**New BBC Chairman Champions Future of Public Service Broadcasters**
In his inaugural speech as chairman, Dr Samir Shah will assert that the battle for sustaining domestically produced content by the corporation, ITV, Channel 4, and Channel 5 has commenced. Addressing a crowd of TV industry professionals at Leeds Conservatoire, Dr Shah expresses his belief in public service broadcasting as a quintessential British accomplishment on Tuesday. The veteran TV and radio executive from India, with over 40 years of experience in broadcasting, is set to deliver an impassioned advocacy for the sector amidst the growing dominance of digital streaming platforms, highlighting the economic, social, and cultural advantages it brings. However, Dr Shah will caution that urgent actions are necessary to safeguard public service broadcasters to prevent them from becoming relics of the past.
As the 26th chairman of the BBC, Dr Shah emphasises, “Public service broadcasters are integral to our societal and cultural fabric, and they are invaluable treasures that warrant protection.” He underscores the urgency of the situation by proposing three essential measures to the Government and Ofcom to ensure the viability of public service broadcasters. These steps include a revamp of the regulatory framework to enable more adaptability, flexibility, and speed for broadcasters to transform themselves for the future, a plea for streaming giants like Netflix to invest in British creative industries, and a call for the implementation of the Media Act passed earlier this year to uphold the prominence of homegrown broadcasters in the digital era. Dr Shah asserts, “British public service broadcasters have crafted something extraordinary over the years that we must collectively fortify and integrate into the growth strategy crucial for the nation’s future prosperity.”
Introduced in the current year, the Media Act has empowered Channel 4 to independently create and monetise a larger portion of its content, shifting away from its previous practice of commissioning external production companies, owing to its status as a not-for-profit public entity reliant on advertising revenue.
In conclusion, Dr Shah concludes, “Let us collaborate as a sector to future-proof this invaluable asset and place it at the core of the growth narrative essential for the nation’s future prosperity. Hence, I commit to collaborating with my counterparts in the broadcast industry to urge our lawmakers and regulators to take decisive action on these fronts. Let us move swiftly to ensure we do not rue our inaction in the future.”
The manifestation of Dr Shah’s vision in supporting public service broadcasters carries the weight of ensuring the endurance of a vital sector that lies at the heart of Britain’s media landscape.