Should the BBC licence fee be scrapped

Status
Not open for further replies.


lenshack said:
Spot on.

It’s a long outdated, antiquated system, which to the best of my knowledge doesn’t still exist anywhere else in the free world.

I’m still waiting to hear some examples of what the BBC provides, that cannot be provided elsewhere.
Click to expand...
The huge amount of educational resources. Stuff like the BBC Live lessons they have in schools. Educational childrens TV content. BBC Bitesize etc. Regional programmes. Regional radio and Asian network. Lots of the stuff on BBC 3 and 4 wouldn't be made elsewhere.

All of the above could be provided by someone else. But it wouldn't be in the main. The BBC are there to try new things. Commercial operators don't experiment in the main. They go for stuff that sells advertising.

The BBC exists in its current form for the intellectual good and cultural richness of this great and diverse country. Anyone opposing that is a f***ing traitor and should have their head on a spike.
 
Frijj said:
No, I don't think it should be.

The BBC gets a disproportionately high level of grief for it's alleged biases - but these biases tend to come from across the political and social spectrum and are often unfounded, suggesting that the BBC is doing a decent job.

I think it has a vital role to play as a non-commercial broadcaster that is ultimately responsible to the licence-payers and the state, rather than a single commercial entity who may seek to use it's autonomous control of a broadcaster to further the political ideology of it's owner or board.

On those grounds, I think it is crucial that the BBC continues in its existence in its current format. This is all without adding that it produces a wide range of high-quality content across several mediums and has a stellar international reputation for reliable, trustworthy journalism.
Click to expand...

Can I just correct my horrendous use of the non-possessive form of its, here? Horrific, sorry :lol:

Proper thickie stuff!
 
chunkylover53 said:
Just like paying tax
Click to expand...

chunkylover53 said:
Just like paying tax
Click to expand...

No it's not like paying tax.

Taxes are collected and spent on those things which we are generally unable to do ourselves, or by region. The armed forces, The NHS, the education system. road infrastructure and other things on which we cede our individual rights and preferences in favour of an aggregated common goal. There are choices in some of the aforementioned but they are on the margins.

The BBC is basically a news and entertainment business, competing with others doing the same job, but who have to earn commercially, every penny they spend. The BBC does not. It has to play a political game, get it's charter renewed every now and then, following which it can relax and spend it's £5bn+ a year, which is forcibly taken from those who may never wish to use it or it's products. Nice , easy work if you can get it.

If it is really that good, it should have no fear in going up against the rest. Just charge the fee and see who wants to pay.
 
rowley2 said:
No it's not like paying tax.

Taxes are collected and spent on those things which we are generally unable to do ourselves, or by region. The armed forces, The NHS, the education system. road infrastructure and other things on which we cede our individual rights and preferences in favour of an aggregated common goal. There are choices in some of the aforementioned but they are on the margins.

The BBC is basically a news and entertainment business, competing with others doing the same job, but who have to earn commercially, every penny they spend. The BBC does not. It has to play a political game, get it's charter renewed every now and then, following which it can relax and spend it's £5bn+ a year, which is forcibly taken from those who may never wish to use it or it's products. Nice , easy work if you can get it.

If it is really that good, it should have no fear in going up against the rest. Just charge the fee and see who wants to pay.
Click to expand...
We disagree on this clearly.

I don’t believe the private sector is able to provide a similar news service. Entertainment yes, news no
 
chunkylover53 said:
We disagree on this clearly.

I don’t believe the private sector is able to provide a similar news service. Entertainment yes, news no
Click to expand...

Certainly not my view at all. The BBC news is limited, and dumbed down as all TV news is now. It's main failing though is it's chronic bias, which it no longer even tries to hide but which would be okay if it had to live or die by this approach.
 
max wartbug said:
Yes, let them have adverts and do a bit fat trimming to balance the books.
Click to expand...

Adverts limit the content though, because if you’re dependent on advertisers to run your channel, you’re beholden to them on the content, in case they say “Eeee I don’t want MegaCorp widgets being associated with experimental documentaries about transgender Muslims from Cuba” or whatever.
 
Pop said:
We’re good if you want to use the services. I don’t mind but there are a lot of people who don’t want/need them.

Should be opt in/out.
Click to expand...

I think you should be forced to subsidise my education and entertainment until I die.

I’ll happily do the same for you.

You’re welcome.
 
Flared Hicks said:
France has a charge which is added to your tax bill on an annual basis on the same premise that if you have a device capable of receiving and displaying live television pictures then you have to pay it. I think there are exemptions for low income households.

Someone like @lostinfrance or @JohnAin might be able to flesh out the details.
Click to expand...

Something I've never given a second thought to TBH.
I've consulted the Oberführer (no) and she's confirmed it's part of the taxe d'habitation charged annually to each property.
It's currently €140 which seems to be on a par with UK although they don't seem to have anywhere near the output of the BBC.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Back
Top