Richard Collins

Richard Collins is a semi-retired academic and punctilious TV licence fee payer. He has recently been adopted by the ERGTI aliens as a pet.

Decriminalising the BBC licence fee?

A supporter of Ourbeeb has intercepted this message which appears to provide evidence that extra-terrestrial aliens have the earth under surveillance.

By Richard Collins

/ 29 Apr 2014

Rupert, Rebekah and media 'effix'

Ethical journalism requires that the ends justify the means. The lesson of the phone hacking scandal, argues Richard Collins, shouldn't be to preclude certain investigative practices, but to ensure that the alignment of means and ends is open to scrutiny and adjudication.

By Richard Collins

/ 19 Jul 2011

Richard Collins

When copyright law was harmonised with patent law, the world economy benefitted from the boost provided by the reduced price of knowledge: the C21st’s taxes on knowledge fell. Led

By Richard Collins

/ 4 May 2011

The governance and regulation of the BBC

The House of Lords communications select committee is investigating the governance and regulation of the BBC. Changes since the election will increase the responsibilities of the BBC, with funding for

By Richard Collins

/ 7 Apr 2011

Getting public service broadcasting reviews "just right"

Public Service Broadcasting needs a review that raises its head above the parapet and surveys the changing media landscape, argues Richard Collins.

By Richard Collins

/ 7 Jul 2010

The BBC's shoot a small puppy strategem

The BBC Strategy Review is given a duly cynical reading by Richard Collins

By Richard Collins

/ 12 Apr 2010

Public service broadcasting: yesterday, today and tomorrow

Richard Collins explores Britain's complex broadcasting inheritance and asks how we can make use of changing circumstances and technologies to overcome the crisis in the provision of public service content

By Richard Collins

/ 29 Mar 2010

Identity & Television: Europe on Screen

The European Unions (EU) Television without Frontiers Directive (TVWF) is due for renewal. Now is a good time to examine its underpinning assumptions, and the grounds on which

By Richard Collins

/ 28 May 2003

Bringing oxygen into the magic circle

Andrew Graham and David Elstein are both right and both wrong. Their exchange on the future of public service broadcasting has the character of an Irish Elk act lots of

By Richard Collins

/ 13 Jun 2001