Voice of the Listener and Viewer - autumn conference

'A Changing BBC: Accountability & Creativity' plus an update on Digital Switch-over on the Agenda for VLV ’s 23rd Autumn Conference

Tuesday 28th November, 10.45am- 3.30pm, (registration 10.30am), Overseas House, Park Place, off St James' Street, London SW1

Speakers include:

Jana Bennett, Director, BBC Vision

Mark Wakefield, Head of Performance, BBC Governance Unit

Chris Woolard, Head of Compliance & Value for Money, BBC Governance Unit

Colette Bowe, Chair, Ofcom Consumer Panel

Michael Darlow, VLV Member, Writer & Director, Television and Theatre

From 1st January 2007 the new BBC Charter will bring new arrangements for BBC governance. The present BBC Board of Governors will be replaced by a new Board of Trustees who will work with new tools, within a new framework to ensure the Corporation delivers the quality and range of services that licence-fee payers demand. Mark Wakefield and Chris Woolard from the new governance unit will explain and take questions on the new arrangements. Professor Jean Seaton, the official BBC Historian will chair this session which starts at 11.30am.

The new Charter sets a new and more ambitious vision for the BBC's output and services across all media and genres. Jana Bennett, Director of BBC Vision, is responsible for the BBC's video output across all its UK services except audio and news. She will share her plans for ensuring that the BBC delivers the high quality content and public value it has promised, and she will take questions on how the BBC is preparing to meet the challenges of the new, rapidly converging environment. Stewart Purvis, Professor of Journalism at City University, will chair this session which starts at 2pm.

The switch from analogue to digital television transmission begins in Cumbria in October 2007. Switch-over will be the biggest national project since decimalisation. How prepared are viewers for this mammoth challenge which will affect every home in the UK?

Colette Bowe, Chair of Ofcom's Consumer Advisory Panel will share some of her concerns about the process. Michael Darlow will report on a highly informative seminar he ran on digital issues following VLV ’s Broadcasting Matters campaign last year. The session will start at 10.45am.

Those attending include leading broadcasters, independent producers, regulators, academics, members of the public and the press. Space is limited and early booking advisable.

Tickets (including VAT): Corporate: £130; charities & academics: £75; Students: £29.

For information & tickets, go to www.vlv.org.uk, email linda.forbes@vlv.org.uk or phone 01474 352835.