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16 December 2025
In response to the publication of the BBC Charter Review by DCMS today, News Media Association chief executive Owen Meredith has said:
“We are pleased that the Charter renewal process will look at the BBC’s impact on the commercial news sector, with a specific focus on local media. Ofcom has acknowledged that the BBC’s expansion into digital local news is impacting commercial providers, so decisive action is urgent.
“We look forward to engaging fully with the Charter renewal to ensure that the process results in a BBC which can continue to deliver value for the British public while complementing, not competing with, a thriving commercial news ecosystem, which includes ensuring any attempts to generate more commercial revenue do not have a detrimental impact on the wider market. The suggestion that the BBC could carry advertising online or across its platforms would be hugely damaging and distort the commercial marketplace. It should be ruled out.”