The Great Debate about the BBC and Licence Fee

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  • TV licences: Up to 3.7 million over-75s to pay licence fee

    Up to 3.7 million pensioners who previously received a free TV licence will now have to pay for it.

    The BBC will scrap blanket free licences for over-75s, but those households with one person who receives pension credit will still be eligible.

    I don't disagree with this move in principle, as there are wealthy pensioners out there and the money would be better spent elsewhere, but not all "poorer" tensioners receive pension credit.

    Should this benefit be scrapped?

  • I don't disagree with this move in principle, as there are wealthy pensioners out there and the money would be better spent elsewhere, but not all "poorer" tensioners receive pension credit.

    Should this benefit be scrapped?

    Better still , scrap the Biased Broadcasting corporation , the thing is , the BBC bosses know their bias isn't aimed towards the political views of most wealthy pensioners anyway , so they don't care less.

  • The BBC are probably short of funds, due to lots of people refusing to pay for a licence. Naturally, they won't query why this is happening.

    Mark Twain — 'Never argue with an idiot. They will drag you down to their level and beat you with experience.'

  • The BBC are probably short of funds, due to lots of people refusing to pay for a licence. Naturally, they won't query why this is happening.

    Greg Dyke was on LBC this morning and it was pointed out how the managers had awarded themselves up to 30% pay rises recently and now have over 150 pen pushers earning more than the PM does.

  • THE BBC could end up becoming a Netflix-style subscription service, the Beeb's top boss has admitted.

    Director-general Tony Hall accepted that in the future, the licence fee could be abolished and replaced with a voluntary payment.

    That would mean only those who choose to pay up would have access to the Beeb's programmes.

    Speaking to a Commons committee yesterday, Lord Hall said: "You could decide the BBC is a subscription service.

    "It would be very, very different to the sort of BBC you have now, because you would be giving subscribers what they want, not the breadth of the population."

    A breath of fresh air compaired to the usual BBC nonsense.

  • That would be great and the sooner they do it the better even if its just to end the whinging of those that claim not to like anything the BBC shows, but then go onto to say they only watch things on iPlayer anyway. :D

  • That would be great and the sooner they do it the better even if its just to end the whinging of those that claim not to like anything the BBC shows, but then go onto to say they only watch things on iPlayer anyway. :D

    In my view, the existing arrangements are likely to be maintained until the next licence review in 10 years' time. At a designated date after that, the existing channels will be abolished and access to BBC programmes will be via Britbox, for which a subscription will be payable.

    Politically, that will be a difficult move, so it will be interesting to see how they deal with that. They won't want to upset all those elderly people, for whom this change will be incomprehensible.

  • In my view, the existing arrangements are likely to be maintained until the next licence review in 10 years' time. At a designated date after that, the existing channels will be abolished and access to BBC programmes will be via Britbox, for which a subscription will be payable.


    Politically, that will be a difficult move, so it will be interesting to see how they deal with that. They won't want to upset all those elderly people, for whom this change will be incomprehensible.

    We've got the linear channel's thread here old boy (essentially your thread from CF and no jfman.;)) so I won't comment too much about channels here, but I think the main BBC One and Two channels will continue for as long as there is a BBC. And we have another thread for BritBox, but I think it depends on who ultimately owns Britbox. As was said on CF, the BBC only own 10% of Britbox if but if ITV gets taken over, the new owner's might wish to push out the beeb.

  • A breath of fresh air compaired to the usual BBC nonsense.

    The BBC boss was talking to a parliamentary committee, something even several months ago, I would've had the time to see, but I have a bit of free time now and I'll watch the committee proceedings now and see exactly what he said and post later about it. The Sun article was short on details and I doubt the BBC would ever be happy going subscription, despite what Hall may have said.

  • In my view, the existing arrangements are likely to be maintained until the next licence review in 10 years' time. At a designated date after that, the existing channels will be abolished and access to BBC programmes will be via Britbox, for which a subscription will be payable.

    Politically, that will be a difficult move, so it will be interesting to see how they deal with that. They won't want to upset all those elderly people, for whom this change will be incomprehensible.

    If the Government becomes an investing shareholder in a licence free Netflix-ish BBC, it can be alongside a deal where offers a freeview-ish package to appease OAP's or even a broader free-view-ish package but which has tv commercials - a valuable advertising target audience for Saga, Stairlifts, cruises, coach holidays, laxatives, denture cleaners, critical health insurance, funerals, Wiltshire Farm Foods and gardening products - the list is endless and the precision focus of the target audience (minimum wastage) will command a high cost per thousand ad rate.

  • I watched the select committee and the discussion surrounding subscription was only brief and it was related to the discussion about the free licenses for the over 75s. They were basically just talking about alternative ways that people could pay for the BBC.

    I intend to watch again at some point, it was about 3 hours of it.... and there was a Lords committee too on public broadcasting, all on the iplayer for those interested.

  • BBC gives staff 20% pay hikes – but ‘can’t afford’ free TV licences for pensioners

    BBC staff pocketed a 20 per cent pay rise after bosses claimed they "can't afford" free TV licences for hard-up OAPs, it has been revealed.

    Hundreds of workers at the corporation enjoyed an average rise of £6,980 – costing taxpayers an extra £7.9million.

    I think the BBC are slowly slitting their own wrists here.

    We have news bias, especially over Brexit. We have their diversity agenda being forced on everyone and we have all the ridiculous amounts of money paid to their "talent".

    Perhaps if the BBC believe its talent is worth all this money, it should put that to the test and go subscription. Fat chance in hell, me thinks!

  • I think the BBC licence should be scrapped. The Remainers and lefties can provide financial support in future, as they are the only people served by the BBC these days. Like the EU, the BBC cannot be reformed. The self serving idiocy goes too deep.

    Mark Twain — 'Never argue with an idiot. They will drag you down to their level and beat you with experience.'

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