BBC’s Tony Hall Welcomes New Charter & Agreement

LONDON: The BBC’s director-general, Tony Hall, has welcomed the newly drafted charter as an “opportunity to write the next chapter in the BBC’s history.”

“It provides an 11-year charter and a license fee guaranteed for 11 years,” Hall said. “It endorses the remit, scale and scope of the BBC, and backs it as a great British institution.

“I set out my concerns regarding the new board appointments back in May and said we would continue to make the case to the government. The BBC is a public service broadcaster—not a state broadcaster. I am glad they have reconsidered. There will now be an equal number of board-appointed non-executive directors alongside the ones appointed by the government. And there will now be four executive directors on the board too. An independent and strong BBC is what the public want and demand.

“Our position on talent pay has not changed and all major broadcasters have questioned the merit of the proposal. The BBC is already incredibly transparent and we publish what we spend on talent pay—a bill which has fallen in recent years. The BBC operates in a competitive market and this will not make it easier for the BBC to retain the talent the public love. Ultimately, the BBC should be judged on the quality of its programs.

“There has been a passionate debate over the BBC’s future. Overall, we have the right outcome for the BBC and its role as a creative power for Britain. It lays the foundation for more great programs and journalism. The BBC has always existed to inform, educate and entertain. We will do that with renewed energy and vigor.”