BBC Licence fee to be abolished in 2027

[knark]

Fucking Tories. Why do people vote for them? Why isn't there a viable opposition?

I would protest against this decision, but, oh, they've abolished that too.

@BlancheB

The BBC produces consistently high quality tv and radio broadcasting,

Funniest thing I've read today. What year are you talking about?

I thought the same.

I am glad, it's an unnecessary bill that many people don't need.

@knark

The BBC produces consistently high quality tv and radio broadcasting, despite having their funding cut and cut again. They have journalistic freedom, free from commercial demands or editorial ownership of a single man.

I'm sick of capitalism and commercialism and consumerism. This government relies on soundbites and division and has no shame in legislating against those who would hold it to account.

That pretty much sums up how I feel, too.

I bloody hate adverts, so mostly watch BBC channels. And, tbh, if I can't find anything I want to watch on BBC or iPlayer, I frequently can't find anything I want to watch on commercial channels, which mostly seem to be full of reality shite.

Imo, BBC excels in 3 areas: new comedy, the arts and documentaries (especially science). And BBC produce the best drama series, no other channel has ever shown anything that comes close to (for example) Line of Duty or Peaky Blinders.

I listen to R3 and R4 a lot, too, I wonder how BBC radio will be affected?

Very sad, but I'm not at all surprised. We are governed by philistines.

Own goal for the country, again. Another win for Murdoch. Clearly, we get the country we deserve.

@Croissantly yes - just look up BBC impartiality and compare it to the impartiality rules for ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5, Sky, etc.

@TankFlyBossW4lk

Own goal for the country, again. Another win for Murdoch. Clearly, we get the country we deserve.

Exactly. And look at all the people cheering for it.

I’m so upset by this, even though I suspected it was coming. I think the big shows will be fine. It’s things like CBeebies, Radio Four, The Proms and I’m sure a million other things that the BBC contributes to that I suspect we won’t realise were BBC until they’re gone.

We never watch the BBC. Its news service is a joke and rightly laughed at it for its amateurish propaganda, and I don't see why I should pay for the instant lobotomy that is watching Strictly, Bargain Hunt or Escape to the Country. Even Match of the Day is shit now.

@Countrydiary

I’m so upset by this, even though I suspected it was coming. I think the big shows will be fine. It’s things like CBeebies, Radio Four, The Proms and I’m sure a million other things that the BBC contributes to that I suspect we won’t realise were BBC until they’re gone.

Calm down. It isn't going yet. The licence fee has been frozen for 2 years and Nadine Dorries has said there should be a debate about how it is funded at the end of the current settlement period in 2028. That's it.

I like the BBC and would probably pay for the subscription, but having a broadcaster which criminalises people for watching telly without a licence is completely unacceptable.

Good. The TV licence system is totally regressive.

I used to work in debt advice at citizens advice and the TV licence was considered to be a priority debt because of the potential consequences of it not being paid- it had to be prioritized over minor issues like payday loans and water bills. So people in poverty had to prioritize paying to be able to watch tv over paying bills.

Set up a fairer system.

If it’s so brilliant then people will be happy to pay for it. No need to force people is there? Weird people seem to struggle with this concept but the hyperbole is very funny on this thread.

@Theluggage15

If it’s so brilliant then people will be happy to pay for it. No need to force people is there? Weird people seem to struggle with this concept but the hyperbole is very funny on this thread.

Yes because people are notoriously happy to pay for things. Because when something like tax evasion is an option, no one ever takes that.

The BBC is not perfect but clearly the government want it to start being more partial to them, which is ironic seeing as so many on the left lambast it as being Tory.

do think they are trying their best - while I hate the Tories, it's not the BBC's job to campaign against the government so no, I don't expect it to be blasting out exposes, but I see no evidence that they sweep bad news about Tories under the rug either.

Manifestly the government will use this to try and bring it to heel because the BBC is respected and they're worried that even the relatively light criticism that the BBC can mount given its impartial position might carry too much weight.

Excellent news. The people who think it's wonderful can carry on paying for it, and those who are uninterested in it but would like to watch other live TV channels can do that without being forced to pay for something they don't watch.

I always find it odd that fans of the BBC want others to be made to contribute towards it. If I'm a sports fan who thinks Sky Sports is brilliant and great value for money, that doesn't mean I can insist that everyone with a TV should have to subscribe to it, even with the reasoning that there are so many sports, there's bound to be one they like watching!

People always say "Netflix/Amazon Prime are much better value" but this is because they're heavily, temporarily subsidised by investors and other companies, and they run at a loss! Their model is not sustainable, it can't last forever and the BBC wouldn't work if it tried the same thing. Inevitably the prices of Netflix and Amazon Prime will go up once they have a captive audience and have put most of their competition (which includes the BBC) out of business.

It's annoying how bad the BBC is at letting people know how much stuff other than Mrs Browns Boys etc the licence fee actually funds (probably because it's called a "TV Licence" which is such a misleading name). It also goes on orchestras, choirs, the Proms, educational content, CBeebies and CBBC, the news website, local radio, the World Service, radio documentaries, dramas and comedy. It goes on a lot of stuff that I'm glad we have, even though honestly I barely watch any BBC TV.

A portion of the licence fee also goes to Channel 4 and S4C, which also have a public service responsibility, as well as towards Freeview and Freesat maintenance, and emergency broadcast infrastructure.

If the BBC moved to a subscription-only model, it would only serve the people who subscribe. But as a national licence fee, it has a duty to (try to) serve everyone, which seems important.

Although personally I do think it should be absorbed into income tax (maybe Boris's wine fund could be redirected) and stop the awful threatening letters being sent out etc.

The BBC produces consistently high quality tv and radio broadcasting, despite having their funding cut and cut again. They have journalistic freedom, free from commercial demands or editorial ownership of a single man.

I'm sick of capitalism and commercialism and consumerism. This government relies on soundbites and division and has no shame in legislating against those who would hold it to account.

Totally agree with you OP. YANBU

I feel so so worried about what will happen to radio. I think it's hard to justify a TV licence because there are so many other producers. But oh how I dread what will happen to radio because there are literally no other companies producing the range of radio content that the BBC does.

I used to be against the license fee. Didn’t pay it (and didn’t need it) for the last couple of years before I emigrated to the States.

Living here has made me see the value in having a publicly funded news source. Yes the BBC is still imperfect, but the gulf in quality between it and American news stations is quite something - and unfortunately having sensationalist, partisan news networks does seem to have a terrible effect on society.

Well, before anything can happen to the BBC, Bojo first has to win the next GE....

Hopefully that wont happen and the BBC wont be sold off, like everything else this we used to own and then wish we hadn't.

It is Brexit all over again. People do not really understand what the lience fee pays for, many think they do not benefit from it and will probably moan if it is scrapped when things change for the worse. The current government have spent many years spreading propaganda about 'bias' and leftism that this appears to be widely believed.

I am happy to pay, there is a lot of excellent drama, documentaries and output that would never be funded by commercial channels. That is just the TV- add on radio content, funding for independent films, BBC sounds and iplayer- I think it is amazing value. The BBC also sell concepts and programmes overseas for massive amounts and are very respected intenationally. Lots of our most respected journalists, young actors and presenters got a chance because of the BBC.

I pay for Netflix, Prime and occasionally subscribe to NOW TV. The main channels I watch are BBC and also All4 who also get some funding. The problem is they have to be all things to all people and also cannot compete with the salaries ITV, for example, pay. ITV show maybe one or two really good dramas a year, and the rest is daytime trash like Loose Women, This Morning and game shows hosted by Bradley Walsh or Ant and Dec. There is no way they would fund anything shown on BBC2 or BBC4, give the shows on BBC3 a chance or invest in children's programmes like CBBC or CBeebies do.

As for radio- there is not one commercial station that is bearable due to adverts or any other non-music station without an agenda to match radio 4, radio 5 or the World Service. For all the talk of BBC bias, Talk radio and LBC just seem to be a platform for rabbid right wingers.

I tend to listen to 5live and also satirical shows on radio 4. Radio 5 phone-ins always have people of differing opinions and satire tends to focus on the current political issue. I do not find the BBC biased, just that the have been reporting on the same government for over a decade and increasingly the government's own policies, behaviour and responses are open to negative scrutiny. The opposition is also targetted but the present government offer up more news and debate. The fact they and their supporters do not like this does not make the BBC biased, quite the opposite.

I suspect many are fed up of being forced to subsidise leftwingism.

And it's not only TV. A percentage of the revenue of each product that we buy appears to be contributing to woke proselytism as most advertising seems to be co-opted too.

There's nothing wrong with some wishing to wake up to an ode to Marx & Engels every morning, but they should pay for the pleasure themselves.

A portion of the licence fee also goes to Channel 4 and S4C, which also have a public service responsibility

Would you say Channel 4 is impartial?

@willstarttomorrow

It is Brexit all over again. People do not really understand what the lience fee pays for, many think they do not benefit from it and will probably moan if it is scrapped when things change for the worse. The current government have spent many years spreading propaganda about 'bias' and leftism that this appears to be widely believed.

I am happy to pay, there is a lot of excellent drama, documentaries and output that would never be funded by commercial channels. That is just the TV- add on radio content, funding for independent films, BBC sounds and iplayer- I think it is amazing value. The BBC also sell concepts and programmes overseas for massive amounts and are very respected intenationally. Lots of our most respected journalists, young actors and presenters got a chance because of the BBC.

I pay for Netflix, Prime and occasionally subscribe to NOW TV. The main channels I watch are BBC and also All4 who also get some funding. The problem is they have to be all things to all people and also cannot compete with the salaries ITV, for example, pay. ITV show maybe one or two really good dramas a year, and the rest is daytime trash like Loose Women, This Morning and game shows hosted by Bradley Walsh or Ant and Dec. There is no way they would fund anything shown on BBC2 or BBC4, give the shows on BBC3 a chance or invest in children's programmes like CBBC or CBeebies do.

As for radio- there is not one commercial station that is bearable due to adverts or any other non-music station without an agenda to match radio 4, radio 5 or the World Service. For all the talk of BBC bias, Talk radio and LBC just seem to be a platform for rabbid right wingers.

I tend to listen to 5live and also satirical shows on radio 4. Radio 5 phone-ins always have people of differing opinions and satire tends to focus on the current political issue. I do not find the BBC biased, just that the have been reporting on the same government for over a decade and increasingly the government's own policies, behaviour and responses are open to negative scrutiny. The opposition is also targetted but the present government offer up more news and debate. The fact they and their supporters do not like this does not make the BBC biased, quite the opposite.

Oh here we go again calling people thick and not understanding ,rather than just not grasping some people watch zero BBC ,hell lots of people don't watch any TV ,why exactly would people miss what they never watch or listen too ever 🤔

There will be no problem with subscribing to the BBC

But there will for me... because I listen to the radio. I don't care about TV. BBC radio is only so good because it piggybacks on the diverse tv coverage.

Reduce the tv coverage by 50% & the lovely radio coverage will reduce by 200%. So for me... no license fee = almost no BBC radio or podcasts.

The BBC provide Educational content, disability content, Welsh and Scottish language programmes, sustains hundreds of independent tv companies.. and employer thousands of providers of technical and support services, they run the organisations that sets technical standards for broadcasting, led the migration to Digital / Internet radio, is the biggest one investor in new broadcast technology, provides funding (and a platform for) the Open University, provides free resources for schools.

Most independent broadcasters do not want the BBC to disappear - a strong terrestrial BBC is central to a strong media landscape.

Also, if they are really honest, the government don’t want rid of it either - the monitoring service alone makes it worthwhile … it’s just “dog whistle” nonsense, to get the right wingers frothing.

There is a lot more to the BBC than news content.

This is an absolutely appalling decision.