'TV broadcasting should not be left to the market,' says Dyke

Broadcasting is too important to be left purely to the market, according to BBC Director-General Greg Dyke.
Speaking in New York as he received an International Emmy Directorate award for outstanding services to broadcasting, Mr Dyke said that television was not "just another commodity" like Starbucks or Coca Cola and disagreed with those who argued that television should be left to the market.
"What's at stake is the kind of television people have a right to expect in their society – TV which reflects their culture and their values. Television is only different from coffee or coke if we recognise that fact. If we treat TV like these things, it will become like them. We end up with nothing more than a briefly enjoyable experience devoid of any lasting value."
He added: "Broadcasting is special. It plays a crucial role in our lives, both as individuals and as members of civil society. It tells us what's happening in the world, helps us form opinions and informs national debates. It connects people through shared experience and reflects our personal interests."
The BBC Director-General said: "It's wrong to see the BBC as a separate entity, divorced from the rest of the UK broadcasting system. A strong, publicly-funded broadcaster at the heart of our industry has a positive influence far beyond the confines of our own channels and services."
Adding that with the continuing take-up of subscription television and the advent of discussions on Charter Review, the role of all broadcasters was more vital than ever, he said that the BBC must and would continue to have a leading part by producing indigenous programming that reflected British tastes, British values and British culture.
"The BBC uses public money to create a powerful incentive for domestic investment across the board and our freedom from commercial pressures allows us to set the benchmark for quality and range which the other networks must be willing to match if they are to compete," he continued.
Dyke asserted that any move to cut the BBC out of the equation would have a detrimental effect. Its commitment to indigenous programming across all its services forced the UK's main commercial broadcasters to be similarly committed.
Without the BBC the UK broadcasting industry would follow natural market forces to maximise profit by increasing the amount of imported programming with less money spent on original programming.
Therefore, despite the arguments put forward by some commercial broadcasters, the BBC was vital as a catalyst for competition, quality and creativity.
However, together with the rest of the UK broadcasters, the BBC faced the threat posed by globalisation.
In particular, the 'Americanisation' of the UK media because of the size of the American market and the recent legislation that made it possible for an US company to buy any of the UK's commercial broadcasters. This, he said, would threaten a television landscape that reflected national culture and values.
Despite its size, this year Britain spent more money per person on homegrown programming. Compared to the US where annual spend per person was $65, in the UK broadcasters spent $75 dollars per head, of which $40 was spent by the BBC.
(GB)