On Wednesday 13 May, senior figures from the BBC, ITV and the wider media ecosystem will appear at the University of Leeds for a public panel discussion, What Next for Public Service Media? BBC Charter Review, Regulation and the Future of the UK Production Ecology, following the closure last month of the public consultation on the BBC Charter Review 2025 – 2027.
The event will bring together some of the most senior policy and industry figures in UK broadcasting for what promises to be a frank and timely conversation.
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The panel includes:
- Iain Bundred, Director of Policy and Public Affairs, BBC
- Gareth Barr, Director of Policy & Regulation, ITV
- Cat Lewis, CEO, Nine Lives Media
- Gill Hinds, Enders Analysis
- Prof Cathy Johnson, University of Leeds
The event takes place shortly after the recent close of the government’s Charter Review consultation, at a moment when the future of the BBC’s funding, governance and obligations – and the knock-on implications for the independent production sector and regional production ecology – are very much live questions.
With Leeds and the wider North of England at the heart of so much of that potentially threatened production activity, the university’s School of Media and Communications notes that the city seems to be exactly the right place to have the conversation.
The review process, which began in December 2025, is evaluating the BBC’s mission and funding to prepare a new Royal Charter that will take effect on January 1, 2028, following the expiration of the current charter. It aims to define the BBC’s purpose, powers, and funding structure for the next decade, with the government aiming to secure a “sustainable and fair” model for the corporation.
The review is heavily focused on strengthening accountability to license fee payers, reforming governance, and ensuring the BBC’s funding model is robust. The current charter expires on December 31, 2027, and the new charter is scheduled to take effect the following day.
The event is free and open to the public, and runs from 4.00–5.30pm at the University of Leeds, Clothworkers’ North Building, G12, followed by an informal drinks reception.
