61% SAY SCRAP BBC LICENCE FEE
A NEW poll suggests more than half of the British public want the TV licence fee scrapped.
It also found people believe the BBC does not provide value for money and are increasingly switching to rivals.
The Comres survey for the Sunday Express has revealed that 61 per cent of respondents want the licence fee abolished .
While 63 per cent agree the BBC is “an important part of British culture”, the findings of the survey of 2,005 adults from around Britain have shown public opinion has largely turned against its main source of funding.
The poll was last night described as “a wake-up call” for the corporation with criticism over the high wages of stars such as Gary Lineker and Claudia Winkleman, right, appearing to influence public opinion.
The survey found 50 per cent do not think the BBC gives value for money while only 29 per cent think it does.
It comes as the Government plans to decriminalise the licence fee and transfer funding to a subscription model. The new chairman of the digital, culture, media and sport select committee, Julian Knight, a former BBC and newspaper journalist, is planning a full inquiry into the future of public service TV which would look at a downsizing option of BBC “basic”.
The poll also revealed deep opposition to BBC plans to stop paying for licence fees for the over75s, with 79 per cent saying the Beeb should foot the bill.
But while people are unhappy with the £154.50 annual fee they are not in favour of a subscription model with only 34 per cent in favour and 36 per cent against.
The poll also reveals viewers in the UK now prefer watching alternatives like Netflix and Amazon Prime to the BBC by 42 per cent to 31. This rose to 68 per cent of 18 to 34 year olds.
Only 29 per cent of all those polled agreed the BBC has better quality coverage than its rivals, with 36 per cent disagreeing.
Meanwhile, 44 per cent disagreed that the BBC should be treated differently to other channels while only 28 per cent agreed.
However, one much levelled complaint, that its news coverage is not impartial, appeared unfounded. It received complaints from both Labour and Conservatives about election coverage.
But just 22 per cent believed its news coverage was too left leaning, while 17 per cent believed it was too right leaning.
Mr Knight, who is due to meet with his new committee to discuss an inquiry into the BBC and public realm broadcasting, has taken the Comres Sunday Express polling as the first submission for his inquiry. He said: “This is really important research as so often the public, the employers of politicians and the BBC, get missed from debates about the national broadcaster.
“I will take this poll on board as the select committee considers the future direction of all public service broadcasters.
“I want to see at long last an honest conversation about what we want to see on our screens and how ultimately it will be paid for. This poll shows there is a disconnect between those lobbying for the BBC and the great British public.
“Clearly there is a good deal of discontent. It would be in the BBC’S interests to have a proper open conversation about its role and future.”
It is understood the inquiry will look at the whole range of public service broadcasting and its future as people change their viewing habits.
Political positioning of broadcasters and the definition of impartiality is likely to come up.
One of the models which is likely to be considered is a BBC “basic” which would see a much smaller corporation providing services not available on commercial media, including the World Service, regional radio, cultural and education programmes and a reduced website. Some channels and radio stations could be sold off.
Philip Davies, Tory MP for Shipley who is a member of the committee, said: “This poll should be a wake-up call for the BBC.
“If I were the BBC I would start preparing now for a post-licence fee world. If it is as good as it claims then people will want to subscribe and not have to be forced to pay with an anachronistic tax.”
A BBC spokeswoman said: “Certain media outlets and politicians have been running a campaign against the BBC and the licence fee for some time and people give different answers to surveys when relevant context is given to the questions.
“This poll appears to have asked people whether they’d like the licence fee scrapped or reformed without explaining that it would mean losing programmes and services they love. The reality is that the
BBC represents very good value for money.”