The Herald, Sunday 21 February 2016
SCOTLAND is finally being given a forum to engage in a major inquiry into the future of public service broadcasting. The Future for Public Service Television inquiry had been criticised by the SNP as “weighted heavily towards southern England”.
Now, inquiry organisers have confirmed there will be a special event in Scotland on April 13, to allow Scottish voices to be heard while the UK Government considers a white paper on charter renewal which will dictate the future of the BBC.
The event – a panel discussion to be chaired in Edinburgh by Labour peer Lord Puttnam – will include speakers such as John McCormick, chairman of the Scottish Screen Leadership Group and a former BBC Scotland controller, and broadcaster and journalist Stuart Cosgrove, formerly head of programmes for nations and regions at Channel 4.
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6-8pm, Wednesday 6 April 2016, Room 0.14 Bute Building, Cardiff University, King Edward VII Avenue, Cardiff, CF10 3NB
Speakers include:
Angharad Mair (BAFTA Wales and Tinopolis)
Huw Jones (Chair, S4C)
Ian MacKenzie (Head of Nations and Regions, Channel 4)
Angela Graham (Institute of Welsh Affairs)
Amelia Womack (Deputy Leader, Green Party of England and Wales)
Chaired by Sian Powell (Cardiff University)
This event is hosted and supported by the School of Journalism, Media and Cultural Studies at Cardiff University.
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/a-future-for-public-service-television-inquiry-event-for-wales-tickets-21627455301
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6-8pm, Dydd Mercher 6 Ebrill, 2016, Ystafell 0.14 Adeilad Bute, Prifysgol Caerdydd, Rhodfa Brenin Edward VII, Caerdydd, CF10 3NB
Siaradwyr yn cynnwys:
Angharad Mair (BAFTA Cymru a Tinopolis)
Huw Jones (Cadeirydd, S4C)
Ian MacKenzie (Pennaeth Cenhedloedd a Rhanbarthau, Channel 4)
Angela Graham (Sefydliad Materion Cymreig)
Amelia Womack (Dirprwy Arweinydd, Plaid Werdd Cymru a Lloegr)
Cadeirir gan Sian Powell (Prifysgol Caerdydd)
Ymchwiliad Dyfodol Gwasanaeth Teledu Cyhoeddus
Trefnydd Dyfodol Gwasanaeth Teledu Cyhoeddus – Digwyddiad yr Ymchwiliad yng Nghymru
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/a-future-for-public-service-television-inquiry-event-for-wales-tickets-21627455301
Robert Beveridge (Visiting Professor, University of Sassari) recommends that the Scottish Parliament should be ‘fully responsible for media policy and media regulation in and for Scotland, including BBC Scotland’. According to Beveridge, there needs to be more investment and more programming in Edinburgh, as it is ‘the only capital city of its stature and status in the world to have such a poor broadcasting infrastructure.’ Read the submission in full here.
The ‘Future for Public Service Television Inquiry’, chaired by Lord Puttnam, has announced that it will host a special event in Scotland, on 13th April, 6-8pm, inviting Scottish audiences to feed in to the broad-ranging debate.
The Inquiry will be partnering with The Royal Society of Edinburgh, where the event will take place, and the University of Stirling.
The event, which will be a panel discussion chaired by Lord Puttnam, will take place in front of an audience (see below for tickets). Speakers are:
Angela Haggerty, Editor, Common Space
Iseabail Mactaggart, Director of Development & Partnership, MG Alba
Stuart Cosgrove, journalist, broadcaster and former Head of Programmes (Nations and Regions), Channel 4
Professor Neil Blain, Professor Emeritus of Communications at the University of Stirling
John McCormick FRSE, Chair of the Scottish Screen Leadership Group, and former Controller of BBC Scotland
The Inquiry, www.futureoftv.org.uk, which is based at the Media and Communications department, Goldsmiths, University of London, is set up to consider the nature, purpose and role of public service television today and into the future. It aims to address ways in which public service content can be most effectively nurtured taking into consideration a growing range of services, platforms and funding models, continuous technological development and audience fragmentation particularly amongst younger and diverse audiences.
Lord Puttnam said, ‘It is extremely important that Scottish voices should be heard and reflected in this wide-ranging review of public service television. This event, with its distinguished panel of speakers and participation from the audience, will make a significant contribution to our research and findings. We are keen to hear from people in Scotland, either at this debate or more generally in submissions to the Inquiry’
John McCormick said, “The current debate on the future of the BBC has demonstrated some dissatisfaction with the public service tv offer in Scotland and the Scots representation in UK- wide public broadcasting. Against the background of constitutional change this event provides a significant opportunity to inform the important debate on the future of public service tv.”
Professor Matthew Hibberd, Division of Communications, Media and Culture at The University of Stirling, said “We welcome this event given the heightened interest in charter renewal debates in Scotland. The new BBC settlement will shape the fast-changing broadcasting environment in post-referendum Scotland and will have a major impact on audiences, programme-makers and key policy debates across the mass media.”
Contacts/further information:
Press enquiries: Janie Ironside Wood, Head of Communications, A Future for Public Service Television Inquiry. E: janieironsidewood@gmail.com | M: +44 7730 047 511
For tickets to the event: http://bit.ly/1SAXiOI
To make a submission to the Inquiry: Vana Goblot, Research Associate/Inquiry Secretariat. E: v.goblot@gold.ac.uk / T: 0207 919 7621
Twitter hashtag: #theTVwewant
Date: March 22 2016
Actor, Writer and TV Presenter Lenny Henry will be taking part in a Question Time-style panel event examining how British television represents its population. This will take place at Goldsmiths, University of London, on 22nd March at 6pm, as part of the Future for Public Service Television Inquiry, chaired by Lord Puttnam.
The debate will cover the key area of diversity in the media, a subject on which Lenny has been especially vocal, calling for better representation of BAME (black and Asian minority ethnic) people in the creative industries. Lenny will be joined by panellists Bev Skeggs, Professor of Sociology, Goldsmiths, University of London; Rupa Huq MP and former Sociology lecturer, and Dawn Foster, writer on politics, social affairs and economics at the Guardian. The session will be chaired by Pat Younge, MD of Sugar Films and former BBC Chief Creative Officer.
The Inquiry into the future of public service television has been set up to examine the roles and responsibilities of British television in a digital world and to make recommendations on how television can foster a more creative and robust public culture in the 21st century. It aims to address changing production, consumption and distribution practices and the funding and regulation of audiovisual content. The secretariat is based at Goldsmiths, University of London, and project partners include the Guardian, BAFTA, Vice UK, the British Academy and the Hansard Society. The Inquiry is organising a series of events and will be producing a final Report at the end of June 2016. See www.futureoftv.org.uk for more details.
Inquiry Project Lead, Des Freedman, said ‘This is a really important topic. Public service television ought to represent all the constituent parts of the population and when it doesn’t do this, we have to ask why. Evidence and experiences from this dynamic line-up of speakers, together with audience participation, will make a significant contribution to the Inquiry’s findings at a critical time in the history of television.’
Further information:
Venue: Professor Stuart Hall (PSH LG02), Goldsmiths, University of London, Lewisham Way London SE14 6NW. The event is open to the public and free tickets can be booked here: http://bit.ly/1TjfoUd
Press enquiries: Janie Ironside Wood, Head of Communications, A Future for Public Service Television Inquiry; E: janieironsidewood@gmail.com | M: +44 7730 047 511
Email your questions in advance or submit evidence to the Inquiry: Vana Goblot, Research Associate/Inquiry Secretariat, E: v.goblot@gold.ac.uk
Twitter hashtag: #theTVwewant