BP
They are the state broadcaster and the organisation with the biggest commitment to news and current affairs. It seems slightly mad to imagine the BBC wouldn't get a debate.
A couple more points:
1. Why should the BBC have an automatic entitlement to a debate in every election cycle? They don't produce every Queen's Christmas Speech for example. It's on a rota. Why shouldn't election debates be on a rota? Sky News didn't demand exclusivity for their debate last time, so the BBC would still get to air at least one debate. If they simulcast it on BBC1 or BBC2 then the ratings/reach will still be very high.
1. Why should the BBC have an automatic entitlement to a debate in every election cycle? They don't produce every Queen's Christmas Speech for example. It's on a rota. Why shouldn't election debates be on a rota? Sky News didn't demand exclusivity for their debate last time, so the BBC would still get to air at least one debate. If they simulcast it on BBC1 or BBC2 then the ratings/reach will still be very high.
They are the state broadcaster and the organisation with the biggest commitment to news and current affairs. It seems slightly mad to imagine the BBC wouldn't get a debate.