Public Service Content : First Report of Session 2007-08 - v. 1 : Report, Together with Formal Minutes

In March 2006 the Government published its White Paper on the BBC ("A Public Service for All: The BBC in the Digital Age (Cm. 6763)" - ISBN 0101676328), which set out the framework for the BBC's role as a public service broadcaster over the next ten years.

Given the concerns that have been raised over the future sustainability of the current public service broadcasting system, the Committee's report examines a range of issues including: the prospects for maintaining plurality in public service broadcasting in the digital age; the practicality of continuing to impose public service obligations on commercial broadcasters; the viability of existing funding models for ITV, Channel 4, and Five; and the case for public funding of broadcasters in addition to the BBC.Although the Committee notes its overall confidence in the viability of most types of public service content, it recognises that some content is already coming under pressure and that this is likely to increase over time.

The report argues that the BBC should not be left as the only supplier of public service content in any area of programming, as the maintenance of plurality is an important public policy objective.Public funding, using licence fee income or general taxation, should be made available to all broadcasters on a contestable basis to bring the benefits of competition to the provision of public service content that the market might not otherwise provide, such as UK-produced children's programming or regional programming.