Leading article: Not the way to preserve BBC independence

 

Sunday 24 June 2012 23:22 BST
Comments

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

It was bad enough when Boris Johnson suggested – apparently in all seriousness – that the new boss of the staunchly apolitical BBC should be a Tory. Evidence that journalists working for the corporation's Global News arm are being directed to think up money-making schemes is more alarming still.

True, a squeeze on the licence fee has slashed the BBC's budget by a fifth. And the Global News division is a private company that exists specifically to further the corporation's commercial interests. Moreover, the BBC denies that the plan will compromise its values.

But the corporation is already under investigation by Ofcom over commercial influence on some World News programmes. And pressure on staff, through the appraisal system no less, can hardly not have an effect. For an organisation prized, above all, for its independence, it would be difficult to set a more wrong-headed course.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in