WTF Thread of the day: Ofcom say BBC licence should be shared with rivals

[PAH]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7339381.stm

Rivals 'should share licence fee'

Some of the BBC's licence fee should go to commercial broadcasters, the media watchdog Ofcom has suggested.

The redistribution proposal would help the BBC's rivals to support public service programming, including news.

Ofcom's review of public broadcasting makes other suggestions, including more direct funding from the government and a levy on commercial broadcasters.

The body says ITV, Channel 4 and Five have been struggling to finance their public service programming.

There has been a 25% drop in spending in these areas over the last five years, it adds.

Detrimental

Ofcom warns there is a danger of the BBC becoming the sole provider of regional news programmes and children's shows in particular.

This, it says, would be detrimental to broadcasting as a whole.

One way it suggests to safeguard competition is to give Channel 4 a bigger role or let commercial broadcasters bid for funding.

Ofcom concludes that if this money comes from the existing licence fee, which generates £3.2bn per year, it could be damaging to the BBC.

I find the last sentence puzzling. Either they admit they're talking crap, or they expect the sharing to come from an additional fee. Who are these monkeys.

[DiscoStu]

I'd much rather just have adverts and pay nothing. Sky+ means you don't even have to watch them...

[PAH]

I'd much rather just have adverts and pay nothing. Sky+ means you don't even have to watch them...

Me too, or at least the ability to opt out of receiving these channels. You can probably watch all the interesting stuff (if there is any on the BBC these days) on their free iPlayer!

[lilelvis2000]

Is there anything worthwhile to watch on ITV at all these days? I would not mind adverts during the daytime TV on BBC - truely dreadful stuff which I never watch anyway.

[Lucy]

The BBC needs to have a clear charter and stop paying gobtulipes like Jonathon Woss and Graham Nobrain loads of dosh to do something the commercial channels would do anyway. They need to stop bidding for major sporting events and be a public service broadcaster.

[oracleslave]

They need to stop bidding for major sporting events and be a public service broadcaster.

I thought broadcasting major sporting events was a public service?

PS Have sky hd so don't care what you plebs watch

[miffy]

The BBC needs to have a clear charter and stop paying gobtulipes like Jonathon Woss and Graham Nobrain loads of dosh to do something the commercial channels would do anyway. They need to stop bidding for major sporting events and be a public service broadcaster.

Absolutely spot on

I just hate the whole idea of the TV license. It's prehistoric for gods sake.

Still if you're blind you get 50% off. WTF? You should get 95% off.

[snaw]

The BBC needs to have a clear charter and stop paying gobtulipes like Jonathon Woss and Graham Nobrain loads of dosh to do something the commercial channels would do anyway. They need to stop bidding for major sporting events and be a public service broadcaster.

Agree up to the sporting events bit - for my money that's part of it's job as a public broadcaster. Or alternatively some, major, events should be required to be available on free to air.

Personally I like the BBC and have no real issue paying the fee. When you see the absolutely dire offerings on show in other countries and what happens when it's all up for grabs you start to appreciate it more.

[VectraMan]

I thought broadcasting major sporting events was a public service?

I've always thought there needs to be a clear division of what counts as public service broadcasting (i.e. news, education, children's TV) which can come from a licence fee (though not exclusively to the BBC as is being suggested), but Top Gear, Eastenders, Jonathan Woss, £40m for formula one, yet another boring costume drama etc., really shouldn't be funded by the tax payer.

[oracleslave]

Top Gear, Eastenders, Jonathan Woss, £40m for formula one, yet another boring costume drama etc., really shouldn't be funded by the tax payer.

Agreed. None of those are major sporting events.