Abstract

Recent years have been pretty dire for the BBC. The Jimmy Savile revelations, the Newsnight/Lord McAlpine debacle, the ignominious fall from grace of Director-General George Entwistle after just 54 days in the hot seat and the scandal of the top executives' pay-offs have all seriously damaged public trust in the Corporation. But as the BBC heads for negotiations on the new licence fee and charter renewal (both due in 2017) and the country prepares for a general election in 2015, the issues confronting the Corporation concern us all.