The BBC isn't state funded (although part comes from licence payers) And in fact lost one of it sources of funding when the Foreign Office ceased to fully fund the World Service, even though required to still keep it on air and so eating into the Licence Fee money.
So we are now paying for what the UK Government used to pay for as part of maintaining the UK's profile in other countries.(What is interesting is how much better the news is on the World Service)
And to echo what a PP said the problem is now the BBC for the UK is now dumbed down to US levels, as it chases ratings and has to compete for commercial money eg tv series etc are now often co-produced.
And also to cut cost many news and documentary programmes are made by outside companies who quite often have no particular standards.
I am amazed that in 2025 anybody thinks it is a public service.
Although the clever Tory double dealing over the World Service is typical of them, the resulting situation is a bit like Blair with his PFI initiatives.
Everyone is talking as though we are back in the 1930 when the BBC (radio only) was to educate the public and keep it entertained with approved shows.
Making accusations against the BBC based on concepts about that aren't real just doesn't help.
Its been a fudge for years and different Governments have contributed to it. Like the NHS we are all supposed to admire it and think it never goes wrong but aren't prepared to fund it to do so.
The only truth is that it journalistic standards are not trusted as they used to be. And what is so funny is that in the days when it was "trusted" were the days when in fact it was presuming to tell us what was important and how we should think about things and everyone just accepted that Auntie knew best.
This was only really first challenged in the 60s & 70s.
Maybe to get the audience and licence payers to realise todays reality we should be looking at the example of the PBS in the US.
But might find there would be no Strictly. Then you really will hear licence fees payers moaning.