The BBC is the single biggest employer and engager of MU members in the UK. Photo: Shutterstock.
The BBC’s Charter is currently up for renewal and it is crucial that as many people as possible respond to back the music provision the BBC delivers. Please consider sending our suggested model email below to bbccharterreview@dcms.gov.uk before 10 March.
You can also fill in the online public consultation form here.
If the BBC has been instrumental in your career as a musician and you would like the MU to include your experience in our consultation response, please email campaigns@themu.org.
What is the BBC Charter?
The BBC Charter is the constitutional basis for the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), setting out its mission, public purposes, and how it is governed, regulated, and funded. It is a document granted by the King, acting on the advice of the Privy Council, which provides the legal right for the BBC to exist and operate.
Learn more about the BBC Charter.
Why is the BBC so important to musicians?
The BBC is the single biggest employer and engager of MU members in the UK and is in the unique position of supporting six full-time Performing Groups (five BBC Orchestras and the BBC Singers).
The BBC Performing Groups alone employ 427 contract musicians and many hundreds more on a freelance basis. These ensembles contribute significantly to broadcasts and support the public purposes of the BBC’s Royal Charter by taking orchestral music into schools and across the UK.
Scores commissioned for BBC TV productions support the livelihoods of composers, conductors, engineers and session musicians around the country. The BBC also employs and supports musicians working in all genres through its radio and television programming and issues tens of thousands of contracts to creative freelancers annually.
Model email
We have drafted the below model email to save you time, but any personal experience with the BBC will also be very valuable to include. Remember to send it to bbccharterreview@dcms.gov.uk before 10 March.
I am writing to respond to the consultation on BBC Charter renewal. As a member of the Musicians’ Union, I am part of a union that has over 36,500 members who work as full or part-time professional musicians.
The BBC is the single biggest employer and engager of MU members in the UK and is in the unique position of supporting six full-time Performing Groups (five BBC Orchestras and the BBC Singers).
The BBC Performing Groups alone employ 427 contract musicians and many hundreds more on a freelance basis. These ensembles contribute significantly to broadcasts and support the public purposes of the BBC’s Royal Charter by taking orchestral music into schools and across the UK.
Scores commissioned for BBC TV productions support the livelihoods of composers, conductors, engineers and session musicians around the country. The BBC also employs and supports musicians working in all genres through its radio and television programming and issues tens of thousands of contracts to creative freelancers annually.
The BBC is, and must continue to be, the cornerstone of public service broadcasting. The BBC ensures that arts and culture are available to everyone and it’s essential that it continues to be able to provide access to a wide range of culture that the open market may not provide for.
Music is also central to our national identity. From the Proms to BBC Introducing, to BBC Radio, the BBC champions new talent, diverse genres, and world-class events. BBC broadcasts of live concerts unite the nations, and bring events such as Radio 1 Big Weekend, Glastonbury and the BBC Proms into millions of homes, as well as boosting local economies and creating jobs. Both the Proms and Glastonbury are enjoying record viewing figures on BBC platforms. Strands like Radio 2’s Piano Rooms bring orchestral music to audiences who may not have experienced it by attending a concert.
Strictly Come Dancing’s famous live band is made up of some of the most highly talented musicians in the country; we ran a campaign when the band was cut down in size and we believe the BBC should be able to maintain house bands as part of an offer that differs from its streamer counterparts.
The BBC gives unique opportunities for creativity and talent that are not available elsewhere. Data from PRS for Music shows that 138,099 unique works were played across all BBC radio stations in 2024, of which 76% were not played on commercial radio. Talent competitions from BBC Introducing, to BBC Young Composer, to BBC Young Traditional Musician provide opportunities that can build international careers.
With music contributing £8 billion to the UK economy and over 200,000 jobs, any changes in BBC funding that result in cuts to music would be a devastating blow to artists, audiences, and our cultural life.
We urge the Government to ensure the BBC remains properly funded, and that the Charter contains clear commitments to music, so its musical output can thrive for generations to come.