BBC Sounds: Access from Abroad

Question

15:29:00

Asked by

To ask His Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had with the BBC about its decision to deny access to BBC Sounds for people travelling or living abroad; and what the outcome of any such discussions was.

As my noble friend is aware, the BBC is operationally independent of the Government. Decisions of this nature are rightly for the BBC. However, I welcome the BBC’s commitment to keep BBC Sounds available internationally until access arrangements to other BBC stations for international listeners are confirmed. The Government are continuing conversations with the BBC to understand the timing and potential impact of changes.

Since laying this Question, and as a supporter of the BBC, I have been pleased to have a dialogue, but I am sure my noble friend would agree that if it is to be “our BBC” then there must be communications with listeners and timescales for implementation, linking in with genuine accessibility for every user. Developing this with the World Service and investing in our soft power will be really important—perhaps this is tongue-in-cheek—to ensure that when we are abroad all of us can tune in and listen, because it helps us feel that we are not strangers in someone else’s land.

As I made clear to my noble friend, DCMS is having ongoing conversations with the BBC to better understand the timing and implications of the proposed changes. Accessibility is clearly important. As somebody who, like many other Members of your Lordships’ House, listens using BBC Sounds when abroad, I am very grateful that the BBC is going to consider this further. However, under the current proposals, the international audience will still be able to access Radio 4, the World Service and the BBC’s journalism for free through bbc.com. Ultimately, whatever comes out of the delay to the changes and the refinement of the plans, this is a matter of operational independence for the BBC.

My Lords, I declare an interest in having been a BBC producer for 25 years. Today, the BBC director-general called for the “supercharging” of the BBC World Service so that it can double its audience and reach 1 billion people weekly. Can the Minister respond to his call for the Government to be ambitious for the BBC World Service and invest in its significant growth, rather than make the cuts which are being suggested at the moment?

I read the director-general’s speech with interest but, as noble Lords can imagine, since it came into my inbox five minutes before I came into the Chamber I have not had a chance to reflect on it at length. I thought, however, that the way he invoked Reithian values, and his commitment to the BBC being part of the rebuilding of trust, was really important. We recognise how vital the BBC is as a key British asset that makes a significant contribution to national life, as well as overseas through the World Service.

My Lords, the concern that has been expressed about these proposals, which are partly driven by financial considerations, illustrates just how popular BBC content is right around the world, providing, as the noble Lord, Lord Blunkett, said, real soft power. This means, for example, that BBC listeners are more likely to invest in the UK than non-BBC listeners. However, providing that content is getting ever more expensive and more difficult to fund. Notwithstanding the Minister saying how proud she is and how keen she is for the BBC to continue to do well, what assurances can she give us that the BBC will be given secure finances?

My Lords, for the BBC to deliver on its obligations, it needs continued sustainable funding. We are keeping an open mind about the future of the licence fee and will consider the best funding model during the charter review. Our priority is that there will be sustainable funding for the BBC.

My Lords, many of us in this House may just about be old enough to remember the shortwave broadcasts coming from Hungary in 1956 when it was invaded by the Russians. One of the few ways in which countries around the world can communicate or obtain information through radio is by using frequencies that have now gone in this country. Can the Minister confirm that, whatever the BBC does in order to have a long reach around the world, it is taking into account the fact that the way in which people receive radio is not always as sophisticated as the way that we are able to benefit from it here?

The noble Lord makes a really important point. The way that this whole agenda gets taken forward is clearly key. I recommend that noble Lords read the speech by the director-general, which I thought was very thoughtful about where he sees the BBC going. I hope noble Lords will take some reassurance that he sees the responsibility of the BBC in both a national and a world context. The Government also see the significance of issues such as that. I am afraid I was not old enough to remember the 1956 conflict that the noble Lord mentions—in fact, I was not born—but I will feed his points back to both DCMS and FCDO colleagues.

My Lords, I am delighted that we have so many youngsters in your Lordships’ House. I echo the fact that the BBC is an important source of soft power. Like many Members of the House, I worked abroad, and I ended up with an addiction to the BBC World Service. When I confessed that addiction, I discovered that people from all countries shared my addiction to the World Service. If we squander that, we squander a big part of our influence abroad. I hope the Government will recognise that. I am encouraged by what the Minister has said, but we really need to keep the pressure on regarding this issue.

It is only in your Lordships’ House that I am referred to as a youngster, and long may that continue. Reflecting on my noble friend’s comments, I will say that under the original proposals the international audience will still be able to use and access radio for the World Service and the BBC’s journalism for free through bbc.com. Clearly, the BBC is reviewing and refining the plans, but I think we can all agree that we should be proud of how the BBC is such a significant part of our soft power globally.

My Lords, the journalist and former “World News Today” presenter Kirsty Lang described this decision as “devastating for all our overseas listeners … I have no idea why they’re cutting it or why they can’t introduce a subscription for people living outside the UK”. The principal of the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire suggested that BBC Sounds could be made available for a monthly fee, and that “Millions of others outside UK would pay for the great content”. I appreciate that the BBC is operationally independent of the Government, but surely the Minister can constructively challenge the BBC as to why a monthly subscription fee would not be a viable option, particularly in view of its current £500 million deficit. Will she please commit to doing so?

As I mentioned, the BBC is operationally independent. It is important for the BBC and our journalism that it is operationally independent of the Government. However, as I previously mentioned, I welcome the BBC’s commitment to keep BBC Sounds available internationally until access arrangements to other BBC stations for international listeners are confirmed. As I mentioned in a previous response, Radio 4, the World Service and the BBC’s journalism will still be free throughout the world at bbc.com.

My Lords, I indeed remember 1956, which I am sure is a surprise to most Members looking at me at this moment. For the benefit of all of us, I ask the Minister what discussions, if any, have taken place with the Israeli Government that might allow correspondents to operate from within Gaza.

I will discuss that issue with FCDO colleagues and write to my noble friend.