Boris Johnson's new minister for the BBC has fired the opening salvo in a Tory war with the corporation, declaring it needs a major shake-up of its output and news coverage if it is to survive.
In what amounts to an accusation of bias, Oliver Dowden - appointed digital, culture, media and sport secretary last month - claims the BBC is guilty of a "narrow urban outlook" in its programmes.
I think Mr Dowden's comments would carry greater weight if he were to eschew blanket condemnation and instead provide chapter and verse of bias, and at the very least acknowledge the great strides the BBC has made in recent years to become more culturally diverse - all this at a time of budgetary constraint.
That is not to say that Mr Dowden does not have a point when he says that the Corporation is perceived by many to be more "Remain" than "Leave". If the perception is correct, then all one can say is that it does not appear to have convinced many people!
According to Mr Dowden, here are the three challenges or questions facing the BBC.
- Firstly, does the BBC truly reflect "all of the nation" and is it close to the British people?
- Secondly, does it guard its "unique selling point of impartiality" in all its output?
- And is it ready to embrace "proper reform" to ensure its long term sustainability for the decades ahead?
It would help if Mr Dowden and the government could be specific in their criticism and at least allow the BBC to answer these criticisms.
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