Government announces plans for BBC future

The government has announced a string of new changes that will be implemented to secure the BBC’s future.

The following plans have been announced by the Culture Secretary, John Whittingdale:

– BBC Trust to be abolished. Ofcom will take regulate the BBC’s output for the first time.
– Pay of top stars above �450,000 will have to be disclosed.
– The �145.50 licence fee will increase in line with inflation until 2022
– People watching BBC programmes on BBC iPlayer will have to obtain a TV licence

John Whittingdale said, “The BBC will operate in a more robust and more clearly defined governance and regulatory framework and it will be more transparent and accountable to the public it serves, who rely on the BBC to be the very best it can possibly be, so it can inform, educate and entertain for many years to come.”

Tony Hall, Director-General of the BBC, said, ���This White Paper delivers a mandate for the strong, creative BBC the public believe in. A BBC that will be good for the creative industries – and most importantly of all, for Britain. There has been a big debate about the future of the BBC. Searching questions have been asked about its role and its place in the UK. That�۪s right and healthy, and I welcome that debate. At the end, we have an 11-year Charter, a licence fee guaranteed for 11 years, and an endorsement of the scale and scope of what the BBC does today. The White Paper reaffirms our mission to inform, educate and entertain all audiences on television, on radio and online.”

Rona Fairhead, current chairman of the BBC Trust, said, “We recognise that the Government has moved, but we need to debate these issues to ensure the arrangements for the board achieve the correct balance of independence, public oversight and operational effectiveness. We believe there is more than enough time to get this right, and we will continue to discuss this with the Government.”

Extracts from Sky News