Vocal Voices

The idea slipped in, then sneaked out quietly, though it has been around for a while. This time, however, it might get a bit more of an airing.

Today the DG, Tony Hall and Trust Chair, Chris Patten, will be up in front of the Commons Culture Committee to answer questions about the BBC's annual report, and mutualisation might crop up. The reason it might get more consideration this time is because a former culture secretary, and still influential MP, Tessa Jowell, has suggested it.

I quite like the arguments.

It would:
Raise public confidence
Put the public "in the driving seat" and allow them a greater say, and prevent government interference
Transform accountability at the BBC
Ensure that the BBC is owned by its licence fee payers
Remove government involvement threatening the independence of the BBC
Strengthen the Trust's hand in relation to the executive
Be absolutely clear the Trust is the cheerleader for the licence fee payer

Of course, a lot of it would require the removal of the useless Patten and his cronies from the Trust and replace them with a "Peoples" Trust, but it would be a start.