16 June 2009
BECTU issued the following press release today in reply to the Government's Digital Britain proposals.
BECTU Sounds Warning Note on BBC Funding But Welcomes Partial Support for Local News
Digital Britain: full report and executive summary
Book to join the debate on industry levies on 22 June
BECTU has condemned the proposal contained in the latest statement on Digital Britain to allow top slicing of the BBC licence fee.
In the short term, a sum of £200million (the so-called digital dividend) is to be used to extend broadband and also to fund pilot news programmes in Scotland, Wales and in an English region.
Top slicing remains on the agenda
However, in a move which keeps top slicing firmly on the agenda, Minister Ben Bradshaw said that beyond 2012, there would be consultation concluded by September this year, over a ‘contestable element’ of the licence fee amounting to about 3.5% or £130 million (roughly equivalent to the current digital dividend).
BECTU assistant general secretary, Luke Crawley, said:
"We have always opposed top slicing and it is a mistake to split the licence fee away from the BBC in this way. It is the thin end of a very dangerous wedge and future administrations may be unable to resist the temptation to take an ever bigger bite of the cake."
The Minister also proposed that, except where pilots were taking place, ITV and other Channel 3 licence holders would be required to continue to provide local news programming until 2012 which is good news; but he indicated that other public service requirements would be lifted.
After 2012 the local news could be provided by different companies in each licence area. BECTU believes that in order to protect the quality of regional news output, as well as to protect members’ jobs, any replacement regional news service should come from just one provider, preferably ITN, whose national news service is already closely linked to ITV's regional operations.
"Local news on Channel 3 could, and should, be funded by levies on other broadcasters such as Virgin and Sky who do not carry any public service obligations," Luke Crawley continued.
A report commissioned by BECTU and the NUJ from the Institute for Public Policy Research, and published in April, makes it clear that levies could generate a total of up to £250million a year and would have public support. Today's surprise proposal to place a levy on copper telephone connections to part-finance the rollout of broadband for all, means that the Government accepts the principle of levies and should now consider extending them.
BECTU welcomes the steps outlined elsewhere in Digital Britain to stamp out internet piracy. The union would also support tax relief for UK computer games companies to help to promote a skilled and growing sector.
ENDS Notes: For more information and a copy of the IPPR commissioned report go to: http://www.bectu.org.uk/news/230
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