The Committee is inviting submissions (by 6pm on Friday 17 April) on all aspects of the BBC Royal Charter Review including:
Purpose
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The purpose of the BBC given developments in technology and choice, and the fragmentation of audiences
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What will the BBC’s core activities look like in ten years’ time, and what will that mean for the size and scope of the BBC
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How should this be reflected in the BBC public purposes
Funding
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Whether the funding options set out in the Green Paper are ambitious enough for the challenges that the BBC is facing now, and is likely to face in the future
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Arguments in favour of the licence fee being kept as the best way to fund the BBC
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Ideas for reforming the licence fee to provide a more sustainable income, address evasion and avoidance, and how the level of the licence fee is set
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Arguments in favour of funding the BBC using a different model, including those not being considered in the Government consultation paper, and lessons from other countries which have moved from a licence fee to an alternative form of funding for their public service broadcaster
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Optimising the BBC’s commercial activities (a) in the UK, and (b) globally
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Optimising the iPlayer, BBC Archive and creating Intellectual Property
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The potential for further efficiency savings and reinvestment
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Funding of the BBC World Service
Trust and relevance
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How the BBC can be made more valued and trusted by audiences across the UK, in particular by those who do not see value in the licence fee
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Improving the BBC’s engagement and consultation processes with audiences, in particular where there is less engagement with the BBC
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Attracting young audiences
Across the UK
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The balance of its activities, including decision making, throughout the UK
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The provision of services in minority languages
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Creating a workforce that is representative of the UK
Future of Public Service Media
- Areas of media policy and regulation that should be considered in parallel to BBC Charter Review, including: i) The relationships between the BBC and (a) wider UK Public Service Media, and (b) international media, such as the streamers and video sharing platforms; ii) The priorities in the Government’s Creative Industries Sector Plan and Ofcom’s Transmission Critical report; iii) The transition from traditional TV distribution (DTT) to TV via the internet (IPTV); and iv) The challenges and opportunities of Artificial Intelligence
An independent and accountable BBC
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The balance between using Charter Review to increase the BBC’s independence and at the same time obligating the BBC to do more and specific activities
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The effectiveness of the current Governance arrangements for the BBC including the processes for appointments to the Board
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The difference a permanent Charter would make to the average licence fee payer
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If the Charter is made permanent, what part of the arrangement between the Government and the BBC should still be subject to periodic review
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The effectiveness of mechanisms for holding the BBC to account, including by the public, Parliament, Ofcom, and the devolved administrations
Trusted news and the BBC
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Providing accurate and impartial news and current affairs, with high editorial standards
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The BBC’s role countering misinformation and disinformation
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Supporting local news reporting