Does the BBC need a funding shake-up?

WItH so many claiming that the BBc is overdue for a big sort-out, I am surprised we do not hear about the most obvious solution, the one, I suspect, the BBc fears most. Let’s retain the licence fee, by all means, because people appreciate programmes without advert breaks — the reaction to Itv’s Downton abbey was evidence of that. But supporting advert-free broadcasting should not be taken as public support for the BBc overall, which has become increasingly arrogant, dominates regional broadcasting and squanders money. In a multi-channel age, it is time the licence fee was subject to competition, allocated to the broadcasters with the best proposals for public service broadcasting, rather than a BBc monopoly. Introducing an element of competition for the huge sums generated by the licence fee would keep the BBc on its toes.

AUSTIN HAWKINS, Torquay, Devon. BBC executive James Purnell was very ill-mannered in the Newsnight debate on BBC funding. It was clear that Evan Davis was intimidated by having an executive present and allowed him to shout over Stephen Glover. Purnell sounded more like a market stallholder than a member of a prestigious organisation. He loudly defended the overpaid luvvies who are champagne socialists.

DAVID SALLNOW, Norwich. tHe trouble with the BBc is its programmes are driven not by market forces, but by the views of the privileged few.

PAUL BRAZIER, Wotton-under-Edge, Glos.

THE BBC has provided a good variety of radio and television for many years. It has kept commercial companies up to scratch, setting programme standards and causing adverts to be limited. But payments to executives and presenters have damaged its image. A licence-payer’s average wage is about £26,000 a year. Many of them won’t earn a million pounds in their lifetime and now they learn some presenters get more than that in a year. Why not allow the licence-payers to vote yes or no regarding payments?

MERVYN WILLIAMS, Huddersfield, Yorks. I Have lived and worked in many parts of the world and agree that the BBc used to be ‘universally admired, envied and emulated’ (Letters) in the Seventies. this is no longer true. Its Left-wing bias has changed it out of all recognition.

GEORGE VICKERS, Bourne End, Bucks.