Back the BBC
The NUJ is campaigning for secure funding, proper representation and real independence at the BBC.
Our BBC: A Journalists' Charter
The BBC belongs to the people – and to its workers. NUJ members at the BBC must have a say in shaping the future of their workplace and are united in calling for sustainable funding, universal access, governance reform and protection from political interference.
Charter Renewal offers an opportunity to secure the BBC’s future at the centre of UK cultural life. Our Journalists' Charter outlines NUJ BBC members’ vision for an impartial, universally available and fully funded BBC:
1. Secure funding:
- Sustained increases to the licence fee to deliver quality public service broadcasting and local, regional, national and international news provision.
- Central government funding for free licences for eligible over 75s, reversal of Local Radio cuts and increased investment in both digital and linear news.
- A sufficient and durable funding settlement for the BBC World Service.
2. Proper representation
- Programming and news provision that better reflects the diverse communities the BBC serves.
- Training and apprenticeship opportunities to address social barriers and improve access to journalism.
- Worker representation on the BBC board with 25% of board seats filled by non-management BBC journalists.
3. Real independence:
- BBC chair and board appointed by an arms-length body.
- Whistle-blowing procedures for staff established to address serious breaches of editorial standards at the earliest opportunity.
- Improved pay, conditions and training for staff to uphold editorial standards and protect journalists' right to report freely - without fear or interference.
Secure funding
Journalists must be given the resources they need to do their job.
A decade of licence-fee freezes and cuts have resulted in a 30% real terms cut in the BBC’s budget. As in any workplace or industry, mistakes are more likely where journalists are overburdened and journalism is underfunded.
The BBC’s funding model must protect the principle of universality and its funding settlement must be sufficient to deliver quality public service broadcasting throughout the nations and regions. Meaningful, sustained increases to the licence fee can end salami slicing cuts, protect against political interference, and prioritise quality local, regional, national and international news provision.
The BBC should also reverse damaging cuts to Local Radio and re-establish full funding for the BBC World Service, which is the world's largest external broadcaster in terms of reception area, language selection and audience reach.
The central government should also directly fund free licences for anyone eligible over 75 so the BBC can focus resources on its core news and broadcasting provision.
Proper representation
NUJ members at the BBC have demanded governance reform. There should be proper worker representation on the BBC board with at least 25% of board seats filled by employees from non-management roles to champion public interest journalism.
Providing sustainable funding for quality journalism will strengthen public trust and better serve under-represented communities. While the BBC reaches 95% of the UK adult population each month, nations and regions have been underserved and underrepresented for years. The NUJ seeks assurances from the BBC on its plans for diverse programming and calls for training programmes and apprenticeships to improve access for journalists from diverse, working-class backgrounds who are too often denied entry to the industry.
Real independence
At a time of polarisation, social media disinformation, AI-supercharged fake news, and corporate control of media ownership, the BBC’s journalism is vital in upholding high standards of independent, impartial journalism. Despite concerted political attacks, the BBC remains the most trusted source of news in the UK.
To promote greater independence and protect against political interference, the BBC board and its chair should be chosen by an arms-length body. NUJ members have called for whistle-blowing procedures for staff to be established so serious breaches of editorial standards can be addressed at the earliest opportunity.
The BBC must back its staff and resist politically motivated attacks that do a disservice to the thousands of journalists conducting themselves professionally under immense scrutiny. Institutional support is best realised through an improvement in pay, conditions and training to retain staff, maintain impartiality, and uphold journalists’ right to report freely - without fear or interference.
Take action
We want members across the union to get involved in the campaign:
- Complete our all-member survey to tell us your priorities for Charter Renewal and shape our consultation response to the government's green paper.
- Download and print our poster to share the survey and our campaigning calls with colleagues.
- Write to your MP urging them to sign our parliamentary group's Early Day Motion calling for secure funding, worker representation and protection from political interference.
Public consultation
To be successful the new Royal Charter must have the people’s approval. The government should also meaningfully engage trade unions and NUJ members at the BBC throughout the Charter Renewal process. Any public consultation on the Charter Renewal or the BBC’s future funding should be meaningful and widely promoted to the public via the BBC’s on air and online outlets.
The NUJ will continue to engage members throughout the different stages of the Charter Review process. In December, the government published its green paper, outlining key principles for Charter Renewal. At the same time it launched a public consultation on the green paper, which closes on 10 March. We will use members' survey responses to shape our consultation submission.
The government will publish a white paper with more detailed policy proposals in the autumn, which should be subject to parliamentary debate in 2027. Once approved, the new Charter will come into effect on 1 January 2028.