Reports today that Boris is at odds with Cummings as apparently he is not as keen as Dominic in crushing the BBC.

This smacks to me of good cop bad cop. I think this is all leading up the the decriminalisation of non payment of the licence fee which will inevitably lead to a fall in revenue for the BBC so they will have to make cuts.

If the BBC has any common sense they will accept this, if they continue down their path of splurging the taxpayers money and perceived bias then they will end up losing the licence fee. They shopuld also swallow the over 75's costs this has not started yet and if pensioners have one thing that is time on their hands.

I suspect you will see a very polite but vociferous non co operation campaign starting this summer with people like Helen Mirren refusing to pay.

Edited by Badger11 (18 Feb 2020 9.51am)

One more point

They will still be spewing out propaganda, just less of it.

Always been a defender of the BBC based on an admiration for its wider historical ethos rather than its modern output but realised of late how wrong I am now.

I still believe the license fee represents good value for money but simply cannot defend the compulsory nature of it anymore.

Brexit broke me when it came to the BBC because its Remain bias was so obvious that it simply destroyed its impartiality.

Now I accept that in many many ways it was institutionally a remain organisation but also believe that state of affairs arose due to its funding method which appears to have created a sense of entitlement amongst a social liberal metropolitan-based segment of our society. And given the societal changes in British society, that can no longer be justified.

I can fully buy into the notion that the BBC existed to promote the Rethian values of 'Information, education, and entertainment' and that there was a genuine paternal sense of wanting to bring a wider appreciation of a variety of cultural and societal issues to the British viewing public.

But now the people in charge of that despise the majority of people who are compelled to fund them.

The BBC was a genuine force for good in the 20th century. But I struggle to believe it is fit for purpose in the 21st.

"The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command." - 1984 - George Orwell.

Leaving aside the bias issue for a moment what happened to the education remit of the BBC? There appears to be very little of it these days.

Growing up we had the open university, language programmes, adult literacy starring Bob Hoskins and any number of in depth documentaries on heavyweight topics.

When digital TV arrived the BBC should have created a 24hour education channel "BBC ED" to cover all of the above and more. The rating may not have been high but at least the taxpayer would know that the money was being spent on something worthwhile. I don't need a tax to watch reality TV shows there is always ITV for that. Yet another example of the BBC dropping the ball.

Back to bias I first really noticed it after 911 when they had that shameful anti American Question Time when guests and the "randomly chosen public" queued up to insult the American ambassador. If they were impartial how come the audience did not reflect the feeling in the country which was one of sorry and sympathy for our cousins. Having worked in the twin towers and lost colleagues that did not sit well with me and I guess my dislike started from there.

It's still not too late to save the Beeb I will never change my opinion but I suspect the majority do not feel as strong as I do. They need to drop many of their ad hoc services and focus on BBC1 and BBC2 and bring back some education. If they are seen as providing a service then the licence fee issue may go away for some.

One more point

My suspicion is that it's not the BBC that has changed from the days that you admired it. It is you who, as you got older, has changed and hardened your views. That alongside the vastly more diverse and competitive broadcasting and news environment is what is different.

I tend to agree that the BBC has over extended it's reach and needs to concentrate on it's core mission but not that it shows bias. I believe that bias, just like beauty, is all in the mind of the beholder.

However, if people are really concerned then let's have a truly independent enquiry into the accusation. One where both sides of the debate are represented and accept the adjudication as being objective.

I am not concerned about what such and enquiry would reveal and I doubt whether the BBC would be either. If improvements are needed then sobeit.

It would help restore confidence and put this debate back where it belongs. In the minds of the beholders.

For the avoidance of doubt any comments in response to a previous post are directed to its ideas and not at any, or all, posters personally.

It has nothing at all to do with "services". This has zilch to do with you being entertained.

It has everything to do with ensuring that our primary national broadcaster is able to provide information, news and comment free of government or commercial interference.

Paying for it via taxation means the government is writing the budget and ultimately overseeing the content.

Whilst no-one likes paying for things they don't intend to use making sure we all pay something for the BBC's independence is the best of all the alternative options. As several enquiries have concluded in the past.

For the avoidance of doubt any comments in response to a previous post are directed to its ideas and not at any, or all, posters personally.