Simpson: PM wants to dump licence fee
BBC news veteran John Simpson says he fears Boris Johnson wants to “dump” the licence fee.
He said he believes the future of the corporation is “under attack” from the Government – but it should stick to its principles and not try to please politicians.
In December the Government announced plans to consider whether failure to pay the TV licence fee should cease to be a criminal offence. The BBC warned decriminalisation could cost it £200million a year which would lead to a loss of some services.
Attack
Writing in Radio Times, BBC News World Affairs editor Mr Simpson said: “For possibly the ninth time in my 53 years with the BBC, a British government is limbering up to launch a major attack on us.
“It happened a couple of times under Harold Wilson, various times under Margaret Thatcher, twice under Tony Blair, and now it’s happening under Boris Johnson.
“It’s not a Left/Right thing... It’s a Government opposition thing. Governments want the BBC to back them, and get hugely affronted because it doesn’t.
“Overall, Boris Johnson and the Conservatives feel bruised and damaged by the broadcasters.” Simpson goes on to say that sources close to Mr Johnson are telling political journalists the TV licence and the penalties for non-payment are being “re-examined”.
He said this could affect how much income the corporation receives and if the charge exists long term or is “dumped altogether”.
He said: “The licence fee is the BBC. There isn’t enough advertising money around to fund ITV, Channel 4, Sky and the BBC as well.
“And there won’t be enough people willing to pay subscriptions.
“There’ll still be plenty to watch on television, but most of it will be Americanmade. And the BBC’s news services, which most people rely on in this country and which play a big part in maintaining Britain’s image around the world, will dwindle away.
“So how should the BBC behave, now that its very existence seems to be in question? Do what we always have done. Stick to our Reithian principles.
“Report what we know we should report, not what will please the politicians.
“And above all, remember Orwell’s words, sculpted on to the walls of Broadcasting House, beside his cigarette-toting statue.
“‘If liberty means anything at all, it means the right to tell people what they do not want to hear’.
“Maybe we’ll get through this latest attack, maybe we won’t. But that way we’ll at least have done our duty.”
● The full article appears in this week’s Radio Times.