Jean Seaton, Steven Barnett join call for a stronger, independent BBC

Screenshot from britishbroadcastingchallenge.com

Profs Jean Seaton and Steven Barnett are playing a key role in shaping the future of public service broadcasting in the UK. Both sit on the steering committee of the British Broadcasting Challenge, an independent campaign group advocating for a BBC that is fully independent of government influence.

On 24 October 2025, the group released a landmark report, “Renewing the BBC: A New Charter For Britain and For the World,” urging Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy to use the upcoming BBC Charter review to ensure the broadcaster’s independence for generations to come.

The report makes several forward-looking recommendations:

• Establish a permanent Charter guaranteeing the BBC’s existence in perpetuity

• Create an independent body responsible for appointing the BBC’s governing board

• Commission independent assessments of BBC funding

• Define a new purpose for the BBC in countering disinformation

• Update operating agreements between the BBC and government every ten years

Pat Younge, chair of the British Broadcasting Challenge, highlighted the urgency of reform, noting that a recent BBC survey found 91% of the public want a BBC independent of the government, yet only 38% believe it currently is. “The status quo arrangements are no longer fit for purpose,” Younge said in a recent press release.

The report emphasises that the BBC plays a crucial role in safeguarding British democracy. By insulating the broadcaster from political influence, they argue, the BBC can continue to act as a trusted source of information in an era of growing media concentration and digital disinformation.

Learn more, and download the full report here: https://britishbroadcastingchallenge.com/