BBC Time to stop the license fee - Times have drastically changed

[StrawPony]

In the past I’ve supported the BBC but that was before the availability of numerous streaming services. It just doesn’t make sense anymore, I’m coming at this as someone that is fairly centre ground and not someone that is concerned about bias.

With the cost of living, I’m looking to reduce outgoings. I’ve just told the kids that I’m going to cancel Netflix end of this month as they’ve bumped up the price to £10.99 per month without me opting into that particular plan. The kids are asking me to cancel the BBC instead (2 teens and 1 in primary), they didn’t understand that the beeb is not an opt in/out streaming service so I’ve explained that one. But it’s true, they NEVER watch any stuff on the BBC. I watch the odd thing but if I could opt out, I would and pay for Now or Netflix. AIBU, the BBC was great in its time but now it needs to become subscription only. I don’t listen to BBC radio, I watch the odd drama or major national event (like coverage of the Queens death) but nowhere near enough that I would pay if it was opt in/out.

This. How are your kids going to revise for their GCSEs without BBC bitesize? It is the best free educational resource in the country. And many schools also rely on it. Where else am I going to get the videos and diagrams I show my class?

They are run by whatever government is in, Labour will keep the licence, Tories were on about getting rid of it, it's in Reforms contract to scrap the licence

If you don’t watch live tv or anything on the BBC just cancel your licence, it’s absolutely fine to.

The licence fee will be up for renewal in parliament in 2027, there will be lots of discussion and I imagine a public consultation around its future, if it’s something you’re interested in having your say on then do so then whatever your viewpoint.

And which government has been in for 14 years? They lean Tory.
Actually the Government could keep it unpolitical by who they appoint to key roles, but the current lot haven’t.

As Labour will most likely be in government in 2027, I doubt it will change much

You don’t have to pay for it if you don’t want it. I listen to the radio a lot and it is worth it to me for that along, along with events like Wimbledon and the Olympics.

Whichever government comes in the licence renewal will be in parliament for discussion in 2027, but it’s run independently from government under a royal charter.

YANBU

These threads always attract people with the dubious argument that the content is so good and such great value for money that everyone should be happy to pay for it even if they never watch/access any of it and just want to watch Channel 4 live.

It's outdated and should be scrapped. If the BBC's content really is good enough, it'll survive on a subscription-only model. If it's not, then time for it to go.

(The promotion of anti-woman gender ideology was reason enough for me to stop paying. I have Amazon Prime - between that and non-BBC on-demand content, I don't miss live TV at all.)

Anyone that doesn't want to watch what the licence covers can just cancel it, so just do that, it will probably still be here in 5 years time so that's all you can do.

The BBC is woke, professional liars, and they kept saying “corrrrrronavirus” in 2020.

I really disagree. I don’t watch as much bbc programmes as I used to but will always watch I player and listen to bbc radio an awful lot. I have access to Netflix, Disney and Amazon and think their content is pretty rubbish a lot of the time

Why can’t it be by subscription like Netflix etc? If it’s so good then I’m sure there’ll be no shortage of subscribers.

Yes so left wing that it constantly gives Nigel Farage a platform!

I didn't think that non payment was a criminal offence anymore, I thought it was a civil wrong. It was something that has been discussed for quite a few years but clearly the Tories did nothing about it, despite moaning about the licence constantly.

but if you don’t partake in what the BBC does, why should you pay for it.

I had hoped that when mine stopped watching CBeebies we’d be able to get rid but as DH watches football - 99% of the time on other channels - were stuck paying it forever!!

The same argument goes for many taxes.

The BBC isn't a contract though, you can just cancel it, it's not like Sky where I have an 18 month contract so would have to pay to get out of that.

Exactly! 'You can't watch any other TV channel without paying us, even if you don't watch us'
The days of the bbc being non biased are long gone!

I haven’t had it for years now, cancel it and just make sure not to watch anything live/bbc player. I’m hoping it does get reformed at some point, not being able to watch any live channels that don’t even have any link to bbc is ridiculous.

You can watch the other catch up channels just not the live stuff

Who do you think is paying for the infrastructure that allows you to watch the other channels?

You only have to look at the lies and distortions in print media to see why we need an independent press somewhere.

Haven't had it for over a decade.

They harass the poor to pay the incredibly wealthy far more than they deserve.

Why the hell should I spend my money to fund Gary Linekar or some Radio 1 DJ to talk utter shite for a couple hours a week?

No thank you.

If people are happy to pay, let them.
I am not, so I don't.

It's also worth pointing out that TV licensing is run by Capita, the absolute scum of the earth and any Capita employee should be ashamed of who they work for.

I don’t have a tv aerial, I stream everything. I’m cutting back on spending at the moment. I watch a lot of YouTube content and I’d like to pay for premium so I don’t have to watch the adverts but it’s around £15 a month which I can’t justify. I pay that for my tv licence and yet I never watch BBC content. I cancelled my Netflix last month to cut back because I don’t watch it enough and yet a pay £15 a month for a tv licence for a channel I NEVER watch! I don’t like the BBC. I hate how biased they are whilst claiming to be objective. I’m happy to watch biased shows/channels but not when they’re claiming to be impartial. I really should cancel my tv licence. I’m 50, I think I have this inbuilt fear of not paying it, like it’s my civic duty or something. I hated the BBC during covid, I couldn’t get over how much propaganda it was spewing so I should actively be not paying my licence on those grounds and yet I still do.

I've not had a licence in years, I can't remember the last time I watched live TV! There is very little broadcast that I care about.

I get reasonably good quality news from the BBC on the web and I listen to Radio 1 & 2 on a regular basis, but those are free to all anyway.