CBI lobbies for UK media reform

UK business leaders group the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) has called upon authorities to ensure upcoming changes to the country’s media regulations support convergence and a review the obligations placed upon public broadcasters to ensure they remain relevant in a digital world.

The CBI said the UK communications sector is worth £50 billion (€60 billion) a year, but noted that the media sector faces increasing competition from Canada, China and Singapore among others. It is lobbying ahead of the latest version of the UK Communications Bill, which sets out the rules governing UK TV and media.

The CBI also called upon the government to ensure that media regulator Ofcom maximised the potential of the UK media sector outside the UK and that BBC Worldwide, the commercial arm of public broadcaster the BBC, had a role as facilitator and partner of smaller content companies seeking to expand internationally.

Neil Bentley, CBI deputy director-general, said: “The UK is known around the world for its cultural exports, whether it’s Adele topping the charts in 18 countries around the world, or Downton Abbey being screened in over 200 territories. But the UK’s communications sector is worth much more than its high profile successes. It has the potential to grow its exports faster than most other sectors over the coming decade, and can therefore play a key role in rebalancing our economy and reducing our reliance on domestic consumption.”