There's been a renewed sense of confidence in the BBC's press office of late. Where it used to show indecision when a media onslaught came, it is now resolutely on the front foot, taking to social media to dismantle whichever story the Daily Mail is publishing that day. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for the corporation in general, which is still far too shy to make a full, red-blooded case for the licence fee ahead of charter negotiations.
This weekend threw that reticence into sharp relief, as news emerged that Cameron said he'd like to "close them down", while the director general, Tony Hall, struck a compromising and nervy note while defending the BBC's funding arrangements. We look at the forces ranged against the corporation in government and why public service broadcasting prompts such scathing attacks from ministers and the privately-owned press.
We also delve into Michael Gove's reported plans for tightening up Freedom of Information. If anything this Act desperately needs reform to make sure it is operating effectively, but of course the direction of travel is in the other directions, with the government trying to take more decisions without scrutiny and bolstering the power of ministerial veto. Disappointing, but unsurprising. Come to think of it, that would make a good motto for British politics in general. | |
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