RETAINING HOME PRODUCED PROGRAMMES

Early day motion 500, tabled 13 January 2003 by Harry Barnes (Labour). Signed by 28 members.

That this House agrees with the efforts of the respected Campaign for Press and Broadcasting Freedom to secure guarantees from the Government, in the passage of the current Communications Bill, that television schedules retain a significant proportion of home produced dramas, comedies and entertainment programmes, especially for children, and on protecting the English language from being Americanised; shares the fears that if American conglomerates like Viacom, Disney, Nickelodeon and AOL-Time Warner were allowed to buy ITV companies like Carlton and Granada, and if Mr Murdoch's Fox Corporation were to secure control of Channel 5, viewers might find themselves inflicted with a wave of Americanisms such as fries instead of chips, sidewalk rather than pavement, elevator for lift, trash for rubbish, vacation instead of holiday, amongst many other examples, and further shares fears that imported American children's programmes would use far more violent words and that British culture, customs and practice would be endangered.

Signatures by party: Labour 23, Labour/Co-operative 2, Liberal Democrat 2, Conservative 1.