This root issue with the license fee is that the bulk of it is wasted on over priced talent or high production costs. Yes we can all look at the ginger one and say how much he gets, but thats largley because he spreads himself all over different programming.
I remember him coming from BSB (before BSkyB) so fair play to the guy, he's worked hard and is sucessful. But Mr Evans aside, look at the fees for other people. Some are in the >£1/2m and thats where I have an issue. I care not one jot who presents a program if the program is good. I would have no issue if there was a constant churn of under 30 somethings coming into the industry willing to take a modest fee and slowly push out the money grabbers.
As I type this, I try to think about what I last watched live on TV, thats any channel, and the fact is that the wife and I work odd shifts so everything is recorded. We watched the first ant and dec saturday night whilst recording this weeks. I too have tried netflix and find that is wholly suited to our needs, hell, we are half way through series 2 of little britain having never watched it the first time around.
But the point is, the way people consume TV is changing. I could quiet happily not watch live TV based on my viewing patterns and thus have no need for a license, but there will be times, such as Christmas or other holidays when family come to stay and they night watch live TV, thus a license is required. Both my boys are at Uni and neither have a licence, one doesn't watch any TV whatsoever, not even catchup.
Ultimately, if the BBC went to PPV and scrap the license they would be in shit creak. They know it too based on the popularity of Netflix and they will fight to the end to ensure their TV tax is never scrapped.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
