BBC Licence Fee Threatened To Be Axed - what to you think the future of the BBC should be?

[Yel]

I think they shouldn't have kept growing just because they could. They have 10 channels now and I think they would be better going back to 2. Anything remotely high brow isn't on BBC 2 anymore and gets shifted to bbc4 where no one watches.

No need for them to do rolling news and that eats up a tit load of money, with the internet and smart phones there's less of a need for it.

Radio 4 should be saved, but the rest of radio I don't have any issues with being sold off or going commercial. BBC local radio probably has more people working on it than listening to each station. It's a nice idea but really doesn't make any sense to run so many local radio stations.

The BBC website is expansive and takes away from content that the commercial sector can do.

I think there's definitely a place for a state broadcaster a few TV channels, radio stations and website but it's crazy that to watch live sport on Amazon prime you need a licence.

I'd cut the budget to something like £30-40 a tax payer and just take it out of general taxation. I haven't paid for it in years and the people that do are dying off so they need to do something.

 

[Deepsigh2018]

I begrudge paying a licence fee especially as I rarely watch/read/listen to many bbc products. The fact that not paying it could result in legal action I find ridiculous. As time is going on the bbc is becoming less relevant. My eldest son doesn't even watch live tv. I think they should scale back and move with the times now.

I know that those that are for tv licence talk about how the bbc give impartial reliable news but the way the world works now the bbc are not many peoples first port of call for news.

 

[captainhelix]

I think they should have different rates (if they are going to charge which I disagree with)
So if you only use iplayer like I do it should be less

 

[Web30]

Im all for it being a subscription as long as its our choice to have it or not. I can see it being a rebranded licence so people still have to pay regardless.

 

[Kbird]

I've been thinking of stoppung payibg for it as i never watch BBC. Does anyone know if anyone ever actually gets prosecuted for not having one?

 

[Bizarrebbq]

I've been thinking of stoppung payibg for it as i never watch BBC. Does anyone know if anyone ever actually gets prosecuted for not having one?

They only way you’ll get prosecuted is if they enter your property and physically see you watching live TV without a tv licence. I’ve not had one for 4 years.

 

[coconochanel]

I think they should cut it back to £50 a year because lets be honest 90% of the shows are repeats even at Christmas it was absolute tit apart from Gavin & Stacey. As for online content its not fair to make everyone pay for that when most old people don't go online. They need to listen to the viewers and see what they want, the other day there were reports they were thinking of scrapping cbeebies! I mean come on all kids watch that.

 

[KateESJ]

I wouldn’t mind paying if I used it.

to be fair I don’t have one. I don’t watch live TV. I had one when I still lived with my ex (only moved out a few months ago) but we literally never used it so I didnt see the point. My kids watched CBeebies but they’ll happily watch stuff on Netflix/Amazon so I wasn’t paying it just so they could watch Mr Tumble (who drives me mad).

 

[LittleMy]

I don’t watch any BBC or live TV so it’s immaterial to me as I don’t need one. I do believe they should scrap it though, it’s an outdated concept. Scale it back first I’d say, there are still elderly people who may not understand the idea of subscribing and fear change, who will rely on the BBC for their news and regular entertainment. I think through time it will eventually change to a subscription service though. I think it’s bloody ridiculous the amount people are expected to pay annually for the crap they serve up. I haven’t paid for one in about 4 years.

 

[Kbird]

They only way you’ll get prosecuted is if they enter your property and physically see you watching live TV without a tv licence. I’ve not had one for 4 years.

Thank you. I'm off to cancel

 

[coconochanel]

Thank you. I'm off to cancel

I thought they had vans that they could tell if you had the tv on when they were in your street.

 

[Moe]

I give it 20 years max the younger generation are not watching it and no way will they pay this ridiculous fee. BBC say they pay the wages according to other channel pay rates well good luck luvies your days are numbered. I’ve watched a few shows the last few years ie Killing Eve and I used to enjoy the Archers but I’ve decided this year come November I won’t pay this compulsory tax anymore.

 

[Coconutbug]

So frustrating to pay £14 a month for something I barely use. Tbh I think they should just sack it off completely, no other channel makes us pay
If they have to start advertising so be it. I think so many people watch stuff on demand/Netflix etc that it will be extinct soon.

 

[Itsmethatlikesamoan]

They only way you’ll get prosecuted is if they enter your property and physically see you watching live TV without a tv licence. I’ve not had one for 4 years.

ditto we cancelled ours about 3 years ago

I thought they had vans that they could tell if you had the tv on when they were in your street.

these days they don’t bother as its very hard to establish who’s watching what ... what with Netflix, Amazon Prime etc etc they have to prove your watching BBC or live tv which is virtually impossible unless they step into your property... but you are quite within your rights to refuse them entry.

 

[Web30]

So frustrating to pay £14 a month for something I barely use. Tbh I think they should just sack it off completely, no other channel makes us pay
If they have to start advertising so be it. I think so many people watch stuff on demand/Netflix etc that it will be extinct soon.

It really is! My daugthers getting out of cbeebies now and other then strictly and call the midwife I barely watch BBC show.

 

[Horatio]

I do think in the world of streaming and subscription services the bbc has no choice but to adapt somewhat. Not doing so will only make them seem even more out of touch and dogmatic.

But I say that as an ardent supporter of the bbc. I think they need to show younger generations what makes them separate, and often superior, to the other options. How unique not relying on corporate sponsorship is and how it makes their content richer for it - both in length due to no breaks but also in being able to avoid conflicts of interest.
I’m not completely blind to the fact that it’s far from always the case and what I’ve described is more a utopia for what the bbc SHOULD be. And sometimes it really is - and I think they should be striving to be better. Of course corporate interests do play an increasingly large role, it’s clear. It would be exciting to have a director general more interested in culture, news etc than money. I continue to wait.

Local radio is a tough one. I think they would be heavily criticised if they scaled it down, because that stuff is important to the small audiences they go out to. It’s a way of making use of the tremendous resources they have to connect the most remote parts of the world. And of showing that it’s not just serving the interests of a ‘metropolitan elite ‘ - the licence fee allows them to do this small scale local stuff in a way other broadcaster could even dream of. Internationally, I think it’s pretty special that you can pick up the world service almost anywhere and that they have local offices literally all over the world. It gives them the edge when reporting on stories not based in the ‘usual’ places , having correspondents at least relatively local, who understand a place, it’s society and culture...

Oh I have more to say but I’ll save it for now.

 

[OhhBacon]

Please can we save Radio 4 and 5 live. Otherwise I have no radio to listen to!

 

[coconochanel]

Please can we save Radio 4 and 5 live. Otherwise I have no radio to listen to!

And radio2

 

[SeekerQuant]

I want to have a choice. Just like there are choices to subscribe to Netflix or Apple Tv or Amazon Prime and many others. It should be made subscription based. There weeks where I only watch Youtube. Why should I still pay for the BBC? I think it's time for them to adapt.

 

[LeoPride]

The BBC mostly likely has a few years left before all funding is cut. It’s served it’s purpose but as we move into a more digital future .. having a service like the bbc becomes redundant.

I’m sure if they introduce adverts into their programs the money they would rack in alone would be a good substitute to paying the TV license.

Their Online News Business however is fantastic .. I’d pay for that.