BBC told to axe makeovers and focus on public service

by Sam Matthews,, Brand Republic 01-Dec-04, 15:45

LONDON – The BBC should focus on its core public service broadcasting and scrap its makeover shows are some of the suggestions of the independent panel advising media secretary Tessa Jowell on the BBC's 10-year Royal Charter.

The Burns Panel has released a paper and a seminar to debate how the corporation might be run and regulated from 2006, and its suggestions include the focus on public service broadcasting and that the BBC's remit should be independently defined so it can judged in relation to commercial broadcasters.

The paper, overseen by Abbey National chairman Lord Terry Burns, also mentions the need to scrap "make-over" shows and "certain types of gameshows", which had become too popular and widespread.

By doing this, the BBC would be able to play a more complementary role to the public service content of other broadcasters.

The paper is to be discussed between the government and the BBC at a governance seminar on Friday December 3.

There are three main models that will be considered during the panel's final seminar: reformed internal regulation -- the Building Public Value model recently set out by BBC chairman Michael Grade; external regulation by either Ofcom or a newly formed "Ofbeeb"; or a hybrid of the two -- an "Inbeeb".

The findings of the seminar will then feed into a green paper due to be published early next year, affecting the BBC's Royal Charter, which concerns the government's funding of the corporation for the next decade.

Lord Burns, chair of the panel, said: "We have debated a range of issues in our public seminars and have found that there is widespread agreement that we need an appropriate system of governance and regulation for the future.

"In our paper, we have set out a range of options along with some of the advantages and disadvantages of each option as a basis for discussion at the seminar."

A BBC spokesperson said of the Burns paper: "It is a thoughtful document informed by the panel's substantial work to date and we look forward to debating the issues it raises."

From December 2003 to March 2004, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport held a public consultation on the BBC Charter review, which included meetings with the public and industry.

Jowell and the minister for broadcasting Lord McIntosh also took part in a series of visits across the UK to gauge the range of views on the BBC's future. Around 5,500 responses were received in total.

In June 2004, Jowell appointed the independent panel to collate the evidence from the public consultation and research.

The panel has drawn upon its range of expertise and experience to bring the public interest to bear on the central questions that surround the future of the BBC.

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