How to #BackTheBBC

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girlmarauders:

The BBC is an incredibly important, publicly funded British institution that has given fandom so many gems over the years. Big fandoms, like Doctor Who and Sherlock, owe their big production and talent base to the BBC. Small gems, Merlin, The Three Musketeers, Atlantis, are what they are because the BBC can make small shows enjoyed by those who love them. The BBC also makes Radio 1, which gave us Nick Grimshaw & the Breakfast Show, Dan and Phil’s album show, lots of British youtubers bigger audiences and a lot more.

Currently, the BBC Charter, which lays out how the BBC is run, what kind of shows it can make and importantly, where it gets it’s funding from, is currently under review by a Conservative government that seems determined to cut itss funding and capabilities to provide quality broadcasting and information services to the UK and abroad!

Here are some links to articles about the threat to the BBC:
The Independent
The Guardian

There has already been the beginnings of a defence of the BBC, from big names in the UK and from the BBC itself:
The Guardian

For All Of Us

The BBC has always been supportive of fan communities. They’re active at ComicCon and in other fan spaces, are grateful to ficcer and fanartists for their engagement and don’t come after creative fans for their content. These reforms are about money and power but the BBC has always been about passion and creativity, just like fandom.

What can I do to help?

1. Tweet using the #BackTheBBC hashtag, talking about why you love the BBC or the content the BBC produces.

2. Sign an online petition. Here’s one here, to get you started at 38 Degrees:

3. Join in on a joint letter from overseas fans explaining to the Minister for Culture, Media and Sport why the BBC reflects highly on Britain and is a positive force in the world! link to help draft and sign up here: Google Form

4. Share pro-BBC media with your followers! Tweet about the threat to the BBC, share videos like this one: What Has The BBC Ever Done For Us or this one: For All Of Us and make sure your followers know that their favorite content might be under threat! Fandom is all over the world, and getting the word out is important.

5. Encourage your British followers to write to their representatives in Parliament! You can send your MP an email here: or can write a personalised email after finding the contact details for your MP here:

6. You can also respond to the government’s public consultation of the BBC’s charter here:

Please don’t write this off because you don’t like Doctor Who/Sherlock/whatever, the BBC does so much good and British news and entertainment will certainly suffer if it goes.