[jambutty]

There is no unfair competition with the BBC and it certainly isn’t a monopoly. BBC TV and radio used to be a monopoly but Radio Caroline broke that mould as did ITV when that came on air.

There are myriads of TV channels to watch some for free and most for a fee. Although even the free commercial ones are not really free. We, the general public pay for the adverts in the cost of the goods that we buy that are being advertised.

On reflection the BBC gets the thin end of the stick as far as competition is concerned. The commercial channels and in particular Sky constantly outbids the BBC for programmes and sport.

The commercial channels might compete with each other for viewers but the BBC supplies a public service free to the public and independent of government influence.

The government, Neil, doesn’t charge a TV licence just so it can fund the BBC. It charges a viewing licence because the government has decreed that in order to view TV programmes we have to have a licence. You need a licence for CB radio or Ham radio. What do they fund? We are required to buy a Road Fund licence if we intend to use a motor vehicle on the public highway. The money raised does not fund road repairs and new roads, only some of it. The government creams off a lot for other things. If there were no TV licence but the government still wanted to run a public service broadcasting organisation they would still have to fund it from our taxes.

Whilst there is some company broadcasting TV programmes there will always be a licence.

Many years ago when there was only the ‘wireless’ and the only stations to listen to were the Home Service, the Light Programme and the Third Programme yet wirelesses were capable of receiving overseas programmes these same arguments raged.