Re: BBC licence fee to be reviewed by Conservatives
 

OB has no real understanding of the licence fee and all its services and value it brings to millions in this country.

Re: BBC licence fee to be reviewed by Conservatives
 

Of course I do, and I, for one, will be happy to pay for them into the future. But I will defend to the hilt the idea that those not benefiting from BBC services should not have to pay for them.

---------- Post added at 09:39 ---------- Previous post was at 09:36 ----------

I hate 'Call the Midwife, man!

But I don't hate the BBC, even though I think it wastes too much money. I enjoy many of their programmes and I am personally not resenting paying for it. But that is my choice.

You have to face facts. Sky may cost a lot more, but if that's what you want to watch, that should be your choice.

It is a democracy, is it not?

Re: BBC licence fee to be reviewed by Conservatives
 

Because a majority now aren't.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-44862598

With the exception of Now TV, Netflix and Amazon are running riot, producing original content at a much faster rate than the BBC.

So we'll do the BBC's £150 a year to Netflix's £143 (Most expensive tier) and Amazon's £80-£40 if you're a student. For the sake of the hundreds of channels of crap argument we'll tally in IMDB's top list with 100,000 votes or more, this tends to be an up to date list, we're not comparing stuff made 30 years ago. They're voting on how good it is, not how much its worth.

BBC - 4 original shows listed from 133
Amazon - 3 Original shows listed + 3 rated shows available.
Netflix - 14 Original shows listed + 16 rated shows listed. Region locked shows excluded. The Witcher excluded.

So not only are they outproducing, they're also by opinion higher rated.

Basing the licence fee on argument on BBC vs Sky in 2019 is silly, It's very much Streaming Services vs Live services with the mixture of the two, You can have your streaming services but need a TV licence to flick through freeview even if you don't touch the BBC, There's still going to be some form of live viewing. As suggested, let people vote with their wallet. Shouldn't have a problem keeping the cash rolling in from the UK public if given the choice? Except it's very clear where they'll put the cash. As said before, I'd bail out, I'm paying the BBC to watch Live football and boxing, none of which they actually show. We're in a completely new era of content now and how it's delivered, watching live television is declining, a generation is fading away and we're well into the IPTV-On demand generation. Probably worth adding that iPlayer gets a thrashing by both Netflix and Amazon in the UK.

Re: BBC licence fee to be reviewed by Conservatives
 

The problem with the BBC iPlayer is that everything on there (apart from the live streaming) has been shown already. Most people want original programming, whereas the iPlayer is a glorified catch-up service.

---------- Post added at 19:51 ---------- Previous post was at 19:46 ----------

So if I disagree with you, Den, it's because I don't understand?

Anyone would think I was suggesting that the BBC was abolished. I am not. I am simply saying that if you don't watch the Beeb's channels, the iPlayer, radio and also do not make use of their website, you should not have to pay for it.

This should not be so controversial - it should be common sense. We no longer live in the mid-20th century.

Re: BBC licence fee to be reviewed by Conservatives
 

Assuming the fee was scrapped. It doesn't have to be doom. The future could lie with Britbox. You ramp up the investment, make originals exclusive to the platform with X amount of British broadcasters on board and those that felt the TV licence was of great value will buy in and those of us that judge the content to be worthy will buy in.

Re: BBC licence fee to be reviewed by Conservatives
 

What about programmes like Countryfile or Gardeners World, or natural history programmes. Highly valued by some but they don't have massive viewing figures. They would disappear under this new regime and the BBC would just become.like Sky/Amazon, if it doesn't attract advertisers/subscribers, it doesn't get made. It's funding model means it makes programmes others don't.

Re: BBC licence fee to be reviewed by Conservatives
 

:tu:

Re: BBC licence fee to be reviewed by Conservatives
 

This is why public funding of public service broadcasting isn’t going to go away, even if we move away from the current model. In the long term I think all the PSBs will probably be able to bid for public funds to make programmes that fulfil certain criteria.

Re: BBC licence fee to be reviewed by Conservatives
 

So once again you are ruling for the minority to affect the majority. Countryfile - why wouldn't the NFU fund it? Same with Gardeners world and the Horticultural society?

Re: BBC licence fee to be reviewed by Conservatives
 

You've totally missed the point old chap about quality/value versus viewing figures.

Re: BBC licence fee to be reviewed by Conservatives
 

If the quality/value is so good why aren't the viewing figures higher?

Re: BBC licence fee to be reviewed by Conservatives
 

Certain shows are designed for niche audiences and have something of a ceiling to their potential audience. The licence fee system allows such programming to be made at all, and more than that, to be made at a comparable quality to material that attracts far larger audiences.

Re: BBC licence fee to be reviewed by Conservatives
 

None of this has to stop if the BBC was subscription based.

Re: BBC licence fee to be reviewed by Conservatives
 

No one should be forced to pay the fee if they don't use the services, it is ridiculous.

Image if we also had to pay a Sky fee even if we didn't use their content?

Re: BBC licence fee to be reviewed by Conservatives
 

In a way you do pay the BBC for Sky content. If you watch a Sky program live lets say Sky sports then by the rules of the BBC tax you must pay the BBC it's Tax.