BRITISH BROADCASTING CORPORATION'S WORLD-WIDE REPUTATION

Early day motion 514, tabled 30 January 2004 by Bob Russell (Liberal Democrat). Signed by 36 members.

That this House recognises that the British Broadcasting Corporation is respected throughout the world for being independent of the Government of the day, that at home and abroad no other media organisation is trusted in the way that the BBC is for its accuracy, integrity and objectivity, that factual errors are few and far between, and that such limited occasions contrast sharply with much of the printed media whose news distortions in the United Kingdom and throughout the world are a disgrace; endorses the comments of the London Evening Standards that 'the BBC broadcasts hundreds of thousand of hours of news a year it remains arguably the most trusted and respected media organisation in the world, it would be a tragedy if as a result of one poorly worded report the BBC ceased to pursue investigative journalism'; believes that this country, and people around the world would be the losers, if the BBC gave way to new organisations whose commercial agenda and prejudices of owners are not compatible with the high standards which have made the BBC the world's most respected broadcasting organisation; and believes that for it to continue as the world's most trusted media organisation, the BBC must retain its independence, this being also crucial for the democracy of the UK.

Signatures by party: Labour 20, Liberal Democrat 10, Conservative 2, Plaid Cymru 2, Labour/Co-operative 1, Scottish National Party 1.