Already before the coronavirus, the public were losing faith in our state broadcasters. Now, with streaming services booming and multiple BBC bungles, public broadcasters are fighting for their lives. Can and should the BBC and Channel 4 survive in 21st century Britain, and what changes do they need to make?

This event will be live streamed to the Think Tent YouTube Channel here

Martin Durkin (Chair) | CEO of Wag Entertainment
Martin is CEO of Wag Entertainment, a television production and distribution company, and has produced, directed and executive-produced programmes covering the arts, science, history, entertainment, features and social documentaries.

Professor Philip Booth | Senior Academic Fellow of the Institute of Economic Affairs
Philip is Senior Academic Fellow at the Institute of Economic Affairs and Professor of Finance, Public Policy and Ethics at St. Mary’s University, Twickenham. From 2002-2016, Philip was Academic and Research Director (previously, Editorial and Programme Director) at the IEA. He is also the author of “New Vision: Transforming the BBC into a subscriber-owned mutual”

Andrea Jenkyns MP | Member of Parliament for Morley and Outwood
Andrea was elected as MP for Morley & Outwood in 2015, successfully unseating former Labour frontbencher Ed Balls by 422 votes. In the 2019 General Election, Andrea was once again re-elected with a 6% increase in the vote share, and an increased majority which now stands as 11,267. Andrea has been a passionate and lifelong Brexiteer. Local residents share her belief, and in 2016 voted to leave the EU by 60%. Andrea is committed to standing up for the referendum result and ensuring the Government respects the will of the British people to leave the EU in full. Andrea is currently the Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) to the Secretary of State for Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

Duncan Simpson | Research Director of the TaxPayers’ Alliance
Duncan joined the TPA as a policy analyst in 2017 and became the research director in April 2019. He has written on many areas of public policy, including local government spending, rail renationalisation, US fiscal policy and the National Union of Students. Duncan is working towards the Investment Management Certificate and used to be a banking auditor at EY.

Rt Hon John Whittingdale OBE MP | Minister of State for Media and Data in the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
John is a Conservative party politician and MP for Maldon. He has served as a junior minister within the Department for Culture, Media and Sport since 2020, having previously served as Culture Secretary from 2015-16. During the 2016 Brexit referendum, he came out in support of leave, one of only six cabinet ministers to do so. In his role as DCMS select committee chair, he led the inquiry into libel and privacy issues, including the phone hacking scandal at News International. The committee was awarded The Spectator’s ‘Inquisitor of the Year’ 2011 award for its work.