United Kingdom-based publishers and broadcasters have united in opposition to the BBC “blackout” of King Charles III’s coronation on Saturday.
News Media Association, TalkTV, GB News and Local TV issued a joint statement condemning the BBC for restricting access to historic ceremony at London’s Westminster Abbey. Charles, 74, immediately ascended the British throne after his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, died in September, however, his official coronation is set to take place on Saturday and the organizations feel everyone should have a chance to witness it.
“We are deeply concerned by the BBC’s behaviour in restricting UK media companies access to pool footage of the Coronation of the King, and therefore denying UK citizens the opportunity to enjoy this event of major public interest and national importance on the platform of their choice,” the statement said.
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“Given the historic significance of the occasion, all efforts should have been made by the BBC to ensure that the footage – which is created using licence fee payer money – is distributed as widely as possible to allow UK citizens to witness this event, and the BBC has not fulfilled this obligation,” the joint statement continued. “The decision to charge UK media companies an excessive commercial fee (with no visibility of true costs) seems perverse when the BBC is allowing foreign publishers and broadcasters the same footage for free. These foreign broadcasters and publishers will be allowed to stream or broadcast footage in the UK despite restrictions on UK media.”
News Media Association, TalkTV, GB News and Local TV said the BBC, along with Sky and ITN, have “repeatedly delayed and prevaricated on this issue since the death of Queen Elizabeth in September last year in an anti-competitive manner.”
The broadcasters then urged the BBC to change its stance to allow everyone the ability to tune in.
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“The BBC must urgently reconsider their position and allow all members of the British public who want to watch the Coronation the choice to access the event where they wish to do so,” the joint statement concluded.
Charles’ wife, Camilla, will also be crowned queen during the ceremony.
Coronation services begin at 11 a.m. local time, and will be followed by a “much larger in scale” procession back to the Palace, including Armed Forces from across the Commonwealth and the British Overseas Territories alongside The Sovereign’s Bodyguard and Royal Watermen.
Their Majesties will travel from Buckingham Palace in The King’s Procession to Westminster Abbey in the Diamond Jubilee State Coach, which was created for Queen Elizabeth II to commemorate the 60th anniversary of her reign in 2012.
Charles will be crowned with the St. Edward Crown, which was removed from the Tower of London last year to be prepped for the crowning ceremony. The crown was first created in 1661 for Charles II and replaced the previous crown that was melted down in 1649.
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Charles is expected to swap the St. Edward Crown for the Imperial State Crown after the ceremony.
Camilla will be crowned with Queen Mary’s crown, which was worn by Charles’ great-grandmother when she was named queen consort in 1910, alongside her husband, King George V.
Queen Elizabeth died in September at the age of 96. She’s the second longest-reigning monarch in history, and served England and the Commonwealth for 70 years.
Fox News’ Janelle Ash contributed to this report.
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