Overview

• Deborah Turness presented proposals in March to reshape the BBC’s news agenda and drama commissions with input from director-general Tim Davie and chairman Samir Shah.
• Committee members stressed the pivotal role of local BBC teams in reflecting audience experiences and suggested boosting coverage of issues like immigration and rural transport.
• A YouGov poll showed just 13% of Reform UK voters trust the BBC, compared with 55% who trust GB News, where Nigel Farage has been a regular guest.
• The Editorial Guidelines and Standards Committee includes former GB News executive Robbie Gibb, whose involvement has sparked private concern among staff about potential increases in bias allegations.
• The committee will review progress on these changes at a future meeting after Tim Davie emphasized the need for impartial airtime for all political parties.