Re: BBC to scrap free licence fee for over-75s
 

Tories have got rid of all other nationalised businesses why not this one?

Re: BBC to scrap free licence fee for over-75s
 

For soft global influence.

Anyway, this thread; as Mr K predicted; is just becoming one of those tedious BBC threads which go around in circles. :sleep:

Re: BBC to scrap free licence fee for over-75s
 

This thread is about the decision of the BBC to scrap the free licence fee for over-75s as Nationalisation has nothing to do with this thread.

Re: BBC to scrap free licence fee for over-75s
 

:confused:

It's already nationalised, if it wasn't there's no way the people that use it most would be getting it for free, subsidised by people that use it least

Re: BBC to scrap free licence fee for over-75s
 

Exactly but people are using the thread otherwise.

Re: BBC to scrap free licence fee for over-75s
 

Good drama is good drama, and if it’s good it will stand up on it’s own and not need to be propped by a state financed channel.

Probably, but we now live in a world of choice, TV ( Sky/cable) as most of us regard it is mainly watched by us oldies and terrestrial tv by even older Es. Kids aged from 5/6 upwards don’t watch tv, they watch YouTube.

Broadcast TV will possibly be gone in 10/20 years, on demand for everything will be the format.

The BBC will continue to become less and less relevant.

Fleabag, Gentleman Jack would still get made on the likes of HBO, Netflix or Amazon.

Graham Norton would happily live on HBO.

The BBC should just leave TV and concentrate on radio, and by radio I mean Radio 4, and possibly 5. I would happily pay a licence to finance Radio 4 & 5. £2 a year?

Re: BBC to scrap free licence fee for over-75s
 

I am not sure they necessarily would. Especially since these organisations are primarily US-based. I think some might be made, especially from already established creators, but to commission a TV show based on a one-woman show from the Soho theatre as was the case with Fleabag? I am not convinced.

Netflix are making Black Mirror but that was originally on Channel 4 and Charlie Brooker had gone though the BBC treadmill before that.

Britain has quite a lot of talented writers, actors and directors working in Hollywood. We're overrepresented there. So many top films and TV shows have some British talent behind them. However so many of those people got their start on the BBC and/or the National Theatre, two organisations backed up by the state to find and nurture British work.

If these things went away then Sky would fill some of the void but commercial concerns would favor importing mass-market American TV shows where one show can appeal to North America and Britain rather than risk any specific British-targeted TV audience whose reach would be limited. The BBC doesn't have to worry about that. I also think the existence of the BBC and it spitting out programs like Fleabag makes Britain a harder market for North American companies to break into and as a result it forces them to up their game.

That may not be an argument to keep the BBC of course, some might say it's not the taxpayers' job to promote and find British artists, but I think it's wrong to suggest we wouldn't lose something as a result.

Re: BBC to scrap free licence fee for over-75s
 

:clap:

Re: BBC to scrap free licence fee for over-75s
 

Gentleman Jack was produced in association with HBO. It was broadcast in the US before the UK. HBO produced Chernobyl and Game of Thrones along with many other top-rated TV series. Amazon was involved in bringing Fleabag to the screens. Not as cut and dried as people claim.


There was and still is, no real justification for the 75 age limit. State pension age would be understandable and based upon principle. Nothing at age 74 makes them any more likely to afford it, than at age 75.

Re: BBC to scrap free licence fee for over-75s
 

Most of the BBC’s top quality dramas are international co-productions. This is nothing new and has been increasingly common over more than 20 years. The earlier, unsuccessful attempt to revive Doctor Who in the mid 90s failed because while it did well with UK audiences, it didn’t in the USA, where a significant chunk of the money was coming from. Hence the pilot/movie wasn’t picked up for a series.

Re: BBC to scrap free licence fee for over-75s
 

Oh yes let's scrap it.Why should those veterans in their 90's get anything free? Why should the generation that stood firm get anything for free?

In case anyone missed it irony alert.

Re: BBC to scrap free licence fee for over-75s
 

Next they will be trying to get rid of the free bus passes for pensioners..:rolleyes:

Re: BBC to scrap free licence fee for over-75s
 

But the limit is 75, not 95. So your comment is irrelevant.

Re: BBC to scrap free licence fee for over-75s
 

How is it irrelevant as many veterans fought for Queen and Country and if we cannot look after them then this country really should be ashamed of itself.

Re: BBC to scrap free licence fee for over-75s
 

Technically it was "King and Country". The vast majority are, and will be, not WW2 veterans.


The key stage of financial change is State Pension Age. Going from aged 74 to 75, or 94 to 95, makes little difference. My issue is that the age limit chosen was arbitrary and has no underlying foundation, other than to hand out freebies.