BBC licence fee to be abolished in 2027 and funding frozen

[natashajacobs]

I suspect there will be multiple different funding methods for the various different stations, both TV and Radio. 

BBC's 1, 2, 3 & 4 will all have "corporate underwriters" aka sponsors for their programmes.  Daytime BBC1 & BBC2, along with BBC3 may also have limited commercials. somewhere in the range of 4-6 minutes an hour.

BBC News and CBBC will probably just have limited advertising, again no more than 6 minutes an hour.  CBeebies is the weird one there, with maybe corporate underwriting and less advertising. 

BBC national radio will probably be mostly sponsors and advertising, although Radios 3 & 4 may not have advertising and just "corporate underwriters"  BBC Local Radio will have to focus on local sponsorship & advertising from local businesses, and won't be allowed to take national sponsors or adverts.  The National Regions, will probably end up with similar restrictions to BBC Local Radio.

I'm sorry but this sounds horrible

Also think it’s so unlikely that BBC News will ever have adverts… fantasy land

[all new Phil]

I suspect there will be multiple different funding methods for the various different stations, both TV and Radio. 

BBC's 1, 2, 3 & 4 will all have "corporate underwriters" aka sponsors for their programmes.  Daytime BBC1 & BBC2, along with BBC3 may also have limited commercials. somewhere in the range of 4-6 minutes an hour.

BBC News and CBBC will probably just have limited advertising, again no more than 6 minutes an hour.  CBeebies is the weird one there, with maybe corporate underwriting and less advertising. 

BBC national radio will probably be mostly sponsors and advertising, although Radios 3 & 4 may not have advertising and just "corporate underwriters"  BBC Local Radio will have to focus on local sponsorship & advertising from local businesses, and won't be allowed to take national sponsors or adverts.  The National Regions, will probably end up with similar restrictions to BBC Local Radio.

I'm sorry but this sounds horrible

Also think it’s so unlikely that BBC News will ever have adverts… fantasy land

I think it’s much more unlikely that the status quo will remain…

[cityprod]

I suspect there will be multiple different funding methods for the various different stations, both TV and Radio. 

BBC's 1, 2, 3 & 4 will all have "corporate underwriters" aka sponsors for their programmes.  Daytime BBC1 & BBC2, along with BBC3 may also have limited commercials. somewhere in the range of 4-6 minutes an hour.

BBC News and CBBC will probably just have limited advertising, again no more than 6 minutes an hour.  CBeebies is the weird one there, with maybe corporate underwriting and less advertising. 

BBC national radio will probably be mostly sponsors and advertising, although Radios 3 & 4 may not have advertising and just "corporate underwriters"  BBC Local Radio will have to focus on local sponsorship & advertising from local businesses, and won't be allowed to take national sponsors or adverts.  The National Regions, will probably end up with similar restrictions to BBC Local Radio.

I'm sorry but this sounds horrible

Also think it’s so unlikely that BBC News will ever have adverts… fantasy land

First of all, Thomalex is not wrong.  It does sound horrible, but my expectation is that that is exactly the sort of thing that will happen.  It will be carved up like this in a very piecemeal way, and honestly I don't want that to happen.  But that is what I'm expecting.

Second, BBC World News has adverts.  Why on earth do you think that BBC News Channel will not?  Granted, it will be limited to 2 breaks an hour and no more than 6 minutes of advertising, but it is fully my expectation that we will get advertising on BBC News.  We already have it on Sky News. GB News, Talk TV and other news channels, so why not BBC News Channel?

[telebox2001]

To be fair I can't see why it wouldn't happen, especially if News and World become even more interlinked.

[BBCMeridian]

Depending on the show and the time, France Télévisions use a mix of ad scheduling between shows and in a couple of cases, especially during quiz shows scheduled in daytime, they have a commercial break.  However they're banned from scheduling commercial breaks during shows after 9pm local time to protect the ad revenue of the commercial channels during the most watched period of the day.  Sponsorship of programmes is allowed however.

This could be a model for a ad funded BBC in the future which allows for off-peak advertising, but not during prime-time.  You may end up with the likes of The One Show and EastEnders gaining sponsors, but they wouldn't have commercial breaks.

Sorry but that's definitely not going to happen, the BBC has never have advertising and sponsors for their programmes and never will, if they did then there wouldn't be enough time for all programmes to air.

[all new Phil]

Depending on the show and the time, France Télévisions use a mix of ad scheduling between shows and in a couple of cases, especially during quiz shows scheduled in daytime, they have a commercial break.  However they're banned from scheduling commercial breaks during shows after 9pm local time to protect the ad revenue of the commercial channels during the most watched period of the day.  Sponsorship of programmes is allowed however.

This could be a model for a ad funded BBC in the future which allows for off-peak advertising, but not during prime-time.  You may end up with the likes of The One Show and EastEnders gaining sponsors, but they wouldn't have commercial breaks.

Sorry but that's definitely not going to happen, the BBC has never have advertising and sponsors for their programmes and never will, if they did then there wouldn't be enough time for all programmes to air.

What a ridiculous argument.

[CantGetIn]

It's fantasy to think there will never be adverts. It is very likely there will be, world already has adverts. And why would there be a big objection to it as long as they were limited.

I'd also imagine some of the radio stations will be sold off.

I have to say I think some of us have been on the beer tonight. I have but not enough to type out some of the arguments made above!

[natashajacobs]

It's fantasy to think there will never be adverts. It is very likely there will be, world already has adverts. And why would there be a big objection to it as long as they were limited.

I'd also imagine some of the radio stations will be sold off.

I have to say I think some of us have been on the beer tonight. I have but not enough to type out some of the arguments made above!

Can’t imagine ITV will be happy if BBC can show adverts. Think it’s more likely they would close services than do that. Nobody on here can predict the future. Time will tell.

[Stuart]

Sorry but that's definitely not going to happen, the BBC has never have advertising and sponsors for their programmes and never will, if they did then there wouldn't be enough time for all programmes to air.

The programmes are already shown on their own UKTV commercial channels and others, so I don't see an issue there. They can also just reduce the number of trailers, or the length of the original programme they make.

Think it’s more likely they would close services than do that. Nobody on here can predict the future.

Advertising is probably going to be the easiest solution. They ultimately still need funding, and I don't imagine that coming from the staff standing outside BBC buildings rattling tins for donations.

[Internationalman]

And that's the problem with abolishing the license fee. The thought of an ad-sponsored BBC is dreadful to the minds of the British populace. I know that ads are probably going to be the easy way out in terms of license fee-free funding, but I can only assume this is going to turn out like the time the BBC tried to abolish the Red Button interactive service: Lots of backlash.

[harshy]

Been watching commercial bbc channels for 10 years it’s not that bad that people on here make out to be, and often has by far superior idents then the licence fee funded stuff. BBC World News always looks sharper on screen then the bbc news channel in the Uk.

[Joe]

And that's the problem with abolishing the license fee. The thought of an ad-sponsored BBC is dreadful to the minds of the British populace.

Is it?

[all new Phil]

And that's the problem with abolishing the license fee. The thought of an ad-sponsored BBC is dreadful to the minds of the British populace.

Really? Have you asked them all? I’d guess that the vast majority don’t really care either way. 

I know that ads are probably going to be the easy way out in terms of license fee-free funding, but I can only assume this is going to turn out like the time the BBC tried to abolish the Red Button interactive service: Lots of backlash.

Again, really? I can’t think of a single person I know who has ever expressed any opinion on the red button service, or its proposed closure.

[Keith]

Again, really? I can’t think of a single person I know who has ever expressed any opinion on the red button service, or its proposed closure.

I seem to recall proposals to cut the red button were at least partially reversed back in Oct 2020, with a basic text service being retained.

I dare say that now may be a chance to retry axing it. Since Nov 2019 when last proposed on there's presumably a few more Internet connected TVs, and streaming via iPlayer. It could be argued that in most cases additional content would now be better shown through the iPlayer. That way it could be watched by those using the app, and also with connected red button TVs.

I dare say savings made would be relatively minimal. However at present seemingly every penny counts.

[telebox2001]

My father (a self-made pretty affluent chap in his late 60's) is hugely anti-BBC, and believes it's heavily biased (to the left, and Remain; fwiw he's a Conservative & Leave voter.) He sees the license fee as poor value for money and claims he wouldn't miss it if it were not there.

But in the same breath he then moans about how poor he finds the overall UX on ITV Hub and how "much nicer the iPlayer is."

Methinks Joni Mitchell once wrote a song about my old man. Auntie isn't perfect and she does need reform but I wouldn't certainly not want to see her gone, or become a commercial service.

As for advertising - why when a football match is on both networks do 4 in 5, or more, choose the BBC?