Ministers are examining plans that would increase the BBC’s independence from politicians, including ending political appointments to its board, as part of crucial talks over the corporation’s future.
The government is to consider overhauling the process by which the BBC has to renew its charter every decade, aiming to place it farther away from the influence of governments.
It comes with Nigel Farage’s Reform UK, which is highly critical of the BBC, riding high in the polls.
Ministers will also look at changes to funding the BBC, including advertising, “a top-up subscription model” and placing older content behind a paywall after it has been freely available for a certain period.
The government has committed to looking at safeguarding the BBC’s independence after internal concerns over the role of board members appointed by the former Conservative government.
The concerns emerged after a row over bias allegations that led to the resignations of the director general, Tim Davie, and the head of BBC News, Deborah Turness.
The commitment comes in a government document starting the process of renewing the BBC’s charter, which will also examine the future of the licence fee as the number of people paying it continues to decline.
The number of UK households holding a TV licence has declined by 2.4m since the peak of 2017-18. The government’s so-called green paper states a “generational shift” in the way media is consumed has created big challenges for the BBC.
While the government is examining all options other than funding the BBC through general taxation, many insiders believe a reformed licence fee could survive the process.
The document confirmed ministers are looking at plans that would remove political involvement in the BBC’s board, amid concern about the role played by figures appointed by previous prime ministers.
There have been calls for the BBC’s charter to be made permanent, like that of the Bank of England, so the corporation no longer had to worry about its future and could concentrate on its output and funding.
“We will consider whether revising the length of the forthcoming charter would support the BBC’s ability to plan and formulate its strategies over the long-term,” the government’s paper states.
“We will also consider other ways of ensuring that the BBC is provided with greater certainty over its future so that it is able to focus its attention on serving the public rather than being concerned about its continued existence. As part of this, we will look at options to ensure that the BBC is protected from political interference while still being accountable to the public it serves.
“This could include whether there should be a change to the government’s role in appointing board members.”
Concerns over politicisation have concentrated on the role of Robbie Gibb, the self-styled “proper Thatcherite Conservative” who served as Theresa May’s communications chief when she was prime minister.
He was placed on the BBC board by Boris Johnson and given a new term by the last Conservative government. It has been alleged that he and other government-appointed members were most vocal about allegations of liberal bias raised by a former external BBC adviser, Michael Prescott.
Some in the BBC have even described the corporation as being subjected to “a coup” from the right. The corporation’s chair, Samir Shah, and Gibb have ridiculed this, with Gibb saying he has been unfairly targeted and has always been a passionate advocate for the BBC.
Lisa Nandy, the culture secretary, said she wanted to secure a deal that would allow the BBC to continue “long into the future”.
“My aims for the charter review are clear. The BBC must remain fiercely independent, accountable and be able to command public trust,” she said. “It must reflect the whole of the UK, remain an engine for economic growth and be funded in a way that is sustainable and fair for audiences.
“As a government, we will ensure that this charter review is the catalyst that helps the BBC adapt to a rapidly changing media landscape and secures its role at the heart of national life.”
