Whilst in some ways it feels like the campaign has already started and the date has been announced, Westminster and the wider world are waiting with bated breath for the General Election to be formally called.
Like the political parties, our preparation and planning will have been in development for months before the Prime Minister finally drives to the Palace and asks the Queen to dissolve Parliament.
And, more than any election before it, this will be a television and digital election - the historic prime ministerial TV debates being the biggest and most obvious example.
The public looks to the 主播大秀's expertise to help them navigate and make clear some of the political complexities they face. It is one of the 主播大秀's key responsibilities and is arguably the most important and serious duty the 主播大秀 has. The 主播大秀 is the crucible where the big debates about the future of the country inevitably take place and where many opinions will be shaped. Above all, the 主播大秀 will aim to be the standard-bearer for fair, accurate and impartial journalism across the UK. We will provide election coverage that is both independent and unique offering unprecedented breadth, depth and insight.
This could be one of the closest and therefore most ferociously fought elections in living memory. With the stakes so high for the political parties, it would not be surprising if they were in contact about how we were covering what they do and say. Whilst we will always take seriously any accusations or questions about our even-handedness and accept any mistakes if we get things wrong, we will show neither fear nor favour in how we report the election.
It is vital that the 主播大秀 is able to provide a strong and independent space where the big debates can take place, free from political or commercial influence. In this public space, everyone can have access to the lifeblood of healthy democratic debate - impartial news and information. The strength of our impartial public service broadcasting, combined with a strong newspaper tradition, is what makes us distinct from most democracies around the world.
So how will our coverage be different from previous years?
Firstly, audiences will be able to put the politicians and their policies under the microscope and scrutinise them in more detail than ever before. The will enable the public to engage in the campaign in a new way, with the 主播大秀 hosting the final debate on the economy. In addition, there will be special programmes on each night of the debates, with focus groups, specialist correspondents and party pundits providing the first full analysis and reaction. And, as in previous years, we will also try to secure on 主播大秀 One one-to-one interviews with the leaders of the main political parties.
will be extended to 60 minutes, Monday to Friday, throughout the campaign. It will host nine 'Cabinet Contender' debates which will provide a unique opportunity for the public to compare and contrast what each party has to offer on the issues that matter most to them. The programmes will be broadcast during the last three weeks of the campaign and will be presented by and an independent policy expert and 主播大秀 specialist correspondent.
In Scotland there will be two election debates in Edinburgh and Glasgow, broadcast on , and will be extended for four nights a week for the election coverage and an election night special with , and . and will lead the coverage in Northern Ireland, reflecting the local and national election picture as results come in. will have a series of special reports and political debates from around the constituencies, and of course there will also be a Leaders debate. will host three election debates from around the nation, including a Welsh Leaders debate. On election night, will lead proceedings on . A range of Welsh language content will produced for radio, TV and online, including three Welsh language debates. In addition, across England, towards the end of the campaign, there will be 12 regional television debates with politicians, each focusing on issues that matter to the region, in front of a live audience.
Finally, we will offer the most comprehensive coverage in trying to energise and engage different audiences in the democratic process. Audiences tell us they look to the 主播大秀 to unpick the complexities of policy and bring clarity to difficult issues. We'll be doing this through the use of our trusted expertise of our specialist editors including , and .
This means a quality offer not just on our flagship news and current affairs programmes - , , , and many other key programmes, but to other audiences through , and . Digital and online will also play a central and enhanced role. A special General Election site on will bring the most immediate developments, showcase the best of our content, and provide depth and analysis on the key issues. There is no better example than the General Election, with our online coverage being a cornerstone of what the 主播大秀 should be about.
Of course this is not the totality of what we will do. Campaigns, and the coverage of them, can evolve and change based on events. And every campaign always has those unexpected and sometimes defining moments.
Every day the 主播大秀 seeks to inform. During a General Election campaign that responsibility increases. Whilst our attention will be on the political parties - , holding them to account and analysing their announcements - our focus will be on serving the British electorate. Our recent was about making the 主播大秀 more mission-focused so that we deliver the best service for licence fee payers. Providing the best journalism in the world - through independent, impartial and authoritative content which the electorate can trust - is one of the main reasons why the 主播大秀 exists, and it is exactly what we will seek to fulfil in the weeks ahead.