BBC wants to increase licence fee
 

The Director General of the BBC is trying to make a case for an increase to the licence fee. This, I think, is the wrong approach.

What the DG should be doing is making a case for the licence fee to be scrapped, with a subscription at the existing rate maintained for its existing TV and radio channels and the i-Player.

Then it should make a case to the Government to provide additional premium material at an additional cost, either with one or more premium channels broadcast by traditional linear means and/or by the establishment of a new streaming service.

That would be a much better solution than just putting up the outdated licence fee that poorer members of society would find difficult to pay.

https://www.rapidtvnews.com/20180918...#axzz5RTMUzQGs

Re: BBC wants to increase licence fee
 

This isn't really Virgin Media news as it would be relevant to all TV platforms in the UK.

The problem with the subscription option for the BBC is that to that you'll then have to put the BBC content behind some form of broadcast restriction for it to work. I wouldn't even know how you'd do that for radio.

So potentially you could end up with ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 on Freeview, but the BBC channels not.

So to turn the BBC into a subscription service would require a complete rethink of the PSB channels in the UK, what is 'free to view' and how.

It's also not only the BBC that gets funding from the licence fee - S4C is due to get all of it's funding from it shortly https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-43569372

Re: BBC wants to increase licence fee
 

Sorry to post this in the wrong place. If the moderators would transfer this to current affairs, I would appreciate it.

Re: BBC wants to increase licence fee
 

Cobblers as usual OB !

The fee was frozen for years. Then the Govt. made the BBC pay for the rich Tory pensioners licences - instead it needs to be free/subsidised for those on Income Support.

Scrap the fee and it would just become another commercial channel producing little new or original. At £12 a month for mostly original content its a bargain, compared to VM/Sky subscriptions. I would gladly sell my kidneys to save the BBC (well maybe just the one ;))

Re: BBC wants to increase licence fee
 

I don't see the point of spending £12pm for something I never watch. I don't mind paying a subscription for something I do or will watch.

Re: BBC wants to increase licence fee
 

If I could opt-out of paying for the Tory supporting news I'd jump at the chance.

Re: BBC wants to increase licence fee
 

No, it's not 'cobblers', Mr K. Whether the licence fee has been frozen for a few years or not, the common complaint is that it's inefficient and expensive. Another is that whether or not you watch BBC TV or radio programmes, you still have to pay for it.

I am not suggesting the BBC should show commercials. I said the licence fee should be scrapped in favour of a subscription at the same price, and the income should be topped up and the current level surpassed with a premium channel and/or streaming services for a separate additional subscription.

Your kidneys are safe with me. :D

---------- Post added at 18:48 ---------- Previous post was at 18:46 ----------

Tories are right wing, not left wing, Skie. You got that a bit muddled! :D

---------- Post added at 18:49 ---------- Previous post was at 18:48 ----------

Agreed. It's simply an unjust arrangement.

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I agree that public service broadcasting needs to be re-thought. However, if ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 are all free to view on Freeview but BBC is on subscription only, I don't see that as a problem if some people don't want to pay for it. If they don't watch it now anyway, the outcome is no different.

We have been told that in the medium term, all the terrestrial TV channels will be delivered over the internet - you will no longer be able to receive channels through an aerial. I presume that radio will go the same way, and therefore it will be possible to block TV and radio stations from non-subscribers.

If the Government of the day wants to pay any broadcaster to schedule in public service broadcasting, it would still be able to pay them for doing so. So S4C and local programming would still be safe.

Re: BBC wants to increase licence fee
 

Re: BBC wants to increase licence fee
 

Thanks, Hugh.

Re: BBC wants to increase licence fee
 

You must watch a different BBC news to me.

Re: BBC wants to increase licence fee
 

Or you’re both watching the same programme, and it’s your viewpoint that interprets what’s being shown...

Re: BBC wants to increase licence fee
 

Drop the endless quizes and then strictly, then make a decent drama.

Re: BBC wants to increase licence fee
 

I think the license only exists so that people lean more toward watching the BBC and therefore whatever "thought for the day" is being pushed on there by its owners, who have an artificial monopoly on the imposition of national public opinion.

People think "well, since I'm paying for it, I might as well watch it"....

Re: BBC wants to increase licence fee
 

Indeed, the BBC gets as many complaints about being biased to the left as they do to the right, which shows me that they have the right balance.

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This would mean that those who don't watch any type of TV at all would end up paying for the BBC through general taxation.

The reason why the TVL was set up in the way it is was to ensure that the BBC remained independent from the Government of the day.

Shifting the cost of paying for the free TV licences for the over 75's from the DWP to the BBC was a sly move as the BBC will get the blame for any cutbacks. It's the same principle as them cutting the Revenue Support Grants to local authorities, it's the councils who then get the blame when Council Tax Bills increase whilst services are reduced.

Having said that, I do think that the free TV licence schemes should be reformed. It's ridiculous that a millionaire pensioner doesn't pay whilst a younger person on benefits has to, or that a working family on decent wages can stick the TVL into an elderly persons name who lives with them so that they can all enjoy the benefit of a free TVL.

Re: BBC wants to increase licence fee
 

Not really. What I was saying was that the public service element would be funded by the Government. Other channels would also benefit from this as they do now.

We agree that reform is necessary. This should be done in a measured way, ensuring that the BBC was still able to raise the value of the licence fee by way of the basic subscription and had the flexibility to top it up as they saw fit with premium programming.

Re: BBC wants to increase licence fee
 

No it doesnt.

TV is not a necessity, if they want it, they should pay for it, like the rest of us have to.

Re: BBC wants to increase licence fee
 

:clap:

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Frankly the fact that all parties hate the BBC for bias fills me with comfort. It means that as a Public Broadcasting Company they are managing to walk the line of true neutrality.

Re: BBC wants to increase licence fee
 

Well they to pay Sir Cliff loads of dosh and fund all these so called celebs massive wage bills some how.. don't they.

Re: BBC wants to increase licence fee
 

Hit the nail on the head and that's the bttm line.

Re: BBC wants to increase licence fee
 

However Chris Evans is off to Virgin radio. He'll get paid more than the BBC can offer him ( good riddance imho, he gives me a migraine !). Private broadcasters aren't open to such scrutiny, the BBC is at a disadvantage in that respect.

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Thank you Ebineezer !
Why should rich pensioners get free TV licences then ?

Re: BBC wants to increase licence fee
 

How much of the collected TVL money actually goes to the BBC?

Perhaps handing over more of what is skimmed off by HMG (if it is) is the way forward?

Re: BBC wants to increase licence fee
 

I'm thinking of sending them copies of the TV licenses I've had over the last 10 years . . . just to prove I've already paid once for many of the (repeat) programs on offer :D

Re: BBC wants to increase licence fee
 

I thought the whole thing went to the BBC - they're involved in it's collection rather than HMG.

And there is no VAT on it either.

Re: BBC wants to increase licence fee
 

I believe all our VM sub goes to VM aswell ;).

Sometimes I think people forget all the extra things the BBC provides, all without advertising. e.g. local and national radio, website. A commercial provider just wouldn't provife these services it if it wasn't profitable and full of adverts.

Re: BBC wants to increase licence fee
 

l have not forgotten what the BBC provides its just on a few things they need to go back to the basics and start again.

Re: BBC wants to increase licence fee
 

as I understand it it doesn't all go to the BBC. Hence why you are 'forced' to pay it.

Re: BBC wants to increase licence fee
 

I think the majority of folk would want a advert run BBC that has dire programs being aired on it anyway, I cannot remember the last thing I watched on a BBC channel, it is that poor, so I think adverts, rather than pay a hefty yearly fee.

The TV License is an outdated concept and needs to be scrapped-IMHO.

Re: BBC wants to increase licence fee
 

Surely it would be better to allow competing TV channels with competing viewpoints and unrestricted speech than to try to pretend that we're all paying for one beloved organisation that "always strives to be truly objective".

Unless of course, the point is to want people around the world to think that the state media here is somehow the true voice of objectivity.

Too many adverts? That's what Ofcom is for.

Re: BBC wants to increase licence fee
 

:tu:

Re: BBC wants to increase licence fee
 

Simples make it law that the broadcasters of all TV and Radio put the adverts in between the programes and not during (i.e. splitting the programe in bits). Then somebody would say to me that companies and products would not bother to advertise (of cause they would).

Re: BBC wants to increase licence fee
 

If I was DG of The BBC I would.

-Axe all BBC Local English Radio Channels - unless BBC launches them all on Digital TV Networks.

-Axe BBC Radio 3

-Axe BBC night at the proms

-Stop buying Sports rights just to put them on BBC Red Button just so we can watch repeats of Home under the Hammer on BBC 2.

Re: BBC wants to increase licence fee
 

Well thank goodness you aren't DG then !

Re: BBC wants to increase licence fee
 

Capita collects the fee and takes 3p per £1 for administration costs.

The vast majority goes to the BBC, other recipients are:
- The World Service (used to be Government funded)
- Funding Jeremy Hunt's vanity project of local TV channels
- UK broadband rollout
- S4C

Re: BBC wants to increase licence fee
 

Yeah, but they don't get the benefits of the licence fee!

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So how do you expect broadcasters to work with the reduced income that would result?

Methinks you've not thought this through!

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Well, we can see that you ain't got no culture, then, MB. What happened to the mantra we keep hearing that the BBC is for everyone?

Re: BBC wants to increase licence fee
 

Indeed. I have friends (admittedly not many) that have no interest in TV, so don't own one, preferring to be entertained by watching theatre, cinema, listening to live music and reading books.

While I do have several TVs, enjoy using them, and have the required licence for them, I don't think TV is an essential item for me personally. It is handy, but not essential.

Re: BBC wants to increase licence fee
 

If the TV license is funding the broadband rollout, you know what's going to be the next thing to require a license...

Re: BBC wants to increase licence fee
 

Licences are old fashioned now - I can't see any increase in the types of licence of this kind issued in the future.

Subscriptions are the way forward. That way, you gear the income received to the level of demand.

Re: BBC wants to increase licence fee
 

There has to be a public broadcasting company so that there is at least something. Politically unbiased, of course, which the BBC isn’t.

Re: BBC wants to increase licence fee
 

If the BBC can't do it, can anyone else? Probably not, because in theory they should be working at the BBC. So, if it can't be done...

Re: BBC wants to increase licence fee
 

I think a clear-out at the BBC and an infusion of people with integrity could be the way forward for the BBC. A start has to be made.

Re: BBC wants to increase licence fee
 

Well, the Left think the BBC is right-wing, the Right think the BBC is left-wing, Remainers think it is the Brexit Broacasting Company, and Brexiteers think it is anti-Brexit, so I am of the opinion that the bias is in the eye of the beholder...

Re: BBC wants to increase licence fee
 

Re: BBC wants to increase licence fee
 

Spot on Hugh with your unbiased analysis.:tu:

Re: BBC wants to increase licence fee
 

Why does there have to be a public broadcasting company?

I've nothing against the idea in principle, but I am sure we could cope without! And I am happy for the Beeb to be that provider, if we have to have one, provided it can get its finances sorted out. At the moment, they have a grotesque advantage over the commercial stations.

Re: BBC wants to increase licence fee
 

The BBC no longer exclusively fills that role.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public...United_Kingdom

Re: BBC wants to increase licence fee
 

Re: BBC wants to increase licence fee
 

I think you can still go to jail if you do not pay the fine for not having a TV license. Very civilised.

Re: BBC wants to increase licence fee
 

In the past 8 years I have been visited twice by TVL inspectors and on both occasions have been told I do not need a license. I have 2 TV's, one acts as my desktop monitor and the other has a NAS full of prerecorded films & TV series none sourced from the UK. There is no aerial in existance for linear broadcast.
I still get the extortion letters though.

Re: BBC wants to increase licence fee
 

Did they ask to come in and check; if so did you allow them to?

If not, what did they say?

I ask as i've seen some horrendous videos on YouTube.

It seems shocking that they do this, it would be like Virgin Media coming and saying that they had noted that you don't appear to be paying a subscription to them. Then, upon being told that you don't use or need their services, them saying that they wanted to come into your home to check that you weren't lying or were obtaining their services illegally!

Re: BBC wants to increase licence fee
 

Because we'll have nothing but 'reality tv', and trash import soaps. Quality drama and programmes like 'The Sky at Night' just wouldn't get made.

Re: BBC wants to increase licence fee
 

Yes they did and I allowed them, I was totally open and honest and asked if they wanted to try to check my internet history to see if they could find any instance of BBC iPlayer being used.(never have used it)

When they ask if I watch any TV I open Kodi on my desktop or the files on my NAS or Netflix account.

There's nothing they can do to me and have walked away both times saying I don't need a license.

Re: BBC wants to increase licence fee
 

It isn’t really like that, although a service provider can actually get a court order and send bailiffs into your house if you don’t pay them what you owe.

The BBC license fee isn’t a subscription. It has a legal status not unlike the Council Tax, which is a compulsory charge that pays for a range of services (whether you use them or not), that you have to pay by reason of occupying a house. The TVL is primarily a licence to operate a TV receiver, regardless of which TV services you choose to receive. It is backed by statute and the BBC is authorised by its charter to collect the fee and to receive whatever portion of it Parliament has determined.

The problem isn’t the TV licence - we live in a democracy and there are legal ways of campaigning for its abolition, if that’s what we as a country prefer - the problem is the large number of people who should be paying it, but are evading it, which is a criminal offence. That has given rise to a confrontational enforcement regime that then unduly affects the very small number of people who legitimately don’t have a TV licence.

TV is fupping expensive to make but the amount of money flowing into the industry in this country because of the TV license system is enormous and gives British producers international clout well beyond the natural size of the economy. It benefits many more people than just the occupants of Broadcasting House and their viewers.

Re: BBC wants to increase licence fee
 

Sorry to distract from the context in question but just wanted to point out you can go to jail for any unpaid fine.even for dropping litter. :)

Re: BBC wants to increase licence fee
 

If pay tv provided only reality tv, they would soon find that people were less likely to pay a subscription to watch it. I most certainly would not and in fact I find myself revisiting the value of pay tv more and more frequently these days.

Your argument falls really because we have no public service streaming operator, and yet the two big commercial services (Netflix and Amazon Prime) are providing many, many hours of quality programming without any real BBC competition. That is the future, and frankly, the Beeb will struggle to keep up.

The argument for having a public service broadcaster will diminish substantially as this transformation takes place and the broadcast scheduled TV channels close down.

Re: BBC wants to increase licence fee
 

There is no PSB operator doing exclusively on-demand streaming, however the BBC operates BBC Three as an on-demand streaming service - only a selection of its output on Three is then broadcast by traditional means. It is also increasingly promoting its regionally-produced material (mostly but not exclusively current affairs output) because it is always on iPlayer nationwide for 30 days after broadcast regardless of which BBC nation or region commissioned it.

Re: BBC wants to increase licence fee
 

This is true, but the very small amount of programming made available by this means is no match for Netflix and Amazon. The point I am making is that it is a bit of a stretch to say that the BBC is setting the standard for streaming services.

Clearly, it is not, and therefore it cannot truthfully be said that we need the Beeb to set the standard. Netflix and Amazon have done this entirely by themselves.

Re: BBC wants to increase licence fee
 

I agree but for just watching a box on the wall or stand...strange.

Re: BBC wants to increase licence fee
 

Not really. Programmes cost money. Most people do actually understand that principle, but the problem with the licence fee is that you are forced to pay it even if you don't watch or listen to BBC programmes but choose other channels instead.

Re: BBC wants to increase licence fee
 

What if you could have the BBC programes removed/blanked not usable from your TV. I wonder how that would stand up in a legal court... sorry I do not want it and why should I pay for it. It is a bit like paying road tax even if you do not own a car?

Re: BBC wants to increase licence fee
 

The fee is for watching or recording live TV as it's broadcast, that covers all channels, not just the BBC.
You don't pay road tax, you pay VED.

Re: BBC wants to increase licence fee
 

Really.. and the BBC receive equal amounts as do the independent channels e.g. equal share of the money from the license fee.

Re: BBC wants to increase licence fee
 

Most of it goes to the BBC.

Re: BBC wants to increase licence fee
 

No matter where the money goes, I believe mainstream TV is a mere shadow of what it used to be. It is slowly but surely being strangled by the push for Equality, Diversity and Political Correctness (in my opinion).

You can give production companies £5 million a week, but unless writers, directors and producers have the freedom to express themselves we will just get the same unpalatable claptrap regurgitated week after week.

The script writers who gave us classics like One Foot in the Grave, Cracker, Last of the Summer Wine, Fawlty Towers, Black Adder, Keeping up Appearances, Men Behaving Badly, The Britass Empire, Boys From the Blackstuff, Tenko, Jonathan Creek, A Touch of Frost, Taggart . . . they're all gone, replaced by writers who may possibly have some damn good shows in them but are constrained by the rules & regulations surrounding what is or isn't allowed.

Historical/Period Drama is at least safe (for now) from many of the constraints, as it wouldn't be a true reflection of the times if they had to follow the rules ;)

You'll also never see anything again that approaches the sheer mayhem, laughter, insanity and joy that was It's a Knockout . .

. . . aah buggrit, rant over, going for a lay down in a darkened room :D

Re: BBC wants to increase licence fee
 

I think you are right about that, particularly when you look at the BBC. However, the streaming services also have rather a lot to do with it, with their superior content, ease of viewing (when you want) and with no commercial breaks.

There will always be the odd programme on the traditional broadcast channels (eg The Bodyguard) that prove to be the exception over the next four or five years, but these will become fewer as we move to alternative ways of viewing.

Re: BBC wants to increase licence fee
 

I know this was intended as another BBC knocking thread, but the BBC have just had the most watched Drama on TV since 2011. If we want quality new programmes we have to pay.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-45622655

Re: BBC wants to increase licence fee
 

Yes, I referred to that in the previous post. I try to be balanced!

Re: BBC wants to increase licence fee
 

Well if we did not have the BBC they would have to pay awful lot more Mr K and then they would be moaning even more.

Re: BBC wants to increase licence fee
 

Except that we wouldn't, Den. Most people would elect to pay the subscription. The shorfall could be made up in other ways, in particular by way of new global streaming services paid for by consumers in other countries.

It just needs a bit of imagination to achieve this and the Beeb has 10 years before the implementation of the next review to get to that fairer system.

Re: BBC wants to increase licence fee
 

A subscription is likely to be a lot more than the £12 a month the BBC currently costs. How much do you pay VM in comparison for mostly repeated programming - much of it originating from the BBC !

Re: BBC wants to increase licence fee
 

Why should it? What other streaming services (other than sport) demand £12 per month?

I have already drawn attention to how any shortfall in existing income can be addressed. Income from global streaming services should not be underestimated.

Re: BBC wants to increase licence fee
 

Because not as many would be contributing OB, do the maths ! Unless you dramatically decreased what the BBC output. Drama, the BBCs strength, is particularly expensive.

And what about local and national radio? Get rid of that too ? It provides a public and sometimes essential service.

Re: BBC wants to increase licence fee
 

But you are looking at this from an extremely negative point of view, my good man. First, most people will continue to subscribe, and secondly, by offering streaming services to other countries at an appropriate cost, they could easily make up the difference, with cash to spare.

Re: BBC wants to increase licence fee
 

Never thought of Chris Evans as essential.

Re: BBC wants to increase licence fee
 

What would you without the Shipping Forecast Smurf ? ;)

Re: BBC wants to increase licence fee
 

Especially when one is consistently prone to going in the wrong direction and getting lost.;)

Re: BBC wants to increase licence fee
 

I've done the math and realsed the output from the BBC is not worth the cost.

The output from the likes of Netflix and Amazon is cost effective though.

Re: BBC wants to increase licence fee
 

Netflix and Amazon’s output comes nowhere near the breadth required for public service broadcasting though. They can concentrate their resources on their chosen market segment. The BBC can’t (nor can ITV for that matter).

Re: BBC wants to increase licence fee
 

Yes, because they concentrate on dramas, and lately they have started documentaries as well.

However, as more streaming services start to make their presence felt in UK markets, we will start to see more documentaries, nature programmes and other more niche stuff coming on the scene, and there will be an awful lot more choice, not scheduled and without commercials, at a lesser price. The money for public service broadcasting will be reallocated accordingly.

I am astounded that you appear not to think that this is a good thing.

What public service broadcasting do you think is important? Are you worried that we will not be able to avoid having to watch this stuff?

Just askin'....

Re: BBC wants to increase licence fee
 

Who said anything about what’s good? As per, you’re adding 2 and 2 and getting 5. ;)

On the contrary, I’m simply observing facts. The BBC has a public service remit that effectively mandates a great deal of its budget allocation process away from the kind of drama output that characterises almost all of Amazon and Netflix original content. If you’re a fan of drama that makes A&N look more cost effective. I have Netflix because I do like drama, especially the fantasy/adventure kind they produce a lot of (I also have Amazon, but that’s incidental to our Prime membership... I wouldn’t pay extra for their TV, the selection’s not a patch on Netflix). On the other hand, I’ve spent the last 2 hours watching Strictly Come Dancing, which is one of the biggest shows on British TV and is also broadcast live, with viewer interaction, so regardless of whether it’s delivered via satellite, terrestrial, cable or IP stream, its very nature means it is and will always be linear.

The real problem here, as usual, is an inability to see the TV licence fee for what it is - a compulsory charge for a broad range of services regardless of whether the payee uses them or not. It’s a form of tax, similar in aim to council tax. The TV licence is not a subscription and trying to liken it to your Netflix sub is comparing apples and oranges. This is why value comparisons fail and why those who argue for the TVL to be replaced by a BBC subscription don’t even understand why the idea’s a non-starter (the U.K. already has a successful commercial model for public service broadcasters - it’s called free-to-air with advertising, and it’s what ITV, Four and Five already do).

Re: BBC wants to increase licence fee
 

This is a bit confusing to me. Can you explain what public service broadcasting you think is endangered by streaming services?

As far as 'Strictly' is concerned, there is no reason why shows like this cannot appear on our streaming services. Have you forgotten about 'The Grand Tour' on Amazon?

Re: BBC wants to increase licence fee
 

I’m flogging a dead horse here.

Where have I said any public service broadcasting is endangered by streaming services? Oh that’s right I haven’t. Just goes to show, the forum ‘quote’ button sadly isn’t also a ‘I’ve read what I’m about to quote’ button.

Yes, by the way, I have forgotten about the Grand Tour. Without the discipline of a BBC production team behind them, Clarkson et al are rudderless old bores endlessly repeating the same tired cliches. It was a lavish disappointment. Not sure how that’s in any way relevant to a live dancing competition with viewer voting though. Neither the Grand Tour nor indeed TopGear were ever intended to be live or interactive.

Re: BBC wants to increase licence fee
 

:clap:

Re: BBC wants to increase licence fee
 

You said ‘Netflix and Amazon’s output comes nowhere near the breadth required for public service broadcasting.’

If I have misinterpreted you, I apologise, but I don’t see how else that can be interpreted.

It doesn’t matter if you don’t like ‘The Grand Tour’. I was giving that as an example that disproves your point.

By the way, I do agree that your horse has definitely deceased.

Re: BBC wants to increase licence fee
 

One swallow doesn’t make a spring, OB. A single example of a non-drama production comes nowhere near making Amazon Prime a comparable service to the BBC. The fact that you think otherwise just proves how unlikely it is that you have any great insight to add to this topic. You’ve been making a lot of noise on this subject for a number of years now, but you know what they say.