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Should the BBC license be mandatory? Should the BBC license be mandatory?
Yes, the BBC license should be mandatory Yes, the BBC license should be mandatory
No, the license should not be mandatory No, the license should not be mandatory
A mandatory license fee supports minority tastes A mandatory license fee supports minority tastes
The BBC provides a service for the public good The BBC provides a service for the public good
BBC News is an essential public service BBC News is an essential public service
The BBC World Service serves the national interest The BBC World Service serves the national interest
The BBC doesn’t account for the majority of TV The BBC doesn’t account for the majority of TV
The BBC Trust cannot be trusted The BBC Trust cannot be trusted
The license fee disproportionately affects poor households The license fee disproportionately affects poor households
The TV license is unpopular The TV license is unpopular
Linear TV is dead Linear TV is dead
The license fee is impossible to enforce The license fee is impossible to enforce
The mandatory license stifles innovation The mandatory license stifles innovation
Debate Mini Map

Should the BBC license be mandatory?
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Yes, the BBC license should be mandatory

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A mandatory license fee supports minority tastes

Without a mandatory license fee, the BBC would be unable to produce programs that appeal to niche interests and ethnic and religious minorities.
David Clementi Ofcom
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Context

The private media business model does not allow for programs with minority appeal. The publicly-funded model through a mandatory license fee is the only way to accommodate minority taste.

The Argument

Without a publicly-funded model through a license fee, commercially viable television networks would need to rely on advertising revenue. To maximise advertising revenue, networks run programs that can attract high volumes of viewers. These are the programs that have mass public appeal. Maintaining a mandatory license fee affords the BBC the freedom to run programs with minority appeal. Not only does this allow for more artistic freedom, but it also means the BBC can run highly tailored shows for cultural and ethnic minorities, including its Asian network.

Counter arguments

The mandatory license fee isn’t the only model that offers the creative freedom to pursue content with minority appeal. A donation system where the BBC could run through voluntary donations or a subscription model that would also allow for the creation of content with minority appeal. As would a system where the government funds the BBC through ordinary tax revenue rather than implementing an additional mandatory license fee. The rise of digital content has also removed many of the barriers to producing content with minority appeal. Even commercial media outlets are able to run small side broadcasts online very cheaply where they can publish content with less public appeal. [1]

Proponents

Premises

[P1] Programs that appeal to niche interest groups and minority cultures make for a richer cultural landscape. [P2] A mandatory license fee is the only model that allows broadcasters to broadcast programs with minority appeal. [P3] Therefore, the BBC should continue to be funded by a mandatory license fee.

Rejecting the premises

[Rejecting P2] A mandatory license fee is not the only model that allows for programming with minority appeals.

References

  1. https://iea.org.uk/blog/the-case-against-the-bbc-licence-fee
This page was last edited on Friday, 17 Apr 2020 at 11:59 UTC

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