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The same but different

27 May 2016 / Athelstane Aamodt
Issue: 7700 / Categories: Opinion
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Do the government proposals for future-proofing the BBC lack vision? Athelstane Aamodt reviews the evidence

So it’s finally here: the government has published its white paper on the renewal of the BBC’s Royal Charter, entitled A BBC For The Future: A Broadcaster Of Distinction. It’s big, coming in at 136 (bafflingly, unnumbered) pages, rather more than its predecessor, the 2006 White Paper A Public Service For All: The BBC In The Digital Age, which was almost half the length at 76 pages.

The main points of the white paper are:

  • the licence fee remains intact, and will increase in line with inflation;
  • a new “unitary board” is proposed that would replace the BBC Trust and the BBC Executive;
  • the BBC’s content commissioning will be opened up to greater competition and the guarantee of in-house production will be removed except in the case of news and current affairs;
  • a new public service fund will be created to “enhance plurality”;
  • the promotion of greater transparency, including “transparency on the remuneration of talent paid over £450,000”
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MOVERS & SHAKERS

DWF—19 appointments

DWF—19 appointments

Belfast team bolstered by three senior hires and 16 further appointments

Cadwalader—Andro Atlaga

Cadwalader—Andro Atlaga

Firm strengthens leveraged finance team with London partner hire

Knights—Ella Dodgson & Rebecca Laffan

Knights—Ella Dodgson & Rebecca Laffan

Double hire marks launch of family team in Leeds

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