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Columnist, academic and openDemocracy give evidence on BBC Charter Renewal

15 September 2015

The House of Lords Communications Committee continues its investigation into the BBC Charter Renewal by questioning Luke Johnson, Chairman of Risk Capital Partners and former Chairman of Channel 4; Professor Steve Barnett, University of Westminster and David Elstein, Chairman of openDemocracy.net.

Witnesses

Tuesday 15 September 2015, Committee Room 3, Palace of Westminster

At 3.45 pm:

  • Steven Barnett, Professor of Communications, University of Westminster

At 4.30 pm:

  • David Elstein, Chairman of openDemocracy and the Broadcasting Policy Group
  • Luke Johnson, Chairman of Risk Capital Partners and former Chairman of the Royal Society of Arts and Channel 4

Possible questions

The Committee is expected to ask Professor Barnett about issues including:

  • How well he feels the BBC are achieving the aims set out in the public purposes, and whether the purposes need reforming
  • How he would define the terms 'universality' and 'market failure' and for his assessment of the way in which the funding settlement for the BBC was reached in July.

The second panel of witnesses are likely to face questions including:

  • How well do you feel that the BBC's public purposes have achieved/are achieving their aims?
  • How do you think having a set of public purposes helps to determine what the scope and scale of the BBC should be?
  • How would you define the terms 'universality' and 'market failure' as they relate to the BBC?
  • How would you define distinctiveness for the BBC?
  • Can you suggest ways in which the mechanism for setting the licence fee for the BBC could be altered in the future? 

Further information

Image: PA