Rattus is delighted to pay the BBC license fee of £180 per household. He watches a little television, listens to the radio and values the BBC as an impartial source of news.
The BBC is struggling to collect this fee and despite hassling elderly people who never watch any BBC programs and don’t need to pay, it is getting harder and harder to collect the fee. They need a warrant to enter your house. The over 75s should get it free anyway.
We need another model and if Donald Trump manages to sue the BBC for £1 billion for unwise editing on a program about the Capitol riots we will need it fast.
One of the worst things about television is the adverts. A BBC service based on adverts would be a disaster. We are bombarded by these all the time.
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It is difficult to see a subscription service like Netflix or Sky working unless you turn off all the transmitters. Of course lots of people watch via the internet anyway but there must be another way of funding it.
The massive problem which affects all media is plagiarism. This morning’s scoop is on Google news before breakfast. Even a pay wall doesn’t really stop that.
If we lost the independent BBC, committed to accurate public news and information, then fake news would prevail and democracy would be damaged. The BBC is the core of our soft power all round the world and not just because so many people speak English. They also make great programs: Attenborough on wildlife, Question Time etc etc.
Paying the BBC out of the public purse might work but government might want to control the content if it controls the cash. It needs an endowment fund to be really independent. A bit like the Monarchy being partly funded by the Crown Estate. That might actually be popular amongst the very very wealthy. Some of them will really value a truly independent BBC. The BBC is certainly a cause that commands widespread support.
Rattus rattus
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