Re: BBC licence fee to be reviewed by Conservatives
 

Whilst you are correct, it should be emphasised that practically all the money raised from the licence fee actually goes to the BBC. Other terrestrial channels are funded by advertising and all pay TV channels are funded by subscription and advertising. PPV is paid for on a programme by programme basis. The fact that under existing legislation you need a licence to watch all live TV is irrelevant. The existence of the BBC is the only reason why a licence fee is necessary in the first place.

What people are objecting to is the forced requirement to pay for the BBC whether they want to use its services or not. Unfortunately, it is not easy to introduce a subscription model while these channels are transmitted through the airwaves as they are now, because there is no method by which channels accessed via an aerial can be switched off if a subscription is not paid under such a system.

For this reason, a subscription model is unlikely to be introduced in this decade. A possible way around this in the meantime is:

1. All the BBC TV channels are made available through IPTV, satellite and cable with payment by subscription. In my view, it would make sense to upload all content onto a streaming service and categorise them rather than segregate them into channels, but that would be a matter for the Beeb.

2. Terrestrial broadcasts are limited to a small range of entertainment and documentary programmes on just one BBC channel but with an emphasis on national and regional news. This would be a temporary arrangement until the transmitters are switched off. Only selected BBC produced content would appear on this channel. The terrestrial BBC channel would be paid for partially from the public service broadcasting fund raised from general taxation and partially from their pay tv revenues. Of course, advertising would be a means of improving the range of content, but this could reduce the incentive for people to use the money they currently spend on their licence fee on the new BBC subscription.

3. A grant for public service broadcasting, as determined by the government, would be available for all channels under a bidding process once the terrestrial BBC channel is closed down.

4. All BBC radio stations would carry advertisements or be disbanded. The new Sky radio channel that has been mooted to carry Radio 4-style programming ensures that alternatives to BBC radio stations are available commercially elsewhere if advertising is anathema to the BBC.

Those people who are convinced that almost everyone uses BBC services one way or another should not be concerned that people might not voluntarily pay for a BBC subscription. The government could smooth the way by allowing the Beeb to simply convert existing licence fee taxpayers to subscribers, placing the onus on customers to cancel (rather than have people actually apply to subscribe).

Whatever method is chosen (because I have described only one way of dealing with it), the government must address the public desire to abolish the licence fee. The current threats the government is making to the BBC are designed to get them thinking proactively about this. The government is not kidding. It wants to see real change.

Re: BBC licence fee to be reviewed by Conservatives
 

The Royal Charter isn't going to end until 2027,
the world is going to be a very different place then and alternative thinking needs to be applied to funding the BBC.
By then pretty much every device we will be consuming media on will be a connected device.
My initial thoughts on BBC funding towards the end of this decade is to have a 2 step funding, a subscription and free model.
The free model would involve the BBC being able to monetise all data it collects on users of that tier a la Google, Facebook et all.
The subscription model would opt out of all data collection from them.
That way there would still be no need for the BBC to carry adverts and allow the status quo to continue for the other traditional broadcasters to sell advertising and not drive any of them into the wall because the BBC is stealing revenue from them.

I'm sure over the next 7 years other revenue streams will present themselves as technology progresses to provide funding for the BBC and think this is possibly the last decade we will have the license fee as we know it.

Re: BBC licence fee to be reviewed by Conservatives
 

The offence is watching/recording live TV as it is broadcast and or watching BBC iPlayer. The fact the TV or any device for that matter is capable of receiving broadcast transmissions isn't part of the law.

Re: BBC licence fee to be reviewed by Conservatives
 

Spoiler alert: Article is six years old.

Re: BBC licence fee to be reviewed by Conservatives
 

Re: BBC licence fee to be reviewed by Conservatives
 

Obvisously the BBC, which enjoys huge economies of scale and low payment collection costs.

My feeling is that BoJo is doing some Labouresque things that risk the possibility of alienating his populist fans. Things like HS2, nationalising ailing companies and contemplating tax rises.

If he can throw those populist fans a small bone like decriminalising the licence fee and poking the BBC bear a few times, they will happily forgive and forget those Labouresque policies.

Re: BBC licence fee to be reviewed by Conservatives
 

The sooner its gone, the better.

Re: BBC licence fee to be reviewed by Conservatives
 

Tv and radio is not a life essential

Hence if I chose to watch some Live tv on nowtv I shouldn’t have to legally purchase a tv license from the bbc

It’s such a backwards tax - a license to watch tv! Madness!

Make it a subscription. I’m happy to subscribe to it if I chose to watch bbc content

---------- Post added at 19:52 ---------- Previous post was at 19:49 ----------

Why are fans of the BBC in the media purposefully conflating 2 separate issues

This is not a debate about BBC content

This is a debate about an outdated funding model not fit for the 21st century which can put poor people in prison for not paying a tv tax

Re: BBC licence fee to be reviewed by Conservatives
 

24 people were imprisoned for not paying their fines (fined for not having a TV licence) in 2017-2018 - an average of one person a month.

Not exactly an epidemic of imprisonment for this, is it?

Re: BBC licence fee to be reviewed by Conservatives
 

I'm still wiping a tear away from my eye generated by all this newly found sympathy for the poor of the country.

Re: BBC licence fee to be reviewed by Conservatives
 

Its 24 more than it should be.

Re: BBC licence fee to be reviewed by Conservatives
 

24 people too many.

Re: BBC licence fee to be reviewed by Conservatives
 

While I don't actually agree with the TV licence, at this moment in time, if you are required to have one, then you should have one. If you don't have one and also dont pay the fine when caught, then it doesn't bother me how many were imprisoned. That's what's wrong with society today, thinking they can do what they want with no consequences.

Re: BBC licence fee to be reviewed by Conservatives
 

I might tell VM I'm not going to pay anymore, let's see what they say.

Re: BBC licence fee to be reviewed by Conservatives
 

They would say see you in 6 months time when you realise other broadband providers speed is pants.

Re: BBC licence fee to be reviewed by Conservatives
 

The Times this morning was reporting on this. John Whittingdale who really doesn't like the BBC has said a subscription model would be "politically impossible" as the BBC would need to be taken off Freeview (Times front cover)

If you look at the demographics of who uses Freeview only (link page 5)
AND the demographics of who votes Conservative (link

there is some significant crossover. It would be interesting to see the demographics of viewing figures by age but I bet there's a crossover there...

The licence fee may come out at the 'least worst' option after all this

Re: BBC licence fee to be reviewed by Conservatives
 

As above - viewable link.

Re: BBC licence fee to be reviewed by Conservatives
 

Why do they need to move it online? Top Up TV proved you could encrypt freeview channels for a fee years ago

Re: BBC licence fee to be reviewed by Conservatives
 

How many TVs have that facility? TopUp TV mandated a special Thomson PVR with a CAD slot, if I remember correctly,

Re: BBC licence fee to be reviewed by Conservatives
 

How many tv's were digital when the analogue was switched of, no one cared then that you needed a stb to watch anything.

---------- Post added at 07:43 ---------- Previous post was at 07:40 ----------

Answered that in post 73...

Re: BBC licence fee to be reviewed by Conservatives
 

A tax to watch tv , just think about how ridiculous that sounds

Re: BBC licence fee to be reviewed by Conservatives
 

All they need to do is decriminalise it.

That would appease most people.

If the BBC want to go after non-payers they can do it civilly.

Re: BBC licence fee to be reviewed by Conservatives
 

You’re right - that does sound ridiculous...

Re: BBC licence fee to be reviewed by Conservatives
 

The truth often does:(

Re: BBC licence fee to be reviewed by Conservatives
 

There should be some sort of discount/exemption for those who genuinely struggle to pay, given it's a public service broadcaster e.g those on income support. However rich pensioners, who probably use the BBC most, should pay (maybe double ;) ).

Re: BBC licence fee to be reviewed by Conservatives
 

How will they lock out all the older sets? If you've paid for a TV and watch BBC but it just has a basic Digital receiver. Or sets in places without good internet but fine aerial.

I would still maintain the license fee is good value and pays for more than simple TV. And the benefit of no ads makes it worth while.

Oh, and rich pensioners have been paying for years so why charge them more?

The fact that the BBC is irritating those in power shows that it is working. That should apply to irritating (challenging) anyone with power. If things go too far to private companies holding all the reigns who will challenge/mock them?

Re: BBC licence fee to be reviewed by Conservatives
 

Both my modern (about 5 years old) sets have a slot for the Conditional Access Module. This allows for reception of encrypted channels even on DVB T. Subscription payers would get a card to allow for BBC channels reception.

Given how cheap a TV stick or STB is those without a CAM slot could have a suitable box with a SCART, HDMI and RF output as part of the subscription.

Satellite and cable customers would pay a subscription as part of their package if they wanted BBC channels.

Such a change could be rolled out pretty quickly.

Re: BBC licence fee to be reviewed by Conservatives
 

There's a heck of a lot on TVs and boxes out there, imagine all the pensioners you'd have to explain this to. This is the group who mostly depend on and value the BBC, and, worryingly for the Govt, they are it's core support. Put at risk their access to the Antiques Roadshow and Gardeners World and there will be hell to pay at the ballot box ! ;).

Re: BBC licence fee to be reviewed by Conservatives
 

On the contrary, the switch from VHF to UHF took about 25 years. The switch from analogue to digital took a little over a decade. It absolutely could not be done with any speed at all, because you just can’t simply distribute CAMs and HDMI add-ons en masse, especially to the very section of the population that has most resisted such technology, and expect everything to fall into place. The people left behind in such a move would be the most vulnerable in society.

Re: BBC licence fee to be reviewed by Conservatives
 

I feel sure we can drag MR K out of the 1950S without too much kicking and screeming;)

Re: BBC licence fee to be reviewed by Conservatives
 

Its not the Mr K's bless him that l worry about but as Chris succinctly put "the most vulnerable in society".

Re: BBC licence fee to be reviewed by Conservatives
 

Well our 15yr old set doesn't have any cards and being an older CRT doesn't have slots for cards. Yes you could SCART a box in but why if there is a built in DTV tuner? And HDMI->SCART only works on composite which looks less than ideal.)

And if you have multiple sets? More boxes all over the place, all with own card or other mechanism to enforce payment.

The list could go on.

Do you pay per set? That could get expensive, the license is per premise so if you have a home with a few devices the license works out pretty cheap. Pay per tuner? I could imagine if by device, someone would make a multituner box with outputs per tuner that could be routed to different watching devices with some form of control feedback. (Not really bothered if this already exists, just making a point)

Re: BBC licence fee to be reviewed by Conservatives
 

Re: BBC licence fee to be reviewed by Conservatives
 

Remember that SCART defaults to composite, if the receiver can accept RGB the SCART can be configured for this usually in the menus of the source. Both Sky and VM boxes offer this option and it makes a big difference to the PQ.

Re: BBC licence fee to be reviewed by Conservatives
 

The reality is that it is just too complex to do this for the section of society we’re talking about here. If the government wants to scrap the license fee then the only reasonably painless way to do it would be to remodel the BBC’s finances after the other three national PSBs, namely ITV, Channel 4 and Five. All of them operate free to air, supported by commercials. It really is the only practical option. Expect the others to squeal if it ever gets floated though. They won’t want the competition for advertiser spend.

Re: BBC licence fee to be reviewed by Conservatives
 

To be brutally honest, I think that just about sums up the only option available.

If it goes down a subscription route, the price is going to rocket and many won't be happy about that . . and by 'many' I mean those who don't want, can't get, or can't afford the 'internet' options available to others, so would be paying double (or more) for the same content

I have a sneaky feeling that those who want it scrapping are those who pay £35 or more a month on subscription services and begrudge the £12-80 on top :p:

Re: BBC licence fee to be reviewed by Conservatives
 

My TV has RGB SCART - really good quality, DVD and Tivo plugged in here via a multi-device box (only need one on at a time).
And Composite-SCART - not very good. I have a HDMI->SCART converter in here for V6 or Amazon Fire Stick.

If I could get a HDMI->SCART RGB without needing more than one box and less than a new TV it would be even better.

Re: BBC licence fee to be reviewed by Conservatives
 

It is not that complex. Simply provide all BBC content through IPTV and provide a BBC channel for Freeview viewers which is funded by commercials.

It's only as complicated as you want to make it.

Re: BBC licence fee to be reviewed by Conservatives
 

As always, you talk a good game.

Re: BBC licence fee to be reviewed by Conservatives
 

:D

Re: BBC licence fee to be reviewed by Conservatives
 

Reminds me of the Monty Python sketch... ;)

Re: BBC licence fee to be reviewed by Conservatives
 

You just need to believe more...

Re: BBC licence fee to be reviewed by Conservatives
 

If we didn't have to pay £1.5bn for 50,000 extra customs officers then we could afford to give a free TV licence to everyone!