BBC Chairman Proposes Abolishing “Odd” Decade-Long Charter Renewal System

The chairman of the BBC has stated that the current practice of renewing the broadcaster’s royal charter every decade is “really odd” and ought to be abolished. This charter, which is formulated by the government, outlines the BBC’s operational terms and objectives, and typically remains in effect for approximately ten years. Samir Shah explained that this process forces the corporation into a “cycle of a root and branch of review of everything we do, including our own existence, which is not necessary”. He noted that other entities, such as the British Council and the Bank of England, do not operate under a fixed term, asserting that “we should be like every other royal charter”. A government spokesperson commented that the BBC has been “effectively supported by regular charter renewals” for a hundred years. Dr. Shah made these remarks following his inaugural significant speech since assuming the role of BBC chair in March. He questioned BBC News, “Don’t you think it’s really odd that of all the organisations created by a royal charter, and there are over 1,000 of them, we’re the only ones that have got a time limit on it?” The government recently conducted an 18-month mid-charter review of the BBC, and Dr. Shah indicated that both parties would soon engage in two years of discussions regarding the renewal of the current charter, which is set to expire in 2027. He stated, “We’re in constant dialogue about the very existence of the BBC, we’ve had a root and branch review of everything we do.” During his speech delivered in Leeds on Tuesday, he asserted that there was “an almost perpetual government review over the BBC”. He proposed either establishing a permanent charter or drafting new legislation as alternative methods to formalize the BBC’s ongoing existence. He remarked, “Clearly either of those two approaches would involve finding new ways of reviewing the BBC’s performance and holding the BBC to account.” He added that any charter or legislation without a fixed term could be rescinded in the future if deemed necessary. A spokesperson for the Department for Culture, Media and Sport commented: “The government wants to secure the BBC’s future so that it can continue to thrive and do its vital work.“We have been clear that to maintain the BBC as an institution, it must be accountable to those who fund it – the British people.”The BBC is our national broadcaster, paid for by the licence fee payer, and for the last century it has been effectively supported by regular charter renewals.” Dr. Shah stated that forthcoming discussions with the government concerning the next charter renewal would be approached “constructively and with an open mind”. He also noted that “reforming the licence fee, replacing it, or coming up with a whole new mechanism” for funding all remain potential considerations. Nevertheless, the BBC chairman indicated his disapproval of subscription and advertising as potential future funding models, explaining that neither “pass the test” for a universal, public service BBC, as they would redirect the primary focus from serving audiences to generating profit from them. In his address, Dr. Shah further described public service broadcasters (PSBs) such as the BBC as a “very British success story”, but emphasized that government ministers must ensure they do not become obsolete. He declared that “the fight is on” for the future of public service broadcasting, given the increasing competition from streaming services. He asserted, “Action is now needed to future-proof PSBs, otherwise our very British success story will be part of our halcyon past.” ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5, and S4C are also categorized as public service broadcasters. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.