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.

"People who say they never watch BBC output I hope don't watch Strictly, or Line of Duty, or David Attenborough or Newsnight or CBeebies etc etc. Or their children using Bitesize. Or listening to Radio 2 on a Sunday morning."

Can confirm I never watch or listen to any of that stuff. I actively loathe Attenborough. He's a nihilist antinatalist and racist hypocrite. A lot of people admire his ability to crouch and talk about animals fucking in a slow and patronising voice.👍 But his remarks about Africa being overpopulated are racist Fabian disgustingness not even very convincingly dressed up as environmentalism (echoed by Prince William and other pampered white British men who also have multiple children of their own).

In your opinion bit, patronising those posters who think the BBC is great just can't seem to accept others don't ,and it's not because they are ignorant or uneducated they just have different tastes .

@CarlatheJackal

"People who say they never watch BBC output I hope don't watch Strictly, or Line of Duty, or David Attenborough or Newsnight or CBeebies etc etc. Or their children using Bitesize. Or listening to Radio 2 on a Sunday morning."

Can confirm I never watch or listen to any of that stuff. I actively loathe Attenborough. He's a nihilist antinatalist and racist hypocrite. A lot of people admire his ability to crouch and talk about animals fucking in a slow and patronising voice.👍 But his remarks about Africa being overpopulated are racist Fabian disgustingness not even very convincingly dressed up as environmentalism (echoed by Prince William and other pampered white British men who also have multiple children of their own).

The whole world is overpopulated

Fine, if that's your view, but Attenborough has two children, William at least three. They clearly don't think the world is overpopulated by pampered white people.

@User135644

You do know this is a dead cat from the Tories to get headlines and attention off the parties (particularly for the papers/media that would love to see the end of the BBC).

I agree with this. I'm ok with the BBC being an optional service and I am pretty certain we'd sign up.

But all this film flam is just designed to distract from Conservative party issues.

I'd hate to see what some on here would consider to be properly funded.

Anyway, organizations with chronic underfunding don't waste £87 million on a new set.

Personally, I don't have the same issue with presenter salaries. There is a commercial rate for quality talent and you'd be moaning far more if all shows were presented by the Happy Shopper Basics Range equivalent.

Do I use the BBC? Yes. Radios 2, 6 and the children's output (Duggee and the bedtime story rule).

Am I happy to pay a license fee? On balance yes but I do object to year on year rises to fund layers of management and the waste that goes without real fiscal control.

@AlexaShutUp

I'm really gutted about this. The BBC is trusted and respected around the world and is part of the UK's "soft power". Personally, I'd happily pay the licence fee to sustain radio 4 alone. Instead, we'll end up with a bunch of commercial crap on all of the channels.

Fucking tories.

I do agree with much of this. Even though there are some bad points about the BBC - I don't think it's value for money as it's too expensive - and I hate the way they bully people over the license fee. I do think there are a lot of things we take for granted as a nation, which will be evident when things go badly when we aren't paying the fee. I do like BBC 4 programmes and I hope we still get the documentaries they produce (waiting for some smart arse to proclaim they are very basic, but all I see on other channels are documentaries about ghosts and war, which stop and start randomly with dramatic music and most of the time they are repeating what they have said before so you don't actually learn anything).

Under the Tories I'm not holding out much hope that we will get something better when the license fee goes. I bet they are all wondering how they can all make money out of this. I wonder if they will all be starting companies or investing in companies that will provide 'services' to the new BBC that don't deliver on their promises, but leaves them personally much better off. The general public never seem to spot this pattern of corruption do they?

Still, this is distracting me from all their other shitness which is what they want, so I'm going back to the other threads to ensure I haven't forgotten last week........

My point isn't about your viewing choices specifically Carla but a wider one about the worldwide popularity of many programmes made by the BBC.

The most critically acclaimed programme of 2020 was I May Destroy You. Coel turned Netflix down because she wanted to retain full ownership - something she wouldn't have had with Netflix - and in order to fund the BBC brought in HBO as well. The BBC can support and nurture new talent in a way that purely commercial entities can't. They can work with other channels when they need to but the integrity of the brand remains. Netflix would probably have moved I May Destroy You to a leafy south Manchester suburb.

@CarlatheJackal

"People who say they never watch BBC output I hope don't watch Strictly, or Line of Duty, or David Attenborough or Newsnight or CBeebies etc etc. Or their children using Bitesize. Or listening to Radio 2 on a Sunday morning."

Can confirm I never watch or listen to any of that stuff. I actively loathe Attenborough. He's a nihilist antinatalist and racist hypocrite. A lot of people admire his ability to crouch and talk about animals fucking in a slow and patronising voice.👍 But his remarks about Africa being overpopulated are racist Fabian disgustingness not even very convincingly dressed up as environmentalism (echoed by Prince William and other pampered white British men who also have multiple children of their own).

I agree his comments on Africa were awful.

Africans consume far less resources than the West.

Africa is not the problem.

He was effectively condoning not sending food to Africans.

@phishy Absolutely spot on.

I suppose at moment... if BBC really disappeared, how would govt get their message out how they want to? Ministers call on BBC journos 1st at news conferences (there's a strict hierarchy for first 4 journalists they call). Today programme is a key platform -- most BBC is, even local radio. The govt has a much better chance of managing the message how they want if they have predictable commitment-to-impartial-reporting BBC to interact with.

Won't it be fun and games if/when all the newscasters are openly politically biased, NBC-Britain, Sky, RT-in-UK, etc. Things will feel like Russia, USA & Italy alright.

Nadine Dorries is an idiot. If she is incapable of recogniaing the trust and respect for the U.K. that the BBC engenders overseas then she's not fit to be a politician.
Millions of people have learned English using the BBC world service, BBCNews is still regarded as trustworthy even by its detractors and it sets the quality standard for other broadcasters.

Stupid woman risks throwing away huge British influence because she herself is badly educated. I'm a floating voter but I'd definitely protest against this too.

I would really miss BBC. Most of the best dramas and comedies are from BBC.

@TameDucksAtChatsworth

Anyway, few people are suggesting the BBC be abolished. Rather that it stops being an offence, punishable by gaol, to not have a TV licence.

Let them earn their own money. Let them sink or let them swim.

You only go to gaol if you don't pay the fine!

We’ve yet to find anything decent in terms of visual/literary arts, classical music, nature or travel documentaries. Maybe they’re tucked away somewhere, but we haven’t found them.

@TempsPerdu unfortunately I don't really share the same interests so I can understand why you might prefer the BBC.

Which is why I think if you're the sort of person who likes the above you should subscribe to BBC?

I have Netflix and Amazon for TV / Movies, Apple for Music, Disney+ which includes Nat Geo for the kids + docs, and YouTube for news / interests / "broadening my horizons".

But then I do love True Crime, Thrillers and Comedy which Netflix has covered, and outside of that I prefer a more conversational style of "learning".

Prime example being history. I find Bailey Sarian and her Dark History episodes about 1000 times more interesting / entertaining / engaging than listening to Lucy Worsely drone on about Henry's Wives with nothing new added. Might as well watch HBOs The Tudors and actually be entertained, then read the Wikipedia to fill in the historically accurate blanks.

And again, I'd rather get the cliffnotes version in a casual / entertaining / thought-provoking way from the likes of Russel Brand and pick the rest up on twitter than sit through the BBC news at 6pm every night. Watch some C4 Dispatches if a particular topic really interests me.

I just don't personally feel the BBC has anything to offer that other forms of media aren't already offering in a better / faster / more entertaining way. I appreciate others will feel differently though, and that's fine. They should be allowed to pay for their radio / proms / coronations whatever.

Nadine Dorries - a nurse. Also one of the first to get COVID and pass it around her colleagues. Not a very good nurse then, either.

Just a reminder to everyone is that the main story in town is Johnson and his six-toe public school cronies getting pissed.

This is just a distraction.

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

Because not all of us are fucking socialists.

That's how markets work. I am sure Lineker has previously said he's turned down more money to work elsewhere. If they want the best (and he's seen as the best) then they have to compete.

How much value does it really add? How many viewers would stop watching MotD if it ditched the studio and presenters to become a purely highlights programme narrated by a continuity announcer?

If people want to subscribe to BBC Sport, let them. But why should I be forced to pay for it just so I could watch something on ITV?

The reason politicians (particularly tories) don’t like the BBC is because no other broadcaster or media comparably holds them to account. The BBC produces an unrivalled amount of political and current affairs programming that also includes public participation. There are very few commercial counterparts to fill this gap, particularly engaging with politicians on a widely available, accessible platform.

I understand the appeal of removing the license fee and I would agree that the model is outdated, but I would also caution to be wary of what would replace that. Print media is controlled by a few people with agendas and arguably more power over society than any individual should have as is social media. Is broadcasting going the same way really a ‘good’ thing?

At the cynical end it’s providing more opportunities for politicians to line their and their mates pockets - see private NHS contracts.

The reason politicians (particularly tories) don’t like the BBC is because no other broadcaster or media comparably holds them to account.

You really believe that? Because it's not true.

@DdraigGoch

That's how markets work. I am sure Lineker has previously said he's turned down more money to work elsewhere. If they want the best (and he's seen as the best) then they have to compete.

How much value does it really add? How many viewers would stop watching MotD if it ditched the studio and presenters to become a purely highlights programme narrated by a continuity announcer?

If people want to subscribe to BBC Sport, let them. But why should I be forced to pay for it just so I could watch something on ITV?

Yes this is what I think, most people watch for the football, and there are plenty of competent and interesting presenters who would love the opportunity and also be really great assets. The 'stars' they pay big bucks too aren't usually the draw, but the programmes themselves.

@phishy

The reason politicians (particularly tories) don’t like the BBC is because no other broadcaster or media comparably holds them to account.

You really believe that? Because it's not true.

I do, I’m sure it’s not the whole picture of course, but it’s a large driver.

Can you give me an example of a media outlet that is as politically engaged with as much opportunity for public engagement? In any country? For instance is there an equivalent of question time/any questions that provide a regular platform for public debate with those in power?

I will turn exclusively to Al Jazeera news as will many people. Only serious alternative to the BBC.

@Cornettoninja Channel 4 and Sky News do hold the government to account as much as the BBC.