Friday 18 September 2009

Tories will restrict BBC to 'core broadcasting'

Conservative shadow Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt tells the Daily Mail today the BBC will be forced to rein in its commercial activities and internet operation if the Tories win the next election.
He says that the BBC would be required to restrict its ambitions to "core broadcasting" and suggests discussions over the future of the licence fee would hinge on the BBC agreeing to dramatically scale back activities that are "forcing out commercial competitors".
Hunt is also in favour of scrapping the BBC Trust, with powers transferred to an independent body – possibly Ofcom.
He also proposes changing the law to "free" commercial broadcasters from rules requiring political impartiality. "We have to ask in a free society whether it’s appropriate to have such tight regulations," he says.

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