IN SEARCH OF PUBLIC SERVICE BROADCASTING
The resignation of the BBC Chairman Gavyn Davies and Director
General,
Grey Dyke over the David Kelly affair in UK has sent shock
waves in the Television circles around the world.
The resignation reinforced the belief
that BBC stands for its credibility, editorial independence
and television in public interest. Greg Dyke in his email
to the BBC staff took full responsibility for the errors
of judgment and resigned to protect the future of the BBC.
About 300 BBC staff walked out of TV centre in west London
in support of Greg Dyke after he announced he was quitting.
One local radio station, BBC Somerset Sound, even went off
air for a minute this afternoon in protest at the resignation
of Mr Dyke and what staff called the "abject"
apology from the BBC.
Such are the high standards of the
organisation that British Prime
Minister Tony Blair's official spokesman was prompted to
say: "They decided to resign and the Prime Minister
believes that two decent and honourable men have done the
decent and honourable thing and it is time, to move on."
It is often said every country needs
a hobby, the French hobby is cinema, the US hobby is super
bowl and the UK's hobby is broadcasting. UK spends more
per head on Broadcasting than anywhere else in the world
except the US. As a country UK spends up to £4bn explicitly
through the licence fee. The annual spend per head on local
production in Britain is $75 per head compared to $65 in
USA. BBC is responsible for 40% of the TV production activity
in the UK.
The BBC in the UK is paid for by
the British TV license payers. It's
publicly funded by a compulsory tax which one has to pay
if one wants to have a television in ones home anywhere
in UK. If one doesn't pay you can go to jail. The British
Government sets the size of the annual licence fee, so it
decides how much money the Broadcaster gets. This tax is
up for a revision in 2006. Yet at the same time the BBC
is totally independent from Government in its journalism
and is fiercely proud of its independence.
Over the years Public Service Television
and BBC have become synonymous. Impartiality, accuracy and
fairness have been the trademarks of the organisation. BBC
as a not for profit Public Service Broadcaster is surviving
in the inevitable commercial pressures of a multi-channel
age. It ensures that pluralism; innovation and creativity
in TV programming can flourish in market driven 21st century
television world. It's a global leader in technological
developments and training its staff in engineering as well
as creative aspects of Broadcast production. For the whole
of the BBC's 80-year history it goes without saying that
the BBC fearlessly seeks to tell the public the truth and
never acts in its own narrow interest, but
must always act in the wider public interest.
Here in Los Angeles, a lot of Americans
admire the BBC and feel that it is a much loved and respected
organisation from Britain producing some
Wonderful, meaningful programmes in the midst of acres of
soaps, reality shows and feature films. BBC America and
BBC World are available only as DBS Channels in North America
BBC America is available on digital cable systems throughout
USA and via satellite on Direct TV and Echostar's DISH Network.
C-band viewers in USA obtain BBC America through their distributor
via 4DTV. By law, the BBC is not allowed to use this money
to fund channels outside the UK, so BBC America is reliant
on advertising sales. In the last two years BBC World and
BBC World Service, have both doubled their audiences in
USA. Canada too has its own BBC channels, BBC Canada and
BBC Kids,
Recently launched in partnership with Canadian entertainment
company, Alliance Atlantis Communications.
The BBC has revitalized TV programming
and created markets for itself
Around the world. Meanwhile the role of State-funded broadcasters
is being re-examined around the world in light of recent
developments such as the growth in the number of private
broadcasters, satellite and cable technology, digital television
and what has come to be known as Convergence Era. Public
service broadcasting or the State-controlled broadcasters
that still exist in many countries, can help to maintain
diversity in light of these developments and play an important
role in fulfilling the public's right to know. New Zealand's
experiment with 'arts council of the air' focused on public
service broadcasting with accurate unbiased and challenging
news, high-end drama and top quality non-fiction programming.
The Public Service Broadcasters in
South Asia are bravely facing the challenge of international
TV networks. In India, Pakistan and angladesh alone there
are more than 165 million television homes. One third of
them are currently hooked to cable or have satellite dishes.
By the year 2007, more than 220 million people in South
Asia will have cable and it will be a 3.5 billion dollars
a year market.
The Public Service Broadcasters of
South Asia have to exits in a market
Driven arena where there is a premium on profitability and
market
Penetration above all else. The real programming challenge
before the
State funded Public Service Broadcasters of South Asian
region is not to abdicate its public service role and delivers
solely escapist entertainment. The State funding gives the
Broadcasters the opportunity to be creative and take risks
in programming which may not be possible for private broadcasters.
The challenge is how not to manufacture entertainment through
the cheapest assembly line techniques available: movie re-runs,
mini series, music videos, talk and game shows.
There is also a need to generate
greater public debate within the region about public broadcasting,
and to spread awareness among media, policy makers and the
viewers and to look at the legal, technical, political and
commercial hurdles in strengthening public broadcasting
in the region and to learn from the success stories. There
is a need for a strong publicly funded broadcaster so that,
the cultural, social and democratic value of TV always exists.
Former BBC Director General, Greg
Dyke in a speech to the International
Emmy Board in New York last November defending Public Service
Broadcasting had said "The public funding of broadcasting
is not about protectionism or propping up inefficient businesses.
What's at stake is the kind of television people has a right
to expect in their society - TV which reflects their culture
and their values. Television is only different from coffee
or Coke if we recognise that fact. If we treat TV like these
things, it will become like them. We end up with nothing
more than a briefly enjoyable experience devoid of any lasting
value".
Words of wisdom no doubt.
The writer Bhuvan Lall, 37, is the
President & CEO, LALL Entertainment,
And former Executive Director, Indian Broadcasting Foundation.
He is also the founder and Convenor of Indian Animation
Producers Association, the Indian Documentary Forum and
the youngest Director of the International Emmy Council.
Bhuvan Lall divides his time between South Delhi and Southern
California building exciting relationships and co production
opportunities between Indian and Hollywood companies. LALL
Entertainment has offices in New Delhi and Los Angeles.
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