The battle for the BBC. An approach to the political debate on public service broadcasting in the UK (2014-2016)

Abstract

The BBC has seen its continuity as a public broadcasting service (PBS) in the United Kingdom renewed for a further period of eleven years (2017-2027). The granting of the new Charter came about in the wake of an intense political battle over the terms of the renewal and future of the BBC. The political and cultural debate about the BBC provoked admirable participation from political, academic, professional and social groups, as well as international interest on account of the relevance of the corporation. This article aims to delimit the major issues of the debate, the actors and the main outcomes of the reform imposed by the Conservative government. It also highlights a number of elements of uncertainty and concern in relation both to the legendary independence of the BBC and its ability to maintain its competitive standards in the new global markets of the digital age.

KEYWORDS: BBC; Royal Charter; broadcasting; PSB; audiovisual production; communication policies.