Voice of the Listener & Viewer

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Voice of the Listener & Viewer
Formation1983
Legal statusNon-profit organisation
PurposePressure group
Region served
United Kingdom
Membership
1,500
Chairman
Colin Browne
WebsiteVLV

The Voice of the Listener & Viewer, originally just Voice of the Listener, is a British consumer group, championing public service broadcasting and speaking for listeners and viewers on the full range of broadcasting and media issues. It was founded in 1983 by Jocelyn Hay.[1] In 2008, The Telegraph described Hay as "possibly the best lobbyist in the whole UK".[2]

The BBC describe VLV as a "respected pressure group".[3]

Campaigns in which the organisation has been involved include:

  • Challenged the Peacock Committee's proposals in 1986 to privatise Radio 1 and Radio 2
  • Opposing advertising on the BBC
  • Opposing the loss of the long wave frequency on BBC R4 in the 1990s.
  • Lobbying for the inclusion of a "public interest test", which must precede major media mergers (as part of the Public Voice coalition, which was formed in 2000 to influence the forthcoming Communications Act 2003)
  • Opposing ITV's withdrawal from children's television production and its regional commitments after the Communications Act 2003.
  • Making a case that the costs for television licenses for the over-75s should be covered by the government and not by the BBC[4]

Awards[]

The group also gives awards each year to radio persons and shows, voted for by members.

References[]

  1. ^ "Voice of the Listener & Viewer's Jocelyn Hay dies". Guardian. Guardian News and Media Limited. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
  2. ^ Reynolds, Gillian. "Radio's unsung consumer champion". Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group Limited. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
  3. ^ "Voice of the Listener and Viewer founder Jocelyn Hay dies". BBC.co.uk. BBC. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
  4. ^ Ganter, SA; Herzog, C; Milton, VC (2020). "Public Service Broadcasting-Friends groups as a microcosm of public interest media advocacy". Humanities and Social Sciences Communications. 7 (1): 1–10. doi:10.1057/s41599-020-00560-5.

External links[]

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