§ Mr. BestTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what organisations she will consult on the forthcoming review of the BBC Charter. [136651]
§ Tessa JowellThe review will be wide-ranging, with a great deal of industry and public consultation, and will, I hope, be characterised by vigorous and open debate. I have appointed Lord Burns to give me independent advice throughout. The process will be extensive and thorough, with several opportunities for people to feed in their views, and there will be an appropriate Parliamentary stage.
It will begin before the end of the year when I issue a consultation document outlining the main issues for consideration.
I shall be seeking views from all organisations and individuals with an interest. In particular I will ask those in the broadcasting industry for their views and will feed those views back into the wider consultation process.
§ Mr. BestTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on the process for the forthcoming review of the BBC Charter. [136652]
§ Tessa JowellThe review will be wide-ranging, with full industry and public consultation, and I hope, be characterised by vigorous and open debate. It will begin before the end of the year when I issue a consultation document outlining the main issues for consideration. It will take into account Ofcom's review of public service broadcasting, Philip Graf's review of the on-line services, the forthcoming review of the BBC's digital TV and radio services, and numerous other strands of work. We will engage directly with the general public throughout the process on an unprecedented scale. I have appointed Lord Burns to give me independent advice throughout.
I aim to publish a Green Paper around the end of 2004 drawing on this sequence of reviews, consultation and analysis, to be followed by a White Paper containing considered recommendations to set before Parliament and the public. The whole process will be completed well before the Charter expires in 2006.