HC Deb 14 December 1970 vol 808 cc939-40
23 and 24. Mr. Evelyn King

asked the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications (1) if he is aware that the practice of broadcasting personalised programmes such as "World at One" and the "World this Weekend", in which newscasters give their opinions instead of straight news, enables the British Broadcasting Corporation to avoid the direction given to it to refrain from broadcasting matters expressing the opinion of the Corporation on current affairs; and if he will issue a further direction to deal with this;

(2) if he will undertake, formally or informally, to draw the attention of the British Broadcasting Corporation to any breach by it of the licence and agreement under section 13(4) which bind the British Broadcasting Corporation to refrain from expressing its own opinions on public affairs or matters of public policy.

Mr. Chataway

No, Sir. The B.B.C. Governors are alone responsible for programme content; I am confident that they recognise the importance of their responsibilities.

Mr. King

Does the Minister accept that to accord to one single news-reading personality twice a day power to dominate, interpret, and put a personal gloss upon, the news, however carefully he may try to do it, is to concentrate power more than such power ought to be concentrated in a democracy? Second, would he accept that if the Governors of the B.B.C. were to act illegally, as I am suggesting they are acting, it is his responsibility, and his alone, to take action?

Mr. Chataway

I do not believe that the B.B.C. would accept my hon. Friend's description of the administrative arrangements for the particular programme he referred to, but I think that very probably most of the House would agree that it would be wrong that any Minister should intervene in B.B.C. programme content.

Mr. Richard

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that he is absolutely right to reject both the somewhat pretentious language of and the spirit behind the hon. Gentleman's Question?

Mr. Hugh Jenkins

I support what my hon. Friend has just said. Is the Minister aware that there is some substance in the view which has been expressed that there is a tendency for commentators to move into a political rôle which is foreign to them? One example was the 8 o'clock morning programme in which the commentator launched a totally unjustified attack upon electricity workers. Although this House will do nothing about it, the B.B.C. will, I am sure, take note of the remarks made in the Chamber.

Mr. Chataway

I am sure that the Governors of the B.B.C. will take note of these remarks. Equally, one of the arguments for an alternative radio service is simply that in a democracy it must be healthy for there to be at least two sources of programmes.

Mr. Michael Stewart

Will the Minister recognise that there is no need for him or his hon. Friend to be too worried since, in the last resort the B.B.C. can always be relied on to be anti-Labour?