[UK] MPs say the BBC licence fee should be cheaper and cover more than just TV

[PhotonBurst17]

The Culture, Media and Sport Committee has published its recommendations for the future of the BBC, and there is plenty in it to argue about. Chaired by Dame Caroline Dinenage, the committee says the cost of the licence fee, currently around £180 a year, should come down. At the same time it wants the levy extended beyond live television so it covers more of the ways people use the BBC now. The report lands ahead of the government finalising the next royal charter, which is due by 2028. That gives the report real weight, even if ministers are free to ignore parts of it

The money problem is easy to see. According to the report, 94 percent of households use BBC services in some form, but only about 80 percent pay for a licence. BBC director Matt Brittin told the committee the corporation has lost somewhere between £1.2 billion and £1.3 billion over the past decade, with around 40 percent of that down to fewer households paying. When people watch YouTube, Netflix and catch-up rather than live channels, the old rules leave a big gap

The committee also wants the charter made permanent instead of being reviewed every ten years. Its argument is that the current cycle creates an avoidable opportunity for political interference, since every renewal turns into a negotiation over the BBC's future. It also recommends removing political appointments to the board and letting the chair be chosen independently. A household levy model was discussed too, although the report admits that would bring practical challenges. Several other European countries already fund public broadcasting that way, so there are models to study. Whether it would survive contact with British voters is another question

Some of the content recommendations are more interesting from a tech and media angle. The MPs want the BBC to stop outbidding commercial rivals for overseas hits like Suits and Schitt's Creek, and to let other public service broadcasters put their shows on iPlayer. They also suggest the BBC should be free to make original content for YouTube, which is where a huge chunk of younger viewers spend their time. Restoring full government funding for the World Service is in there as well

Dinenage warned against managed decline and called for a leaner, more efficient broadcaster, and the BBC has welcomed the funding reform ideas. I know licence fee debates can get heated, so let's keep this about the funding model and the streaming side rather than party politics. Would a cheaper fee that covers iPlayer and online use be fairer than what we have now? And is a BBC making shows for YouTube a smart move or a step too far?

Bbc Should Cut Licence Fee Cost And Expand It Beyond Tv Mps Recommend 13593616news.sky.com