Budget day political broadcasts 'outdated'

The BBC has asked for a public consultation to loosen rules that restrict the timing of party political broadcasts (PPB) on BBC1 and BBC2, and to allow all parties to use a third PPB, The Guardian writes.

The BBC has asked its governing body, the BBC Trust, to launch the consultation on whether PPBs should only be tied to key events, how many it should air, and what the qualifying criteria should be.

According to The Daily Mail, the Trust's proposals would end UK-wide broadcasts by the Chancellor and opposition parties on the annual financial statement to the House of Commons, which it said were 'outdated'.

Instead, parties could be offered broadcasts on dates of their own choice in the spring, autumn and winter under new proposals.

“The broadcasts originated when there was neither TV nor radio available from the chamber of the House of Commons, and the budget broadcast was the only way in which the Chancellor could be seen and heard communicating directly to the public the content of the budget,” The Telegraph quotes the BBC as saying.

“Now the audience has the opportunity to watch and listen to the Chancellor live in the House of Commons, or to catch up on iPlayer, or to see and hear the key points across many different outlets.”