[cma-l] Fwd: Culture Secretary, Rt Hon Jeremy Hunt MP to address Viewers - Tuesday, 8th February

[jaqui devereux]

Dear all - are any of you based in London or close able to go to this
meeting with Jeremy Hunt?

Thanks

Jaqui

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Linda Forbes <linda.forbes at vlv.org.uk>
Date: 17 January 2011 10:56
Subject: Culture Secretary, Rt Hon Jeremy Hunt MP to address Viewers -
Tuesday, 8th February
To: Info <Info at vlv.org.uk>


News
Release

                         17
January 2011

Immediate

                   001/11



*Culture Secretary, Rt Hon Jeremy Hunt MP to address Viewers*

*Tuesday, 8 February, *6-7.30pm* in Palace of Westminster.*

* *

*Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt* will speak and take questions from
listeners, viewers  and media users generally at a Voice of the Listener
Westminster Seminar in the House of Commons  on *Tuesday, 8th February from
6 - 7.30pm*.  *There is no charge to attend but tickets must be obtained in
advance from VLV. See details below.*



*Roger Bolton, Independent Producer and Presenter of Radio 4’s
Feedback*programme, will be in the chair.



The seminar will provide one of the first opportunities for listeners and
viewers to hear and question Mr Hunt, Secretary of State for Culture, Media,
the Olympics and Sport, on last November’s  BBC Licence Fee Settlement -
including the additional responsibilities laid on the BBC and their
implications for licencepayers as the BBC’s funders.



The BBC will in future be expected to fund the World Service, the Monitoring
Service, Welsh language TV service S4C, the roll-out of broadband in rural
areas and the establishment of a new chain of local television stations: all
in addition to completing the digital switch-over of existing television and
radio services. So, to make the sums add up, what will be cut at the BBC,
what will be altered or developed, and by what criteria will these decisions
be taken?



In November’s Comprehensive Spending Review changes were also announced to
Channel 4’s status and to the remit of Ofcom, the media regulator.



A particular issue concerning VLV and its members is the abolition of
Ofcom’s independent Consumer Panel and of the statutory watchdog Consumer
Focus. Both are to be subsumed into the Citizens’ Advice Bureaux, which have
no special expertise in this area,  and will  not be reinforced by the
transfer of any extra funds from Ofcom  to match their  new important
responsibilities.  This means there will be no statutory consumer
representation in the media and communications area, leaving Voice of the
Listener & Viewer as the sole consumer advocate covering the whole crucial
field.



Commenting, VLV Honorary President, Jocelyn Hay said: ‘These decisions were
taken behind closed doors without the public and Parliamentary debate that
would normally precede a new Communications Bill. The manner and the nature
of the changes greatly concern VLV, raising questions not only about  the
new demands on the BBC but also about applying  licence fee payers’ money to
finance services previously funded by Government.

These changes seriously impact on the democratic process, which is why VLV
will , over the coming months, be providing opportunities for licence fee
payers to debate them and to hold key decision-makers to account.  All these
events will be open to the public.’         End



For tickets and details contact Linda.Forbes at VLV.org.uk or phone 01474
338711 or 338716



*Voice of the Listener & Viewer (VLV) is an independent, not-for-profit
association, free from political, commercial and sectarian affiliations,
working for quality and diversity in British broadcasting. VLV represents
the interests of listeners, viewers and increasingly new media users, as
citizens and consumers across the full range of broadcasting issues. VLV
supports the principles of public service*

* *

*If you do not want to receive further e-mail information from VLV about
forthcoming events linked to the future of public service broadcasting in
the UK, Europe and worldwide, please return this e-mail, entering
UNSUBSCRIBE into the subject box. *



Linda Forbes

Conference Administrator

Voice of the Listener & Viewer

PO Box 401, Gravesend, Kent DA12 9FY

Tel: 01474 338711 or 01474 338716

Email: linda.forbes at vlv.org.uk

Website: www.vlv.org.uk



Forthcoming VLV events:



*Westminster Seminar* with the *Secretary of State, The Rt Hon Jeremy Hunt
MP*, Tuesday, *8th February 2011* 6-8pm, Palace of Westminster, London SW1



For tickets/enquiries please contact Linda Forbes, Conference
Administrator,

tel: 01474 338711 email: linda.forbes at vlv.org.uk or visit www.vlv.org.uk



A not for profit private company limited by guarantee registered in England
No.4407712

Registered Office: Unit 9, The Old Rectory Business Centre, Springhead Road,
Northfleet, Kent DA11 8HN.

VAT registration No. GB 835 5365 14



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Voice of the Listener & Viewer (VLV) has no relationship with Mediawatch
(formerly the National Viewers' & Listeners' Association founded by Mary
Whitehouse).





-- 
Jaqui Devereux
Director, Community Media Association
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