Julian Knight MP has criticised the BBC for concentrating production in London and Manchester at the expense of the West Midlands.
Speaking in a special Parliamentary debate on the licence fee, he claimed that local licence fee-payers felt “disenfranchised” by the fact that they only received £12.50 back in investment from every £145.50 fee they pay – that’s less than 10 per cent.
In addition for calling on the Corporation to diversify provision, and speaking up for the region’s bid to be the new home of Channel 4, Julian commended the BBC for making progress in reducing the level of anti-Brexit bias in its news coverage.
However, he suggested that it still had farther to go in creating a diverse and pluralistic internal culture which would ensure that different viewpoints were fairly represented.
Commenting on the proposals, Julian Knight said:
“I used to work for the BBC and I know just how valuable a national institution it is. Not only does it produce first-rate television for British audiences, but it helps to project British influence across the world.
“However, it’s important that a national service paid for by everyone fairly represents everyone. In the past I think the Corporation’s news coverage has been too shaped by a narrow range of views – and the concentration of its staff in London and Manchester doesn’t help.
“The BBC will only properly represent the whole country if it has a real, on-the-ground presence in all our regions, including the West Midlands.”