That this House expresses its concern at the BBC's announcement of significant job losses and the closure of a number of longstanding news and current affairs programmes; recognises the BBC's unique role as a publicly funded broadcaster with obligations of impartiality, universality and public service; further expresses concern that continued reductions in resources risk undermining investigative journalism, regional news provision and international reporting; notes the growing influence of corporate owned broadcast and digital media outlets whose content is increasingly driven by partisan, opinion-led and polarising business models; believes that a healthy democracy depends upon access to trusted, independent and accountable journalism and a media landscape not dominated by narrow corporate interests; further believes that the weakening of public service broadcasting would leave citizens with fewer sources of impartial news and increase the influence of highly partisan media sources; acknowledges the vital contribution made by many journalists at the BBC in informing the public and holding power to account; and calls upon the Government to work with the BBC, trade unions and other stakeholders to secure the long-term sustainability of public service broadcasting and to protect the BBC's capacity to deliver high-quality, impartial journalism in the public interest.
