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| BBC scheduling: Labour accuses government of unacceptable meddling | BBC scheduling: Labour accuses government of unacceptable meddling |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Labour has accused the culture secretary of “unacceptable interference” in the BBC over reported moves to bar it from showing popular shows such as Strictly Come Dancing at peak viewing times. | Labour has accused the culture secretary of “unacceptable interference” in the BBC over reported moves to bar it from showing popular shows such as Strictly Come Dancing at peak viewing times. |
| John Whittingdale is due to publish a white paper after the local elections that will set out a new regime as part of a proposed deal to grant a new royal charter to safeguard the service for another 11 years. The BBC has already voiced concerns at moves it says will undermine its independence, particularly over plans for the government to directly appoint most members of a new body to run the corporation instead of the BBC Trust. | |
| The latest reports on moves to block the BBC from going head-to-head with commercial rivals as part of the review of its charter are likely to increase BBC nervousness ahead of the white paper. Whittingdale has said the charter is looking at whether the broadcaster should continue to be “all things to all people” or should have a more “precisely targeted” mission in terms of its output. | The latest reports on moves to block the BBC from going head-to-head with commercial rivals as part of the review of its charter are likely to increase BBC nervousness ahead of the white paper. Whittingdale has said the charter is looking at whether the broadcaster should continue to be “all things to all people” or should have a more “precisely targeted” mission in terms of its output. |
| He has previously expressed concerns about the BBC’s flagship news bulletin being broadcast at the same time as ITV’s. ITV has complained about licence fee money being used to wage a ratings battle with it and other advertising-funded channels. | He has previously expressed concerns about the BBC’s flagship news bulletin being broadcast at the same time as ITV’s. ITV has complained about licence fee money being used to wage a ratings battle with it and other advertising-funded channels. |
| The Mail on Sunday quoted a government source saying it would be “obvious when ITV had a flagship programme they were hoping to get high ratings for and where it would be unfair for the BBC to take it on head-to-head”. | The Mail on Sunday quoted a government source saying it would be “obvious when ITV had a flagship programme they were hoping to get high ratings for and where it would be unfair for the BBC to take it on head-to-head”. |
| The shadow culture secretary, Maria Eagle, said: “John Whittingdale is behaving as if he were running the BBC – he is not. This kind of meddling in day-to-day scheduling decisions would be a completely unacceptable interference in the independence of the BBC. Labour will fight it all the way. | The shadow culture secretary, Maria Eagle, said: “John Whittingdale is behaving as if he were running the BBC – he is not. This kind of meddling in day-to-day scheduling decisions would be a completely unacceptable interference in the independence of the BBC. Labour will fight it all the way. |
| “The public will wonder why the government is interfering with the BBC, and why they are trying to dictate when they can schedule hugely popular programmes like Strictly Come Dancing.” | “The public will wonder why the government is interfering with the BBC, and why they are trying to dictate when they can schedule hugely popular programmes like Strictly Come Dancing.” |
| A BBC source said: “Let’s see what the white paper says. The BBC doesn’t aggressively schedule, but we do show programmes at the times people want to watch them. | A BBC source said: “Let’s see what the white paper says. The BBC doesn’t aggressively schedule, but we do show programmes at the times people want to watch them. |
| “Research has shown that an element of competition drives up quality across the industry and the public would be deeply concerned if the BBC’s ability to show programmes such as Strictly, Doctor Who, and Sherlock at the times convenient to them were taken away. It would be odd to make it harder for people to find and watch the programmes they have already paid for.” | |
| The BBC has also questioned ITV’s scheduling tactics, saying it screened the second series of Broadchurch to go head-to-head with its popular Silent Witness drama series in January 2015. | |
| The salaries of stars reportedly could also be forced into the open by being published in bands. The BBC says a review commissioned by the BBC Trust found the broadcaster had reduced spending on pay for top talent by 29% in five years, and overall spending on talent by 15%. | The salaries of stars reportedly could also be forced into the open by being published in bands. The BBC says a review commissioned by the BBC Trust found the broadcaster had reduced spending on pay for top talent by 29% in five years, and overall spending on talent by 15%. |