Tomorrow's BBC: Birmingham seminar

On 10 November 2015, the BBC Trust held one of its Charter Review seminars in Birmingham. The event was chaired by BBC News presenter Jane Hill.

Rona Fairhead, Chairman of the BBC Trust, introduced the event by reporting the results of the research and consultation which the Trust had been conducting amongst audiences as part of the Charter review process.

A panel consisting of Fiona Allan, Chief Executive, Birmingham Hippodrome; Mark Florman, BBC Trust member for England; Joe Godwin, Director, BBC Birmingham and BBC Academy; Dorothy Hobson, writer and media commentator; and Jonnie Turpie, founder and Director, Maverick Productions, discussed a range of issues.

Audience members were then invited to take part in the discussion.

Amongst the topics raised were:

• Changing methods of media consumption and what this means for the BBC

• The public perceptions and expectations of the BBC

• The BBC’s role as an innovator and risk taker

• Reflecting and serving a multi-cultural UK – in particular Black and Asian audiences in mainstream and targeted programming

• The importance of ensuring that the BBC’s workforce is diverse and reflective of the changing UK population

• The BBC’s commissioning processes – and how these could be changed to provide programmes and services which better reflect all parts of the UK

• The disparity between the amount of money raised by the licence fee in the Midlands, compared to the amount of money which the BBC spends making network programmes in the region

• Ensuring that the BBC provides a diversity of opinion in its output – and the need to remain independent from Government

• The BBC’s role as a partner – with broadcasters and other cultural organisations.