Sep 2nd, 2015
Have your say on the future of our BBC
By Rachel Oliver
Government plans to rip out the heart of the BBC are taking shape. Imagine a BBC where newsnight is riddled with adverts. Or a BBC so underfunded that independent news becomes a thing of the past and the airwaves are dominated by Rupert Murdoch’s media. This is what the Government wants – we need to stop them.
If we’re going to stop these plans we can’t rely on newspapers or TV channels owned by Murdoch and other media moguls. Instead, we’re going to have to use people-power to show the government that we won’t stand for them destroying our independent BBC.
Just before the summer break, the government snuck out a ‘public consultation’ on the future of the BBC. It’s full of gobbledegook questions – they were obviously hoping that nobody would respond! So the 38 Degrees staff team has ‘translated’ the questions into plain English, and the time’s come to make sure they hear our voices.
It takes a few minutes to fill in the survey. Without our voices, the government can claim that people don’t care about the future of the BBC, opening the doors to Murdoch. So can you add your voice and stand up for the BBC?
Click here to respond to the government’s survey
From BBC News, to the Proms, Panorama and Blue Peter, the BBC’s broadcasts are one of a kind. Having no adverts on the BBC means we can be sure big corporations aren’t interfering in what’s reported. But if the BBC is weakened, it’ll be easier for Rupert Murdoch to dominate the news and push his agenda for making maximum profit.
The more power Murdoch has, the easier it’ll be for him to make politicians dance to his tune. That’s a huge threat to democracy and people-power. But unless we speak up to protect the BBC, it looks like Murdoch could be about to get exactly what he wants.
So can you take a few minutes to add your voice? You can skip any questions you don’t want to answer, and there are some tips on the page to help you.
