Championing Excellence and Diversity in Broadcasting Autumn 2019 Bulletin 126 BBC LIMITS FREE LICENCES VLV’s 36th ANNUAL AUTUMN FOR THE OVER 75s CONFERENCE Wednesday 20 November 2019 Free TV licences for the over 75s will be restricted to recipients of pension credit, the BBC has announced. From June 2020, the concession will be available only to households with someone over the age of 75 who receives pension credit. At present, all households containing someone over the age of 75 are eligible for the benefit. The BBC assumed responsibility for the policy for this Sir David Clementi, the chairman of the BBC, and ITV’s concession as part of its last funding settlement with the chief executive, Dame Carolyn McCall, are to headline Government but made no promises as to whether the the VLV Autumn Conference. The conference, to be policy would continue. The BBC says that if had held on 20 November, will continue the VLV’s continued blanket funding of the concession, it would examination of how the UK’s broadcasters are have cost some £750m annually – around a fifth of the responding to an increasingly fragmented and global BBC’s budget – and led to draconian cuts in its radio marketplace. and television services. Our conferences give members the opportunity to hear Its compromise solution of limiting the concession to the views of the industry’s key decision-makers, and those on pension credit means that the cost to the BBC also to question and challenge them and to make our will be about £250m per year, with around 1.5 million own views known. To book a ticket, complete the households likely to be eligible. Linking it to an existing enclosed form or go to www.vlv.org.uk. Remember, credit means that the list of those eligible is readily members can bring a guest at the members’ rate. It is a available and avoids the BBC becoming embroiled in great way of introducing potential new members to the means testing. VLV. Announcing the decision, the BBC board said: ‘The BBC board believes this is the fairest option to help the poorest pensioners. It is also the fairest option for all iPLAYER RADIO APP TO CLOSE licence fee payers, as this means everyone will continue to receive the best programmes and services that the The BBC has announced that it is closing the iPlayer BBC can provide. The BBC will not be making Radio app, replacing it with the BBC Sounds app. This judgements about poverty as that measure is set and has caused concern among users, including some of controlled by Government.’ our members, who have older smartphones that do not have the operating systems to support the Sounds app. Chairman Sir David Clementi added: ‘Linking a free licence for over 75s to pension credit was the leading The VLV has raised this concern with the BBC. They reform option. It protects the poorest over 75s, while say that most apps require users to have a device that protecting the services that they, and all audiences, supports more modern operating systems and that love.’ supporting older systems is expensive and poor value for licence fee payers, given the relatively small number The BBC says that it wants to make claiming the of people still using them. Most importantly, however, concession as easy as possible and will work with older they say that the iPlayer Radio closure doesn’t affect people’s groups and other support organisations. the BBC website, and that bbc.co.uk/sounds has all the same content as the BBC Sounds app and that they The VLV’s position – and that of many others including have optimised the BBC Sounds website for mobile and Age UK – was that the Government, not the BBC, tablet. So users should be able to enjoy the full range of should continue to fund the concession. Unfortunately, radio services by accessing the website rather than via the BBC, having previously agreed to take on an app. responsibility for the policy, was not in a strong position to make that argument. (See also Chairman’s letter, We would be interested to know whether any of our page 2). readers experience difficulties with this. Bulletin Autumn 2019 FROM THE CHAIRMAN, COLIN BROWNE In response to its consultation on TV licences for the Championing Excellence and Diversity in Broadcasting over 75s, the BBC has announced that, from next year, only those on pension credit should be exempt from VLV Patrons paying. You will recall that the majority of our members Ms Helen Boaden who responded to our questionnaire on this subject Rt Revd Lord Eames OM believed that the Government, and not the BBC, should Ms Claire Enders Sir Francis Graham-Smith FRS continue to fund what is essentially a welfare-type Lord Inglewood DL payment. That remains our view, and indeed that of Lord Phillips of Sudbury OBE other campaigners such as Age UK, but there is little Lord Puttnam CBE sign that the Government is prepared to re-consider the Lady Solti Ms Sarah Thane CBE JP approach it agreed with the BBC at the time of the last Sir John Tusa licence fee settlement. The uncertain political environment is a further Mr Will Wyatt CBE complication. VLV Trustees Mr Alan Barlow In the meantime, the BBC’s decision to end the benefit for roughly two- Professor Robert Beveridge thirds of those who presently receive it has prompted some fierce criticism Mr Colin Browne (Chairman) in parts of the media. However the BBC is standing firm at this stage, given Ms Mary Dixon (Secretary) the quite dramatic impact any extension of the benefit would have on its Mr Peter Gordon (Treasurer) Professor Sylvia Harvey ability to fund its present services. We will have the opportunity to question Dr Maria Michalis Sir David Clementi, the BBC’s chairman, further on this when he addresses Professor Jeanette Steemers our Autumn Conference on 20 November. Professor Bob Usherwood Mr Anthony Wills In announcing its approach, the BBC noted that a number of respondents VLV Office to its consultation had mentioned the need for a more open and transparent The Old Rectory Business Centre process for determining the BBC’s funding going forward and referenced Springhead Road the VLV’s suggestion that a statutory commission should be established to Northfleet set the level of the licence fee in future. It is encouraging that there seems Kent DA11 8HN to be a growing body of opinion in support of a much more open process, Tel: 01474 338716 including for the first time from the BBC, and it is an issue on which we will e-mail: [email protected] continue to campaign strongly. Office Hours: Tuesday& Wednesday Of course, it’s not just the BBC that is facing financial challenges. A weak 9.30am - 3.30 pm advertising market and increased competition from the global players is Sarah Stapylton-Smith Administrator making life difficult for all the UK broadcasters. In this context, Ofcom’s Website www.vlv.org.uk recommendations for due prominence on all platforms for the public service broadcasters is welcome; but legislation is required to give effect to this @vlvuk and the present political turmoil is not helpful. We look forward to the take of ITV’s chief executive, Dame Carolyn McCall, on this at our Autumn Conference. I look forward to seeing as many of you as possible at that conference and at the AGM that follows it. VLV represents citizen and consumer interests in broadcasting and champions excellence and diversity in broadcasting. VLV is free from political, sectarian and commercial affiliations. VLV is concerned with the issues, structures, institutions and regulation that Colin Browne, underpin the British broadcasting system and in particular to maintain the principles of public Chairman of VLV service broadcasting. TRUSTEES Registered Address: The Old Rectory Business Centre, Springhead Road, Northfleet, Kent DA11 8HN. Cheryl Campbell, elected as a trustee in November 2018, resigned at the The Bulletin is published by the Voice of the Listener & Viewer Ltd, a charitable company limited by guarantee end of July 2019 to take up a new career in education. Professor Sylvia registered in England and Wales No 4407712. Charity Harvey, who has completed two three-year stints as a trustee, is obliged to No:1152136 stand down for a year before she can be re-elected. We would like to thank Views expressed in the bulletin are those both of them for all the work, support and time they have devoted to the of contributors and do not necessarily VLV. reflect those of the VLV. All our trustees are volunteers and without them the VLV would not be able to carry out its important work. If you are interested in working with the VLV ISSN 1475-2948 as a volunteer or becoming a VLV trustee, please get in touch with the chairman, Colin Browne. Page 2 Bulletin Autumn 2019 NEW RADIO 4 CONTROLLER NEW CULTURE SECRETARY Mohit Bakaya has been Nicky Morgan was appointed as appointed as the new controller culture secretary in July, of Radio 4, replacing the long- following Boris Johnson’s arrival serving Gwyneth Williams. in Downing Street. Morgan, the Bakaya has been the Conservative MP for commissioning editor for factual Loughborough, previously served at the station since 2008, as education secretary and responsible for science, natural minister for women and equalities history and religion programming. He joined the BBC in during David Cameron’s 1993 and served as editor of Night Waves on Radio 3. premiership. She is the eighth culture secretary since 2010 and replaced Jeremy Wright, who spent a year in His appointment is part of a wider management shake- the job.