BBC, A public service for all: the BBC in the
digital age, which set out the framework for the BBC's role
as a public service broadcaster for the next ten years. The Government
stated that the BBC will remain central to public service broadcasting
in the UK, but recognised that the other public service broadcasters—ITV,
Channel 4, Five, S4C and Teletext—also make important
contributions. The Government noted, however, that the spread
of digital television raised questions about the extent to which
the current public service broadcasting system, and the way it
is funded, can be sustained in the future, particularly after
the completion of digital switchover in 2012. The Office of Communications
(Ofcom), the UK's communications regulator, also raised concerns
about the future viability of the current public service broadcasting
arrangements in its first review of public service television
broadcasting in 2005.
2. We therefore decided to conduct an inquiry into
the future provision of public service media content, announcing
its terms of reference on 26 October 2006. Evidence
was invited on the following issues.
- The prospects for maintaining
plurality in public service broadcasting in the digital age.
- The practicality of continuing to impose public
service obligations on commercial broadcasters.
- The viability of existing funding models for
ITV, Channel 4 and Five.
- The case for public funding of broadcasters in
addition to the BBC.
- The future of key areas of public service media
content such as news provision and children's programming.
- The value of the public service publisher concept
as advanced by Ofcom.
- The case for provision of public service material
on new media.
3. We received a wide range of written submissions
and we also held eight oral evidence sessions between February
and June 2007. In our first session we heard from Lord Burns,
David Elstein, Tim Gardam and Jeremy Mayhew and from consumer
interests, represented by Jocelyn Hay, Richard North, David Buckingham
and Kirsty Young. Our second session covered public service content
and radio, with representatives from the RadioCentre (Lisa Kerr),
Tindle Radio (Kevin Stewart), GCap Media (Simon Cooper) and Classic
FM (Darren Henley) and the views of the independent production
sector, represented by Pact (John McVay and Mike Watts). The advertising
funded public service broadcasters were the focus of our third
session, where we heard from Channel 4 (Andy Duncan
and Anne Bulford), ITV (Michael Grade and John Cresswell) and
Five (Jane Lighting and Sue Robertson).
4. In our fourth session we heard from the BBC (Mark
Thompson and
Caroline Thomson), S4C (Iona Jones), SMG (Bobby Hain) and the
Institute of Local Television (Dave Rushton). Our fifth session
was with Greg Dyke, BSkyB (Mike Darcey, Graham McWilliam
and Martin Le Jeune), Anthony Lilley, Stephan Shakespeare and
ITN (Mark Wood). Ofcom (Ed Richards and Tim Suter) appeared in
our sixth session and in our seventh session we heard from Irwin
Stelzer and the Satellite and Cable Broadcasters' Group (Geoff
Metzger). Our final session was with the Rt Hon Shaun Woodward
MP, then Minister for Creative Industries and Tourism.
5. The Committee visited Canada and the United States
in relation to this inquiry, where we gained an overview of the
Canadian broadcasting policy and regulatory framework and a better
understanding of the impact of new technologies on the provision
of public service content. We also benefited considerably from
the assistance of our Specialist Adviser on broadcasting, Ray
Gallagher, and we are very grateful to him for his help and advice.
6. Digital switchover is fast approaching and the
Government and Ofcom have both recognised that consideration of
the future of public service content needs to be done sooner rather
than later. We note that Ofcom has brought forward its second
statutory review of public service television broadcasting, which
has just commenced, and we also note that the Government has announced
its own review of public service funding, drawing on Ofcom's conclusions.[1]
This inquiry has therefore been very timely and we hope that this
Report will help inform both Ofcom and the Government's policy
processes.
1 Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport,
Speech to the Royal Television Society, 20 June 2007 Back
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