Pact chief executive Nigel Warner has urged the government to set out a clearer long-term funding plan for the BBC as discussions around the corporation’s next charter continue.
Speaking during a panel at the Creative Cities Convention in Liverpool, Warner said decisions around BBC funding would be one of the most significant issues facing the UK production sector over the next year.
The comments come as the government continues reviewing options for the BBC’s next funding model following the closure of its public consultation in March.
Pact backs wider household levy model
As part of its submission to the government’s Green Paper consultation, Pact supported the idea of a broader household levy to fund the BBC in future.
The organisation described the approach as a “lower-fee, wider-net” system designed to maintain universal access while adapting to changing viewing habits and platforms.
Pact referenced funding systems already used in countries including Germany, Italy and Norway.
The proposal would move away from relying solely on the traditional television licence fee model while keeping the BBC free at the point of use.
Permanent charter discussions continue
Warner also backed the idea of a perpetual BBC charter, which has increasingly become part of the wider debate around the broadcaster’s long-term future.
Culture secretary Lisa Nandy has already indicated support for moving away from the current fixed-term renewal process.
The BBC’s existing royal charter runs until the end of 2027.
Warner said greater transparency was needed around the government’s discussions, with concerns that too much of the process is currently happening behind closed doors.
BBC job cuts and industry recruitment raised
The panel also touched on the BBC’s recently announced job cuts and the wider impact on recruitment across the television and broadcast sector.
BBC head of the North of England and Radio 5 Live controller Heidi Dawson acknowledged the corporation would become smaller but said investment in apprenticeships and new talent would continue.
She pointed towards stronger collaboration across broadcasters and production companies rather than separate organisations attempting to solve recruitment challenges independently.
Pressure grows around the future of public service broadcasting
The debate arrives during a wider period of uncertainty across UK broadcasting, with streaming competition, changing audience habits and production pressures continuing to reshape the sector.
Questions around how public service broadcasting should be funded have increasingly moved beyond television alone, particularly as audiences consume content across digital, streaming and audio platforms.
The outcome of the next BBC funding settlement is likely to have implications across commissioning, independent production and regional broadcasting over the coming years.
