Trust in the BBC is falling and audiences feel like impartiality at the broadcaster is on a “downward trajectory”, the Culture Secretary said this morning.
Lucy Frazer made the comments as the Government announced proposals to increase scrutiny of the BBC to tackle perceived bias.
Asked if she believed the BBC was sometimes guilty of leaning in its coverage, Ms Frazer told Times Radio: “This isn’t about the Government, this is about impartiality and not just about politics. This is about impartiality as a whole and what we have seen… audiences are feeling like impartiality in the BBC is on a downward trajectory.
“We have heard that 39 per cent of complaints last year were about impartiality when the previous year only 19 [per cent] were. So trust in the BBC in relation to impartiality is going down and that is why the BBC rightly recognises it needs to do something about this and it is taking on board the recommendations that we are putting forward and have discussed with the BBC.”
Proposed changes will see the BBC’s website and social media policed by Ofcom while the BBC board will be legally bound to oversee the complaints procedure.
A spokesman for the BBC said that “no other organisation takes its commitment to impartiality more seriously” and it remained committed to “continuous improvement to ensure we deliver for all licence fee payers”.