Whilst TV matters to a lot of people (including me :-) it is however *just*
TV.
Yes, a 3% level on subscription TV to support those people who can't afford
it. Seems just and just TV to me.
In most economic systems the few fund the many - the BBC is an exception to
this due to historical reasons, you have the many funding the few. However,
being British, we've somehow managed to come through all of the wrangling
with quite a respectable end product, whatever the naysayers say (cf. a
typically British result from decades of uncertainty can be seen in the
British political system: only ever partially codified but still one of the
most successful political and legal frameworks in the world imho!)
<rant time... look away now if you're not thusly inclined>
However, consumer acceptance of another broadcaster gaining funds via the
"many funding the few" scheme would, I fear, meet with large amounts of
disquiet and "I've never had to pay this before, why should I now?" The
people will roll out their usual arguments, "that's what it's like with the
BBC already" etc etc, but the BBC is a class apart - it's a trusted
broadcaster, a trusted brand and a torchcarrier for the UK all over the
world. You just cannot compare the Beeb with A. N. Other semi-publically
funded PSB. Compare ITV's or C4's output to the BBC's - different leagues,
even with Channel 4's comprehensive web site and digital offerings there's
still leagues of difference between them.
Even if they do benefit from their incumbency, they've not just sat on their
laurels - innovation has always been high and they seem to be willing to
push the curve a little more than others. Because of that cash injection?
Yes, maybe, but as the British Broadcasting Company they are in a different
class from other PSBs - my expectations for my country's national
broadcaster are similarly far higher. I go elsewhere for news fixes,
entertainment etc alongside the BBC, but I always come back to the BBC at
the end of the day. I trust it almost implicitly (although these days my
bullshit-and-spin filter is permanently turned to 'on', thanks for that
Internet)
I guess the crux of what I'm saying is that the BBC, due to the sheer
breadth and volume of content it creates, commissions and outputs, plus all
of the requisite infrastructure and platform support, deserves the bulk of
the money from the licence fee. I'm happy to pay for quality by way of a
licence if I make use of the resulting productions (be they TV, radio,
online etc) - but I fear it's something I just wouldn't get from any other
PSB.
Plus, if any other broadcaster was funded by their own licence fee, I would
expect them to cease advertising. Would they do that? Nah.
