BBC may lose chunk of licence fee
Commercial channels may get cash to provide more regional programming
UK MEDIA regulator, Ofcom, reckons that a share of revenue from the TV licence should go to commercial broadcasters rather than just to the BBC.
The plan would help the BBC's competitors to be able to afford public service programming such as news and children's shows.
Ofcom's review of public broadcasting says that ITV, Channel 4 and Five were struggling to finance their public service programming and that spending on these areas is down 25 per cent over the last five years.
The regulator warned that, should the BBC become the sole provider of regional news and children's shows, it would be detrimental to UK broadcasting.
Anticipating the Beeb's cries of anguish, Ofcom also pointed out that if the extra cash came from the £3.2 billion raised by the licence fee annually, it could damage the BBC.
Ofcom chief executive Ed Richards said:
"Public service broadcasting is at a crossroads. Viewers still want a mix of high quality UK-made content, but the traditional television model is not enough to meet all their needs."
"Today's proposals outline options for a securely-funded public service broadcasting future. Now is the time for a wide-ranging debate looking carefully and dispassionately at all the options." µ
L'Inq
Ofcom
statement
Comments
Digital switch-over funding
Ofcom said the proportion of the license fee paid to the BBC for the digital switch-over could be used for public service broadcasting by other channels, once the change-over is complete, leaving the BBC funding unchanged.Oh great...
Just what we need. More regional programs.I live in Essex, so currently get the Joy of having a choice... BBC London news, which doesn't get outside the M25, and BBC East which I usually refer to as "Norfolk today".
The only time you'll hear them talk about Essex is when there's a major murder, fire or multiple car accident. There is more to Essex than that! Honest!
Their myopia was proved a few years ago when they had a news article celebrating Thermos coming to Norfolk to manufacture their flasks, and completely missing the point that they'd moved from an Essex factory they closed down and made people redundant from.
|Doh?!?!?!?!?!?
So another quango ( which has already cost taxpayers millions) is telling us we will be paying more for what we already have and expect us to applaud?Remarkedly similar to EU boffins forcing sky to cede footie to another PPV channel and then telling us competition is good for consumers!
Um
It's ridiculous that they're even considering this, except in the justified case for Channel Four.The other broadcasters are commercial companies; they bid for a franchise which required them to fund public service programming as a condition of the franchise.
That it no longer suits their business model to do so should not be down to the licence payer, nor should it be detrimental to funding of the BBC.
If the businesses don't want to fund public service broadcasting anymore, withdraw their franchises. Isn't that what you'd normally look to do with any client that no longer wished to fulfil the terms of their contract?
License fee
If the commercial operators get a share of the license fee, will that mean they'll be obliged to drop adverts?Probably not, more likely the BBC will get permission to show adverts to make up the shortfall.
Yay.
WTF!?
For <insert Diety of choice here>'s sake!The other companies make millions (and profits) from advertising. BBC does not.
Let a Jury decide which needs the money...