UK News

Will a free market for news media harm impartiality?

Business Secretary Peter Mandelson took a subtle dig at the Murdoch News empire this week when he said that some in the commercial sector want to maintain an “iron grip” on pay TV and “to erode the commitment to impartiality — in other words, to fill British airwaves with more Fox-style news.”

“They believe that profit alone should drive the gathering and circulation of news rather than allowing a role for what they call ‘state-sponsored journalism’,” he added, during the second reading of the Digital Economy Britain bill.

James Murdoch, chairman and chief executive of News Corp in Europe and Asia, attacked UK broadcasting policy in an August lecture at the Edinburgh Television Festival, saying it had created a dominant BBC which was threatening independent journalism.

The government regulates media industries “with relish,” he said, and had created unaccountable institutions such as the BBC Trust, Channel 4 — which has a public-service remit but is advertising-funded — and regulator Ofcom.

“Dumping free, state-sponsored news on the market makes it incredibly difficult for journalism to flourish on the Internet,” he said.

Speaking in support of public broadcasting, Mandelson said that the bill will transform Ofcom, the media regulator, so that it can ensure the media market has the “right mix of impartial and national and local news”.

“Ofcom represents an important means of securing media standards, strong public service content and investment in the future infrastructure of the digital economy,” Mandelson said.

Do you object to your money going to private broadcasters?

It has been suggested that the BBC could be forced to give up some of its income from the licence fee to help fund regional news on commercial broadcasters such as ITV which are struggling during the downturn.

The suggestion was included in a government-backed report called Digital Britain which is aimed at helping those broadcasters such as ITV which have been hit by the fall in advertising.

The government believes there should be several suppliers of regional news, not just the BBC, and has suggested giving some money from the home of Eastenders to any organisation willing to make regional news for commercial groups.

The money would come from a section of the licence fee that was used for helping with the switchover from analogue to digital TV and that has not been spent.

If approved, the move would mark the first time in nearly 90 years that the BBC has been forced to share some of its 3.6 billion pound budget. But the corporation is likely to fight the suggestion.

Would you object to suggestions that money you have paid being given to other broadcasters or do you think the BBC should accept it needs to help out at a time when commercial groups are in dire need?

Is Britain being too slow in promoting broadband?

A new report from Ofcom, reveals that more than 30 percent of homes in Britain don’t have basic broadband service.

The study will become part of the government’s Digital Britain report, which is intended to help keep the UK economically and culturally competitive by promoting broadband access.

“We hope the research will help assist an informed debate on the options available to society to help ensure that the social and economic benefits of the Internet are spread as widely as possible,” the media regulator said in a statement.

“The inclusion of everyone into the digital world has emerged as an important principle in our society.”

The research identified three main groups:

- Those intending to get the internet in the next six months: Two in 10 people currently without the internet said they were likely to get connected in the next six months. They are more likely to be younger, regular internet users outside of the home who are working and have children.

- The self-excluded: 42 percent state lack of interest or need as their main reason for not wanting to take up the internet. The self-excluded tend to be older and retired and 61 percent have never used a computer. This group shares a sense of indifference, with many struggling to come up with any reasons why they should have the internet at home.