Viewers could pay a lower licence fee topped up with subscription payments for premium BBC programmes such as sport and quality drama, it emerged yesterday.
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He’s right that while right-wing politicians and newspapers, ideologically opposed to large public intervention in the market, fuel discontent about the BBC, most opinion polls suggest the public still likes and trusts the organisation and see the £145 licence fee as good value.
It also made reference to popular shows that some predict will attacked by the government.
The government has launched a fundamental review of the BBC’s size and objective ahead of the debate on renewing the corporation’s Royal Charter at the end of 2016. Its aim is to set out issues to make sure the BBC remains a valued public broadcaster. While there are those that argue, not without credibility, that there are vested interests with a pre-determined agenda lining up against the Corporation, it can’t be denied that there are some genuine legitimate questions that need to be asked about how it operates in a Netflix era.
Ministers say the review will examine whether “this particular range of services best serves licence fee payers and the impact it has on the commercial sector given the current and future media environment”.
He said: “They should switch off the BBC for two months and put £24 (licence fee) into everyone’s bank”.
Whittingdale said that revenue from the compulsory television license, which past year contributed £3.74 billion ($5.82 billion) to the BBC’s revenue past year, will remain at the present level in the short-term, but the review would look at whether the broadcaster could be funded by a voluntary subscription instead in the long-term.
Also being evaluated is the way in which the BBC is funded.
“Social media platforms are an important tool for BBC journalism, TV and radio activity, and are built into many of our editorial, marketing and production areas, as part of people’s day jobs”.
But Mr Whittingdale told Sky News: “We haven’t reached any conclusions yet but I hope as many people as possible contribute to that discussion”.
But Hall has been criticized for giving up too much to the government by agreeing to absorb part of the state’s budget, and committing to spending that the corporation can not control in an aging population.
Labour’s shadow culture secretary Chris Bryant said the corporation should continue to make popular programmes like Strictly Come Dancing, Top Gear and The Voice.
When the BBC is in crisis – as it was over the Jimmy Savile revelations and the damming Hutton inquiry into the death of Dr David Kelly – it tends to be quite craven.
In one corner, we have the traditional view of public broadcasting, offered by the BBC and supporters, based on the principle of universality.
“It’s our belief responsibility for broadcasting in Scotland should transfer from Westminster to Holyrood”.
And of course this follows a licence fee deal once again rushed through behind closed doors with significant extra costs imposed on the BBC under the threat of worse if it didn’t agree.
Mr Whittingdale told MPs there was no “easy solution” to the problem of funding the BBC.
In a statement, the broadcaster said: “The BBC is a creative and economic powerhouse for Britain”.
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But today we saw a different, nakedly aggressive side to the BBC – one which, in almost 20 years of reporting on its dealings with Whitehall, I don’t think I have seen before.
