The BBC and the Public

This book examines the relationship between the public and the BBC in terms of public use of the BBC and their attitudes towards it. These audience research measures are being used as metrics to assess the value of the BBC to the UK public. Some of the attitudinal measures address perceptions of the BBC’s outputs and some examine public views about the way the BBC is funded and managed.

The book has been written at a time when the BBC reached its centenary and also the mid-point of its latest Royal Charter period. At the time of writing, the government had begun a mid-term review of its performance as judged by its attainment of objectives set out in that Charter. The Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport at the time of the mid-term review had spoken and written openly about abolishing the TV licence fee and the introduction of a new funding model for the BBC that would be implemented in its new Royal Charter due to be enacted in 2027. Against this backdrop, this book examines public opinion about the funding of the BBC and then looks at changing media consumption habits and how these have affected patronage of the BBC’s outputs.

“Ultimately, a decision must be taken about the kind of national broadcaster the UK – both is government and its citizens – would like to keep in the future. Changing the funding model without first defining what the BBC should do and how it should be structured and resourced to do it could result in a messy solution that satisfies and benefits no one.”