Dear Stakeholder

It is a great privilege to have been invited by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Andy Burnham, to lead an independent Advisory Panel to review public access to television coverage of significant events to society. All the events currently listed are sporting ones.

Such a review last took place more than a decade ago. Much has changed since then, not least the media landscape and the different ways in which people view and access sports events.

I think you will agree it is a huge challenge to try to reconcile the hopes and aspirations of sporting organisations, of our pre-eminent broadcasting and media industry and of a public without whose support neither could flourish as they do.
But it is one that I and my fellow Panel members, who share my passion for sport and care about its future, are looking forward to with great relish. We recognise our considerable responsibility, and the need to listen carefully to the strongly held, if sometimes contradictory views, we are certain to hear.

The purpose of this consultation exercise is to invite you to share your views. We hope to hear from the widest cross section of our community: the public at large, active and passive sports fans, those who participate in and organise our diverse range of sports, and the broadcasters and media who bring us so many major sporting events from around the world. I should add that although historically only sporting events have been listed, the Panel’s recommendations need not be restricted to sporting events and you are invited to offer your views on this too.

So please don’t miss this chance to have your say. The consultation document is also available to read and download from this website.

The Panel’s task on the other hand is more complex. But be sure that in our recommendations to the Secretary of State we will seek to strike the right balance between everyone’s interests.

Best wishes

DAVID DAVIES OBE
Chairman, Free-to-Air Review Advisory Panel