Beyond Protectionism – What the Bolton–Riley Conversation Reveals About the Future of Radio
The recent conversation between Roger Bolton and Phil Riley on Beeb Watch was a welcome and timely contribution to a debate that has been oddly […]
Public Purpose Media
The BBC’s Portrayal and Representation Review – Why the “Model” Matters as Much as the Metrics
The BBC’s independent thematic review of portrayal and representation is not simply a debate about fairness in casting, or whether particular audiences feel “seen”. It […]
Frequently Asked Questions – BBC Charter Renewal and the Future of Public-Purpose Media
Better Media and Decentered Media are collecting views about BBC Charter Renewal. Here are our Frequently Asked Questions. Complete the survey here: https://forms.gle/URnPgckbYbFPkPFQ8 What is […]
BBC Charter Review 2025 – A Green Paper that Invites Serious Public Deliberation
The UK Government’s Green Paper on the BBC’s Charter Review is now published, and it is welcome. Whatever one’s preferred settlement, Charter Renewal is one […]
Evaluating the BBC – Systems, Anecdotes, and the Problem of Closed Feedback Loops
Ofcom’s Annual Report on the BBC’s activities presents a picture of steady compliance, careful monitoring, and procedural attention. The tone that Ofcom adopts is measured […]
Rebuilding Trust from the Middle – A Public Purpose Media Agenda for the UK
Ian Murray MP’s new role as UK Minister for Media offers a chance to build a public purpose media framework linking science, technology, business, health, […]
From Preaching to Participation — Why Must Rebuild Civic Media from the Ground Up
Explore how communications managers can counter polarisation by rebuilding civic media from the ground up. This article sets out a participatory storytelling approach, showing why […]
Transmission Critical or Trust Eroded? A Citizen-Led Response to Ofcom’s Vision for Public Service Media
Ofcom’s Transmission Critical: The Future of Public Service Media sets out to assess how the UK’s public service media system must adapt to ensure its […]
Unlocking the True Potential of Public Service Broadcasting – A Critical Look at the DCMS Tender on PSB Social Value
As corporate media giants continue to dominate the air waves and algorithms, amplifying division and misinformation, the call for community-driven, decentralised alternatives has never been […]
Beyond the Regime Media – Why We Must Reclaim Dialogue in the Public Interest
Given the ferocity of discussion on social media, and the need for legacy media providers to remain relevant, would it be possible to reflect pragmatically […]
Why Local News Needs Accountability – Not Just Reach
In a recent post on X, Professor Ted Cantle made a simple but crucial observation: “News reporting has to have a stronger element of accountability […]
Reclaiming the Public Interest in Media Competition
The IPPR’s May 2025 policy paper Fair Play: How Competition Policy Can Drive Growth represents a timely and thoughtful intervention in the debate about economic […]
Who Serves Local Democracy? Rethinking the Local Democracy Reporter Scheme from a Foundational Perspective
The Local Democracy Reporter (LDR) scheme was launched in 2017 to address a growing democratic deficit: the shrinking capacity of local news providers to report […]
Reimagining UK Media Reform – Civic Society, Beveridge, and the Future of Media
The UK’s public media landscape is under intense pressure. In the face of declining public trust, financial instability, political interference, and a polarised media culture, […]
Opinion-Baiting and the Erosion of Impartial Reporting
The recent reaction to the UK Supreme Court’s ruling that “sex” in the Equality Act 2010 means biological sex has laid bare a serious and […]