licence fee

Lisa Nandy, the Culture Secretary, has said that nothing is off the table as the Government grapples with one of British broadcasting’s biggest questions: how to fund the BBC as the future of the licence fee comes into sharp focus in the run-up to renewal of the BBC’s royal charter, which expires in 2027. The BBC Director-General, Tim Davie, said in May: “We are not asking for the status quo. We want modernisation and reform. But in doing so, we must safeguard universality.

Another week, another BBC media storm. As allegations of rape and other forms of sexual abuse emerged against Russell Brand, a former Radio 2 and Radio 6 Music presenter who resigned in 2008 following a prank phone call to actor Andrew Sachs, the BBC’s Director-­General, Tim Davie, once again found himself having to defend the corporation’s culture.

The level of threat the BBC is under in the run-up to Charter Renewal is in danger of being exaggerated, former BBC Director-General Greg Dyke told Radio 4’s The Media Show.

Dyke was part of a panel discussing the future of the broadcaster, and added that it would be a “terrible mistake” for the BBC to stop making popular shows such as Strictly Come Dancing.

The BBC Trust "has proved itself a busted flush" as increasingly fractious charter renewal negotiations between the Government and the BBC gather pace.

Shadow secretary of state for culture, media and sport Chris Bryant MP told a packed RTS event Tuesday evening that the public broadcaster's regulator had markedly failed in its duty to protect the interests of licence fee payers since the UK general election.