UK launches BBC funding review, as broadcaster reels from Trump lawsuit
Trump is suing the BBC for up to $10 billion in damages over edited clips of a speech he said defamed him, according to a lawsuit filed Monday in Miami federal court. The BBC is defending the case because it has apologized to Trump.
Besides the Trump case, the streamer is also battling competition from streaming giants and digital video platforms.
Currently the BBC’s funding comes mainly from a £174.50 ($234) annual fee charged to all viewing households, but the number of licensees is falling.
The government said Tuesday it was considering reforms, including options to generate more commercial revenue.
Additionally, options for financing the World Service, which broadcasts to 453 million people worldwide every week, will also be examined.
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy, who launched the review, said the BBC must reflect the whole of Britain, be an engine of economic growth and be funded sustainably and fairly. “The BBC must remain fiercely independent, accountable and able to command the public’s trust,” he said.
The publisher operates on the basis of a charter that is reviewed every ten years. The current one expires in December 2027.
The BBC has been rocked by scandals in recent years, but a survey published by the government found that 60% of British adults are satisfied with BBC News.
Alongside the Trump case, news anchor Huw Edwards also resigned last year after pleading guilty to possessing indecent images of children; A documentary about the lives of children in Gaza violated the British public broadcaster’s broadcasting policies.
BBC Director General Tim Davie, who resigned following Trump’s complaint but has not yet left, said the BBC welcomed the outline of the government’s reforms.
“As the BBC we want change so we can continue to serve the UK for generations to come,” he said.
