By Ron Coates, 14 February 2001 12:30
NEWS Sir Michael told the Commons select committee on culture, media and sport that he had tried to put a halt to the BBC's commercial march when he was director general from 1987 to 1992. He is reported to have said: "I said when I was director general that the BBC should stop its imperial march. It is now on a much bigger march." His criticisms came only a day after Culture Secretary Chris Smith ordered three inquiries into the BBC after criticism that it was misusing licence fee money and competing unfairly with commercial companies. Smith ordered inquiries into BBC Online, the internet channel and into News 24, the corporation's rolling news channel. Sir Michael said that by encroaching on the territories of its commercial rivals, the BBC was "destroying the consensus that has been very important to public service broadcasting". He warned that the core services could be put at risk by diverting cash to other services.
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