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Yesterday OFCOM, the UK regulator for telecom and media announced that some of the BBC license fee could be handed to its rivals such as BskyB in return for making programmes, which served a public purpose. The announcement was made when OFCOM presented its report on the future of public service broadcasting “The Digital Opportunity”. The document contains a wide range of proposals and opened a debate on the options the regulator is putting forward.



UNI affiliate BECTU responded to OFCOM’s announcement calling for the regulator to start listening to all stakeholders. BECTU has previously criticised the regulator for apparently preferring the voice of business to the voice of consumers and other stakeholders, as it seeks to fulfil its responsibility “to maintain and strengthen” public service broadcasting.



In its statement BECTU underlines that OFCOM activism has led to poorer public service than to strengthen it: Children’s TV and ITV regional news are just two of the areas which have suffered markedly from OFCOM’s failure to push the boundaries of its regulatory powers since its first review into PSB.



BECTU will be campaigning vigorously to ensure that PSB is strengthened as a result of this second review and will work with others who wish to do the same. And their European colleagues will support them and join the debate launched by OFCOM.



“We will work with BECTU and take part in the consultation on behalf of all our affiliates, because we share the fears and opinions of our UK colleagues,” UNI-MEI Director Jim Wilson said today. In a message to BECTU Wilson added, “the BBC model is unique and has brought quality broadcasting to generations of viewers and listeners in the UK and world wide. We believe viewers, listeners and broadcasting workers in Europe and in other regions want the BBC to continue to serve public interests and produce high quality programming in the digital economy. UNI-MEI will support BECTU in its efforts to oppose the top slicing of the BBC license fee and its campaign for a sustainable funding model”.





For more information please go to: http://www.bectu.org.uk/