INDEPENDENT PANEL PUBLISHES FURTHER ADVICE ON BBC CHARTER REVIEW

INDEPENDENT PANEL PUBLISHES FURTHER ADVICE ON BBC CHARTER REVIEW

London, 28 January/GNN/ --

DEPARTMENT FOR CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT News Release (011/05) issued by the
Government News Network on 28 January 2005
An independent panel that has been advising Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell
on BBC Charter Review has today published further advice on the future
governance and regulation of the corporation.

The publication follows a seminar on the issue held by the panel, chaired
by Tessa Jowell's independent advisor, Terry Burns, in December.

The advice and accompanying letter to Tessa Jowell can be accessed at
www.bbccharterreview.org.uk

It will feed into a Green Paper, setting out options for the future of the
BBC, which is due to be published by the DCMS shortly.

Notes to Editors

1. Terry Burns has worked with the independent panel to ensure that the process
of Charter Review continues to be run in the public interest with integrity
and objectivity, while helping to marshal and formulate the emerging options.

2. The panel has hosted a series of "informed seminars" where debate on key
Charter Review issues has taken place in front of a small invited audience.

3. The panel consists of:

Sly Bailey - Chief Executive of Trinity Mirror plc and former Chief Executive
of IPC Media.

Alan Budd - Provost of The Queen's College Oxford and former Chief Economic
Adviser to the Treasury and Head of the Government Economic Service.

Howard Davies - Director of the London School of Economics, previously the
first Chairman and Chief Executive of the Financial Services Authority (FSA).

Janet Finch - Vice-Chancellor and Professor of Social Relations, Keele
University.

Tim Gardam - Principal Elect of St Anne's College, Oxford, previously Director
of Television and Director of Programmes at Channel 4.

Alice Rawsthorn - Director of the Design Museum and former Financial Times
journalist.

4. The BBC's current charter expires at the end of 2006.

5. The BBC's Royal Charter is a formal document granted under the Royal
prerogative, establishing the BBC and defining its general objectives and
functions. It is supported by the Agreement between the BBC and the Government,
which sets out how the BBC will meet its general obligations, the services
it will provide, and the standards, it will meet. The current charter and
agreement can be accessed at http://www.bbc.co.uk/info/policies/charter/

6. The first Charter Review was in 1927. Since then reviews have been carried
out about every 10 years. The current Royal Charter is the seventh in the
history of the BBC.

Press Enquiries: 0207 211 6267/6269
Out of hours telephone pager no: 07699 751153
Public Enquiries: 0207 211 6200
Internet: http://www.culture.gov.uk

Department for Culture, Media and Sport
2-4 Cockspur Street
London SW1Y 5DH
www.culture.gov.uk





Source: DEPARTMENT FOR CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT


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