Prospects for BBC independence wither with every speech from John Whittingdale. When the media secretary tells the Tory conference that “many people” feel the corporation has not always been “as fair and impartial as it should be” and talks again on taking complaints procedure elsewhere, you know the next charter will weigh heavy on its freedoms – even as the BBC itself effectively gives up on the whole trust experiment in its green paper response.
For who can be “fair and impartial” enough to keep Mr Whittingdale and “many people” happy? An Ofcom whose appointments system on current terms surely wouldn’t begin to pass muster with Hacked Off? Some fresh, discrete body constructed like the US supreme court (pro- and anti-Europe members balanced like pro- and anti-abortion voters)? The media select committee the minister used to chair? Big John himself, in consultation with Mr Justice Gove? It would all be a joke if collars weren’t being continually felt as politicians crawl all over reasonable editorial freedoms and commissioning initiatives. But there are precious few jokes on offer this year, the year of rough trade and charter barter.
