NEWS: BBC licence fee to be scrapped in 2027

This is a shame for those of us who still rate their output, it’s not perfect but it still has its merits.
The younger generation however, don’t really sit down and watch tv in the same way. They download everything so I’m not surprised this is happening.
 
They should've mandated smart cards on all Freeview devices when it launched (TopUpTV, remember that?, tried and failed) and then they could scramble BBC channels without subscription and allow people to view the commercial channels with any aerial.

Of course with Freeview likely moving to a streaming based platform (maybe via 5G in TVs - there are chipsets from Mediatek etc with this possible appearing in the industry), it will be easier and we'll probably lose TV via aerial in the not too distant future.

BBC needs to be streamlined. Back to two channels, fewer repeats, not so many radio stations. Repeats and archive served via streaming-only BBC Classics online channel or something.
 
I can see the post licence fee world where BBC News, Local Radio and Children's output are funded by a "broadband levy" and everything else is behind a paywall including all the archive on iPlayer/Britbox.
Starting a debate about what happens in 2027 seems fair.

The freezing licence fee for 2 years "announcement" is a sneaky tactic though.
The government insists the negotiations are secret and behind closed doors so the BBC can't comment.
Then when the PM gets in trouble with his party supporters out pops a minister with some "good news" to distract them.

Or is that me being cynical?
Probably both, true and cynical.
 
Generally I support this, for me personally Netflix or Disney+ are currently better value. As a license payer I don't like how the BBC have introduced deliberate barricades for radio streaming and IPlayer either.

Will be interesting to see if the general electorate consider this good news.
 
I quite like the BBC In general. I think they produce some really good output and you know they are doing their job right when the right wing think they are lefty and the left wing thinks they are right wing. This feels like Murdoch finally getting his way.

I am not sure we would have the strong UK TV/Film industry if it were not for the BBC.
 
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I agree with something I saw from I think Brian Moore (ex-England rugby player) - this shouldn't be a decision for Government (especially one that is clearly covering it's shameless backside) it should be for the licence fee payer.
 
I'm another fan of the Beeb, they put out some superb content. The Wildlife documentaries are usually top class. It had 5 out of 10 of the most watched programmes of 2021 so a lot of people must still like it.

Shame if if goes down this route as it will be the end of the Beeb as we know it. It may actually turn into a commercial channel with adverts.

The timing is hilarious though, did Boris think this would take all the attention away from him? :D
 
Deeply shameful for the government for doing this. Nadine Dorries didn't even know how Channel 4 was funded until a couple of weeks ago and yet she thinks this is wise? Cultural vandalism of the highest order.

Hopefully if Netflix and Amazon start paying more tax, that could partly cover the costs.
 
Good, they should start from next year if possible!

BBC has become a waster of our fee and produce shows that have been approved by the likes of Jerome Corbin:D.
 
Good, they should start from next year if possible!

BBC has become a waster of our fee and produce shows that have been approved by the likes of Jerome Corbin:D.
Just because you don't like some of their content, you shouldn't write off the phenomenal service they provide across TV, radio and their website.

The fact that the BBC is being attacked by the likes of the Daily Mail as well as Corbynistas tell you they are doing something right.
 
It does get a bit lost that the BBC produces a wide range of content and of course not all of it will appeal to everyone.

The one thing they do need to look at is the wages they pay though - some of the really top earners, would it actually be a loss if they were poached by other broadcasters?!
 
People want to focus on the small amount of BBC news/political coverage. But remember all the other things it does: during lockdown CBBC was a lifesaver for helping with my two young kids with school activities, and multiple other BBC services (radio, webpages - even BBC recipes which the government tried to block a few years ago) would be the envy of many broadcasters/countries.

If the BBC gets cut or broken up in this way then it'll be almost impossible to put back together again. And the UK will have lost one of the few things that it is genuinely world-leading in, globally admired accurate broadcasting.
 
This is a cynical move by a desperate government and PM, trying to cling on to his job.

It's hard not to comment and not make it sound political but, that is exactly what it is.

And anyone applauding this decision that currently enjoys the benefits of the BBC, do you really think they're going to make it cheaper by way of subscription?! Absolutely not.
 
We should have a choice, not pushed down our throat, esp in this day and age where many people watch less TV and more online content that we like. I found that I watch far less TV, where I find the contents are not to my taste and switch to Youtube far more and watch shows/movies on streaming platforms.

Would have liked if the BBC showed far more content on its UHD Iplayer but after five years, we only get very few!
 
Good! Can’t come quick enough IMO.
 
Why? With the variety of content they put out, how can everything they do possibly be bad enough for you want this to happen?

It could just be a tactic and things will change by the time the deadline arrives, who knows.
 
BBC... Netflix style
Package 1 news. Drama....... £££
package 2 Sports........££££££££££££
and so on and so on.The BBC will make more money than ever and
we will only get what we pay for and they might also start putting on
ads
 
Sounds great. The BBC was once the pinnacle of broadcasting but it has become a lumbering dinosaur that is out of step in the 21st century. Yes it produces some excellent documentaries and wildlife programmes but these alone are not value for money imo to justify the licence fee. They made the mistake of trying to be a jack of all trades with their expansion over the past 3 decades into all forms of broadcasting and digital content. Those that want the BBC should pay for it via subs or pay per view. Those that don't shouldn't have to pay simply because they have a TV or the means to watch live broadcast TV.
 
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BBC content output is excellent, no denying that. But I have never liked the licence fee scheme approach. Even if you don't listen to any of their radio stations or niche content you still pay one price. But it's hard to police radio stations broadcast live to everyone. Need an unbiased audit of the entire organisation, will need to be a bit cut throat to weed out the trash.
 

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