Can the new Charter protect the BBC’s independence?

If the BBC’s independence is to be preserved, we must focus not only on the policy outcomes but the policy reform process itself.

By Damian Tambini

Published: January 29, 2016, 5:01 pm

BBC New Broadcasting House

2016 is set to be a significant year for the BBC, with a new settlement on the Royal Charter that underpins the Corporation’s governance and funding arrangements due to be agreed. Media policy watchers in the UK are focused on the fine detail of regulatory design outcomes (will it be Ofcom, OfBeeb or some form of self-regulation for the BBC? Will Channel Four be sold off?) We should also reflect on the process of reform. We might find that the chilling effect that occurs as rules are being devised could be a greater threat to broadcaster independence than the new rules themselves, and that protecting independence is about more than fine tuning management and lines of accountability.

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