Both the right-wing Conservatives and Reform insist they have no desire to destroy the BBC.
“There is a future for the BBC, because it does have a strong global brand, but in order to retain its trust and confidence, it’s got to respect its impartial charter responsibilities and make sure that the news and current affairs programming abides by its own editorial guidelines,” Huddleston said Monday.
Soft power
One of the central arguments the BBC’s advocates make in favor of funding the broadcaster is the soft power role it plays through initiatives such as the BBC World Service, which delivers news in over 40 languages. However, it has cut jobs this year as the BBC has sought to find savings.
Conservative MP Julian Smith said it was unfortunate that BBC leadership teams had been focused on domestic scandals and editorial and corporate issues that should have been addressed with much greater speed, rigour, political confidence, and understanding.
“That’s been at the loss of focus on how to maximise, and also where needed make a case, to government on the global reach of the BBC, and the impact this could have on foreign soft power,” he said.
Whittingdale insisted “we need the BBC,” describing it as “an extraordinarily fine broadcaster.”
“Its reputation is one of its greatest assets, and that is why this is so damaging,” he said.
“I want the BBC to be seen, still to be seen as a sort of beacon of truth and reliability, and that is undermined by these kinds of revelations.”
Emilio Casalicchio contributed reporting