FUTURE OF THE BBC NEWS CHANNEL

That this House is concerned by reports that BBC management are considering plans to close the BBC News Channel altogether, or to significantly alter its character; does not believe that the commercially-operated BBC World News TV Channel, funded through advertising, offers anything like an adequate replacement for the UK news service; notes that despite the march of online and mobile content, television remains by far the UK's main source of news; recognises that if the BBC News Channel were to disappear, Sky would be left with a domestic monopoly on continuous UK television news; hopes that BBC management avoid any merger between BBC News Channel and BBC World News, which would blur the lines between the licence fee and the pursuit of profit; and calls for any future plan for BBC News to avoid undermining the integrity and impartiality of public service broadcasting through the introduction of commercial funding arrangements.