The Great British Sell Off?

June 10, 2014

The TV Licence fee and the BBC’s Charter are being reviewed over the next 18 months or so and they’re the subject of the CMF sponsored event at the Children’s Media Conference this year.

Angela Ferreira, from the CMF Executive Committee, is producing the session. She tells us what we can expect...

I’m in the lucky position of being a producer at the Children’s Media Conference on Friday 4 July, and we’re aiming to ask some big questions on a very topical theme. ‘Charter Renewal: The Great British Sell Off?’ As the TV Licence Fee and Charter come under public scrutiny, what’s the appetite at the BBC to commit to the children's audience and guarantee increased budgets for their content and services?  It’s likely to be a robust and lively debate amongst the panelists and that’s before we even get to the Q & A with the audience.

The papers, radio and the BBC themselves are continually posing the question, ‘What is the future of the BBC?’  For us the key questions are what is that future, but more importantly, how will this affect children's content and services; how will it impact on the audience and their parents? We already know that huge savings have to be made across the business and one outcome of that is the plan to move BBC3 online. What might be in store for kids’ content if the cuts bite further after the licence fee review?  The debate goes to the heart of just how committed the senior management of the BBC is to the children’s audience.

Media commentator and broadcaster Steve Hewlett will be giving a short overview of his thoughts before chairing the panel.  We’re delighted to welcome Helen Goodman MP, who is also the Shadow Minister of State for Culture, Media and Sport, and Oli Hyatt, the Creative Director of Blue Zoo Animation and leading light of the recent Animation UK tax incentive campaign, who has recently had strong words for BBC mandarins on their commitment to kids.  Professor Jeanette Steemers – Trustee of the Voice of the Listener and Viewer will also contribute, with more names to be confirmed.

The Children’s Media Conference session represents the start of a series of consultations with the kids’ media industry, with parents and with children, that the CMF plans to undertake over the coming months.  Watch this space for more news of those as each rolls out.

The CMF at the CMC Give kids a Break!