Former BBC One controller Michael Grade has branded the £180 television licence fee as 'ridiculous' and is urging for a reduction in the cost. The veteran television executive argues that the current annual fee for a standard colour licence is unjust.
Grade's Criticism of the Licence Fee
Speaking to the Radio Times, Grade stated: 'Either the BBC has a secure and adequate income, or it does not exist. But it also depends on public support, which it is in danger of losing. So, the licence fee must come down.' He elaborated on the unfairness, saying: 'The core function of the BBC is to take the public's money and turn it into wonderful British programmes made for British audiences, but at the moment, the licence fee is not fair. It is ridiculous that I pay the same as a single mum with three kids in a rented room somewhere in the UK. It is not right. I am happy to pay more, so that person can pay less.'
Ten Measures to Safeguard the BBC
Grade, who previously served as Chairman of the BBC Board of Governors, has outlined ten measures to protect the broadcaster's future. These include rejecting advertising and subscription models, reducing fixed costs rather than cutting programmes, and establishing a global World Service TV channel.
Call for Accountability
He further urged the BBC to acknowledge its errors, telling the Radio Times: 'The BBC has successively failed to handle journalistic cock-ups in a satisfactory way. That is why they have lost trust. Panorama's misleading edit of Trump only came to light because of outside exposure; the BBC did not expose the mistakes themselves. That is unforgivable. The BBC thinks owning up to mistakes is a sign of weakness, but I regard it as a sign of strength. They should start doing it.'
Grade's View on YouTube
Grade maintains that the BBC has little reason to be concerned about YouTube, arguing that 'it is simply a distribution platform – not a competitor in terms of creating content.'
