26 V2 Saturday April 9 2022 | the times
News
JAMES DADZITIS/SWNSMinisters have attacked the BBC licence
fee as a “regressive tax” in the latest sign
that they are moving to abolish the
funding model.
The Department for Digital, Culture,
Media and Sport (DCMS) suggested
that the £159 licence fee was unfair on
the poorest in society and needed to be
reviewed as part of wider BBC reforms.
The comments featured in a submis-
sion to the Lords communications and
digital committee’s inquiry into BBC
funding. “There are... criticisms of the
licence fee model,” the document said.
“It is a regressive tax that does not take
into account wealth or income.”
John Whittingdale called the licence
fee regressive when he was culture
secretary in 2015 but this was a long-
held personal view. The DCMS docu-
ment suggests it has now become the
government’s official position as policy
on replacing the licence fee takes shape.
Ministers said the licence fee was “in-
creasingly under pressure” as viewers
migrated online, and that the BBC’s
£136 million collection costs were an
“inefficient use of resources”. The sub-
mission added: “Given the pace of
change in the broadcasting sector and in
media consumption patterns, we think
it is appropriate to look at this again and
ask serious questions about the long-
term funding model of the BBC.”
Nadine Dorries, the culture secre-
tary, previously said that the corpora-
tion would not receive another licence
fee settlement in 2027, when its existing
royal charter ends. Her comments have
led to a debate about future funding,
with options on the table including sub-
scription, a household levy and linking
the licence fee to council tax bands.
The Voice of the Listener & Viewer
(VLV), which represents audiences and
has supported the licence fee, told peers
in its submission that it would welcomeBBC licence fee
a regressive tax,
claim ministers
Jake Kanter Media Correspondent a more “progressive” model, “possibly
linked to household income”.
The government said it wanted to see
the BBC “diversifying its income
streams” by increasing commercial
revenue from BBC Studios, the produc-
tion arm that makes shows including
Doctor Who. “The government sees
this as a priority separate to decisions
on the future funding model, as it not
only supports a more sustainable BBC,
but also drives increased investment in
great British content,” it told peers.
Ministers said criminal sanctions for
non-payment of the licence fee were
“disproportionate and unfair”, and
noted that three quarters of people con-
victed for evasion were female. They
added: “The government continues to
be deeply disappointed with the BBC’s
decision to restrict the over-75 licence
fee concession to only those in receipt
of pension credit, and believes free TV
licences for over-75s should be funded
by the BBC.”
The DCMS added that it wanted to
see evidence of reform on impartiality.
A staff survey, seen by The Times,
showed that 6 per cent of 17,119 employ-
ees did not endorse the statement: “I
understand why impartiality is impor-
tant for the BBC.”
The overwhelming majority of staff,
94 per cent, agreed that it was vital that
the BBC remained neutral in its report-
ing and other activities. However, such
has been Tim Davie’s focus on the agen-
da since becoming director-general in
September 2020, it may be a cause for
concern that there is still a small section
of staff who have failed to recognise
why the issue is “sacrosanct”, as he has
previously called it.
The staff survey also revealed pessi-
mism about the BBC’s future after the
government froze the licence fee for
two years. Only 42 per cent of employ-
ees said that they were excited about
the corporation’s future.Pink profusion Chris Kersey tends to rhododendrons blooming at the Lost Gardens of Heligan near Mevagissey in Cornwall
Friends vie to take on
Kuenssberg’s plum role
Jake KanterThey have risen through the BBC ranks
together as best friends, but now Adam
Fleming and Chris Mason will go head-
to-head for one of the most prestigious
jobs in television.
Fleming, presenter of the popular
Newscast podcast, has joined Mason,
host of Radio 4’s Any Questions, as a
frontrunner to become the BBC’s next
political editor.
Like Mason, Fleming, 42, initially
ruled himself out of the race to replace
Laura Kuenssberg. Sources said he had
now applied after the corporation went
back to the drawing board in a
recruitment process that has bordered
on farcical.
They are expected to be interviewed
next week as BBC News executives
look to end five months of speculation
about who will take the £260,000 role.
Just days ago it looked like the BBC
was going to choose between Sophy
Ridge, who presents Sky News’s Sun-
day morning politics show, and Anush-
ka Asthana, ITV News’s deputy polit-
ical editor. The BBC then unexpectedlyreadvertised the political editor post
and The Sunday Times reported that
Mason, 41, was the new favourite. The
corporation did not publicise that the
job was open again, but the vacancy en-
couraged Fleming to reconsider. There
is speculation other internal candidates
may have also put themselves forward.
Fleming and Mason have both beenapproached by other broadcasters.
They first met at a gathering at No 10 in
2000, when they were journalists on
their respective student newspapers.
Fleming studied at Oxford, while
Mason went to Cambridge.
Kuenssberg, 45, is stepping down
after seven years this month. She will
replace Andrew Marr on BBC1’s
Sunday morning politics show. Marr
has defected to Global’s LBC.Chris Mason will go
head to head with
Adam Fleming