David Elstein was the head of programming at BskyB, the director of programmes at Thames Television, before launching Channel 5 as its chief executive in 1997. Since then, he has chaired innumerable boards and organisations including the British Screen Advisory Council and Open Democracy. David was part of the last Conservative government's inquiry into the BBC’s future funding model, which was later scrapped by Labour.

In this episode, we discuss the idea of ‘mutualisation’ of the BBC, the effects of government policies on public service broadcasting, funding models, access and content concerns, BBC efficiency, and the “fantasy economics” in BBC annual reports. We also examine the impact of tax breaks on the UK’s creative industries.

“Instead of funding public service content, we've funded high end content made for the American producers in our studios. We are now kind of contract labour for Warner Brothers, Paramount and Fox. I mean, it's mad.”

Listen to all our episodes here: https://podfollow.com/beebwatch/view

To support our journalism and receive a weekly blog sign up now for £1.99 per month (NB we only charge for one creation per month): www.patreon.com/BeebWatch/membership

Or if you'd rather make a one-off payment (which doesn’t entitle you to the blog) please use our crowdfunding page:

https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/roger-boltons-beeb-watch-podcast

@BeebRoger

Instagram: rogerboltonsbeebwatch

LinkedIn: Roger Bolton's Beeb Watch

email: roger@rogerboltonsbeebwatch.com

www.goodeggproductions.uk

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sir Richard Eyre, the renowned theatre and film director, who has served as a BBC Governor, shares his concerns over the cuts to radio drama programming, the broader challenges facing the BBC's cultural remit, the tensions between the BBC's public service mission and commercial pressures, and role of the BBC in nurturing and sustaining the UK's cultural landscape.

"I would say the BBC is the most important cultural organisation in the world, and the Director-General of the BBC should be standing up, saying that, and putting his heart and soul and practical application into making sure that the BBC lived up to that proclamation. Well, they don’t, and they’ve pitifully ignored the arts. They've cut the arts department in television, and now, they're cutting drama on in radio."

Listen to all our episodes here: https://podfollow.com/beebwatch/view

To support our journalism and receive a weekly blog sign up now for £1.99 per month (NB we only charge for one creation per month): www.patreon.com/BeebWatch/membership

Or if you'd rather make a one-off payment (which doesn’t entitle you to the blog) please use our crowdfunding page:

https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/roger-boltons-beeb-watch-podcast

@BeebRoger

Instagram: rogerboltonsbeebwatch

LinkedIn: Roger Bolton's Beeb Watch

email: roger@rogerboltonsbeebwatch.com

www.goodeggproductions.uk

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Conservative MP, Dame Caroline Dinenage is the Chair of the House of Commons Culture, Media and Sport Committee. We discuss the upcoming debates around the renewal of the BBC's charter, the crucial issues of the corporation's funding, impartiality, and role in public service broadcasting, as well as the future of the BBC World Service and the Greg Wallace revelations.

“We're entering a winter period when there's a number of pensioners who've just had their winter fuel tax removed, when energy prices are rising because the energy fuel cap has come to end, and to suddenly find that you've your licence fee’s going up as well. I just thought the timing was unfortunate.”

Listen to all our episodes here: https://podfollow.com/beebwatch/view

To support our journalism and receive a weekly blog sign up now for £1.99 per month (NB we only charge for one creation per month): www.patreon.com/BeebWatch/membership

Or if you'd rather make a one-off payment (which doesn’t entitle you to the blog) please use our crowdfunding page:

https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/roger-boltons-beeb-watch-podcast

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.