On Sunday night, the BBC rebooted an advert based on one it first aired 40 years ago. In the new version, presenter Romesh Ranganathan pretends he is a disgruntled licence fee payer, asking: “What has the BBC ever done for me?” Some of the national broadcaster’s biggest stars then make the case for its existence and ask the public to keep funding it.
Director General's Warning
The ad aired not long after BBC’s new director general, Matt Brittin, said the organisation was in “real jeopardy” due to a faster-than-predicted decline in licence fee payments. This has raised questions about what alternative funding models exist.
Exploring Options
Nosheen Iqbal speaks to Guardian writer and broadcaster Mark Lawson about how the BBC got to this point, and what options it has to keep going in an increasingly competitive market.
