'I'm Not Anti-BBC', Culture Secretary Insists

Culture Secretary John Whittingdale has insisted he is "not anti-BBC" amid warnings a review into the future of the public broadcaster would lead to "a much diminished, less popular" service.

Mr Whittingdale told Sky News he was a supporter of the corporation and had not reached any conclusions.

His comments came with the launch of a government green paper setting out the terms of the upcoming review of the BBC's Royal Charter.

Speaking in the House of Commons, Mr Whittingdale said: "With so much more choice in what to consume and how to consume it, we must at least question whether the BBC should try to be all things to all people, to serve everyone across every platform, or if should have a more precisely-targeted mission.

"The upcoming Charter review will look at whether the scale and scope of the BBC is right for the current and future media environment and delivers what audiences are willing to pay for."

On the funding of the BBC, he told MPs a subscription model for paying for the BBC "could well be an option in the longer term" but the technology was not yet widely available in homes.

As a result, the review would consider three options for reformed funding methods, including in a reformed licence fee, a household levy, or a hybrid model.

The Secretary of State also said a report had found the decriminalisation of licence fee evasion would not be appropriate under the current system, but it would be considered as part of the charter review.

In a statement, the BBC said: "We believe that this green paper would appear to herald a much diminished, less popular, BBC.

"That would be bad for Britain and would not be the BBC that the public has known and loved for over 90 years.

"It is important that we hear what the public want. It should be for the public to decide whether programmes like Strictly or Bake Off, or stations like Radio 1 or 2, should continue."

But Mr Whittingdale told Sky News: "We haven't reached any conclusions yet but I hope as many people as possible contribute to that discussion."

He added: "I'm not anti-BBC. I am a great supporter of the BBC.

"I think the BBC at its best is the finest broadcaster, but it would be ridiculous, particularly at a time of charter renewal not to say that it's appropriate to look at what the BBC does, how it's funded, how it's governed, to see how it can be improved."

Among those to raise concerns over the review were a line-up of celebrities, who signed an open letter to the Prime Minister calling on him to safeguard the BBC.

The signatories included James Bond star Daniel Craig, Dame Judi Dench, David Attenborough and the author JK Rowling.

But Mr Whittingdale revealed he agreed with almost everything in the letter.

He said: "I don't want to undermine it (the BBC). If anything I want to strengthen it.

"I think people are trying to find disagreement where it doesn't necessarily exist."