BBC licence fee should be optional?

The BBC licence fee is essentially an entertainment"Poll tax". Even Gary Lineker thinks that we shouldn't have to pay it.
If they privatised it then people could pay if they want to watch stuff like Eastenders. There should still be some public service broadcasting like the Proms and the news, but this can be paid by taxation.
Tory MP Andrew Bridger is against it too.

BBC raking more in

So too right those who watch TV online have to have a TV Licence soon like the rest of us. BUT, why a tax on entertainment in the 21st Century? Privatise the BBC and abolish the Licence I say. Where does SKY get its money from?

Letter to Simon Heffer Daily Mail.

Hello Mr Heffer,

I have so say that I largely agree with your comments about the BBC, I do like it, but I have to point out that an organisation spending £3.7billion of Taxpayers money, completely on entertainment, not accountable to anyone is a scandal in the 21^st Century.

I suggest that the Government should reform the BBC by privatising it. Save the £3.7billion and spend it on something worthwhile like the NHS.

For people like us, given today’s varied media , the Licence fee is an anachronism without comparison. People should be allowed the free choice to spend their money as they wish on entertainment if that is their choice.

I have mentioned that the BBC are losing sight or their reponsibilities with inappropiate content broadcast before the watershed. Parents should be able to trust the BBC, what does the BBC trust say to that? Again Amanda Platell agrees with me and good old Julie Walters does too.

Many people without earnings choose to spend their income in strange ways, in my opinion. On the one hand the Worlds Fattest man has just died. Where did he get his money to buy all that excessive food that killed him, surely he wasn’t working as was bedridden. We are told people are starving yet these same people will not give up their Sky TV, Broadband, or mobile phones.

Amada Platell reported that a family of four with one wage earner on the Minimum wage gets a total income of £25k! I do not earn that yet my wife and I live on less than that and pay our income tax, NI, Pension, Council Tax and TV Licence. Our Choice. I would love to earn £25k but would need a salary of around £30k before I took that home.

My answer to inflated benefits – TAX IT! It is after all income. We all have our personal tax allowance designed to ensure we can earn a fair amount before paying tax, so why do these people qualify for so much tax free handouts? It just doesn’t makes sense.

Perhaps we should go back to the 1930’s at least then the poor people knew exactly what they needed to do to survive. No handouts for them. They had to make ends meet. It’s about time we ALL understood that in 21^st Century Britain. Labour won’t cure the situation didn’t they get us into it in the first place?

Monty.

Top Gear starts second Falklands War?

Top gear could have made sensational headlines as above - maybe? Well it seems the Argies aren't happy with Jeremy Clarkson and co who were filming a Top Gear "stunt" there.

Were they aware of possible significance of the number plated Porsche? "oh dear, no" they said - "you bet they were " I SAY.

Heavens sake this is Top Gear they like to court controversy - why does JC work for the BBC? He's nearly been sacked a couple of times but they let him off.

Weather the BBC like TG because they can sell it is one thing, as a Taxpayer funded organisation I say "NO WAY". How on earth is the BBC allowed to do these things? If it was a private company fair enough - they take the consequences, but when  you and I are paying for it. In these days of austerity, the Government wants to cut Benefits to make ends meet, how about letting every body be £145 a year better off. Abolish the Licence fee, and Privatise the BBC.

MP John Whittingdale who chairs the Culture and Media committee said that "it was getting harder to sustain the license fee".

Too right when the bloated BBC languishes fat salaries on endless "executives", insane "stars", ridiculous "presenters" (Claudia Winkelman £250,000) and wastes money provoking other countries, do we really expect this on our hard earned money. If even a minute fraction of any of this was done by say your local council (taxpayer funded) or your MP (taxpayer funded) there would out cry "sack them" but this is hte BBC (Taxpayer Funded).

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE?

News Corporation is still feeling the effects of the "Phone Hacking" scandal - what are the sanctions on the BBC - I think its too much part of the establishment - hence why Jimmy Saville got away with it for so long. Maybe there is change in the air?

They sold off the Post Office, if Sky can be profitable then why not the BBC,? It gets over £3 billion pounds a year to make "entertainment"!! how can this be in 2014?

Privatise the BBC - £1000 bounty to catch dodgers

TV on the Taxpayers? Ludicrous in the 21st Century. Why put people in prison for watching TV. When there are all the alternatives to the BBC - all Private and they can make money WHY do we have to pay the Licence fee? Its a TAX on entertainment.

They could save all the money in the courts hounding people and making criminals out of them and in this time of austerity we can't afford a £145 a year tax. I've had no pay-rise for 5 years yet MPs are to get 10% whether they want it or not.

Privatise the BBC and do away with the Licence fee. Public service TV can be paid for out of levy on all of the TV channel providers SKY can afford  bit.

BBC free licence?

More and more people are realising that a) you can watch TV without a TV and b) then you don't need a TV licence.
Too right. its about time it was free for all. Why should the BBC exist paid for out of a house tax? Sky, ITV are commercial. The BBC should be privatised. Why should people in the 21st Century have Entertainment on Benefits? Entertainment is NOT a social service or necessity HMG. £32 billion pounds could be used to help the NHS?
Yes - provide some public service broadcasting but that can be out of general taxations.