BBC licence fee review ‘feels like massive red herring to attack broadcaster’
2 years, 6 months ago

BBC licence fee review ‘feels like massive red herring to attack broadcaster’

The Independent  

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Government plans to replace the BBC licence fee are a “massive red herring” to attack the broadcaster, according to a production company boss. The fact is that most people can't afford lots of subscriptions and most people want free TV and they always will do Jon Thoday Reflecting on the Government’s review of the licence fee, he said: “I think it is a massive red herring. He said: “The fact is that most people can’t afford lots of subscriptions and most people want free TV and they always will do, which is why Jane Turton, chief executive of All3Media, which has produced shows including Fleabag and Gogglebox, said no one on the panel has a definitive answer to the BBC licence fee question. “We have committed to reviewing the licence fee funding model ahead of the next Charter period to explore the potential for alternative ways to fund the BBC.”

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History of this topic

Kemi Badenoch calls for end of BBC licence fee in first for a Tory leader
3 weeks, 3 days ago

Kemi Badenoch calls for end of BBC licence fee in first for a Tory leader

The Independent  

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Kemi Badenoch has become the first serving Tory leader to withdraw …

BBC World Service to axe 130 jobs as it seeks to save £6 million
1 month, 2 weeks ago

BBC World Service to axe 130 jobs as it seeks to save £6 million

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy BBC World Service is set …

What is the TV licence fee – and will UK viewers have to pay it to use Netflix?
1 month, 2 weeks ago

What is the TV licence fee – and will UK viewers have to pay it to use Netflix?

The Independent  

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The government is reportedly exploring new ways to expand the …

Netflix and Disney+ users ‘could have to pay BBC licence fee under new funding options’
1 month, 2 weeks ago

Netflix and Disney+ users ‘could have to pay BBC licence fee under new funding options’

The Independent  

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Viewers of streaming services like Disney + already pay a monthly fee Rebecca Ryan, from …

Culture minister wants ‘massive production budget’ to remain part of BBC licence
1 month, 2 weeks ago

Culture minister wants ‘massive production budget’ to remain part of BBC licence

The Independent  

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Culture minister Sir Chris Bryant has said he wants a …

What would scrapping the licence fee mean for the BBC?
2 months, 1 week ago

What would scrapping the licence fee mean for the BBC?

The Independent  

There are reports, apparently well sourced, that the culture secretary, Lisa Nandy, is considering scrapping the BBC licence fee and instead funding the corporation’s activities from general taxation. Back in 2020, long before she took on the culture brief, she suggested a new structure whereby the BBC is “owned and directed by licence fee holders”, so that licence fee payers …

BBC TV licence fee 'could be scrapped by end of 2027 and swapped for tax under plans being considered by Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy'
2 months, 1 week ago

BBC TV licence fee 'could be scrapped by end of 2027 and swapped for tax under plans being considered by Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy'

Daily Mail  

The BBC TV licence fee could be scrapped and replaced by funding from general taxation under plans reportedly being considered by Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy. One source told the Sunday Times: ‘Lisa does not believe that the licence fee is financially sustainable The BBC TV licence fee could be scrapped and replaced by funding from general taxation under plans reportedly …

Fury as BBC TV licence fee rises again - how much more will YOU need to pay next year?
3 months, 2 weeks ago

Fury as BBC TV licence fee rises again - how much more will YOU need to pay next year?

Daily Mail  

The BBC TV licence fee will increase by £5 or 2.9 per cent from £169.50 to £174.50 next April, the Government revealed today. The BBC TV Licence fee will increase by £5 or 2.9 per cent from £169.50 to £174.50 next April Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy arrives at Downing Street on Tuesday for a Cabinet meeting Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy …

Hundreds of thousands are ditching the licence fee – and it’s a crisis for the BBC
7 months, 3 weeks ago

Hundreds of thousands are ditching the licence fee – and it’s a crisis for the BBC

The Telegraph  

The decline has been fuelled by calls for a boycott of the licence fee, with campaign groups such as the Taxpayers’ Alliance branding the household levy “archaic and unfair”. Another campaign, calling itself Defund the BBC, has raised concerns about wasteful spending and alleged bias in the broadcaster’s output, as well as its aggressive prosecution of licence fee non-payment, which …

BBC TV licence rises to £169 today - check to see if YOU are eligible for a free one
11 months, 2 weeks ago

BBC TV licence rises to £169 today - check to see if YOU are eligible for a free one

Daily Mail  

The TV licence fee has gone up by £10.50 today after a price hike was confirmed in December. The TV licence is the broadcaster's primary source of funding, and it goes towards multiple BBC services, including iPlayer, radio, television, and more. According to the UK Parliament website, the BBC accrued a total of £3.74 billion from the licence fee alone, …

BBC could make wealthy pay more for licence fee in radical overhaul
11 months, 3 weeks ago

BBC could make wealthy pay more for licence fee in radical overhaul

The Independent  

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Director general Tim Davie said he is open to a “more progressive” way of …

BBC suffering long, slow, painful diminution, says ex-director general
1 year, 3 months ago

BBC suffering long, slow, painful diminution, says ex-director general

The Independent  

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The BBC is a “victim of the culture wars” and …

Will Sir David Attenborough's wildlife documentaries be next for the chop? Industry experts warn 'expensive' series like Planet Earth and Frozen Planet could be axed as the BBC slashes costs to find £
1 year, 3 months ago

Will Sir David Attenborough's wildlife documentaries be next for the chop? Industry experts warn 'expensive' series like Planet Earth and Frozen Planet could be axed as the BBC slashes costs to find £

Daily Mail  

Sir David Attenborough's wildlife programmes including Planet Earth, Wild Isles and Frozen Planet could fall victim to BBC cuts because they are so expensive to produce, an industry expert warned today. Media consultant Alice Enders believes the BBC's world renowned wildlife shows could be next in the firing line, as despite selling well globally they also require a large amount …

Sunak set to block 9pc BBC licence fee increase
1 year, 3 months ago

Sunak set to block 9pc BBC licence fee increase

The Telegraph  

Rishi Sunak is set to block a nine per cent increase in the BBC licence fee, warning that the corporation has to be “realistic” about what the public can afford. But The Telegraph understands that Downing Street and ministers are set to block the rise this month and force the BBC to accept a smaller amount instead. The Prime Minister …

RTE board and management ‘concerned’ about drop in TV licence fee payments
1 year, 7 months ago

RTE board and management ‘concerned’ about drop in TV licence fee payments

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Chairwoman Siun Ni Raghallaigh said she and her board …

Mass revolt as 2.8million claim they don't need to pay BBC licence fee
1 year, 7 months ago

Mass revolt as 2.8million claim they don't need to pay BBC licence fee

Daily Mail  

The BBC is facing a revolt from millions of television viewers who are no longer willing to pay the television licence fee. A record 2.84 million people now insist they are no longer obliged to fork out £159 for the annual charge because they don’t watch BBC channels or any kind of live TV. Toby Young, the Founder and Director …

The Huw Edwards affair should remind us we are lucky to have the BBC
1 year, 8 months ago

The Huw Edwards affair should remind us we are lucky to have the BBC

The Independent  

Let us praise the BBC. Not least in the aftermath of the Huw Edwards affair, the director general Tim Davie being held to account by a House of Lords committee, the publication of eye-wateringly high salaries for the corporation’s biggest stars, and a seemingly well-sourced story that the government considers the licence fee unsustainable. But there is so much more …

Ministers plan to scale back the £159 BBC licence fee to ease the cost-of-living crisis
1 year, 8 months ago

Ministers plan to scale back the £159 BBC licence fee to ease the cost-of-living crisis

Daily Mail  

The BBC licence fee would be cut in real terms under plans being considered by Ministers to ease the cost-of-living crisis for households, The Mail on Sunday understands. The £159 fee is due to rise in line with soaring inflation next April – meaning viewers are facing a near double-digit increase in the charge The Government is considering options for …

Richard Sharp is right: the BBC should remain as an independent institution
1 year, 8 months ago

Richard Sharp is right: the BBC should remain as an independent institution

The Independent  

We are not due another public quarrel about the licence fee for another three or four years, as the British Broadcasting Corporation’s 10-year charter comes up for renewal at the end of 2027. At the moment, there are only two crude “progressive” elements to the licence fee, in that people over the age of 75 are exempt, and blind people …

Wealthier households should pay more for BBC, says Richard Sharp
1 year, 8 months ago

Wealthier households should pay more for BBC, says Richard Sharp

The Telegraph  

Mr Sharp said that his successor as BBC chairman could be a Conservative Party donor, but warned that anyone who took the job would have a “target” on their back. “But it does mean that in the recruitment process, they need to assure themselves that the chairperson will take as a primary objective the strength of the BBC as an …

Culture Secretary ‘looking very closely’ at BBC licence fee
1 year, 10 months ago

Culture Secretary ‘looking very closely’ at BBC licence fee

The Independent  

The Culture Secretary has said she is looking “very closely” at the BBC licence fee, as she dismissed calls to remove political interference from the appointment of its chair. I do think it might need to look at a variety of sources for its funding Lucy Frazer, Culture Secretary It comes after Sir Keir Starmer said Labour would replace the …

Government licensed extortion? ‘Secret’ model that funds the BBC
1 year, 11 months ago

Government licensed extortion? ‘Secret’ model that funds the BBC

Firstpost  

The BBC has something called a royal charter which is just a fancy way of saying that the BBC has the legal power to collect a license fee from every household in the UK and it is not cheap In February this year, Indian income tax authorities carried out a brief survey at the offices of the BBC in New …

The BBC is too indulgent with Gary Lineker: He’s taken their £1.4m, he should play by their rules
2 years ago

The BBC is too indulgent with Gary Lineker: He’s taken their £1.4m, he should play by their rules

The Independent  

The best of Voices delivered to your inbox every week - from controversial columns to expert analysis Sign up for our free weekly Voices newsletter for expert opinion and columns Sign up to our free weekly Voices newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. The simple fact is that Lineker …

Former BBC director-general backs ‘reformed licence fee’ to fund corporation
2 years, 3 months ago

Former BBC director-general backs ‘reformed licence fee’ to fund corporation

The Independent  

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Former BBC director-general Lord Hall of Birkenhead has backed a …

Wealthier BBC viewers should pay more for TV licence, says former boss
2 years, 3 months ago

Wealthier BBC viewers should pay more for TV licence, says former boss

The Telegraph  

Wealthier viewers should pay more for the BBC under a reformed licence fee arrangement, former director-general Lord Hall of Birkenhead has said. The corporation’s boss from 2013 to 2020 has stated that the current model for the licence fee should be changed and has backed calls for a “fairer” system of payment during a House of Lords debate on the …

BBC must plan for full 'switch-off' of terrestrial TV
2 years, 3 months ago

BBC must plan for full 'switch-off' of terrestrial TV

The Telegraph  

The BBC could switch off terrestrial TV and radio by the end of the decade, Tim Davie, the corporation’s director general, has said. In a speech about the long-term future of the BBC, Mr Davie said the 100-year-old organisation needed to consider a full switch-off of broadcast channels that would mean it would transform into an internet-only broadcaster. Mr Davie …

Government reviewing ‘business case’ for privatising C4 – Culture Secretary
2 years, 6 months ago

Government reviewing ‘business case’ for privatising C4 – Culture Secretary

The Independent  

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. She told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that Ms Truss’s government is re-examining the …

BBC staff 'threaten to strike' over merger of news channels which will see 70 jobs axed in the UK
2 years, 7 months ago

BBC staff 'threaten to strike' over merger of news channels which will see 70 jobs axed in the UK

Daily Mail  

BBC journalists are threatening strike action after the national broadcaster announced it would be axing some of its UK-based roles. The company said it would be closing the BBC News and BBC World News channels in favour of running a single 24-hour news service from April, in a bid to cut costs. BBC journalists are threatening a walkout after the …

BBC announces more job cuts as news channels merge
2 years, 8 months ago

BBC announces more job cuts as news channels merge

The Independent  

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy There will be job cuts as BBC News and BBC …

Tory leadership candidates say they could SCRAP the BBC licence fee
2 years, 8 months ago

Tory leadership candidates say they could SCRAP the BBC licence fee

Daily Mail  

Top Tories vying to replace Boris Johnson have suggested they could scrap the BBC licence fee if they take power. Former chancellor Rishi Sunak and his successor Nadhim Zahawi have both indicated that the £159 levy could go, as they seek to win backing from Tory MPs to enter No10. But despite this, director-general Tim Davie claimed the BBC was …

Free TV licence application process to be made easier for low-income pensioners
2 years, 8 months ago

Free TV licence application process to be made easier for low-income pensioners

The Independent  

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. The BBC last year limited the free TV licences to over-75s in receipt of …

BBC licence fee on its way out in funding overhaul
2 years, 10 months ago

BBC licence fee on its way out in funding overhaul

The Telegraph  

Ministers have signalled the end of the BBC television licence fee as they laid out plans to seek a "fair and appropriate" alternative. The Government's mid-term Charter Review will look at how effective the BBC's governance and regulation is "in enabling progress against our ambitions for greater impartiality, more accountability for its editorial standards including the handling of complaints, and …

Former BBC News head calls on corporation to ‘stop making lower grade stuff’
3 years, 1 month ago

Former BBC News head calls on corporation to ‘stop making lower grade stuff’

The Independent  

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The former head of BBC News has said the corporation …

BBC licence fee’s days could be numbered as two thirds of Britons want it scrapped
3 years, 1 month ago

BBC licence fee’s days could be numbered as two thirds of Britons want it scrapped

The Telegraph  

However, the Culture Secretary has also hinted that the licence fee could be scrapped in five years. Most people would prefer a subscription-style arrangement instead of the current licence fee.” Younger viewers were more likely to say the BBC licence fee was very bad value than older people, a difference attributed to their wider use of Netflix and Amazon. Leave …

Blair criticises ‘attacks’ on BBC amid licence fee debate
3 years, 2 months ago

Blair criticises ‘attacks’ on BBC amid licence fee debate

The Independent  

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Sir Tony Blair has said it would be a “big …

SARAH VINE: I adore the BBC but it's like a spoilt, trust fund brat
3 years, 2 months ago

SARAH VINE: I adore the BBC but it's like a spoilt, trust fund brat

Daily Mail  

At long last, the Government has bitten the bullet. Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries confirmed the BBC licence fee will be frozen at £159 for the next two years as she also announced a review into the long-term future of the annual levy It's that which connects scandals from Martin Bashir's Princess Diana interview, to the harassment of Cliff Richard and …

Government accused of attacking BBC to stop PM becoming ‘dead meat’
3 years, 2 months ago

Government accused of attacking BBC to stop PM becoming ‘dead meat’

The Independent  

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Labour’s shadow culture secretary Lucy Powell said the announcement – reportedly part of Downing Street’s …

What alternatives are there to the BBC licence fee?
3 years, 2 months ago

What alternatives are there to the BBC licence fee?

The Independent  

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. – Voluntary subscription fee An ally of Ms Dorries quoted by the Mail On …

Nadine Dorries announces two year BBC licence fee freeze
3 years, 2 months ago

Nadine Dorries announces two year BBC licence fee freeze

Daily Mail  

Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries today confirmed the BBC licence fee will be frozen at £159 for the next two years as she also announced a review into the long-term future of the annual levy. The Government's decision on the licence fee is part of Boris Johnson's policy blitz dubbed 'Operation Red Meat', which aims to rebuild support among Tory MPs …

Richard Bacon and David Baddiel among those defending BBC licence fee
3 years, 2 months ago

Richard Bacon and David Baddiel among those defending BBC licence fee

The Independent  

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Baddiel questioned the decision, writing on Twitter: “If, as the Government is implying re …

BBC licence fee: Hugh Grant calls Tories ‘insecure nut jobs’ over plans to ‘destroy’ broadcaster
3 years, 2 months ago

BBC licence fee: Hugh Grant calls Tories ‘insecure nut jobs’ over plans to ‘destroy’ broadcaster

The Independent  

Get our free weekly email for all the latest cinematic news from our film critic Clarisse Loughrey Get our The Life Cinematic email for free Get our The Life Cinematic email for free SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Hugh Grant has hit out at the …

Tories vow to scrap licence fee in five years as £2bn cuts are imposed on the BBC
3 years, 2 months ago

Tories vow to scrap licence fee in five years as £2bn cuts are imposed on the BBC

The Independent  

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Unveiling a £2bn budget cut for the public broadcaster, culture secretary Nadine Dorries said that …

Nish Kumar and Armando Iannucci criticise Tories over plans to scrap BBC licence fee: ‘P***ed-up cultural vandals’
3 years, 2 months ago

Nish Kumar and Armando Iannucci criticise Tories over plans to scrap BBC licence fee: ‘P***ed-up cultural vandals’

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Armando Iannucci and Nish Kumar …

Culture Secretary indicates BBC licence fee will be axed
3 years, 2 months ago

Culture Secretary indicates BBC licence fee will be axed

The Independent  

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The next announcement about the BBC licence fee “will be …

BBC licence fee frozen for two years to ease cost of living crisis
3 years, 4 months ago

BBC licence fee frozen for two years to ease cost of living crisis

The Telegraph  

The BBC licence fee is set to remain frozen at £159 for up to two years in a bid to ease Britain’s cost of living crisis, under plans being considered by ministers. The Telegraph has been told that negotiations between the corporation and the Government on the cost of the licence fee from 2022 until at least 2027 are expected …

BBC's £159-a-year licence fee will NOT increase in line with inflation over next five years
3 years, 6 months ago

BBC's £159-a-year licence fee will NOT increase in line with inflation over next five years

Daily Mail  

The BBC licence fee will increase by less than inflation over the next five years as ministers are concerned over the rising costs of households bills. ‘Nobody wants to punish the BBC but it’s got to be subject to the same efficiency savings as everyone else.’ While another source said the BBC had warned that not raising the licence fee …

BBC licence fee ‘in terminal decline because more will refuse to pay’
3 years, 6 months ago

BBC licence fee ‘in terminal decline because more will refuse to pay’

The Telegraph  

The BBC licence fee is in terminal decline because increasing numbers of people will refuse to pay it, the media minister has said. There are currently 24.8 million licences in force, according to BBC figures, with that figure having stood at 25.8 million two years ago. The second is, in the longer term, the decline in willingness to pay the …

What does the future hold for the BBC?
3 years, 9 months ago

What does the future hold for the BBC?

The Independent  

Next year the BBC celebrates its centenary, a 100-year journey during the course of which it went from a pioneering private company, broadcasting to a tiny but fast-growing audience of households with wondrous wireless receivers, to today’s global cultural powerhouse, reaching across every traditional and internet channel. The last round of talks saw the BBC pushed into accepting the cost …

‘Complacent and unambitious’ BBC has ‘ducked hard choices’ and failed to shore up financial future, MPs warn
3 years, 9 months ago

‘Complacent and unambitious’ BBC has ‘ducked hard choices’ and failed to shore up financial future, MPs warn

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Giving evidence to the PAC in March, new BBC …

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