To think it's a terrible idea to scrap the BBC licence fee?

[dellacucina]

Inspired by this article: www.google.com/amp/s/www.express.co.uk/news/uk/1242927/BBC-News-Boris-Johnson-license-fee-subscription-British-Broadcasting-Corporation/amp

I'm recently naturalised and I think that the BBC is part of what makes Britain special. It makes me very sad indeed to imagine it being cut down.

How the fuck can the bbc control who’s in the audience!?!? I mean if that’s your example of biased then you’re batshit

The license fee is a relic from a time when the BBC was the only thing available on television. The world has changed. I don't need to listen to BBC news at 6 to know what's going on in the world. I don't even need to look at the BBC news website.

Similarly for the BBC world service, weather etc. We have a thousand and one (free) options via the internet.

I think the fee should be scrapped, replaced with a subscription fee model, and topped up by increased government subsidies. Whether that will ever happen is another matter!

And as for are the envy of many other countries (nature programmmes, period dramas) the other countries can still access much of the content without having to pay for it!

If a (foreign) TV channel wants to transmit another channel’s work they pay for it. That’s how the BBC makes money apart from licence fees. We’re not talking YouTube here!

I think there is another issue, whatever your view of theBBC (and I’m not a fan of the current model). The subscription model for TV broadcasting is unproven and, at present, not economically viable. Netflix and Sky are both heavily indebted (Netflix in particular is $13bn in debt and increasing with every filing), Amazon Prime and Apple TV are supported by their parent companies and not viable as standalone entities. It’s hard to see where the subscription model takes us in terms of broadcasting, but I am not sure that removing BBC license fees is a helpful step towards quality content.

You think anyone is going to continue to make those if they have low viewing figures?

If they have such low viewing figures, is there a point in making them? Things like Blue Planet always attract wide audiences and many commercial channels show documentaries, so I think they'd continue to be made.

*How the fuck can the bbc control who’s in the audience!?!? I mean if that’s your example of biased then you’re batshit&

Obviously, the show can decide whether to air in remain or leave strongholds. But beyond this:

iea.org.uk/media/iea-analysis-shows-systemic-bias-against-leave-supporters-on-flagship-bbc-political-programmes/

The Institute of Economic affairs undertook an analysis of the composition of panels for Any Questions and Question Time from June 2016 to December 2017. Whilst on most metrics, there does not appear to be any substantial political or philosophical bias, on one issue a fairly systemic and long-term imbalance is clear: the stance of panellists on Britain’s membership of the EU.

Balancing on the basis of whether panellists voted for Remain or Leave, both programmes favour Remain by about 68% to 32%.

Have had a licence for a few years, the only things watched was a couple of hours of cbbc and some food shows.

Can get so much free content online.
Dont need to watch BBC and didn't like itv or channel 5. I miss channel 4 but I rarely was able to watch Iive anyway but liked stuff like come dine with me, to be on in the background.

Now watch channel 4 on catch up. I have for at least 10 years watched series from all other the world, on my laptop. I like that more as the world is my oyster and not just UK centric.

Also stopped watching soaps over 10 years ago as they are pure dross. And my mental health is definitely better without the news on.

@ dootball It's the same as so many thing though isn't it? Everyone pays for education because it's for the benefit of the country. Everyone should pay for the BBC for the same reasons.

LMAO!!! Seriously suggesting the BBC benefits the country anymore?! 😂😂😂 Brilliant!

During the last election, there was bias from BBC journalists and they are supposed to be neutral, both sides complained.

Am I missing something? Doesn't this suggest that they were neutral, or at least presented a balanced view?

Haven't had not have had.

@BecauseReasons
And you think that’s a good thing? Only have popular things on tv? I mean I can see the logic, but I like that the bbc caters for all. And I personally would be sad if we only had popular tv shows. What do you learn that’s new then?

During the last election, there was bias from BBC journalists

I'm no fan of the BBC, but I've got to say, there are two political reporters on Sky that certainly had a bias when the election was on.

it’s more of a force for good that it’s not. And that is important. In my opinion.

Yes, this is purely your opinion and many people totally disagree. And either way, why do we need a “force for good” (according to you and the terribly worthy people at the BBC) constantly inflicted on us? Let people decide for themselves how much “good” they want in their lives. People can pay and choose to be constantly “educated” by the Beeb, or they can opt out and find alternative sources of information and entertainment, of which there are many. I know what I’ll do!

If a (foreign) TV channel wants to transmit another channel’s work they pay for it.

Yep. And the consumers get it for free, because of adverts. Where's the problem?

(Adverts also pay for YouTube)

I'm no fan of the BBC, but I've got to say, there are two political reporters on Sky that certainly had a bias when the election was on.

Yes, but that's privately funded. If it's publicly funded it should be impartial.

And I personally would be sad if we only had popular tv shows. What do you learn that’s new then?

David Attenborough's underwater documentary series Blue Planet II was the most-watched TV show of 2017. It was very popular. And plenty of people learned new things from watching it. If people don't want to watch something, they just won't watch it. There's no point making programming for a niche audience and expecting the rest of the public to pay for it.

people complaining about the licence fee tend to be ones that pay hundred a month for full sky packages

But the difference is if you pay Sky you're tailoring it to suit your viewing. I dont pay for movies or sport because I dont watch them yet I'm expected to pay the BBC when I dont watch any of its channels

@aroundtheworldyet I get the sense that you think it's good enough to disparage people who want to change the BBC funding formula on the basis that they're not bright/vulnerable to Trump-like forces swooping in and converting them to flat-earthers, but you (presumably fed on a steady diet of BBC) don't seem to have any thoughtful responses to anything anyone has said on this thread.

I mean theoretically all of these things plus many more if I tried harder, could exist. But will they exist? And do people care if they exist?

Of course they could exist. There are thousands of charities not run by the BBC and the same is true of orchestras etc- there are privately run examples of each already. Although, if it's publicly funded, really it should prioritise what the public want, rather than what some BBC bigwigs think they should have.

96% of the population consume the bbc each week. In what way does it seem like it’s not working for the whole population as it is.

Because the vast majority of the people on this thread don't feel like it is. People use it but that doesn't mean they value it to the tune of £150. Many would happily use alternatives if there was an opt-out, many already do use alternatives even without one.

I’d like this. I haven’t watched bbc since they got rid of bbc3. No need for them now!

The licence fee is a regressive poll tax that is inflicted on anyone who owns a TV and watches live content regardless of income and even if they don't watch BBC at all.

In 2018, five people were sent to prison for defaulting on their TV licence in England last year and 19 were jailed in 2017. The majority of those jailed were women, who make up almost 70 per cent of those prosecuted.

Why? Because when Capita comes knocking at the door, the ones most likely to answer are SAHMs, the elderly, or even children. People who often cannot pay.

"Around 18,000 people under the age of 20 have been prosecuted in the last five years amid fears that the court action could be putting their futures at risk... The Ministry of Justice figures from magistrate court appearances also state that in the past children as young as 10 were prosecuted along with a handful of those aged between 12 and 14." (Sources: MoJ and the Daily Telegraph).

This is beyond a joke.

If the BBC is so wonderful, let it go to subscription funding and we'll see just how much loved it is as an institution. And let's stop taxing and criminalising people in its name.

I recently got the dreaded knock at the door by a snotty nosed man demanding to be let in because I didn't have a tv licence. Kept telling me I was going to jail, I was a bad person etc, etc.
Now to set the scene. I have an L shaped frontroom , my dining room is set up as a crafting room/office. At the time I was doing lots of community work with council, police, etc, etc. It was Halloween time and in partnership with the fire brigade (they were next door to each other) they decided to run an open day for parents and kids for mainly fun and to educated the kids.
As part of this we made up 1000 goodie bags (activity sheets, sweets, drink, toys, crayons etc) I was printing the sheets and putting the bags together and the community police were popping in to pick up theses bags and take them back to the station. I also decorate the front of my house and do my own ggiftbags and hand out hot chocolate and cookies to the parents. So I also had about another 200 bags and cookies to get ready.
So, back to the story. I invited the little jobsworth in and all the time he's going on about how I'm a bad person, need a tv licence, going to prison. We get into my front room and yes I have a tv. However, I only have it set up to a DVD player and an Xbox (Minecraft for neighbours kids, who I babysit).
"A-ha - Got you!" Shouted jobsworth .
I tried explaining that it was a DVD player and not a set top box but he was having none of it.
That is until two police officers appeared from my dining room and ripped him a new one! 😂😂😂😂😂
Unfortunately, the jobsworth lost his job, I got an apology from tv licencing and they haven't bothered me for 5 years now!

Bottom line is you do not need a tv licence if you don't watch live tv - by that it cannot have a start or finish time on live tv - so catch up is a no no

"How the fuck can the bbc control who’s in the audience!?!? I mean if that’s your example of biased then you’re batshit"

Of course they control who is in the audience, in an attempt to ensure balance and a mix of views. They don't just randomly give out free tickets, in the way they would for other recorded non audience participation non political shows.

From their faq:

"How are audiences selected for Question Time?
Question Time selects local audiences which reflect a broad range of political views. People apply to be in the audience for Question Time via the website and by phone and producers get in touch to ask questions on their previous voting record and future voting intentions, whether they have party political membership and also how they voted in the EU Referendum. This is to ensure a range of views are represented in the audience. Occasionally, if production staff feel any group or view is under-represented in the applications, they will promote the programme through relevant local media channels to encourage people to apply.

As with the make-up of the panels, Question Time is aiming to achieve due impartiality in the membership of the audience across the series as a whole, rather than being confined to an exact mathematical formula for each programme. However, particular guidelines will apply during election periods to both panels and audiences."

Some of the best programs from the past were made by US companies. West Wing was probably the best ever programme, we still re-watch nearly every issue is still current today. Friends, Frasier, Cheers. More recently Games of Thrones was very well made, although I found it too violent.

YABU!