Lord Grade is the ex-chair of Ofcom, a former controller of BBC One and chief executive of Channel 4, and was Chair of the BBC Board of Governors from 2004-6.
Here, he shares his BBC manifesto – a 10-point plan to reform the corporation.
1. Lower the licence fee
The BBC needs stable funding to survive, but its future relies on continued public support, which is currently at risk. Therefore, the current TV licence fee needs to be reduced. The BBC’s main job is to use public funds to create great British programs for British viewers, but the current fee system isn’t fair. It doesn’t make sense that someone like me pays the same amount as a single parent with children living in difficult circumstances. I’d be willing to pay more if it meant others could pay less.
2. Do not take advertising
Allowing the BBC to compete in the advertising market would severely harm ITV, Channel 4, and Channel 5, and significantly reduce Sky’s income. It simply wouldn’t work.
3. Reject the subscription model
As a film and TV lover, I’m really worried about the BBC potentially moving to a subscription model. It feels like it would completely change what they make. They’d only commission things they’re sure will attract subscribers, which means taking fewer risks. Right now, the BBC can nurture talent and show programs that might not be instant hits, but build an audience over time. But in a subscription world, that just isn’t financially viable – you can’t afford to take those chances, and that’s a huge loss for creative, boundary-pushing content.
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4. Save money on costs
Instead of reducing popular shows and services, the BBC should focus on cutting its overhead costs. The corporation owns a lot of large buildings nationwide, even though more and more people are now working remotely. Plus, a significant number of BBC staff aren’t directly involved in creating programmes, something the new director-general will likely discover soon.
5. Admit your mistakes
The BBC hasn’t been very good at addressing its errors in reporting, which has eroded public trust. For example, the misleading edit in the Panorama program about Trump was only discovered thanks to outside scrutiny – the BBC didn’t reveal it themselves, and that’s a serious problem. The BBC seems to view admitting mistakes as a weakness, but I believe honesty is actually a strength. They need to start being more upfront when they get things wrong.
6. Follow the audience
To reach the most viewers, you need to be on platforms like YouTube, especially on smart TVs. It’s important to remember that YouTube is a place to share your videos, not a rival content creator itself.
7. Keep taking risks
As a critic, I’ve always appreciated that the BBC has the freedom to experiment in ways commercial channels just can’t. Look at ‘The Traitors’ – it’s a huge hit now, but it was a total unknown when they first greenlit it. I doubt a channel driven purely by ratings would have taken that chance. However, this ability to take risks relies on the BBC having a solid financial foundation, and that needs to be protected.
8. Give power to the regions
We need to shift funding and control away from London. Currently, talented individuals are missing out because they can’t afford to live and work there. Simply having regional offices, like the BBC in Salford, isn’t enough – decisions also need to be made outside of London. For example, a young writer in Oldham should be able to easily pitch an idea to those at the Salford office and have them empowered to approve it. The current approach feels superficial. I believe the BBC needs to become truly national by adopting a federal structure.
9. Cherish impartiality
With so much false information circulating today, the BBC is known for trying to deliver news that’s fair and carefully chosen. While it doesn’t always get it right, research from Ofcom consistently shows people generally believe the BBC aims to be impartial – and that’s something the BBC needs to protect.
10. Launch World Service TV
The BBC should develop its highly respected World Service into a full global television channel, utilizing all modern platforms. The World Service is a valuable asset – both for the BBC and for Britain’s international influence – and deserves increased investment. Like in the past, this should be funded by direct government support.
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2026-06-15 19:42