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The Guardian view on the BBC's future: the broadcaster's independence and funding face challenges

The Guardian view on the BBC's future: the broadcaster's independence and funding face challenges

The Guardian06-07-2025
The BBC will soon charge US users for full news access. In Britain, it may seem a distant prospect, but if universality can be dropped abroad, how long before it's tested at home? With the BBC's charter due for renewal in 2027, the funding debate is intensifying. What becomes of the licence fee will define the broadcaster's future.
There is increased scrutiny of Auntie's independence and impartiality after political pressure was applied through censure, funding freezes and contentious board appointments. What the BBC should look like in a fragmented media landscape is uncertain. A big question is whether the licence fee levied on households should be replaced by subscription, limited advertising or public funding. The last option is surely a non-starter, opening the door to more direct political control. Carrying adverts would force the BBC to compete with other broadcasters for cash, and destabilise existing providers. A subscription-style BBC, even if technical hurdles were overcome, wouldn't be a national institution. Those most in need of public-service media – navigating disinformation, political alienation or regional marginalisation – would be left out. Once you charge, the question isn't how to inform, educate and entertain the public; it's who can afford to be included. Partial subscription might keep some core services – like news – free, while others are paywalled. This would entrench a two-tier public service.
The BBC is a large organisation and not without its faults. But critics with vested interests often exaggerate them. What began as commercial pressure has been inflamed by culture wars. Success – from Peaky Blinders to Blue Planet – has not shielded it from attack. No wonder the director-general, Tim Davie, warned in May of a looming 'trust crisis'. It's now easier to list the political groups at war with BBC News than those who trust it.
The row over Glastonbury – and the BBC's retreat – underscores the pressure on Mr Davie. But the broadcaster's fight isn't just with critics. It's also battling for attention in an ecosystem flooded by algorithmic noise. Since the last charter renewal in 2016, streamers, podcasts and AI have disrupted the landscape, collapsing trust in 'legacy' media. When outrage spreads faster than facts, and filter bubbles shape belief, the BBC's global stature as a respected public institution matters more than ever.
Every government leans on the BBC – at a price. The BBC pulled a documentary, Gaza: Doctors Under Attack, citing vague concerns about 'partiality'. Channel 4 aired it instead. Meanwhile, Robbie Gibb, a controversial Johnson-era appointee, helps shape BBC editorial priorities as a board member. A former Tory spin doctor, he became the Jewish Chronicle's owner, appointing an editor who pushed a hardline pro-Israel stance and oversaw multiple scandals. He refused to reveal who was funding the paper. His role in guiding how the BBC reviews its Middle East coverage raises concerns about impartiality. More than 400 media figures last week called for his removal. His departure is long overdue.
In 1977, the Annan committee reimagined broadcasting for a changing Britain. Channel 4 was the result. The culture secretary, Lisa Nandy, who has sensibly called for a modern Annan‑style review, is chary of backing Mr Davie. But broader reform is needed in a time of distrust and disruption. For the BBC, this could offer not just a funding fix but a democratic roadmap. The charter review must rebuild a trusted civic platform – a public good, not a private preserve.
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Revival – Season 1 Episode 5 Recap & Review
Revival – Season 1 Episode 5 Recap & Review

The Review Geek

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  • The Review Geek

Revival – Season 1 Episode 5 Recap & Review

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Summer loving: how America fell head over heels for Love Island
Summer loving: how America fell head over heels for Love Island

The Guardian

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Summer loving: how America fell head over heels for Love Island

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These people grew up with social media, and it shows – and somehow, instead of being entirely off-putting, it's more relatable than the millennials who came before them, who were constantly angling for the camera's attention while overthinking how they were coming off in the public eye. There's an effortlessness of this new young generation who came of age so filmed by their own phone cameras that they don't seem as concerned with the production crew's POV, or even the fact that they're being watched. The ennui and cultural frustration of millennials is eclipsed by gen Z women who don't feel the need to go so high glam with their style, and men who are excited to talk about their feelings. It's a refreshing energy. It all translates into a collective self-awareness that while they could become famous just by being there, and especially by staying on as long as possible, showing any interest in that is off-putting and will get them kicked off and also disowned by the public. 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J.D. Vance's wife Usha praised over casual outfit choice during Disneyland outing
J.D. Vance's wife Usha praised over casual outfit choice during Disneyland outing

Daily Mail​

time31 minutes ago

  • Daily Mail​

J.D. Vance's wife Usha praised over casual outfit choice during Disneyland outing

J.D. Vance 's wife Usha Vance has been praised for her casual outfit choice during their day out in Disneyland. The couple, along with two of their three kids, were spotted walking around the beloved Anaheim, California, theme park on Saturday. Usha, 39, dressed very informally for the outing, opting for a pair of loose high-waisted jeans, a white T-shirt that she tucked into them, and some white sneakers. She paired the look with a white baseball hat and a blue fanny pack and kept her long brown hair up in a messy bun. Vice President J.D., 40, for his part, wore dark jeans, a button-down green shirt, gray sneakers, and a matching baseball cap to his wife. After photos and videos of the pair walking around Disney went viral on X, formerly Twitter, Usha was applauded for wearing such a normal ensemble. The publication The List pointed out that J.D.'s boss Donald Trump's wife, Melania Trump, would likely never wear such a laid-back look. Melania often dons expensive clothing pieces and chic dresses, and she famously always looks perfectly put-together at all times. It's certainly hard to imaging her in some baggy jeans, sporting a fanny pack, or throwing her hair up into a casual bun. J.D. and Usha were surrounded by secret service men as they made their way around the park, who attempted to blend in by ditching their usual suits for casual looks as well. It's been said that they ate at the lavish 21 Royal restaurant and enjoyed rides like Tiana's Bayou Adventure. Usha has long seemed to take a 'less is more' approach when it comes to her fashion choices. During her years as a lawyer, she was often photographed wearing casual looks like jeans and plain tops. As her husband began to emerge as a prominent political figure, however, Usha's fashion sense seemed to transform, as she began wearing elegant dresses and bold patterns whenever she'd attend events by his side. She has certainly come into her own when it comes to her ensembles, oozing confidence in figure-hugging gowns and eye-popping jumpsuits - a far cry from the minimal outfits she wore in the early years of her career. But now she has proved that when she's just hanging out with her family at Disneyland, she likes to dress like everyone else. The Indian-American mother-of-three has been fiercely honest about how she has no plans to change the way she dresses to fit in to 'MAGA Land.' Earlier this year, a reporter who pointed out that she looks quite different from the 'blondes, Botox and facelifts, and nine-inch heels' elsewhere on the political scene, and she was quick to shut them down. 'I'm laughing because it would be really hard for me to be blonde,' she responded, adding, 'That color would look totally absurd. 'For what it's worth, my reception into this world - and I'm not from a particularly wealthy background, not from a very fashion-oriented background personally or professionally - has been really positive. People don't seem to care all that much what I look like.'

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