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Hands off the BBC – our last great public institution

In a time of austerity, when Britain’s coalition government has promised cuts in all public services, many are wondering whether the BBC, with its £145.50 licence fee, ought to be spared. The popular press has encouraged images of executives and stars enjoying the advantages of both vast wealth and public sector safety, all on the back of an unfair method of taxation.

But the issues raised are not just ones of funding. Technological improvement – both in broadcasting and in web technologies – has meant that the underlying physical need for Lord Reith’s national service has disappeared. Does the BBC serves a real need, or is it an institution scraping the barrel for excuses to perpetuate itself?