July 11, 2003	Friday	Jumadi-ul-Awwal 10, 1424

LONDON: The BBC can rightly claim that its row with Tony Blair’s administration has cemented its independence from government, analysts said on Tuesday. But neither side has emerged unscathed in the heated battle over the BBC’s coverage of the Iraq war and Britain’s public broadcaster is under pressure to make changes to safeguard its image as one of the world’s most trusted news organizations.

The BBC prides itself on accuracy, objectivity and high standards but a spat with the British government has put that image under the spotlight and raised questions about its regulation.

“In terms of independence, the BBC has emerged from this extremely well. But in terms of reporting procedures, it’s been more difficult ... I think the broadcaster needs to do something to shore up trust in the BBC brand,” said Jamie Cowling, a research fellow at the Institute of Public Policy Research.

The row comes at a key time for the publicly funded BBC as it gears up for a discussion over its future. The BBC’s “royal charter” is up for renewal and its 2.5 billion pounds of tax funding is likely to be the topic of fierce debate.

It also comes at a time when the integrity of the media is under scrutiny more than ever, especially in the wake of a controversy over reporting at the New York Times.

While many observers say Blair’s government has come out worse in this row, others note that the BBC should not object to being taken to task given its role and that BBC journalists are bracing for a crack-down on reporting.

“It (the BBC) claims to have higher standards than the rest and must expect to be held to them,” Lance Price, a former BBC correspondent and former director of communications of Britain’s Labour party, wrote in the Guardian.

Observers say the public is likely to side with the BBC if asked who they trust more. An opinion poll in the Times newspaper on Tuesday showed that over half of Britons did not trust the prime minister.—Reuters