9. Is there a case for distributing funding for public service content more widely ..

[french frank]

9. Is there a case for distributing funding for public service content more widely beyond the BBC?

I would say there was most definitely a case. But less for the BBC or a higher licence fee? Or, of course, an alternative to the licence fee ...

[french frank]

I'm plodding on with the questions but where there are no answers ... I assume people have nothing to say

On reflection, I'm adding in these three, which will leave one more ..

1. b) How well has the BBC performed in the current Charter period in achieving its mission and public purposes?

5. What balance should be struck in what the BBC produces in-house, commissions externally and leaves entirely to others to create?

6. How have the BBC’s commercial activities during the current Charter fitted with the BBC’s public purposes and have they achieved an adequate return for licence fee payers? What should be the aims, scope and scale of such activities beyond 2016?

1b) Not very well, given all the fiascos and scandals (Jubilee regatta, payments). Could do better. Olympics?

5. No idea.

6. Lonely Planet? What else is needed besides the marketing of content?

[Serial_Apologist]

I'm plodding on with the questions but where there are no answers ... I assume people have nothing to say

Does "more widely" refer in your mind to broadcasters other than the BBC? I think they're all covered by impartiality in the UK - that's good enough for me; what would be the point? one can spend too much time expecting quality from commercial networks when we can guess advertisers' content requirements from what historically we know people have said would jeopardise its funding. Including public service content funding. If the BBC took its commitment seriously there wouldn't be any need.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

9. Is there a case for distributing funding for public service content more widely beyond the BBC?

I would say there was most definitely a case.

I agree - and the Beeb's louche disregard for its Public Service commitment only makes that case even more definite. It's sad that the post-Birt management of the Corporation has led to such questions (which would have been barmy even a quarter of a century ago) not only being taken seriously, but actually becoming necessary to the survival of PSB.

[Serial_Apologist]

I agree - and the Beeb's louche disregard for its Public Service commitment only makes that case even more definite. It's sad that the post-Birt management of the Corporation has led to such questions (which would have been barmy even a quarter of a century ago) not only being taken seriously, but actually becoming necessary to the survival of PSB.

Wouldn't this just let the BBC off the hook? Public funding for non-BBC broadcasters would get lost in ratings wars justifying Advertising revenue.

[french frank]

Does "more widely" refer in your mind to broadcasters other than the BBC?

Other broadcasters, of which, I think, Channel 4 is the most important.

https://www.gov.uk/government/policies/making-it-easier-for-the-media-and-creative-industries-to-grow-while-protecting-the-interests-of-citizens/supporting-pages/public-service-broadcasting

'... they commit to providing services that give a benefit to the public, like news, local programming or cultural content'.'

This is the proposal (in the case of the licence fee) to 'top slice' it rather that have the whole lot going to the BBC

http://www.theguardian.com/media/2009/jun/24/bbc-mark-thompson-top-slice

[Serial_Apologist]

Other broadcasters, of which, I think, Channel 4 is the most important.

https://www.gov.uk/government/policies/making-it-easier-for-the-media-and-creative-industries-to-grow-while-protecting-the-interests-of-citizens/supporting-pages/public-service-broadcasting

'... they commit to providing services that give a benefit to the public, like news, local programming or cultural content'.'

This is the proposal (in the case of the licence fee) to 'top slice' it rather that have the whole lot going to the BBC

http://www.theguardian.com/media/200...pson-top-slice

One forgets Channel 4 is part-public funded...

[aeolium]

I think "the point" might be related to other questions about what constitutes public service broadcasting and the BBC's 'universality' obligation - to serve the whole of the audience with what it provides because of the nature of its funding. And there is also the question of size, which has frequently been a source of concern: not just in the number of channels and different media outlets it provides but in the management structure needed to sustain it.

FWIW, I strongly believe that there need to be other PSB providers. I think technically Channel 4 is another PSB provider (together with its Welsh counterpart S4C) but although IIRC it was originally set up to cater for minority audiences neglected by the then main broadcasters BBC and ITV it seems to have retained little of that approach although its news provision is still good. But where there is such a proliferation of commercial channels providing different kinds of broadcasting (mainly entertainment) for various audiences, I think additional PSB providers could only be justified on the basis of satisfying PSB requirements for specific audiences where these were not catered for by the BBC (or C4/S4C): for instance, a dedicated Open University channel, a Live Arts channel taking broadcasts that currently go to cinemas of operas, plays, exhibitions, a World Service TV channel that carried programmes about culture and history of other countries, etc

Where would the money come from for these? Clearly there would have to be some reduction in the scope of BBC's operations. BBC 3? For my part I think BBC local services should be abandoned as they seem pretty much to duplicate what is provided by the commercial equivalents, but this might be a contentious view. Do some channels need to operate through the night?

[Anna]

According to Wiki: Channel 4 was required to be a public service alternative to the BBC and to cater for minorities and arts. S4C was to be a mainly Welsh language programmer. Neither was required to be commercially successful as Channel 4 was subsidised by the ITV network and S4C received a grant from the central government. However, Channel 4 was later restructured under the Broadcasting Act 1990 to be a state owned corporation that is self-financing
A quick glance at the Channel 4 schedule reveals: Health Freaks/Embarrassing Bodies/OCD Cleaners/Big Fat Gypsies (various), Alan Carr/ Sex in a Box and Hollyoaks. All minority interests I suppose!
I think the BBC is the only PSB (although it's failing at that no other broadcaster comes close)
Edit: S4C does broadcast quite a lot of arts (classical music, Eistedfodd, World Music) and it's farming programmes are excellent.

[aeolium]

It wasn't that long ago (2001-2) that C4 in partnership with Film Four mounted a project to show all Beckett's plays on film:

http://www.channel4.com/learning/main/netnotes/sersecid551.htm

Impossible to imagine the present BBC - or for that matter the present C4 - doing that.