When I wrote yesterday about the ubiquity of the BBC and it’s expansionist tendencies, I hadn’t expected a further flurry of ministerial speeches on the subject. So, it was a surprise to read that the views of the Labour government’s Culture Secretary, Ben Bradshaw, agree with mine, and more importantly with those of his Conservative opposite, Jeremy Hunt. 

The Guardian reports on Ben Bradshaw’s speech yesterday to the Royal Television Society Cambridge Convention. Some of the key points in his speech about the BBC are that:

The BBC probably has reached the limits of reasonable expansion. 

The BBC is right to be looking more carefully at what it pays its stars and executives.

There may indeed be a case for a smaller licence fee.

The National Audit Office should have access to the BBC’s accounts.

The BBC Trust regulatory structure is not a sustainable model in the long term.

There’s an urgent need for a debate on BBC’s future, role, size, and funding. 

 

The Guardian has a response to the speech from Jeremy Hunt, the conservative shadow culture secretary, saying accusing the government of stealing Conservative policies.

“People will ask if there is any consistency whatsoever in media policy when the culture secretary has proposed abolishing a body set up by his own government less than three years ago.”

It appears that Jeremy Hunt is addressing the same conference today. I imagine he’ll be working hard making adjustments to his speech. I’m not sure that it’s not preferable to be first, than have to both respond, while also putting your own ideas forward. More on this later, as they say.