Quote:
Originally Posted by passingbat
I think that scraping licence fee or an alternate way of public funding is very short sighted, and would lead to an American style TV system. Quality Drama and the broad spectrum of minority interest viewing that the BBC produces would only be available via a pay TV, not to mention the educational output the BBC produces.
Considering the vast services that the BBC produces; TV, Radio, news, web services etc. I think it's a bargain at around £12/month. And I do understand, that for some people, that is difficult to afford. But the alternative would be more expensive.
It's public service broadcasting. And, with all public service provisions, not everyone benefits from a specific service. But for the country as a whole, it's a good and necessary service.
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Depending on what side of the bed I full out of each day, I agree with you fully.... and disagree fully.
The BBC does produce a vast amount for that £12 and that model could not be replicated through private means. But a bit like "buy one, get one free" deals in supermarkets, its only a bargain if you use everything you buy. So if you watch the BBC all the time, listen to their radio, use the website, it is a massive bargain, if you use those services...
I was a massive advocate for the BBC and ITV, CH4 and public service broadcasting in general. Then Rupert Murdoch came along...and it all changed.
The quality of programming on the main channels dropped immensely as viewers turned to the multitude of channels on offer and the likes of ITV could not get the kinds of revenue through advertising that they once commanded.
But of course the BBC is NOT funded through advertising, so regardless of Murdoch, satellite, cable, streaming etc. The BBC's revenue is protected.
The original argument that used to be made for maintaining a public service model was that original British content would still be produced. But did the BBC make Game of Thrones, the world's most popular tv show which uses mostly British actors and staff? No. Did the BBC make THe Crown? No.
I think the public service argument has now turned to dust and so should the licence fee, but I agree we would end up with American style tv. Except, that we already did, it happened about 20+ years ago.
---------- Post added at 19:41 ---------- Previous post was at 19:37 ----------
Quote:
Originally Posted by Raider999
BBC is PayTV - as you say costs around £12 pm.
The difference is you can choose to subscribe to sky, BT, virgin etc whilst legally there is no choice but to pay license fee or not watch tv at all.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Raider999
Costs me nothing - entirely your choice if you watch ads or not and entirely your choice if you buy things you see in ads.
My point was lack of personal choice re funding of BBC - it ought to stand on it's own 2 feet even if that means having ads the same as ITV.
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Exactly.
The same arguments are still raging about all the "arts" especially here in London. Ballet, opera etc, isn't it all wonderful? Wouldn't life be terrible without it....?
Well, for those that like that stuff, fair enough. But then they should pay for for it, the full cost of it, not be funded by government handouts.
The real biggie coming and its nothing to do with TV, but exactly the same theme is with the NHS. In effect, do the healthy keep subsiding the unhealthy, even when the unhealthy make no effort to change to make themselves healthy?
Just wait for the fireworks to start on that...