tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9172766774137902766.post1427111036907627108..comments2023-12-23T09:28:20.869+00:00Comments on The View from Cullingworth: Is it time to scrap the licence fee?Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9172766774137902766.post-75333428148817813262014-07-07T19:06:47.564+01:002014-07-07T19:06:47.564+01:00I had vaguely thought that, in bygone days, its pu...I had vaguely thought that, in bygone days, its purpose was to make sure content that was worthwhile but destined not to make a profit would reach people who couldn't afford to subscribe. It was deemed a more effective way of financing such things.<br /><br />You can see the point such a thing is trying to make, that culture and that shouldn't be the preserve of people who can afford to pay more. Yet against this is the counter-argument that the government isn't the best judge anyway, especially since the cultural establishment is London-based and funds its own mates, with the provinces allowed to lag behind.<br /><br />Who's to say? But I want neither advertising of the kind I have to endure whilst watching the Tour de France, nor forking out dozens of individual subscriptions, especially for channels I might only watch once for a specific programme.<br /><br />And one thing I certainly support is the World Service. (Which I gather is funded out of general taxation, not the license fee). Because it has inspired dissidents through the ages whose state media really are biased in a way that the BBC simply isn't. Set it against Russia Today or Press TV (home to your old mate Galloway) and you'll see what impartiality is then).asquithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14246701347539264295noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9172766774137902766.post-22729932625371445272014-07-07T03:12:23.612+01:002014-07-07T03:12:23.612+01:00Unfortunately for the BBC and the government, the ...Unfortunately for the BBC and the government, the people are voting with their feet? The youngsters 18 to 30 are all into netflix, project free tv , et al. All free from their WIFI phones and tablets.<br /><br />They have decided that the BBC and the fee, is something they have no wish to pay, and they refuse to do so.<br /><br />If the government want a hard fight, and trust me one it cannot win! then they will try to legislate, to lie, to try and coerce people into paying the Fee.<br /><br />It will all be for nought, the youth have decided, and they will not be denied!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9172766774137902766.post-31895371648796109762014-07-06T21:49:40.994+01:002014-07-06T21:49:40.994+01:00Even if you want to keep a state-funded broadcaste...Even if you want to keep a state-funded broadcaster, the licence fee is a very inefficient way of collecting the money. Just paying for the BBC directly from the Treasury would save all the expense of collection,which I understand is the same as the cost of R3 and R4 combined.<br /><br />By abolishing the licence you would also lose all of the laws associated with non-payment, and (apparently) remove about 10% of the workload from Magistrates.<br /><br />Similar thinking should also have been applied when the Chancellor decided to change Road Tax. Instead of wasting a load of money on a new tax-disc-less computer system, he could have simply abolished Road Tax and put a couple of pence on a litre of fuel. The average motorist would pay the same for a years driving, and more laws could be abolished.Mick Andersonnoreply@blogger.com