For those who are modest resources, the cost of the license fees on April 1 of all days by £ 5 rises a little a bad joke.
For residents of St. Crispin Retirement Village, it is definitely difficult to see the funny side.
Among them is 83-year-old Stan Fritton who has been in a fight since November last year about how much he and his neighbors for the Bbc.
Their accommodation that comes under one roof previously paid £ 7.50 each and qualified for a license for an accommodation for residential care (ARC).
They then transformed a former storage room into one of two visitors to stay the night and said by Post that they had violated the TV Licensing Act.
Letters demanding that residents pay the full price has addressed nearly 100 of the residents.
Stan Fritton, 83
Like Mr. Fritton put it, they are sent to 95-year-old widows [who are] If you see something that is being investigated with a big stamp and what do you have … it has scared them to death. ‘
He says claims for payments were even sent to those with dementia.
“They don’t listen and choose not to listen,” he says about interaction with TV licensing.
While Mr. Fritton says that the drivers of the pension village have now closed the room and will re -apply to get the license back, he is determined that they did not violate any rules, but that they cannot get an officer to come out that the room is not a home.
Thank his greatest frustration is: “They choose to antagonize residents here unnecessarily.”
In a statement, a spokeswoman for TV licensing said they “continue to with the managers of St. Crispin’s … and hope to solve this matter as soon as possible.”
Price rises to £ 174.50
How the BBC raises its money is a problem that goes beyond one pension village.
According to the current BBC charter, prices will now rise for the next two years based on inflation. It was £ 169.50, from today it is £ 174.50.
Of course, it may be in order if we get more of what the BBC does best, but the corporation revenue drops £ 1 billion a year in real terms compared to its financing in 2010.
Wolf Hall’s director Peter Kosminsky recently gave a written statement to Parliament on how the second series of his award-winning drama was very close to being canned because the financing in the public service broadcast is “insufficient to make a high-TV drama”.
The producer of Mr Bates vs. The Post Office, Patrick Spence
“I think we’re in trouble”
But it is even a difficult time for public sector broadcasters who rely on advertising – the producer of Mr. Assets vs. The Post Office, Patrick Spence, and tells Sky News that he would not even erect the drama that would now be in the current commissioning climate.
“I do want to say I think we must pay the sub -mail masters first before we turn our attention to television – let’s get our priorities right – but yes, I think we are in trouble – there is a form of British television story that tells it to fall if it is not supported.”
Some reports have claimed that the government is looking for a way to put a levy on Streaming services, but the Department of Culture has previously said that they “do not comment on speculation” – not certainly.
Former BBC News controller and director of government communications, Sir Craig Oliver
‘Many people say this is a very dated system’
As a former BBC news controller and director of government communications, Sir Craig Oliver has seen of both sides of license fees negotiations.
He says: ‘I think everyone has come to the conclusion, including private the BBC, that they should come up with another model.
“I think there is probably an element of the license fee, but it may be that there are subscription models.
“The problem with all this is, of course, that the devil is in the detail … How do you make people not burglary? Many people say it is a very dated system. ‘
This year, the BBC says it introduces its’ largest practice for public involvement ever so that audiences can help … form [the corporation]”.
A BBC spokeswoman said: “The public cares for the BBC … We want to continue to reform and develop and look forward to working with the government with the next charter and securing the BBC’s long-term future.”
But with apparently little or no consensus on how the future can be funded, the only certain thing for now is that it means that households are switched to license fees rising this year, next year and one afterwards.
