to think the BBC has had it's day and it really is over now?

[hamstersarse]

Obviously this debate has been rumbling for years, but it seems to me that the tide has turned very quickly in recent months.

They genuinely do not seem to represent anyone well, and the license fee model is just so broken and irrelevant to how we now consume our art, news and content.

It remains a great idea (possibly fundamental to a civilised society) to have a non-biased media outlet, but the BBC just do not seem up to the job.

Does anyone still feel they are a reliable source of news? Does anyone agree with the license fee model? Can we not get their type of content elsewhere, by choice?

What can posters living in the US tell us about PBS?

They get quite a lot of their content from the BBC, they have endless fundraisers, which is tedious to say the least, and their news coverage is nothing like as good as the BBC's. And while I like NPR for radio, I like (and miss) Radio 4 a lot more. So not a broadcasting model to follow, IMO. But I'm a huge BBC fan, obviously.

TV News is now dumbed down to the point that it is embarrassing to watch sometimes. Radio still appreciates that its listeners have a brain.

And it all becomes clear:

https://www.theguardian.com/media/2020/aug/29/rivals-plan-fox-news-style-opinionated-tv-station-in-uk?CMP=ShareiOSAppp_Other

I thought as much.

Regardless of what people want, is it likely that any government would actually end the licence fee?

Stripes, I don’t think the government can cancel the licence fee - but it can decriminalise non payment of it.

The BBC is the best of the UK channels even Breakfast - the ITV versions are even more dreadful along with their even more awful presenters.

With regards to it being dumbed down, I agree, it seems to be a sign of the times.

I've always considered them a mouthpiece for whichever government in place at the time, and tend not to rely on it to be impartial.

@PearlclutchersInc

The BBC is the best of the UK channels even Breakfast - the ITV versions are even more dreadful along with their even more awful presenters.

With regards to it being dumbed down, I agree, it seems to be a sign of the times.

I've always considered them a mouthpiece for whichever government in place at the time, and tend not to rely on it to be impartial.

It's not the mouthpiece for any government anymore. Last year it was equally negative about both Boris and Corbyn.

It's bias isn't along traditional political lines. It has it's own London Centric agenda and will only support a political party that matches it's own views.