IS IT TIME TO DROP LICENCE FEE?

How we watch and pay for TV has changed beyond all recognition in the past 10 years, but not, it seems, the BBC. Whether you watch via a laptop, tablet, phone or good old-fashioned TV, you can’t escape it – we all need a TV licence. On April 1, it increased to £157.50. But what if you choose never to watch BBC1? Or never listen to the news, or never watch, say, EastEnders or Strictly, instead choosing Channel 4 or Sky? Surely then you shouldn’t be forced by law to pay for a licence? And that’s the argument that’s burning right now.

Even the government is considering doing away with the fee, but can’t touch it presently, for it’s protected by law until 2027.

The BBC has always come in for healthy criticism from us Brits, yet never before have I seen or read so many wanting to either change it dramatically or even scrap it.

I do believe the BBC needs reform. But scrap the licence fee and make it pay-per-view like Netflix? I don’t know. I’m not convinced.

I’m not keen on referendums, they cause so much upheaval, but I think the time has come for a serious public debate about the future of this national and international icon.

ARGUMENTS AGAINST THE LICENCE FEE

In a nutshell, why should someone be forced, under threat of fine or even jail, to pay for something they don’t watch? If you never watch Doctor Who, why should you pay for it?

A strong argument indeed, one that’s hard to ignore.

ARGUMENTS FOR

It is very good value for money. It provides world-class dramas, documentaries and films which are admired and sold the world over.

Also, countless millions in many countries I visit go to the BBC for their news. Why? Because they know they’ll get a far better picture about what is going on in their country than compared to their own governmentcontrolled media.

In a nutshell, no adverts and no accounting to private business or shareholders which would affect its editorial independence. Yet again, another strong argument that’s hard to ignore.

“The BBC should go commercial, let it stand on its own two feet.” I’ve heard this many times recently. Of course, ITV and Channel 4 manage it and do it well. But do you really want the BBC to be stuffed full of adverts every few minutes? I don’t. I love watching a movie on the BBC, but watch the same movie on ITV, it takes all night to get through it.

The competition for us viewers is now on a scale like we have never seen before. Let’s take Netflix. Loads of great movies, documentaries and TV programmes, even its own original productions, all funded by a subscription fee – you want to watch it, you pay. Simple and it works. Could this be a way forward for the BBC? Maybe, but it’s not that simple.

What do we actually get for our money from the BBC? A lot more than many seem to think.

TV wise, we get BBC1, 2, 3, 4, Scotland, Alba, News 24, Parliament, children’s channels. These channels produce a host of entertainment from arts, comedy, entertainment, dramas, soaps, food, history, science, sport and, of course, films. And we get to watch this all without adverts.