Political economy of broadcasting: The legacy of the peacock report on financing the BBC

Abstract

This chapter examines the legacy of the Report of the Committee on Financing the BBC (1986) chaired by Alan Peacock. It argues that the report is of particular interest because it is a rare case of detailed policy analysis and prescription about the finance of public broadcasting led by a cultural economist. It contextualises the report historically and politically, and then turns to examining the impact of its recommendations. It finds that some of these (most particularly not putting advertising on the BBC) have been of decisive long-term significance; some (the auction of ITV franchises) have been of great short term impact, but divorced from the Report’s long term strategy, which was and still is almost completely ignored. Finally, from the perspective of three decades after publication it assesses the more general impact of the report on approaches to broadcasting policy in the UK.