00:00Many people have stopped paying the TV licence as viewing moves away from traditional channels
00:06and the BBC says that it's adding pressure to its budget.
00:10Ministers are now considering how the corporation could be funded in the future.
00:14One option reported to be under discussion is whether streaming-only households
00:19could be bought into the licence fee system.
00:22That would affect people who watch services such as Netflix or Amazon Prime,
00:27even if they do not watch BBC television or use iPlayer.
00:32Let's take it from the basics.
00:34The BBC is seen as a national institution.
00:37We love it and we cherish it.
00:39Maybe most of us do, perhaps, but some don't, I accept.
00:43Because, of course, it's seen as objective, impartial.
00:46Again, I know there's criticisms that it's too this, it's too that.
00:50Of course, any sort of institution that gets criticised by both the left and the right
00:54is probably doing something right.
00:55So it's in a difficult position.
00:57Under current rules, you need a licence to watch television,
01:00whether that's through a TV set, website or streaming app.
01:03You also need one to use the iPlayer.
01:06But households do not need a licence if they only watch on-demand programmes on other services.
01:12That difference is now part of the funding argument,
01:15as more viewers move away from traditional channels,
01:18while the BBC continues to provide national, regional and local services.
01:23But, of course, there's no doubt about it that the fact that it's a huge corporation,
01:27employs many thousands of people.
01:29It really is sort of feeling the pressure of not having enough finance to do what it does.
01:34There is cost-cutting going on.
01:35And, of course, it's its main source of revenue, apart from sort of selling programmes overseas,
01:40is the licence fee in this country.
01:42But, of course, the licence fee is to sort of to avail of the services of the BBC.
01:47Of course, that's TV, of course, primarily, but also the radio,
01:50which, of course, is what the BBC originally started off as, radio service only.
01:54So, the difficulty that I think a lot of people will have with this,
01:58and I'm putting it pretty mildly,
01:59is that you're expected to pay a licence for something you may never use.
02:03Now, personally speaking, you know, I watch the BBC, I pay my licence,
02:07so you're not going to catch me out on that one.
02:10But insofar as that if many people, and I know lots of young people,
02:14including my own sort of children, you know, they don't watch TV in the same sort of way.
02:18They sort of, they use the streaming services in whichever way that they do,
02:22and they pay accordingly.
02:25So, in the sense that I think a lot of people would have big problems,
02:28even, I think, the sort of use of the BBC,
02:30that they're being forced to pay for something that they don't avail of.
02:35So, it's really, really difficult.
02:37You know, I suspect that this is kite flying to a certain extent,
02:40and surely in the technological age in which we live,
02:43it must be possible to sort of to use a sort of electronic form of surveillance,
02:48which, of course, knows that you've paid your fee.
02:50So, you can only sort of access the services if you've got the sort of the valid licence.
02:58Supporters of the wider licence fee say the BBC needs a more secure funding base
03:03if it's to maintain universal services, including news, education,
03:08children's content and regional programming.
03:11Critics say charging people who do not watch BBC television or iPlayer would be unfair,
03:16especially when many households also pay for several private subscriptions.
03:22Other options, such as a BBC subscription or advertising,
03:27also raise concerns about access, independence and pressure on other commercial broadcasters
03:33that rely on advertising income.
03:35People don't want to see their money being paid, the superstars,
03:38who may then sort of commit all sorts of sort of calumny and sinfulness and whatever else it may be.
03:44But nonetheless, it's a difficult one.
03:47There's a debate to be had, although, of course, that's ongoing.
03:51I mean, what is the choice?
03:52That sort of the BBC becomes privatised and, of course, it lives on its wits like everyone else.
03:56Yeah, maybe it will then be able to sort of to bring in the sort of the income streams,
04:01similar to sort of the big streaming sort of organisation.
04:04But, hey, it's a sort of crowded marketplace these days.
04:07And I think that there's still that sort of big issue.
04:10Do we want a sort of a national sort of broadcasting service which operates in our interest?
04:14And, of course, it is a sort of a form, if you like, of soft power.
04:17Our programmes go out across the world.
04:19And, indeed, you know, dare I say we had the 100th anniversary of David Attenborough.
04:22And I think David Attenborough exemplifies the best of what the BBC is about,
04:27which, of course, is information, public broadcasting for sort of the good of us all.
04:33And, you know, increasing our sort of sum of knowledge and, indeed, having influence across the world
04:37in ways which, of course, our politicians probably can do momentarily.
04:42But, of course, they come, they go.
04:44The BBC has been there for sort of, you know, for so long.
04:46It's a national institution and perhaps we should cherish it.
04:49But, of course, we won't be cherishing it if it runs out of money.
04:52But at present, no change has been confirmed
04:55and any reform would need to be set out by ministers before it could affect viewers.
05:00The next key step is the government's white paper on the BBC's future for households across the country.
05:06The outcome could decide not only who pays
05:08but how public service broadcasting is funded and accessed in the years ahead.
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