But where else are you going to find such well made programmes? Sky has plenty of channels which show documentary programmes reel to reel but you won't find a David Attenborough anywhere or a good current affairs programme.
A glance at iPlayer and there are topical, political, sport, dramas, comedies, science programmes. And then of course there is BBC radio. Surely all that entertainment has to worth 3 quid a week?
Well despite the BBC's reputation for the making of quality programmes, that doesn't appear to be sufficient to prevent many viewers from investing in subscribtion TV, and/or heavy use of the BBC's terrestrial TV competition. Incidentally, albeit not a major factor, but perhaps interesting nonetheless, it appears, according to today's press, that the BBC only use half of their licence income for the making of TV programmes...