BBC license fee ‘to be abolished in 2027’. What will that mean?

[bimble]

BBC licence fee to be abolished in 2027 and funding frozen

Government announcement will force broadcaster to make deep cuts to its programme budgets

www.theguardian.com

What’s going to happen as a result and instead of the licence fee, if this goes ahead?
I can’t see it being good news, apart from fewer women in prison for non payment. But for content it’ll just be bad.

 

[maomao]

BBC licence fee to be abolished in 2027 and funding frozen

Government announcement will force broadcaster to make deep cuts to its programme budgets

www.theguardian.com

What’s going to happen as a result and instead of the licence fee, if this goes ahead?
I can’t see it being good news, apart from fewer women in prison for non payment. But for content it’ll just be bad.

It means one of Johnson's most loyal thugs is putting the boot in in revenge for BBC news doing a resignation watch on custard face.

 

[stdP]

This I assume is one of Boris' new "populist policies" to assuage the electorate that Boris is a top chum really, as was mentioned in the Sunday Times today which cupid_stunt posted earlier.

PM Boris Johnson - monster thread for a monster twat

According to the Sunday Times... Boris Johnson prepares mass clearout to save own skin PM’s fury at Downing Street staff as he launches string of ‘red meat’ policies Boris Johnson is planning a mass clearout of No 10 and a series of populist announcements to save his tottering premiership...

www.urban75.net

Even though it's certainly not an organisation without problems, Boris only understands complete subservience and anything other than toadying is simply intolerable, so the BBC has to go. There'll be other "alternative funding models" touted but all will eventually boil down to large losses of funding and ultimately death by a thousand cuts.

 

[rubbershoes]

large losses of funding and ultimately death by a thousand cuts.

And payments from the government will be dependent on them not being critical

 

[danny la rouge]

A lot of people on the socials getting it wrong by focussing on news and current affairs. No news provision in an unequal society will ever be on the side of the oppressed. You’re all missing the point. This is bad news for all the other content, and bad news because the future provision of television services will be subscription.

 

[PursuedByBears]

I imagine it'll be the end for a lot of radio stations with a small audience share like 6 Music, Asian Network, 1 Xtra etc.

 

[Peter Painter]

The home news service is pretty shocking but the World Service is good. And the BBC produces so much other stuff that is really brilliant, on radio and television. Drama, documentary, comedy, music and lots, lots more as well.

Along with the NHS they represent the most socialistic national institutions that we have. And most people are extremely fond of them, including many of those who denounce socialism. We've all grown up with them and they are part of our culture. Both are under attack. Both need to be defended.

 

[Carvaged]

As per, they wait for a headline dominating scandal to drop a bomb. Look out for other bombs in the coming weeks.

 

[maomao]

Just a shame about them being funded by a genuinely regressive tax and all the people, mostly women, in prison. And all the paedophiles.

 

[kabbes]

A lot of people on the socials getting it wrong by focussing on news and current affairs. No news provision in an unequal society will ever be on the side of the oppressed. You’re all missing the point. This is bad news for all the other content, and bad news because the future provision of television services will be subscription.

But other than the perennially mediocre Doctor Who and a handful of quiz shows (University Challenge, Only Connect), all of which I could frankly live without, there is literally nothing that the BBC makes that I watch. So which other content am I supposed to be worried about? And as for subscription — what do you call £14 per month? As subscriptions go, that’s a pretty expensive one.

 

[danny la rouge]

But other than the perennially mediocre Doctor Who and a handful of quiz shows (University Challenge, Only Connect), all of which I could frankly live without, there is literally nothing that the BBC makes that I watch. So which other content am I supposed to be worried about? And as for subscription — what do you call £14 per month? As subscriptions go, that’s a pretty expensive one.

I’m not arguing that the license fee isn’t a subscription. It’s the effect on the rest of the market I’m thinking of.

I don’t like university challenge or only connect. I did like BBC4, which is now but a shadow of its former self.

I like Digging For Britain, A House Through Time, history and nature programmes, and a fair amount of the light entertainment. If I’m aimlessly looking for something to watch I go for BBC channels first.

 

[maomao]

But other than the perennially mediocre Doctor Who and a handful of quiz shows (University Challenge, Only Connect), all of which I could frankly live without, there is literally nothing that the BBC makes that I watch. So which other content am I supposed to be worried about? And as for subscription — what do you call £14 per month? As subscriptions go, that’s a pretty expensive one.

Cbeebies. The alternatives all involve either advertising or watching endless episodes of the same show which seems to increase television's hypnotic value. The BBC kids channels have enough of a mix that kids will walk away from it on their own.

On balance I'm in favour of ending the BBC; I'd just like to wait five or six years till the kids are a bit bigger. 2027 sounds about right.

 

[kabbes]

I’m not arguing that the license fee isn’t a subscription. It’s the effect on the rest of the market I’m thinking of.

I don’t like university challenge or only connect. I did like BBC4, which is now but a shadow of its former self.

I like Digging For Britain, A House Through Time, history and nature programmes, and a fair amount of the light entertainment. If I’m aimlessly looking for something to watch I go for BBC channels first.

By contrast, now that I have access to some much cheaper subscription channels with a lot of well made television on them, I don’t need to aimlessly look for something mediocre to watch!

And I actually pay the £3 a month (as I recall it) to each of ITV and Channel 4 so that I can watch both of them without any adverts. They’re both better value than £14 for the BBC n’all.

 

[metalguru]

It'll have the effect of making the UK's media content a mono-culture.

The argument "I only watch Dr Who and that's mediocre" is taking a very narrow and personal view. It's a bit like saying "why should I pay towards the NHS - all I've had is a few GP appointments and the Covid vaccinations "

 

[maomao]

why should I pay towards the NHS - all I've had is a few GP appointments and the Covid vaccinations

Would you support regressive taxation to fund the NHS though?

 

[metalguru]

I predict this will be the thread that'll show how far to the right U75 in membership has gone over its lifetime

 

[kabbes]

It'll have the effect of making the UK's media content a mono-culture.

The argument "I only watch Dr Who and that's mediocre" is taking a very narrow and personal view. It's a bit like saying "why should I pay towards the NHS - all I've had is a few GP appointments and the Covid vaccinations "

I don't actually equate bland middle-of-the-road entertainment shows on television with vital health care. If you do then fine, you can use that argument. I don't buy it though. Not unless you're going to apply it to similar regressive taxes to pay for everything else people like to do in their leisure time too.

 

[maomao]

I predict this will be the thread that'll show how far to the right U75 in membership has gone over its lifetime

Are you suggesting support for the BBC is a sign of left-wingedness? Because it's really not.

 

[kabbes]

Are you suggesting support for the BBC is a sign of left-wingedness? Because it's really not.

It's certainly a sign of middle Englandness, mind

 

[danny la rouge]

By contrast, now that I have access to some much cheaper subscription channels with a lot of well made television on them, I don’t need to aimlessly look for something mediocre to watch!

And I actually pay the £3 a month (as I recall it) to each of ITV and Channel 4 so that I can watch both of them without any adverts. They’re both better value than £14 for the BBC n’all.

I pay for Netflix and frankly I’m going to stop because I haven’t used it in months.

I agree that the license fee is regressive. But so is a Netflix subscription. I worry about people like my late in-laws who were fleeced by Sky, and didn’t understand the ever mounting charges, but were thrown into a blind panic when I offered to renegotiate because they thought they’d lose the cricket or something.

 

[metalguru]

The BBC isn't just bland middle-of-the-road bland entertainment shows. Other activities include: impartial news service, supporting cultural activities that wouldn't otherwise be supported in the marketplace, investigative reporting, radio and websites, community/regions/nations content etc. And they provide important jobs and careers for the communications and creative sectors.

 

[maomao]

impartial news service,

Pmsl

 

[kabbes]

I pay for Netflix and frankly I’m going to stop because I haven’t used it in months.

I agree that the license fee is regressive. But so is a Netflix subscription. I worry about people like my late in-laws who were fleeced by Sky, and didn’t understand the ever mounting charges, but were thrown into a blind panic when I offered to renegotiate because they thought they’d lose the cricket or something.

I also worry about that, and that the system is unfair. Having the BBC licence fee hasn't prevented this disintegration and proliferation of services, however. Your late in-laws suffered that fleecing despite also paying £14 a month, or whatever it was at that point. They weren't getting their cricket on the BBC, either.

 

[kabbes]

The BBC isn't just bland middle-of-the-road bland entertainment shows. Other activities include: impartial news service, supporting cultural activities that wouldn't otherwise be supported in the marketplace, investigative reporting, radio and websites, community/regions/nations content etc. And they provide important jobs and careers for the communications and creative sectors.

Can you provide me an example of this investigate reporting? The BBC took an policy decision back in Thatcher's time to scale right back on any investigate reporting that might cause them political difficulties. The BBC are an arm of the state.

 

[metalguru]

Are you suggesting support for the BBC is a sign of left-wingedness? Because it's really not.

I'd suggest there's a strong correlation between a Right Wingedness/ Conservatives and a wish to end support for the BBC

 

[kabbes]

I'd suggest there's a strong correlation between a Right Wingedness/ Conservatives and a wish to end support for the BBC

There's also a strong correlation between left wingedness/anarchism and a wish to end paying for right-wing state propaganda.

 

[Maltin]

By contrast, now that I have access to some much cheaper subscription channels with a lot of well made television on them, I don’t need to aimlessly look for something mediocre to watch!

And I actually pay the £3 a month (as I recall it) to each of ITV and Channel 4 so that I can watch both of them without any adverts. They’re both better value than £14 for the BBC n’all.

What do you watch on ITV? I rarely ever find anything of interest on it.

 

[Puddy_Tat]

impartial news service,

this puts it as well as i could

 

[maomao]

I'd suggest there's a strong correlation between a Right Wingedness/ Conservatives and a wish to end support for the BBC

There's also a strong correlation between left wingedness/anarchism and a wish to end paying for right-wing state propaganda.

Both of these statements are true. It would be more efficient to say 'there is a strong correlation between support for the BBC and being a liberal wanker'.

 

[Peter Painter]

There's also a strong correlation between left wingedness/anarchism and a wish to end paying for right-wing state propaganda.

Like you, when I hear or watch or read the BBC news it often feels to me very much like right-wing state propaganda.

But then the right-wing loathe the BBC too! They claim that it's full of left-wing propaganda!