Margaret Thatcher et la BBC : régulation ou manipulation ?

This article argues that the relationship between Margaret Thatcher and her governments of the 1980s on the one hand, and the BBC on the other, differed from those of an ‘arm’s length’ regulator which had existed since the creation of the BBC through successive Conservative and Labour governments un...

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Main Author: Daniel Ruff
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Presses universitaires de Rennes 2006-09-01
Series:Revue LISA
Online Access:https://journals.openedition.org/lisa/2047
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author Daniel Ruff
author_facet Daniel Ruff
author_sort Daniel Ruff
collection DOAJ
description This article argues that the relationship between Margaret Thatcher and her governments of the 1980s on the one hand, and the BBC on the other, differed from those of an ‘arm’s length’ regulator which had existed since the creation of the BBC through successive Conservative and Labour governments until 1979, in which ministers would not intervene in BBC policy or programming. Ministers and party members instituted a concerted attempt to intimidate the BBC, most especially its news and current affairs programmes, whenever the latter did not report national politics and international events to the government’s liking. Proposed neo-liberal reforms to the system of funding the Corporation and negotiations for regular increases in the value of the licence fee were similarly opportunities to exert pressure on the BBC and to call into question its public service remit. Finally, royal prerogative and royal patronage were used to manipulate the political colour of the Board of Governors and thus, indirectly, the management of the BBC.
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spelling doaj.art-64ede56079d3488cbe1cd5195fc023062024-02-13T14:36:33ZengPresses universitaires de RennesRevue LISA1762-61532006-09-01419120610.4000/lisa.2047Margaret Thatcher et la BBC : régulation ou manipulation ?Daniel RuffThis article argues that the relationship between Margaret Thatcher and her governments of the 1980s on the one hand, and the BBC on the other, differed from those of an ‘arm’s length’ regulator which had existed since the creation of the BBC through successive Conservative and Labour governments until 1979, in which ministers would not intervene in BBC policy or programming. Ministers and party members instituted a concerted attempt to intimidate the BBC, most especially its news and current affairs programmes, whenever the latter did not report national politics and international events to the government’s liking. Proposed neo-liberal reforms to the system of funding the Corporation and negotiations for regular increases in the value of the licence fee were similarly opportunities to exert pressure on the BBC and to call into question its public service remit. Finally, royal prerogative and royal patronage were used to manipulate the political colour of the Board of Governors and thus, indirectly, the management of the BBC.https://journals.openedition.org/lisa/2047
spellingShingle Daniel Ruff
Margaret Thatcher et la BBC : régulation ou manipulation ?
Revue LISA
title Margaret Thatcher et la BBC : régulation ou manipulation ?
title_full Margaret Thatcher et la BBC : régulation ou manipulation ?
title_fullStr Margaret Thatcher et la BBC : régulation ou manipulation ?
title_full_unstemmed Margaret Thatcher et la BBC : régulation ou manipulation ?
title_short Margaret Thatcher et la BBC : régulation ou manipulation ?
title_sort margaret thatcher et la bbc regulation ou manipulation
url https://journals.openedition.org/lisa/2047
work_keys_str_mv AT danielruff margaretthatcheretlabbcregulationoumanipulation