BBC face calls to scrap ‘woke’ licence fee

Gary Lineker says Walkers joke on BBC 'wasn't deliberate'

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The BBC has faced further outrage from viewers after a new survey revealed 51 percent of Brits want the licence fee to be axed. Many believe the broadcaster should be able to stand “on its own two feet”, while others branded it “woke”.

New research commissioned by WatchTVAbroad.com1 unveiled the latest statistics.

Over half of the people who took part in the survey want the BBC licence fee scrapped, however, not everyone agreed.

33 percent of viewers believe the fee should stay, while 16 percent aren’t sure.

When asked why they wanted it scrapped, a quarter said the BBC was “too woke”, while 47 percent thought the corporation should be able to stand on its own two feet.

An additional 39 percent raged the BBC pays its presenters too much.

Nearly half don’t believe “it’s good value for money”, and 41 percent say it’s outdated.

Some viewers also said the broadcaster penalises people who want to watch and record TV output from other providers.

A third of viewers don’t believe the BBC is politically neutral and 32 percent say there’s no need for public service broadcasting anymore.

A total of 14 percent of respondents went on to admit to not paying a TV licence fee when they required one.

Speaking about the statistics, Jeff Richey from TV and film analyst at WatchTVAbroad.com said: “The licence fee’s days are numbered and Auntie has a fight on her hands.

“The simple truth is that the BBC and its funding model were creatures of another time.

“When the British public were asked to start paying the combined radio and TV licence fee in 1946, the country was adjusting to life following the Second World War.

“There was no choice but to watch BBC programming because there was simply no alternative.”

The expert continued: “Fast forward 76 years and it’s very difficult for viewers to understand why they must pay one TV station for the privilege of watching another.

“To many, it just doesn’t seem fair and it’s only going to feel stranger as the on-demand generation, who grew up with a streaming, come to dominate the working population.”

“The writing has been on the wall for years and the BBC could have got ahead of it,” Jeff added.

“Instead the can got kicked down the road and the licence fee now seems like a tired relic.

“There was no choice but to watch BBC programming because there was simply no alternative.”

The expert continued: “Fast forward 76 years and it’s very difficult for viewers to understand why they must pay one TV station for the privilege of watching another.

“To many, it just doesn’t seem fair and it’s only going to feel stranger as the on-demand generation, who grew up with a streaming, come to dominate the working population.”

“The writing has been on the wall for years and the BBC could have got ahead of it,” Jeff added.

“Instead the can got kicked down the road and the licence fee now seems like a tired relic.

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