Davina's chat show aside, we all love the BBC and are not only willing to keep paying a licence fee for it, but are willing to pay an even bigger licence fee. Well, that's according to a new bit of research by London Business School's Professor Patrick Barwise, who has just completed a review of public opinion on the licence fee and how the Beeb spend it. Admittedly the research was commissioned by the BBC themselves, though a number of independent research firms were involved so I don't think there was too much bias - but you can decide for yourself.
As part of the review, research firm Human Capital showed that, in 2004, 80% of those surveyed said they would be willing to pay up to a £120 licence fee, while 70% said they would pay up to £150. That rose to 75% when it was explained the £150 fee would be used to finance new and extra services, though Barwise points out that while new digital add ons are important, actually most people really rate the Beeb on the quality of programming on the flagship channels.
One topic covered by the review was whether licence fee money should be used to subsidies the switchover to digital TV among so called 'vulnerable groups'. Basically, as the government gears up to switch off analogue TV signals it seems likely that someone is going to help less well-off parts of the community invest in the kit they need to receive digital TV (a set top box and, in certain parts of the country, a boosted aerial or maybe even a satellite dish). One proposal is that a levy on the licence fee could provide that subsidy. Barwise's report says that that proposal is not popular, although given that it would only add a few pounds to a year's licence fee, such a move is unlikely to stop people agreeing to pay a licence fee at all.
All in all, the report showed general approval for the BBC, and the way it is funded. Barwise concludes: "A particular case in point was the March 2006 OLR citizens' forum. At the start of the day, the level of approval for the BBC was an impressive 86%. Remarkably, in the course of the day, the approval level increased to 93% as the participants learned more about the range of BBC services, their role in people's lives, and the challenge of managing them in a complex, competitive, and fast-changing market. The research demonstrates a high level of support for the BBC, its role in driving digital Britain, and most of its proposed new services, and a willingness to pay a licence fee of £150 (in 2005 prices) by 2013/14 in order to fund it."
Of course, all of that research was done before it was revealed how much the BBC are paying Johnathan Ross, Chris Evans and Chris Moyles. The same respondents might now be asking for some of their TV licence back now that they know how much lines the pockets of certain presenters and DJs.