Jan. 25 2024
Source Page: The BBC Mid-Term Review. Incl. annexes. 120p [large print and standard versions]. II. Summary of the BBC Mid-Term Review. Incl. annex. 18p.Found: The BBC Mid-Term Review. Incl. annexes. 120p [large print and standard versions]. II.
Jan. 25 2024
Source Page: The BBC Mid-Term Review. Incl. annexes. 120p [large print and standard versions]. II. Summary of the BBC Mid-Term Review. Incl. annex. 18p.Found: The BBC Mid-Term Review. Incl. annexes. 120p [large print and standard versions]. II.
Asked by: Lord Black of Brentwood (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to (1) the BBC Mid Term Review 2024, published on 22 January, and (2) the BBC’s plans to introduce advertising on podcasts and on-demand content via third-party services, what steps they are taking to ensure that Ofcom’s regulation of the BBC ensures the Corporation does not unduly harm the commercial sector.
Answered by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The BBC has responsibilities set out in its Royal Charter to avoid unnecessary adverse impacts on the market. As the BBC’s independent regulator, it is for Ofcom to hold the BBC to account in meeting its obligations both to its audiences and to the market, as set out in the Royal Charter and Framework Agreement.
The Government’s recent Mid-Term Review of the BBC stresses the need for the BBC meaningfully to engage with its competitors, and for high standards of transparency. Our recommendations seek to secure more effective engagement between competitors, the BBC and Ofcom on competition and market issues, enabling the BBC and Ofcom to make more informed decisions about changes which may affect the BBC’s competitors, and to ensure that the BBC’s competitors are better able to inform those decisions.
The Government will continue to monitor the effectiveness of the reforms as we approach the renewal of the BBC’s Royal Charter. We will examine the BBC’s role in the wider market, including how the regulatory framework may need to evolve to reflect shifts in technology and consumer behaviour, as part of our work in the next Charter Review. In the meantime, the BBC must rise to the challenge and make sure to strike the correct balance between its obligations.
Written Evidence Mar. 13 2024
Inquiry: The future of news: impartiality, trust and technologyFound: FON0059 - The future of news: impartiality, trust and technology BBC Written Evidence
Asked by: Lord Kamall (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the BBC over its plans to launch four new spin-off radio stations and over whether the introduction of these stations risks being anti-competitive.
Answered by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
Ministers at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport regularly meet the BBC’s leadership to discuss a range of issues.
The BBC has responsibilities, set out in its Royal Charter, to avoid unnecessary adverse impacts on the market. In delivering these responsibilities, the BBC is required to undertake a public interest test, carrying out an assessment of the impact of new services and justifying the resulting market impacts. The BBC is currently consulting on the impact of its radio station plans.
As the BBC’s independent regulator, it is for Ofcom to ensure that any adverse impact on the market is necessary for the effective fulfilment of the BBC’s Mission and Public Purposes, and robustly to hold the BBC to account in meeting its obligations both to its audiences and to the market. Ofcom will therefore review the evidence provided by the BBC with regard to its radio station plans and determine the materiality and impact of the changes.
The Government was clear in the Mid-Term Review about the importance of the BBC meaningfully engaging with its competitors when it is considering changes to its services. Given the number of new services proposed, it will be important that the BBC consults widely on the detail of the proposals – and for Ofcom to rigorously assess them before granting any approval.
Asked by: Lord Black of Brentwood (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the BBC’s plans to introduce advertising on podcasts and on-demand content via third-party services; and whether the plans are compatible with the Royal Charter and Agreement.
Answered by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The BBC has responsibilities set out in its Royal Charter to avoid unnecessary adverse impacts on the market. As the BBC’s independent regulator, it is for Ofcom to hold the BBC to account in meeting its obligations both to its audiences and to the market, as set out in the Royal Charter and Framework Agreement.
The Government’s recent Mid-Term Review of the BBC stresses the need for the BBC meaningfully to engage with its competitors, and for high standards of transparency. Our recommendations seek to secure more effective engagement between competitors, the BBC and Ofcom on competition and market issues, enabling the BBC and Ofcom to make more informed decisions about changes which may affect the BBC’s competitors, and to ensure that the BBC’s competitors are better able to inform those decisions.
The Government will continue to monitor the effectiveness of the reforms as we approach the renewal of the BBC’s Royal Charter. We will examine the BBC’s role in the wider market, including how the regulatory framework may need to evolve to reflect shifts in technology and consumer behaviour, as part of our work in the next Charter Review. In the meantime, the BBC must rise to the challenge and make sure to strike the correct balance between its obligations.
Asked by: Lord Black of Brentwood (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the BBC’s initiatives to engage with competitors on their plans to introduce advertising on podcasts and on-demand content via third-party services.
Answered by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The BBC has responsibilities set out in its Royal Charter to avoid unnecessary adverse impacts on the market. As the BBC’s independent regulator, it is for Ofcom to hold the BBC to account in meeting its obligations both to its audiences and to the market, as set out in the Royal Charter and Framework Agreement.
The Government’s recent Mid-Term Review of the BBC stresses the need for the BBC meaningfully to engage with its competitors, and for high standards of transparency. Our recommendations seek to secure more effective engagement between competitors, the BBC and Ofcom on competition and market issues, enabling the BBC and Ofcom to make more informed decisions about changes which may affect the BBC’s competitors, and to ensure that the BBC’s competitors are better able to inform those decisions.
The Government will continue to monitor the effectiveness of the reforms as we approach the renewal of the BBC’s Royal Charter. We will examine the BBC’s role in the wider market, including how the regulatory framework may need to evolve to reflect shifts in technology and consumer behaviour, as part of our work in the next Charter Review. In the meantime, the BBC must rise to the challenge and make sure to strike the correct balance between its obligations.
Written Evidence May. 23 2024
Inquiry: Future funding of the BBC World ServiceFound: BBC0011 - Future funding of the BBC World Service Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office Written Evidence
Written Evidence May. 23 2024
Inquiry: Future funding of the BBC World ServiceFound: BBC0002 - Future funding of the BBC World Service University of Bristol Written Evidence