Following a two year process the Government has reached firm conclusions on the future of the BBC. These are contained in a White Paper, a new Royal Charter and a Framework Agreement between the BBC and the DCMS, published on 14 March 2006. Between them these documents set the future framework for the BBC in the next decade.

The proposals include:

• setting out six public purposes for the BBC - every activity the BBC undertakes should aim to meet at least one of these:
  1. sustaining citizenship and civil society
  2. promoting education and learning
  3. stimulating creativity and cultural excellence
  4. reflecting the UK’s nations and regions
  5. bringing the UK to the world and the world to the UK
  6. building digital Britain
• replacing the BBC Governors with a new BBC Trust
• introducing non-executive members to the Executive Board
• introducing a Public Value Test for all our services
• ensuring at least 25% and up to 50% of qualifying network TV output is made by independent producers (in line with the WoCC proposals)
• helping build digital Britain and leading on digital TV switchover

Tessa Jowell also emphasised that 'entertainment is central to the BBC's mission - it should take fun seriously'

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In a message to BBC staff on 11 October 2005, Mark Thompson wrote:

Today marks another important milestone on the way to realising our vision of a creative, open, digital BBC that provides fantastic value to all of our audiences. It’s also another step towards an on-demand, fully digital UK.

For the first time we’re making the BBC’s case for a new licence fee settlement in a completely open way, explaining how we can deliver value to all licence payers through brilliant content and services, how much it will cost and how much of the bill we can meet ourselves by transforming the way we think and work.

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The Board of Governors has published its response to the Government's Green Paper which set out a mix of firm proposals and recommendations for the BBC's future.



The BBC's response will feed into the thinking of the DCMS as final proposals are developed for a White Paper.

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People across the BBC are working hard both internally and externally to secure a strong Charter and a bright future for the BBC: so we can really make a difference to life in the UK and beyond.

Find out how we're contributing to the external debate and setting out our vision for the BBC.

• Explore this site to find out about Charter Review

• Read about the future of the BBCand the BBC's vision, Building public value