In defence of the licence fee as a principle

It has been proposed that the licence fee, which not only covers the BBC but also ITV and Channel Four, could be abolished in just 7 years' time. Even though this would make it easier to access terrestrial channels at first, the consequences for public media which can be held to account will be disastrous.

 The licence fee was invented for a very good reason-to ensure that public television and radio in Britain could be supported by those who wanted to enjoy it but without unfairly taxing those who could not afford a television and radio or, in this digital age of ours, consider both unnecessary when a laptop can function as both a television and a radio, and simultaneously. It also ensures that private television companies such as Sky and Netflix do not have an excessively unfair commercial advantage in the media market, meaning it can ensure there is at least a little balance in media coverage, especially given the dominance of just five billionaires across much of the steadily declining, but still significant,UK newspaper market. The Conservatives' determination to scrap the licence fee is clearly an attack on press freedom and democracy, and therefore the licence fee must be defended. A better media balance is what is needed for media reform, not the scrapping of the licence fee.

 Therefore, the licence fee should not be scrapped but it should be kept so that public terrestrial television and radio is able to compete more competitively with Netflix and Sky; reduction in excessive pay at the top executive level will also allow a reduction in the licence fee meaning it can be a more equitable service for everyone.

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