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From The Times
July 28, 2009
BBC may broadcast educational programmes if swine flu shuts schools
Joanna Sugden, Patrick Foster and David Rose
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Swine Flu
The BBC could be forced to clear its schedules to make way for educational programming if a swine flu pandemic shuts schools.
The Times has learnt that the Government is considering invoking a previously unused emergency clause in the BBC?s operating agreement to pipe lessons straight into pupils? living rooms. The corporation has denounced the plan as akin to a ?government takeover?.
Chris Keates, the chief executive of the teaching union NASUWT, who is closely involved with drawing up the contingency plans, confirmed that ministers were ready to use powers to change the corporation?s schedules if schools shut.
The BBC?s agreement, which is underpinned by the Royal Charter, states that in an emergency any government minister has the power to force the BBC to ?broadcast or otherwise distribute any announcement or other programme?.
Related Links
* Doctors warn of swine flu 'catastrophe' over hours
Multimedia
* FULL COVERAGE of the pandemic
* Print out our Swine Flu guide
* Your questions answered
Ms Keates said ministers had considered using the internet to teach pupils at home but the television was considered more effective as not everyone has access to broadband.
?[The plan] involves the broadcast media changing their programming... mainly the BBC because of its public service remit,? she told The Times.
BBC sources insisted that the agreement did not give the Government the right to direct programming.
One senior BBC source said: ?The clause is intended for an announcement or a short infomercial on behalf of the Government at a time of emergency, not for directing our schedules.
?Taking control of the schedule would be tantamount to taking control of the BBC. It has never happened. To do so would destroy our reputation around the world as an impartial broadcaster.?
The BBC said it would consider changing its schedules if children were at home. ?Throughout the year, the BBC always looks carefully at its available audiences and, as with holiday periods, for example, it may be appropriate to run a similar schedule for children depending on how long the schools are closed,? a spokesman said.
?Whilst it would be impractical to make new educational TV programmes in the time available, we would look at whether programmes of an educational or informative nature could interest children who are not at school.?
More than 1,000 schools in Britain have recorded cases of swine flu, and more than 60 per cent of infections have been in children and teenagers.
A spokesman for the Department for Schools said: ?We strongly expect schools to reopen as normal in September but we are of course looking at a range of contingency plans which we will release more details on if and when they are required.?
The plans to use the BBC in a swine flu strategy for school closures emerged as a study suggests that antiviral drugs such as Tamiflu should be given to younger people with the virus rather than the elderly if supplies are limited.
At present Tamiflu (oseltamivir) is being offered to anyone with identifiable swine flu symptoms.
Access to the treatments remains patchy, the Conservatives have claimed, while researchers say that some groups may benefit more than others from taking the drugs.
The Conservatives said there appeared to be no link between the number of people with swine flu and the number of collection points, or whether a primary care trust was in a rural area.
A spokesman for the Department of Health said that the Tory figures were out of date.
The number of Tamiflu collection points was more than treble the number when the service launched, with 1,149 anti-viral collection points available yesterday, he added.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/health/Swine_flu/article6729646.ece
July 28, 2009
BBC may broadcast educational programmes if swine flu shuts schools
Joanna Sugden, Patrick Foster and David Rose
* 9 Comments
Recommend? (4)
Swine Flu
The BBC could be forced to clear its schedules to make way for educational programming if a swine flu pandemic shuts schools.
The Times has learnt that the Government is considering invoking a previously unused emergency clause in the BBC?s operating agreement to pipe lessons straight into pupils? living rooms. The corporation has denounced the plan as akin to a ?government takeover?.
Chris Keates, the chief executive of the teaching union NASUWT, who is closely involved with drawing up the contingency plans, confirmed that ministers were ready to use powers to change the corporation?s schedules if schools shut.
The BBC?s agreement, which is underpinned by the Royal Charter, states that in an emergency any government minister has the power to force the BBC to ?broadcast or otherwise distribute any announcement or other programme?.
Related Links
* Doctors warn of swine flu 'catastrophe' over hours
Multimedia
* FULL COVERAGE of the pandemic
* Print out our Swine Flu guide
* Your questions answered
Ms Keates said ministers had considered using the internet to teach pupils at home but the television was considered more effective as not everyone has access to broadband.
?[The plan] involves the broadcast media changing their programming... mainly the BBC because of its public service remit,? she told The Times.
BBC sources insisted that the agreement did not give the Government the right to direct programming.
One senior BBC source said: ?The clause is intended for an announcement or a short infomercial on behalf of the Government at a time of emergency, not for directing our schedules.
?Taking control of the schedule would be tantamount to taking control of the BBC. It has never happened. To do so would destroy our reputation around the world as an impartial broadcaster.?
The BBC said it would consider changing its schedules if children were at home. ?Throughout the year, the BBC always looks carefully at its available audiences and, as with holiday periods, for example, it may be appropriate to run a similar schedule for children depending on how long the schools are closed,? a spokesman said.
?Whilst it would be impractical to make new educational TV programmes in the time available, we would look at whether programmes of an educational or informative nature could interest children who are not at school.?
More than 1,000 schools in Britain have recorded cases of swine flu, and more than 60 per cent of infections have been in children and teenagers.
A spokesman for the Department for Schools said: ?We strongly expect schools to reopen as normal in September but we are of course looking at a range of contingency plans which we will release more details on if and when they are required.?
The plans to use the BBC in a swine flu strategy for school closures emerged as a study suggests that antiviral drugs such as Tamiflu should be given to younger people with the virus rather than the elderly if supplies are limited.
At present Tamiflu (oseltamivir) is being offered to anyone with identifiable swine flu symptoms.
Access to the treatments remains patchy, the Conservatives have claimed, while researchers say that some groups may benefit more than others from taking the drugs.
The Conservatives said there appeared to be no link between the number of people with swine flu and the number of collection points, or whether a primary care trust was in a rural area.
A spokesman for the Department of Health said that the Tory figures were out of date.
The number of Tamiflu collection points was more than treble the number when the service launched, with 1,149 anti-viral collection points available yesterday, he added.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/health/Swine_flu/article6729646.ece