It has been a day that mimics the twists and turns of some of the BBC’s own most popular dramas, and the finale may see the country’s most popular programmes soon fall under the axe. Early morning greeted us with the news that Cameron’s favourite think tank Policy Exchange had launched a report calling for the Beeb to spend less on popular viewing such as big sports events. This would deprive the vast majority of licence-paying viewers of seeing our top sportsmen and women in action. In contrast, the government’s recent decision to return the Ashes to terrestrial television was a boon for nation and strengthened access for all.
The plot took a new turn this afternoon as Tory darling Dan Hannan MEP revealed he may be breaking the law by not paying his licence fee and watching BBC programmes only online. A Conservative spokesman has already tried to distance the party from one of their own, but the party seems confused. Will they also follow the Policy Exchange wish to ditch under-35 programming? The BBC, as well as under-threat Channel 4, should retain their mandate to cater for the population as a whole. With a general election looming the Conservative party need to make clear their intentions on the BBC and public service broadcasting.
Speaking exclusively to Progress, culture secretary Ben Bradshaw said: ‘This reveals what the Tories would really do to the BBC if they won power. It’s a typical, outdated and right wing approach that believes the market is the answer to everything and does not understand the value or importance of public service broadcasting.’
Mr.Bradshaw will defend the BBC. After all I’m sure he will want his old job back once the good citizens of Exeter give him the boot in a few weeks time.
If the BBC spends less on sport, then Rupert Murdoch will have less competition (a nice quid pro quo for News International’s support for the Tories) and pay less to get the events on Sky Sports.
And the sports themselves will have less income and less to invest in more junior levels of the sport and so on.
So the sports lose out and Murdoch profits – who funded this Policy Exchange report and with what objective?
What a shambles from the Tories and a ridiculous outcome to cut back even further,than that has already happened,good popular programming and access for all.Is this Tory working party the one that Greg Dyke sat on?Has he changed his tune. That is not only sad but disappointing that he has allowed himself to go in that direction since being sacked as beeb DG. If has gone that far then he is not the big man I once thought he was.What we want from our beeb is an independent service,aiming for quality comedy,drama,news and sport. its remit to educate,entertain and inform. Leave it alone sad policos and their associates and hangers on.