Rowen Questions Minister on TV Content Funding
Added 05/03/2010Paul Rowen, MP for Rochdale, today questioned Ben Bradshaw MP, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport in the House of Commons on funding for original UK television content.
Investment in original television content has declined by £340 million in the last 5 years.
When asked by Mr Rowen what steps the Government are taking to encourage funding in original content, Mr Bradshaw said the Digital Economy Bill currently passing through Parliament includes steps to encourage such funding, and also welcomed the BBC comment that its current review will include steps to boost investment in original content.
Mr Rowen pressed the Minister on whether he would consider using the Digital Economy Bill to repeal Contract Rights Renewal regulations, which have particularly penalised ITV. The Minister said this couldn’t be done, but added that he felt sympathetic to the complaint and that ITV would be free to appeal the Competition Commission’s final verdict when it comes.
Paul Rowen MP said: “Producing TV programmes like Waterloo Road in Rochdale is important, both for employment and for opportunities for young people to work in our creative industries. I’m disappointed that the Government have not found a way of getting rid of the Contract Rights Renewal regulations which have a marked effect on what Granada in our region is able to do.
I look forward to the report Competition Commission’s report and I hope that the Government can find a way of boosting locally produced TV content.”
Full Text of Question
Paul Rowen (Rochdale) (LD): What steps the Government are taking to encourage funding for the development of original UK television content.
The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (Mr. Ben Bradshaw): The Government are taking a number of steps to encourage more investment in original UK content, including through the Digital Economy Bill that is going through Parliament. I also welcome the fact that the BBC has said its current review will include steps to boost investment in domestic content.
Paul Rowen: As I am sure the Secretary of State is aware, investment in original content has declined by £340 million in the last five years. In the light of that, will the Secretary of State consider using the Digital Economy Bill as an opportunity to repeal the contract rights renewal regulations, which penalise, in particular, ITV's investment in original content?
Mr. Bradshaw: I do not think it is practicable to do that in the Bill going through the House, because that Bill contains a lot. We have carefully examined the possibility of doing what the hon. Gentleman suggests, and I am sympathetic to the point that he makes and to the complaints that have been made about this by ITV. As he will be aware, the Competition Commission has not yet made its final ruling and we should await the outcome of that. ITV would, of course, be perfectly able to appeal against that decision, and this Government would be very supportive of such an appeal.