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Don't top slice the licence fee

With fringe meetings in place at the Labour and Lib Dem party conferences, BECTU will be a key player in the months ahead in efforts to persuade Government ministers not to sabotage the established independence of the BBC.

The BBC is threatened with 'top-slicing' - the redirection of part of licence fee income to other broadcasters. Specifically, the Government's Digital Britain report proposes that 3.5% of licence fee income should be reassigned to assist the commercial sector.

BECTU, together with other members of the Federation of Entertainment Unions, supporters of public service broadcasting (PSB), leading academics and politicans across the spectrum, believe that a change in the purpose of the licence fee will do fundamental damage to the Corporation's independence from government, to its output and ultimately to its position as the dedicated UK provider of public service broadcasting.

BECTU members are being urged to support the campaign by sending a postcard to the secretary of state at the DCMS, Ben Bradshaw MP. 

Commenting on the campaign, BECTU general secretary, Gerry Morrissey said:

"In many years of campaigning against attacks on the BBC and its funding, I believe that the current onslaught is the most damaging yet. If the Government succeeds, top-slicing will rob the UK of one of its greatest assets."

"For decades public and commercial broadcasters have recognised the importance of the BBC to the UK's culture and economy; whilst the political climate is changing and the recession has exacerbated the problems of the commercial sector, robbing the BBC of its independence will not serve the UK population."

 "We need every BECTU member and their friends and families to support this critical campaign to preserve the BBC's independence."

Supplies of the postcard, which urges supporters to 'stand up for public service broadcasting' are on their way to branch representatives for local circulation. More copies will be distributed at key sites across the country in the coming weeks.

Contact us for more information about the campaign.

In April, BECTU and the NUJ published a report commissioned from the Institute for Public Policy Research, which demonstrated that up to £280m a year could be raised through a levy system to bridge the gap in funding for public service broadcasting.

PSB providers in the commercial sector, and in particular ITV,  have long argued that digital switchover makes investment in PSB output, and in particular in regional news, increasingly unviable.  

The IPPR report  was examined by Professor Patrick Barwise, emeritus professor of management and marketing at the London Business School, who urged the Government, the Conservative Party and Ofcom to "open their minds and listen to the facts."