BBC to axe party political broadcasts on budget day
The BBC has announced that it intends to discontinue the practice of airing party political broadcasts to coincide with the Chancellor’s budget statement – claiming that people can get the information online instead.
The broadcaster believes that the public now enjoy many more opportunities to view the address online and that it no longer served its original purpose.
In a statement the BBC Trust said: “The broadcasts originated when there was neither TV nor radio available from the chamber of the House of Commons and the Budget broadcast was the only way in which the Chancellor could be seen and heard communicating directly to the public the content of the budget.”
“Now the audience has the opportunity to watch and listen to the Chancellor live in the House of Commons, or to catch up on iPlayer, or to see and hear the key points across many different outlets.”
The budget address is currently aired three times a year in the spring, autumn and winter.