SHOULD THE TV LICENCE FEE BE SCRAPPED?

YES

Says Caroline Levesque-Bartlett TV licence protester

I RESENT having to pay for the BBC for the following reasons.

The BBC has long advertised with phrases such as, “thanks to the unique way the BBC is funded”.

However, should that unique way been seen as a positive?

Surely it is questionable that a non-government entity should be funded by a tax that they are independently allowed, firstly, to claim and secondly, to collect.

The licence fee also forces people to pay for self-funded services, such as ITV, Channel 4 and so on.

Its business model relies upon fear of criminal sanctions to achieve success: you cannot go to prison for non-payment of your licence fee but you can be jailed for not paying a fine.

The licence fee represents a much higher proportion of income for poor households.

It gives an unfair advantage to one broadcaster.

The BBC has been funded by the licence fee since 1923 and is an outdated system.

It doesn’t have to be this way. Canada, United States, Australia,

Hong Kong, Luxembourg, Monaco and Spain don’t have one. Also, the nature of the licence fee as a tax could lead to the BBC being manipulated by the government in power with the threat of withholding funds if information damaging to that government was made public.

Evidence of this kind of manipulation has already been seen in the run up to the 2015 election and the proposed leader’s debates.

NO

Says Chris Bryant MP

NOTHING in life is free, not even Gavin And Stacey, Doctor Who, Sherlock, Silent Witness or EastEnders.

We get to watch them for free but that’s what the licence fee does. It pays for British radio and TV programmes made with British talent.

It reflects Britain back to itself. It helps sell Britain to the rest of the world. It creates a competition for quality with other broadcasters which is why British broadcasting is the envy of the world.

And because everyone pays for it, the BBC has to provide something for everyone. That means expensive, risky programmes such as comedy, drama, wildlife documentaries, local radio and live music. When you think Sky now has four times as much cash as the BBC every year, it’s amazing what good value the licence is.

Countries that have got rid of the licence fee have regretted it. They have taken cash from other public services to prop up their national broadcaster.