Thursday 16 September 2004
Printable version
As part of the Review of the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ's Charter,
an independent panel chaired by Lord Burns is hosting a series of seminars
for invited audiences to debate a range of key issues about the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ
and its future role.
Webstreams and transcripts of seminars are
available at bbc.co.uk/thefuture.
As I hope I've made clear during these first few months of my chairmanship,
the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ has to change and change radically if it is to maintain public
support into the digital age.
There is no aspect of the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ for which that is more true than its
system of governance.
Even without the dramatic - and at times traumatic - events of the
last year, the status quo was never going to be an option.
I say this for two reasons.
Firstly, the competitive landscape is changing so quickly that the
Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ can no longer take its privileged position for granted.
Responsibility for making the case for its continued existence must
lie ultimately with the governing body.
Secondly, there is a proper demand for greater accountability in the
public sphere as much as the private.
The Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ must willingly and urgently embrace this requirement.
That process has begun inside the boardroom of the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ.
Over the last couple of years or so the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ has been subject to some
harsh - and in my view sometimes justified - criticism of its system
of governance.
Before my arrival, the Governors had begun to act. For instance, this
year's annual report marked a significant change from previous years,
striking the first notes of constructive criticism.
No one should be in any doubt in future that the annual report is
the Governors' annual report, an objective public evaluation of the
Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ's performance.
And then of course we set out a comprehensive programme of radical
reform in part two of Building Public Value.
I won't go into the detail here but I think it worth saying that in
drawing up our plans we were guided by three overall principles:
Firstly, the need for greater independence of the governing body from
management when reviewing both strategy and performance.
Secondly, the need for greater transparency and openness in the board's
decision-making.
Thirdly, the need for greater accountability to the public.
Underpinning all this must be a commitment to greater objectivity in
our approach to governance.
That means making sure that the Governors have ready access to independent
advice and support and that we have the right mix of skills and expertise
on the board to realise the vision we set out in Building Public Value.
A Director of the new Governance Unit has just been appointed, so
the reform of Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Governance, which we've already begun, will now gather
pace.
Let me state, nevertheless, that the Governors welcome further debate
and are open to any ideas or proposals that will help build public confidence
that the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ is meeting the needs of all licence fee payers.
Charter Review is absolutely the right moment to hold this debate
and make lasting improvements.
Any system of governance for the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ has to be judged on its ability
to maintain two fundamental principles:
Firstly it must promote the most effective possible stewardship of the
public's money.
We firmly believe that a properly reformed system of governance - rather
than external regulation - is by far the best means of doing this.
Secondly it must be able to guarantee the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ's continued independence
as a public broadcaster, free from political pressure or interference,
or any form of outside capture.
Without the first the public support on which the licence fee depends
would be eroded.
Without independence, there really would be no point in having the
Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ.
These are the vital tests of any reform of Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Governance.
