Over 150 people, a mixture of academics, students, senior industry figures and policy analysts, gathered at our Regent Campus to hear a lively debate on whether and how the governance of the BBC should be changed.
Chaired by Steve Hewlett with contributions from the Chair of the BBC Trust, Rona Fairhead, the seminar provided an opportunity to hear how the BBC’s future governance and regulation was evolving, allowing the public a chance to express their views from the floor and ask the panellists questions.
Professor Steven Barnett, Professor of Communications in Westminster School of Media, Art and Design who sat on the panel, said: “With the government’s consultation on the future of the BBC due to end this Thursday [8 October], the chair of the BBC Trust Rona Fairhead outlined the options available, followed by contributions and reactions from four media policy experts. A series of informed questions from the audience – ranging from a non-licence paying student to a non-licence paying over 75 pensioner – demonstrated that there was a great deal of concern, in particular, about maintaining the BBC’s independence from government interference.”
Attendees heard from a range of experts from inside and outside of the BBC, including
- Rona Fairhead (Chair, BBC Trust)
- James Purnell (Director Strategy and Digital BBC)
- Steve Barnett (University of Westminster)
- Richard Tait (Cardiff University)
- Tim Suter (Perspective Associates)
- Sophie Chalk (Voice of the Listener & Viewer)
BBC Trust issued an initial response to the Government’s discussion document and launched its first phase of public consultation in July 2015.
