A report published by the government today (16 June) has suggested using part of the licence fee to fund news provision beyond the BBC.

While welcoming recognition that action should be taken to deal with the crisis in local journalism, the NUJ believes that to focus on the licence fee as a funding source would be short-sighted.

NUJ General Secretary Jeremy Dear said: “Top-slicing of the BBC licence fee would undermine the corporation’s independence and put quality broadcasting at risk. We agree that funding needs to be found to support news provision outside the BBC, but there are other options that wouldn’t inflict the same damage to the cornerstone of British public service broadcasting.

“Sharing the licence fee with other organisations is the start of a slippery slope towards the politicisation of the BBC. When politicians start to decide how the licence fee is divvied up, the independence and impartiality of the corporation will be put at risk. The government has said it will consider other options and that is exactly what it must do. We can’t allow the BBC to become a political football.”

The NUJ believes that the government should conduct a detailed investigation into the use of levies to help fund public service broadcasting outside the BBC.

Politicians also came in to express grave concern about the plans. Don Foster MP, the Liberal Democrat Shadow Culture, Media and Sport Secretary and Vice-Chair of the NUJ Parliamentary Group, said: “Maintaining the strength and independence of the BBC is vital. Top slicing - in whatever language - sets a precedence that undermines that independence.”

“What guarantees can we have that future governments will not take more money from the licence fee to fund their pet projects, especially when they are unhappy with what the BBC is doing?”

The Secretary of the NUJ Parliamentary Group, John McDonnell MP, also called on the government consider other options: “Top slicing the licence fee would be disastrous - weakening the corporation’s ability to continue as a world respected public service broadcaster and attacking the historic relationship between the licence fee payer and the BBC.

“Before embarking on this ill-advised path, we need an urgent investigation into other sources of funding in order to provide news beyond the BBC without damaging what is the bastion of broadcasting in this country.”

An event organised by the Federation of Entertainment Unions will examine alternative funding options at an event on Monday. For more information or to register, go to: http://feu.eventbrite.com

To coincide with publication of the Digital Britain report, the Office of Fair Trading has announced that its media ownership rules do not need to be revised, a decision that has been welcomed by the NUJ after months of campaigning on the issue.

16 June 2009