The BBC and Channel 4 - time for a change or playing to the populist agenda

[malumbu]

I expect that the announcement on freezing of the license fee and the possible changes to the funding model are playing to the populist agenda and that middle England sees the BBC, and probably even more C4, as infiltrated by lefty metropolitan types.

With the strap line about hard working families, those on pensions and the like not being able to afford the fee then (a) means test the fee (b) help the same families out who are even harder hit by the massive rise in energy costs.

I expect few would notice/mind the increase and personally I am more bothered about hikes in postage costs, particularly overseas.

There is of course an argument on what the BBC and C4 are there for in terms of public broadcasting and how and whether they should be able to make serious money as a global brand.

For example bidding for hyper-expensive sports

Relying on costume and other dramas (hardly have time to catch up at the moment.

Fly on the wall, reality programmes on BBC 3, low end comedies and more, confusing Dr Who plots and more bally cooking and gardening programmes

And what is the need for C4, which I hardly watch any more.

Me? I'd not have a revolution or slash the budgets. I feel/expect that it is the best TV brand in the world and should continue that way

Here's a petition. https://www.megaphone.org.uk/petitions/protect-the-bbc-morethanalicence

[diable rouge]

A reminder that a Tory Gov stopped free TV Licences for the over-75s.

It's a strange way for a party to behave that professes it wants to promote a 'Global Britain', as the BBC is probably only second to the Queen when it comes to UK branding and image identity with the rest of the world.

But hey, that's populism for you, let's burn down another institution because we don't like being scrutinised and held to account. Look to Orban's Hungary to see where they want this to go...

ETA Typo

[diable rouge]

...

[j.a.]

To be fair, there?s a debate to be had about the future of the BBC as the under-20?s are growing up with the subscription model as standard (Netflix, Prime, Disney+ and so on) and may well wonder why the BBC doesn?t just do the same. Technology is driving this change, as it often does, and it may be that the BBC should think about it.

At the same time this government cannot be trusted to manage this debate, as their aim is clearly to hobble the national broadcaster. DB?s comparison to Hungary is a valid one.