Broadcaster Mike Parry has accused the BBC of lacking a cogent plan amid proposals to allow the broadcaster to spend £700m outside of London.
A newly-published report from the Public Accounts Committee delved into the BBC’s ability to invest wisely after unveiling a proposal to prioritise areas outside the capital.
Speaking on GB News, Parry is doubtful about the broadcaster’s ability, arguing it is no longer “fit for purpose”.
“The BBC to me are directionless, they don’t really have a cogent policy”, he said.
Mike Parry says the BBC is 'not fit for purpose'
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“This latest row is all about their drive to pursue younger audiences.
“You shouldn’t be pursuing audiences anymore, they will go to where they want to go.
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“What they’re doing with their budget is putting the same output on a range of stations rather than individual output for each station, it’s damaging local news places trying to seize the information in that area.
“BBC local radio cuts harm older people because older people still rely on switching on their radios late in the evening and aren’t getting local information.
“The broader question is, is the BBC fit for purpose in the modern world? I would say it isn’t.”
Former Labour MP Stephen Pound waded in to hit out at the broadcaster, saying their move to oust household names like Ken Bruce has not curried favour among the British public.
Stephen Pound and Mike Parry joined Andrew Pierce and Bev Turner on GB News
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Stephen Pound says the BBC has 'zoomed off into the woke highlands'
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“The BBC has zoomed off into the woke highlands”, he said.
The report said the BBC’s reporting of ATUK, including in relation to local radio cuts, does not provide Parliament nor the public with a complete picture of progress and MPS are concerned the BBC is claiming benefits for ATUK publicly for activities that are not part of the programme when it is favourable for it to do so.
It accused the BBC of “dissociating other activities from ATUK when they could be seen as a bad news story, such as cuts to local radio”.
In response to the report, Thomas Wrathmell, BBC’s director of Across the UK, said: “We have a very clear plan on how we will move investment, programming and decision-making across the UK to get closer to audiences, support the country’s diverse creative sectors, and develop and nurture new talent.
“Our pioneering programme is deliberately ambitious and has been fully assessed.
“We are incredibly proud of the progress we’ve made so far and remain focused on achieving our targets to deliver cultural and economic benefits across the UK.
“We are disappointed by some of the commentary in the Committee’s report and look forward to addressing the issues raised when we provide our written response.
“We will continue to provide ongoing updates to the general public and industry stakeholders through the BBC’s Annual Plan and Annual Report.”
