What will the BBC do for Kernow?
This is an opportunity to share your thoughts on how the BBC should be treating Kernow by completing a feedback form. Are we to be treated equally with Cymru and Alba as we are legally entitled to be, or are we to continue being included as part of English television and on the BBC website?
There is information here about the BBC Charter with a link for providing you comments. The deadline for replies is 10th March. Please support Kernow in getting better BBC coverage.
Link to the BBC Consultation questionnaire: BBC Charter Review Public Consultation
Thoughts on how to respond to certain questions
When responding please note the advice coming from Cornish language group Agan Tavas:
- Section 1: Disagree that BBC should stay the same Use the free text box to note that the Cornish nation is not represented, and must be included. The Cornish are a legally acknowledged ethnic minority along with Kernewek, the Cornish language equal to that of Cymru and Alba.
- Specific Public Purposes BBC should do more to represent all audiences, Tick the 'Other' box then complete the free text box re Cornish language, Celtic nations, Cornish culture, Cornish news etc.,
- Enhance BBC accountability section Tick first 4 boxes & 'Other' box then free text
- Any further views question: Tick 'Yes' complete free text box. Emphasise Cornish equality with the people of the other Celtic nations including nationality forms must include a nationality tick box for Cornish peoples
- BBC economic impact question tick boxes re across UK nations etc
Question: How do you describe your nationality? There is no Cornish option! Tick 'Other' and used free text box to type 'Kernewek' / Cornish.
Response by Agan Tavas
The BBC Royal Charter consultation can be accessed online, but it will close on 10th March! It is imperative that Cornish organisations and individuals give our responses before the 10th March to ensure our voice and our legal rights are upheld.
The UK Government has signed the agreement for protection of the Cornish language being upgraded from part II to part III of the European Charter for Regional and Minority Languages. This upgrade secures part III status for Cornish language and our speakers which is amazing news, but we must ensure the language is supported and the agreement is made a reality, not just empty promises. This means the BBC are now obliged to include us as a representative nation of the UK.
The BBC Royal Charter states its commitment to broadcast in the “regional and minority languages of the United Kingdom through its output and services and through partnerships with other organisations.”
The problem is that the current document only specifies the languages covered are “Welsh, Scottish-Gaelic, Irish and Ulster Scots.”. It has not updated its document to include Cornish, yet it is obliged now to do just that.
Two years ago the UK Government agreed a Media Act, which named Cornish as one of the UK Minority languages in its commitment to a “sufficient quantity of audio/visual content that is in, or mainly in, a recognised regional or minority language”.
The consultation paperwork has ignored Cornish, with no mention of it and yet it states that: “The BBC plays a crucial role in supporting the various native languages across the British Isles. The Government recognises the valuable contribution that providers of minority language broadcasting have in our society and the preservation of our national heritage. Sustainable funding is crucial to ensuring that the BBC can continue its support of minority language speakers.”
We need to raise our voice and respond to this BBC Royal Charter Consultation and encourage others to do raise the question why are we being ignored? It is a breach of its agreement. We are entitled to have a non-executive Board Member for Cornwall (Kernow) as representative of our nation, yet it is not listed under section 23 of the charter.
We all need to raise this problem urgently with Lisa Nandy, the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, to answer these questions and require the BBC to fulfil its obligations to all the UK nations and have a voice on the non-executive board of the BBC.
Notes:
Section 5 – The BBC’s Mission: “The mission of the BBC is to act in the public interest serving all audiences through the provision of…”7
Section 6 – Public Purposes, item (4) : “To reflect, represent and serve the diverse communities of all the UK’s nations and regions…”
Section 14 – Diversity, item (1): The BBC must ensure it reflects the diverse communities of the whole of the UK…”
Section 23 – Non-Executive Board members for the nations (1): “A non-executive member of the board must be designated for (a) England, (b) Scotland, (c) Wales (d) Northern Ireland.
Article by Cllr Dick Cole published in the Cornish Guardian 11th February 2026) and West Briton newspapers (12th February 2026) is available on Mebyon Kernow’s website at:
Cornish and the new BBC Royal Charter - Mebyon Kernow – The Party for Cornwall
UK Government information
Please note this government document does NOT include the words Cornwall or Cornish The legally acknowledged Cornish people and our legally recognised language has been side lined again. This is why it is so important for Cornish people to respond to this questionnaire.
The Next Chapter - BBC Royal Charter Review, Green Paper and public consultation