First they throw them under the bus by scrapping the free licences, and letting the BBC take the blame, and now I've been hearing on the news that they're going to scrap the licence fee totally and replace it with some unspecified alternative form of funding. We all know what means, don't we, Ads or a subscription, so you can kiss goodbye to any content that doesn't bring in tons of money.
Nadine Dorries: BBC licence fee announcement will be the last
The culture secretary says it is time to discuss new ways to fund and sell "great British content".
www.bbc.co.uk
Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries has said the next announcement about the BBC licence fee will be the last - and it was time to discuss new ways to fund and sell "great British content".
She said "the days of the elderly being threatened with prison sentences and bailiffs knocking on doors" were over.
Her comments come as unconfirmed reports say the government is expected to freeze the £159 fee for two years.
A BBC source said there had been similar speculation before.
The licence fee's existence is guaranteed until at least 31 December 2027 by the BBC's royal charter, which sets out the broadcaster's funding and purpose.
The annual fee is then set by the government, which announced in 2016 that it would rise in line with inflation for five years from April 2017.
Money raised from the licence fee pays for BBC shows and services - including TV, radio, the BBC website, podcasts, iPlayer and apps.
Lengthy negotiations have already taken place between BBC bosses and the government over a future funding settlement, with the idea of freezing the licence fee discussed back in October.
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