When the economist Sir Alan Peacock was commissioned by Margaret Thatcher to conduct a review of the financing of the BBC in 1984, it was widely assumed the BBC was in for a radical overhaul.
The difference: Where the licence fee is charged to everyone who owns a television, a subscription fee would only be charged to those who wished specifically to watch the BBC. Licence fees are compulsory. Subscription fees are discretionary: If you don’t want to receive the service, you don’t have to pay them.
By the early 1980s, however, this had begun to break down. Cable television had already greatly increased the number of channels available; fibre optics promised to eliminate any remaining limit. And in the United States, a few “pay-TV” services, including a movies-and-sports channel called Home Box Office, had begun operating, using an addressable receiver mounted on top of the TV set.
Now, nearly 40 years afterward, the U.K. may finally be about to apply Sir Alan’s recommendations to the BBC. The licence fee, the government has just announced, is to be frozen for the next two years. Eventually, it looks likely to be scrapped, in favour of – well, no one’s sure, but a subscription fee is the leading contender.
acoyne See GEM - already has a pay version.
acoyne Don’t do it we’re already enough like the British 👎🏻
acoyne The BBC does not run commercials.
acoyne Once you destroy the CBC you will never get it back. We are truly fortunate to have a good quality public broadcaster, as are the British with the fantastic BBC. Be careful what you wish for.
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