TV licence payers want value for fee rise, says survey

[Shipoftheline]

The culture secretary, Tessa Jowell, will today unveil research showing licence fee payers are prepared to shell out just over an extra £30 a year for new BBC services, while warning the corporation it should not expect a blank cheque.
Although the report, compiled by the Work Foundation from a survey of 7,000 people, lends support to the BBC's argument for an increased fee, it also indicates that those willing to pay the most are already well off. Although the universal licence fee, currently £131.50, is secure for the next decade, 75% of respondents said they would prefer new services to be funded by subscription.

A decision is expected by November, and the BBC is expected to ultimately receive well below the 2.3% above inflation deal it asked for last year. It has argued that it needs the extra money, which would see the licence fee rise to more than £180 by 2014, to pay for the switch to digital television, improve programming and fund new services. But a source close to Ms Jowell said yesterday: "In our view, the £162 figure signals the upper limit of public acceptability."

Ms Jowell is expected to tell the Royal Television Society London conference today: "People agreed that the BBC is a public service, and new services like very local news and learning opportunities for 14- to 18-year-olds were seen to have a value for society at large. The public are willing to pay for them. But ... the public won't hand over a blank cheque. Digital Do-it-All simply is not on the agenda. People want to have more of a say in the future of the BBC."

world-of-digital.com

No the poll didn't ask the big question "Do you want the licence fee scrapped"