Billet Doux

Lord Fowler was a Times hack in his early career, and chaired both the Birmingham Post Group and the Yorkshire Post Group.  Lord Inglewood has been non-executive chairman of the CN Group, which includes one of our oldest papers, the Cumberland News. So their views on BBC Charter Renewal serve as a useful counterweight to those of Ashley Highfield, now a full five years into managing decline at Johnston Press. Mr Highfield is an appointed adviser to Culture Secretary John Whittingdale. The wise Lords have to write him an open letter.  Here's a pertinent extract.

"We do not think it is right for ministers to become involved in programme decisions and are doubtful whether the government should become involved in decisions about format – such as presentation of news on the BBC website. It is fanciful to believe that this has had a decisive effect on the decline of regional and local newspapers. We have both been involved closely in the regional press and have seen the obvious impact of the internet upon classified advertising and the changing habits of the public. This has been a trend, not only in Britain, but in other countries including the United States. We are also doubtful about the BBC plan to support local newspaper reporters. We think it would be better for the BBC to enter contractual arrangements with newspapers for news reporting – just as they do with independent companies in other areas."