There is no magic bullet solution to funding the BBC in the future.
I used to be a staunch defender of the TV licence many years ago but I became increasingly critical of it in the late 1990s as a result of the proliferation of satellite channels. The impending analogue switch off provided a golden opportunity to re-assess the organisation of BBC TV channels and methods of funding the BBC. It technically opened the door to separation of PSB material from popular entertainment that the public was willing to pay a premium for, and the facility to offer subscription channels.
I suspect that there are conflicts of interest across different age groups with older people preferring something similar to the current setup and younger people more open to alternative arrangements.
I myself have always been opposed to advertising on BBC TV and radio, but this view is certainly not shared by everybody. I suspect that many people who go down the advertising avenue underestimate the impact that BBC advertising will have on ITV, C4, C5, and various satellite and cable channels.
I think that more public consultation is required in order to come up with a solution. Many questions need to be asked...
I think that more public consultation is required in order to come up with a solution. Many questions need to be asked...
You think more public consultation is required in order to come up with a solution to something that recent previous consultations indicate most people don't actually think is a problem.
I think over the last week the value of public service broadcasting and the BBC specifically has been proven. The argument will hopefully turn into how we keep the BBC well funded rather than taking it on a seemingly distructive path.
Sadly though the government have been attacking the BBC for reporting their PPE failings (i.e. counting a pair of gloves as two items of PPE) and threatening them rather than realising that just as with the NHS the BBC have really shown their public service value in recent weeks and should be getting support for its coverage, not attacked for it.
A lot of them have been progressively closed over the last few years. There's an interesting piece here from Radio Norfolk's former Great Yarmouth studio.
Seems that one of its principle uses in recent years was when somebody needed to access archive material on tape as it seems the new Norfolk studios weren't provided with tape facilities!
Judging by the labels on the mixer referring to a back up radio car receiver that could be routed through the studio, I wonder if a few of these facilities may have had a stay of execution in previous cost cutting rounds because they share facilities with the now redundant radio car receivers?
