Tues 28 Nov 2006

The state of British television

David Starkey is joined by Martin Rowson (award-winning political cartoonist), Julian Fellowes (writer and actor) and Julie Bindel (Political activist and journalist).

As Michael Grade defects from the BBC to ITV, the world of television continues to change at an astonishing rate. Channel Four has become the world's first broadcaster to put all its programmes online, and research shows that 43% of people watch video on the internet or mobile phones each week, watching less TV as a result.

In the midst of the BBC licence fee negotiations, Michael Grade has left the BBC for ITV, which has lost half its audience in ten years and has seen a dramatic fall in advertising revenue. BSkyB looms in the background, having recently bought 18% of ITV, and continues to buy up rights for sporting events from the terrestrial channels.

This multitude of changes in the broadcasting world is completely changing the way we watch, consume and use the electronic media. But what do they mean for the quality of our television? Is television still a social influence or unifying force, and can it ever be again? Is there a future for the licence fee? Should the BBC be trying to compete with the commercial channels, or should it be ignoring ratings in a purist pursuit of public service broadcasting?