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January 16, 2022 11:09 pm  #1


Supporters Fear This Could Kill The BBC. Is This A Preview Of The CBC?

If you hate your tax dollars going to the CBC, imagine if you had to pay an actual specific yearly licence fee to keep the network on the air - and that you could actually go to jail if you didn't fork over the dough. That's how Britons have funded the BBC almost since it first signed on decades ago. 

But now there's a huge change afoot and supporters fear it might kill off Auntie Beeb once and for all. The U.K.'s culture secretary has not only frozen the BBC's licence fee at around $270 Cdn. a year for the next two years, she insists that after that time period, they're finally going to eliminate it once and for all. No one likes paying the thing, of course, and many have resented it for years. Yet it's used to fund the non-commercial TV and radio networks that have become synonymous with the best of Britain. 

Now supporters are crying foul, claiming the BBC as the world knows it will cease to exist without the funding it's always depended on. This argument certainly has echoes of the CBC getting taxpayer money, but despite endless threats of cuts, no politician here has ever actually gone ahead with substantially cutting its funding. 

If the British government goes through with this plan, it will be fascinating to watch what happens from afar and see how the BBC survives and what it does to support itself. Is this a preview of the future for our own national network one day? 

Stay tuned.

That is, if there's anything left to stay tuned to. 

TV and radio stars rally behind BBC over plans to scrap licence fee 
https://clearthis.page/?u=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2022/jan/16/tv-and-radio-stars-rally-behind-bbc-over-plans-to-scrap-licence-fee

 

January 17, 2022 1:16 am  #2


Re: Supporters Fear This Could Kill The BBC. Is This A Preview Of The CBC?

The Tories will be out of office before they can follow through on this.

 

January 17, 2022 10:00 am  #3


Re: Supporters Fear This Could Kill The BBC. Is This A Preview Of The CBC?

This explains fairly well how their system works. I'm glad Canada did not opt for this model. 

BBC licence fee: when it was introduced, what it pays for, how much it costs - and when it will be scrapped

     Thread Starter
 

January 17, 2022 12:56 pm  #4


Re: Supporters Fear This Could Kill The BBC. Is This A Preview Of The CBC?

They could end up just replacing the license fee with an annual grant from the government as is done with CBC or with with a levy on broadband connections. In theory, however, the license fee makes the BBC more independent as it doesn't have to rely on the whims of the government and thus doesn't have to worry about pleasing or displeasing the government (though, in practice, since the government still decides the license fee, this is a bit of an illusion). It's more likely that if the Tories remain in office they will try to downsize and/or privatize the BBC as they are displeased with BBC carrying news and other items critical of government policy. It isn't just public broadcasters that have been punished in the past. A few decades ago the Thatcher government actually for private broadcaster Thames Television to not get their license renewed because they were displeased with a documentary Thames produced critical of the Thatcher government. (A bit like if the federal government arranged for CTV to lose its license because they were pissed off about something on W5). 

What could replace the BBC licence fee?

Incidentally, CBC used to be funded by a radio license fee ($2.50 in 1950) and there was a proposal for a $25 television fee to fund the then-proposed CBC Television service, which was never implemented as far as I know. 

Everybody Boos the CBC

[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87)] [/color][color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87)]Listeners to most radio[/color]networks occasionally feel like putting in their two cents worth; listeners to the CBC see no reason why they shouldn’t put in their $2.50 worth. If the recent talk about a $25 license fee for television is upheld by the forthcoming Massey Report the name calling may well increase tenfold.

Last year the CBC’s over-all expenses totaled $8 millions, of which close to $5}4 millions came from license fees. Advertising revenue almost but not quite made up the difference, for the corporation showed an operating deficit of $243,000 for 1949. An estimated 2,900,000 Canadian homes have radios, but only 2,192,400 set-owners bought licenses. Thus the corporation missed out on some $1,770,000 in unpaid fees—or seven times its deficit.

 

Last edited by Hansa (January 17, 2022 12:56 pm)

 

January 17, 2022 12:58 pm  #5


Re: Supporters Fear This Could Kill The BBC. Is This A Preview Of The CBC?

The CBC's radio license fee was abolished on April 1, 1953. It's unclear if there was ever a television fee. 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Television_licence#Canada

 

January 17, 2022 2:20 pm  #6


Re: Supporters Fear This Could Kill The BBC. Is This A Preview Of The CBC?

Your posts reminded me that Canada did, indeed, once have a radio licence requirement for consumers. Many decades ago, my grandparents were moving out of their home on Parliament St. in downtown Toronto. The only thing I asked for was an ancient Victrola that had been sitting unused upstairs in their attic for years.  It was so old that my father actually broke it when he was a kid!

The reason I mention it is that inside the cabinet was a Canadian radio licence for what I assume was the original owner of the 78 RPM wind-up record player, a woman named Lena Eller. I have no idea who she was, but the permit was in her name and dated 1937.And yes, it cost her $2, which I'm assuming was considered a lot of money back then.

Here's what it looked like. 


.
 
The Victrola. (Notice the box of needles on the turntable.)


     Thread Starter
 

January 17, 2022 3:01 pm  #7


Re: Supporters Fear This Could Kill The BBC. Is This A Preview Of The CBC?

Remember as well that businesses in the UK also pay the fee for televisions and or computers.  Anything with a screen. Smaller businesses pay the same $270 per year and this covers a set number of screens (TV or computer).  For businesses like large hotels the license fee is quite steep.  A friend of mine runs three large hotels in the UK, their yearly fee per hotel runs from 7 to $10,000 Canadian per year. .  

 

January 17, 2022 3:40 pm  #8


Re: Supporters Fear This Could Kill The BBC. Is This A Preview Of The CBC?

Ahh this old chestnut, lived in the UK for many years and this reorganizing of the Beeb comes around every 10 years but it is only for fools and horses and colonials. It can not be in any way compared to the system here as the government is not involved and very much separate. It's a better system which is illustrated by their superb content. It also stops what is happening in Canada with a broadcast system run by accountants who have no concern for quality content and are allowed to rape and pillage radio and TV leaving empty carcasses of radio and TV stations by the wayside. 
 

 

January 17, 2022 4:07 pm  #9


Re: Supporters Fear This Could Kill The BBC. Is This A Preview Of The CBC?

RadioActive wrote:

Your posts reminded me that Canada did, indeed, once have a radio licence requirement for consumers. Many decades ago, my grandparents were moving out of their home on Parliament St. in downtown Toronto. The only thing I asked for was an ancient Victrola that had been sitting unused upstairs in their attic for years.  It was so old that my father actually broke it when he was a kid!

The reason I mention it is that inside the cabinet was a Canadian radio licence for what I assume was the original owner of the 78 RPM wind-up record player, a woman named Lena Eller. I have no idea who she was, but the permit was in her name and dated 1937.And yes, it cost her $2, which I'm assuming was considered a lot of money back then.

Here's what it looked like. 

So this means your grandparents had this device for 14 years without renewing the license! Your family owes the government about $28, plus interest, buddy. 

Last edited by Hansa (January 17, 2022 7:16 pm)

 

January 17, 2022 4:26 pm  #10


Re: Supporters Fear This Could Kill The BBC. Is This A Preview Of The CBC?

Don't think so. They had a Victrola (no radio in it.) The licence was somehow stuffed inside the part where the 78s were supposed to be stored. Why it was there is lost to history. But I'd hate to think what the interest or penalty would be if they were in arrears!

     Thread Starter
 

January 17, 2022 4:32 pm  #11


Re: Supporters Fear This Could Kill The BBC. Is This A Preview Of The CBC?

Absolutely true Stinand, BBC is superior to CBC/Radio Canada by pretty much every standard.  But BBC also has about 4 times the budget of CBC/RC, so it should be better.  BBC's total yearly budget is over $8 billion Canadian including commercial sales ,cable fees  and advertising from some specialty channels.  CBC/RC has slightly under $2 billion including, commercial sales, cable fees and advertising.

CBC Radio 1 while very popular does not really compete head to head much with private radio since it's format doesn't really have a commercial equivalent in Canada.  BBC Radio 1 and 2 compete directly with commercial pop/top 40 radio in the UK and Europe and do very well.  In fact isn't BBC 2 the most popular radio network in all of Europe?

 

January 17, 2022 8:51 pm  #12


Re: Supporters Fear This Could Kill The BBC. Is This A Preview Of The CBC?


Last edited by Hansa (January 17, 2022 8:51 pm)

 

January 18, 2022 11:43 am  #13


Re: Supporters Fear This Could Kill The BBC. Is This A Preview Of The CBC?

There's a neat cameo appearance at 2:06, in that video.

 

January 21, 2022 12:30 am  #14


Re: Supporters Fear This Could Kill The BBC. Is This A Preview Of The CBC?

The Star has finally picked up this story, and offers this tongue-in-cheek (well, mostly) analysis from contributor Rick Salutin.

"Nobody watches CBC News, or at least fewer than any other network. Yet Canadians still support it — provided, it seems, they don’t have to watch the thing.

"I’d swear I’ve seen surveys proving this too, but I admit I’ve been unable to find them. In that case, it falls in the category of unshakable myth."


https://clearthis.page/?u=https://www.thestar.com/opinion/contributors/2022/01/20/kill-the-bbccbc-cut-its-throat-bash-it-in-or-at-least-defund-it.html

     Thread Starter
 

January 21, 2022 10:45 am  #15


Re: Supporters Fear This Could Kill The BBC. Is This A Preview Of The CBC?

Another view, this time from the anti-CBC National Post. Columnist Jesse Kline suggests it should be completely done away with and reshaped for a new media world. Those who like the Corp. should be aware - you won't like this column. But I like to get different sides of the story and I found his point of view interesting. 

"CBC’s collection of advertising revenue has long been opposed not only by other broadcasters and news media companies, but also by those who believe that part of the rationale for a public broadcaster is providing news coverage without the need to appeal to advertisers. While they generally overlook the biases that being bounden to government largesse creates, there’s no doubt that the CBC cannot serve this purpose if it is also relying on private ad dollars to support its programming."

The case for breaking up the CBC
https://clearthis.page/?u=https://nationalpost.com/opinion/jesse-kline-the-case-for-breaking-up-the-cbc

     Thread Starter
 

January 21, 2022 2:26 pm  #16


Re: Supporters Fear This Could Kill The BBC. Is This A Preview Of The CBC?

     Thread Starter
 

January 21, 2022 4:35 pm  #17


Re: Supporters Fear This Could Kill The BBC. Is This A Preview Of The CBC?

Some interesting stuff here, although the NP article has nothing new.  They have been saying the same thing since the paper first published in October 1998. So I wouldn't call it a "different side of the story."

Funny how on one side the writers always bring up CBC's low prime time ratings (only 5% of Canadians watch CBC in prime time) but we never see any numbers for Global, City or CTV and all of their glorious imported programming with simsub everywhere.  No mention ever about Radio Canada in Quebec with it's strong numbers which usually bests the private TVA network.

So they talk about the poor prime time ratings on one hand and never mention the great ratings for the french network.  But this doesn't matter it seems, both need to be gone, privatized or broken up.  I guess Canadians not watching or actually watching in large numbers doesn't matter and not really the issue then.

And we also always hear that CBC radio competes "head to head" with private radio.  Oh really, that must be hard since there is no commercial equivalent to CBC radio 1, and CBC 2 plays a lot more cancon than 35%, and still has a block of classical music.  Guess we have somehow missed all of the commercial stations across Canada with this similar hybrid AAA/Classical format.
 
The writer is really saying if you are popular with Canadians like Radio 1 it then becomes "head to head" competition. But CBC radio doesn't compete for any commercial ad dollars and both services have no private stations with the same format.

Even though the crown corporation doesn't compete directly with private radio doesn't matter it seems, let's take the wrecking ball to CBC radio regardless.  I guess you can't be a worthwhile radio service to Canadians if you actually attract large audiences. 

And CBC.ca yes it is popular too, CBC News Network has stronger ratings than CTV News Channel and more subscribers, but that doesn't matter, they must be dismantled and sold off!  Imagine, CBC.ca looking too much like a newspaper site, and actually having an opinion column, and allowing comments from Canadians after articles...  How dare they!! 

Yes Bell, Rogers, Videotron, Corus, Pattison, Cogeco, Sun/Post Media ,Torstar, Woodbridge and Singray are all teetering on bankruptcy right now. That $250 million in ad revenue that CBC brings in, really belongs to commercial media anyway.. The extra cash would go a long way making the shareholders for some of these conglomerates very very happy...  

 

 

January 21, 2022 5:35 pm  #18


Re: Supporters Fear This Could Kill The BBC. Is This A Preview Of The CBC?

paterson1 wrote:

 
Yes Bell, Rogers, Videotron, Corus, Pattison, Cogeco, Sun/Post Media ,Torstar, Woodbridge and Singray are all teetering on bankruptcy right now. That $250 million in ad revenue that CBC brings in, really belongs to commercial media anyway.. The extra cash would go a long way making the shareholders for some of these conglomerates very very happy...  

 

Well the American investment firm that owns 65% of Postmedia has to get its profit from somewhere now that they've stripped local Postmedia papers of most of their assets. 
 

 

January 21, 2022 6:38 pm  #19


Re: Supporters Fear This Could Kill The BBC. Is This A Preview Of The CBC?

Is this the same Postmedia who received over 42 million from various Canadian taxpayers:
 
10.8 million from the media bailout
40.3 million from the CEWS
1 million from the Quebec government’s media subsidy program
 
While reporting 52.8 million net profit in January
 
Postmedia closed 15 community newspapers, cut 70 jobs, and reduced salaries of employees making more than $60,000 per year in 2020.
 
(source canadaland.com December 1 2021)
 
Our tax dollars supported the following United States columnists who appear on a regular basis (I assume that there are no Canadians who are qualified):
 
Erin Blakemore
Leana Wen
Bijan Bayne
Victor Davis Hanson
Jonah Goldberg
 
Along with editorial political cartoonist whose cartoons are all USA right wing cartoons
 
Gary Varvel
 
I wonder if another of their constant opinion column contributor, the Canadian Taxpayer Federation (who don’t disclose their source of funding) will investigate this waste of our tax dollars