Where the City’s top thinkers get a few things off their chest. Today, it’s Steven Barnett, Professor of Communications at the University of Westminster, with the notebook pen talking the BBC, the importance of The Sun, and his Taylor Swift review It’s not a doorstep issue and barely features in either of the major party manifestos, but the new government must make a huge call in the next couple of years – deciding on the future of the BBC . The Beeb is governed by a Royal Charter which expires at the end of 2026, and a decision about its future will have to be made long before that.
It has become increasingly fashionable to attack the BBC – from the right because any public intervention in the market is disliked, and from the left because the licence fee takes no account of ability to pay (apart from over-75s on pension support). So this is a good moment to remind ourselves why the BBC matters. It is by far the most trusted source of news and information.
In an age where malign actors are keen to spread disinformation to undermine democracy, the BBC is a pillar of reliability not just in the UK but for the half a billion who it reaches around the world. It invests in British talent, whether actors, writers, comedians or musicians, both on and off screen. In the week of Glastonbury, let’s remember that BBC Introducing – its platform for new artists – launched the careers of Ed Sheeran, Florence and the Machine and Ellie Goulding amongst others.
American stream.