Assembly committee seeks views on BBC Charter renewal

Published 01/10/2015   |   Last Updated 02/03/2016

 

A National Assembly for Wales committee is asking what a review of the BBC's Charter will mean for Wales.

The review, by the UK Government, will look at the purpose, scale, funding and governance of the corporation.

The last review, ten years ago, was conducted at a time before the explosion in smart phones and tablets, and when online streaming services such as Youtube and Netflix were in their infancy.

The Communities, Equality and Local Government Committee will consider the review and its possible implications for Wales including, among other things:

  • Future provision of BBC services in Wales in both English and Welsh;
  • Current and future funding, governance and accountability in relation to Wales, and;
  • The future of S4C and the services it provides.

The Committee will be taking evidence from the BBC, commercial media, government and other interested parties as part of its inquiry.

But it is also asking people all over Wales for their views.

"The BBC has been a part of our lives for generations, but there can be no doubt its position in a modern, on-demand, internet-driven world is changing," said Chair of the Committee, Christine Chapman AM.

"The BBC Charter review will shape how the corporation works and serves the British public in the future, so we want to know what the effect of such changes could be to Wales, and what sort of BBC we want.

"I would ask anyone with an interest in the future of the BBC and the media landscape in Wales to contribute to our inquiry by considering our terms of reference and helping to shape our findings."

The deadline for submissions is 30 October 2015. Anyone wanting to submit evidence should visit the Committee's inquiry page for more information.