As the BBC’s Charter Review approaches, a new briefing paper, BBC New to Britain: A Public Interest Case for an English-First Integration Service, calls for a national discussion on the future of public service media. It proposes evolving the BBC Asian Network into a universal, English-language platform promoting integration, civic participation, and shared identity. Decentered Media invites policymakers, practitioners, and listeners to engage in this debate through its podcast and online forums to shape the BBC’s role in a changing UK society.
As the next BBC Charter Review approaches, questions about what public service media should mean in twenty-first-century Britain are becoming impossible to ignore. The BBC’s structure and purpose were shaped in another era—when audiences were defined by geography, technology was stable, and society was less mobile and more homogeneous. Today, those assumptions no longer hold.
The newly released Decentered Media briefing paper, “BBC New to Britain: A Public Interest Case for an English-First Integration Service,” sets out a detailed proposal for re-shaping one part of the BBC’s radio and digital portfolio to reflect these new realities. It argues that the BBC Asian Network, originally established to serve post-war South Asian communities, should evolve into a universal, English-language service dedicated to integration, civic participation, and shared identity.
The reasoning is pragmatic. Since the 2021 Census, the UK’s migration profile has changed rapidly. The majority of new arrivals now come from East and Southeast Asia, Africa, and the Middle East, as well as from humanitarian and work routes. Meanwhile, commercial South Asian radio—from Sunrise to Lyca and numerous small-scale DAB stations—has matured, offering cultural and entertainment programming that duplicates much of what the BBC Asian Network once uniquely provided.
The paper proposes a transformation: redirecting the Asian Network’s £10–12 million annual budget into BBC New to Britain, an integration-focused service that supports English language learning, knowledge of British civic life, and participation in local communities. This would be more than a rebrand—it would be a shift of purpose, aligning with government priorities on social cohesion while reaffirming the BBC’s founding mission to inform, educate and entertain.
The document also sets out a Public Interest Test and Equality Impact Assessment to meet Ofcom’s regulatory expectations. It outlines measurable social outcomes—improved English proficiency, increased volunteering, and stronger cross-community contact—assessed through a Communications Impact Analysis framework. In this model, success is not simply about reach or ratings, but about tangible improvements in civic confidence and belonging.
You can download the full Request for Comments document here:
BBC-New-to-Britain-Public-Interest-Briefing-2025-11-12.docx
A Call for Dialogue
This proposal is not intended as a final word, but as an invitation to debate a wider question: what is the purpose of public service media in the future of UK social policy? Should it remain focused on representation and heritage, or should it help people participate more fully in a diverse, dynamic, and civic-minded nation?
The coming Charter Review offers a rare opportunity to think honestly about these issues—about the BBC’s role, but also about the ecosystem of community, commercial, and independent public interest media that now share the same space. If public funding is to continue, it must deliver demonstrable public value in the context of today’s society: fostering trust, belonging, and the skills for democratic participation.
At Decentered Media, we want this discussion to be broad, balanced, and open to all who value public service media, whatever their political or cultural perspective. We are hosting a series of conversations through the Decentered Media Podcast, bringing together voices from across the social and political spectrum—policymakers, practitioners, academics, broadcasters, and listeners.
If you believe that public service media still matters, and that it can evolve to serve a changing society, we invite you to take part. Read the document, share your views, and join the conversation.
How to get involved:
We welcome perspectives from across the social and political spectrum, especially from those who value public service principles and want to help shape a practical, future-focussed approach to social cohesion and integration. If you would like to join a recorded conversation on the Decentered Media podcast, please contact Rob Watson to arrange a slot. We look forward to hearing from you.
Let’s use this Charter Review to ask not just how the BBC operates, but why. The answers will help determine whether public service media remains a cornerstone of British democracy—or becomes a relic of the past.