The Case of BBC and TV Licensing Fee - Essay Example

?The case of BBC and TV licensing fee Introduction The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is one of the potential areas of concern in the UK because it includes the issue about significant funding that has to be shouldered by every household prior to sustaining its operation. A television license fee has to be charged to every British household, companies, or organizations prior to using equipment to record or receive live television broadcasts. This license allows somebody to have potential access to the BBC and its programs and to the current affairs that at some point may vary from those offered by commercial television and independent cable or satellites. The license fee is set by the British government and agreed by the parliament, which make everything about it controlled by the government, which could be determined as a form of censorship or capitalistic move (Petley, 2009, p.1). Today, the issue whether TV license that is associated with BBC’s funding is tenable or not is one of the potential concerns that require critical understanding. It is also important to understand why the current system of funding the BBC is controversial in the first place. In this paper, the proponent tries to elaborately discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the current system of funding the BBC and the reason why it is such a controversy today. People have options Convergence of technologies has remarkable impact on the media (Collins and Murroni, 1996, p.36). Before, in the absence of independent television in 1955, and prior to the existence of cable and satellite in 1973, funding the BBC through a TV license fee was considered highly tenable (BBC, 2012). In other words, the very reason why it was then reasonable at that time to pay for a license fee could be due to the fact that people in the first place did not have any other choice or alternative for them to receive a live broadcast on TV. Just for the BBC to continue to air a live broadcast, substantial cost should be met on a regular basis through a special funding that has to be coming from the people. Today, the TV license fee paid by the people goes to BBC’s TV, radio, online services and other costs. As a result, every household should pay per month ?7.96 for TV, ?2.11 for radio, ?0.66 for online and ?1.40 for other costs (BBC, 2012). People when faced with various alternatives have to decide based on various choices or options. The same thing happened in the case of BBC. In modern times, the existence of other independent televisions and live cable and satellites for free made it to a point that TV licensing became a controversial issue in the UK. There was fragmentation of political communications and even the rise of globalisation aggravates the said situation (Curran and Gurevitch, 2000, p.1; Curran, 2002, p.6). Before, in the absence of these alternatives a license fee should not come to be a controversial issue, but in the case of modern time and highly globalised world when people have various options to enjoy the media even for free, TV licensing seems to be an issue that needs amendment and critical assessment. There are two opposing sides regarding TV licensing as the prevailing system for funding the BBC. Those who stand against licensing fee point out that it is an iniquitous tax. This means it does not quite have a logical approach that would make somebody realise that it is a fair thing to do. While other nations are enjoying media broadcast without fee, the UK according to TV licensing fee critics does not need to experience paying something or contents that at some point are not consumed. TV licensing fee according to its critics is just a way of forcing somebody to pay a hundred pounds to contents shown by a broadcaster that at some point could not be substantially consumed. At this point, the opponents of TV licensing fee advocates have a remarkable point. However, on the part of the advocates, they believe that BBC is the only broadcaster in Great Britain that is way beyond the control of vested interest. This particularly is in line with the essence of broadcasting as a public service in Britain (Goodwin and Whannel, 1990, p.7). Other broadcasters are controlled by harmful corporate or political programs that are integral components of a business environment. In other words, there are things that BBC potentially does that other commercial sectors could not do or even would come to consider. For example, since commercial sectors are motivated by making profit, there are some contents that they would hesitate to broadcast for fear of losing potential gain. Since most of these commercial sectors are generating funds from various ads and even sponsors, they are obliged not to economically or politically harm the identities of their patrons. Thus, according to the strong advocate of BBC and its TV licensing fee system, BBC is essential to maintaining the cultural vigor of the nation. This is one of their strong advocacies why they stick to support BBC together with its system of generating sufficient funds through its licensing fee program model. It is clear that the two parties having significant stand on the issue of licensing fee on BBC have important points to make over the controversy. In order to justify further their essential points, understanding the advantages and disadvantages of TV licensing fee system on BBC is important instead of trying to be one sided in either of the above perspectives. Advantages of TV licensing system Before anything else, let us put it this way that TV licensing system is an integral component of BBC prior to continuing its operation. Without this specific funding, BBC will no longer exist or continue with its operation. In other words, the advantages of licensing system may be directly associated with the potential impacts of BBC in the community. Understanding BBC’s potential impacts on people’s lives will pave the way for understanding the advantages of TV licensing system. Programs in BBC are not interrupted with commercial ads. In other words, TV licensing system ensures continuity of BBC programs that are uninterrupted with various commercial advertisements. This gives the opportunity for the viewer to focus and concentrate on the TV programs without the need to wait on lengthy commercial advertisements. Unlike in BBC, commercial broadcasters are funded by large corporations just to advertise their product or service offerings. In most of the time, TV programs with commercial advertisements are set to be aired with series of promotional ads that could be annoying at some point. In BBC, viewers are ensured that they could substantially focus on the programs they want to enjoy at a remarkable length of time. The good thing about this is that the viewers are not limited to enjoy the programs because of the absence of cuts that are supposed to be consumed by commercial sponsors in the case of commercial broadcasting. In other words, BBC is not actually a commercial broadcasting company that survives based on sponsorship funding system. Commercial broadcasters are able to maximise their operations by giving a high value for their sponsors in anyway. One of it is to specifically adjust the time of their programs just to pave the way for their sponsors’ offered product or service offerings. In the case of BBC, it is the people who are the direct sponsors of all the programs, so the time for TV programs are maximised for the consumption of the public viewers and not on the commercial sectors. In other words, with BBC being funded through a TV licensing system, commercialization of TV programming is potentially hindered for the benefits of the consuming public. It is clear that the presence of TV licensing system as the funding mechanism of BBC to survive and continue its operation creates a significant implication on how the consuming people are given with the opportunity with the quality of time they deserve out from the TV license fee they provide. Just as how the commercial sectors are treated in commercial broadcasting, the same opportunity is also given with the consuming public which is the direct patron of the BBC so as to continue its operation. In other words, TV licensing system in the case of BBC promotes a fair treatment among the people especially on their right to be informed through various TV programs and current affairs. Furthermore, another good thing about this is that they are given with quality time to enjoy more on their favorite programs without any form of highly commercialised TV programming system. Another potential advantage of BBC aside from its being uninterrupted with commercial advertisements is its ability to consider potential issues that other commercial sectors could not afford to cover due to various societal or environmental concerns. In other words, TV licensing system only ensures that BBC could potentially go on with its ability to cover important issues that matter most to the society without any fear of simply exposing the truth. It is a reality that the world is not substantially being fair at some certain point especially when there are monetary concerns involved. Although broadcasting has moral concerns to adhere to, it cannot be denied that this specific activity is prone to meet significant issues in line with maximisation of profit. Thus, it is always faced with moral dilemma. It cannot be denied that broadcasting or journalism is constantly faced with other business environmental issues especially concerning politics, economics, social and other relevant matters. However, of these issues there is a great link between political and economic concerns particularly with media ownership (Devereux, 2007, p.92). In fact, capitalism and communication have remarkable connection with each other (Garnham, 1990, p.1). On the other hand, there are highly sensitive political issues that commercial broadcasting networks may hesitate to cover. Even though they might bring on about the issue, at some point they may still decide not to substantially focus on them and even direct their attention on other concerns instead. For instance, if a direct sponsor of a commercial broadcasting network may have controversial issues to face, the said network may come to the point of being quite selective with its approach especially on the part of broadcasting sensitive information. It is a reality that someone could not afford to kill somebody who could feed him. It is at this point that commercial broadcasting may be tied on the neck due to the fact that there are other important concerns they need to consider prior to their survival. In addition, there might be other areas that commercial broadcasting may fail to cover due to economic concern. They are quite sensitive to the issue when it comes to the production cost. If the production cost of covering or creating a specific program could not meet the expected profit, then they will not pursue on it even though it might be too beneficial for the society. Furthermore, commercial broadcasting will not move forward to creating programs with low level of audience which is another thing that BBC could potentially consider for as long as it would benefit the entire nation, even disregarding the number of audience who would like to watch on them. Thanks to the continuing TV licensing system of funding the BBC, the people are ensured to see programs that are not motivated neither by politics, profit or other related concerns. In BBC, people could expect to see things that they could not meet from a highly commercialised broadcasting system. At this point, the UK’s ongoing system for broadcasting with BBC is an advantage because it would ensure that the people are simply given exactly the truth through responsible and fair broadcasting of essential information that would matter to the society. In the case of Journalism for instance, BBC stands as a remarkable standard among commercial broadcasting activities (McNair, 2009, p.11). With the ongoing TV licensing fee the people could therefore ensure that BBC is their basic commodity to provide them with responsible, fair and just broadcasting opportunity. This would suit to their needs for finding the truth without any remarkable reservation and holding back significant information. Unlike the highly commercialised system of broadcasting, BBC ensures the public of taking the responsibility of providing them the information without any sense of bias and making cultural vigor of a nation a great possibility. In other words, it is the public which has the strong and remarkable hold on the BBC just as how the commercial sectors take hold and make the most opportunity in commercial broadcasting. Another potential advantage about TV licensing fee funding is the guarantee provided by Royal Charter on it. This means that any anomaly will have a greater chance to be addressed and given with accountability. It is the people; the sources of funding and have the power to insist and question the prevailing status of managing the BBC. Exposing any anomaly within any area of managing this corporation is an advantage. Since the Royal Charter guarantees the people in response to the level of amount they paid for the funding of BBC, everyone therefore is ensured that any form of impartiality should be substantially addressed and any anomaly should be exposed and taken with the right action. Furthermore, TV licensing fee is not part of the general taxation. Government departments are always on the go when it comes to division of tax revenues. The general taxation only creates a shield on the licensing fee to have immunity against any pressure created in the division of tax revenues among government departments. This only implies that BBC should be unaffected by the division of tax revenues among government departments. All of the above are potential advantages of TV licensing fee system in funding the BBC. It is also important to take note that the above are potential reasons considered by the advocates of TV licensing fee system. However, considering that they also have counterparts on this specific issue, it is also important to consider their case especially when they try to look at the disadvantages of licensing fee system in funding the BBC. Disadvantages of TV licensing system It is important to emphasise again at this point that since BBC together with its funding is set by the British government and agreed by the parliament, failure to comply it would therefore imply disobeying the law, which at some point could be subjected to a criminal case and even punishable by imprisonment. One of the major points essentially presented by those contradicting TV licensing in funding BBC is the burden it would incur the people because they are obliged to pay whether there is potential consumption made or not. In other words, they are pointing out that TV licensing fee is just a waste of money for some people who actually do not consume BBC’s services offered. At this level of reasoning, the government seems to be making it an obligation for everyone to keep BBC stays alive even though its potential function is substantially in line with the role played by the government. The government seems to be simply passing on the cost to people in ensuring that BBC continues its mission in the long run by emancipating the law that would place it in sustainable status quo. At this point, the strong critics of TV licensing system have remarkable points. Furthermore, the amount paid to TV license fee may turn out unfair to those who do not actually have time or even are not interested to consume services offered by the BBC. In this case, since there are consequences that await to those who do not comply the said law pertaining TV licensing fee, people are actually obliged and even forced to accept things they do not actually agreed with all their will. Furthermore, in the presence of other alternatives such as commercial TV broadcasters, independent televisions, cable and satellite, people have many choices which programs to watch. After all, the audience expects to receive diverse media contents and various options in the media markets for more benefits (Collins and Murroni, 1996, p.26). Even they all have the freedom to choose those without corresponding payment. In other words, with TV licensing system, some people may eventually would just be paying out due to their political obligation with the law and not because they enjoy doing it for their specific advantage. At this point, there is a clear emphasis whether TV licensing fee is a good option for funding BBC or not. However, considering the point that BBC should stand as an independent entity that has to be in favor of the people and not to the powerful few, relying on its funding on the other sources particularly in line with commercialization would be a significant problem considering the point that commercialising it would create other important problems (Negrine, 1994, p.49). For instance, relying on advertisements from the commercial sector would turn out everything about BBC to be highly commercialised. Aside from the fact that its programming would be cut off from time to time by various promotional advertisements, BBC would be then too highly commercialised leaving away its mission to preserve cultural health of the nation. This is a significant problem that needs to be considered prior to pointing out the disadvantage about TV licensing fee. Perhaps, one of the most potential issues that need to be investigated in here is not only to focus on personal concerns. Instead, a wide range of perspective needs to be determined in order to remarkably evaluate further whether the said disadvantage about TV licensing fee is a potential problem indeed. After all, in its general essence public accountability in broadcasting is a must (Bromley, 2001, p.1). Another remarkable disadvantage pointed out by the anti-TV licensing fee is the issue about accountability. It is also true that commercialising broadcasting activity paves the way for ensuring high commercial pressures (Garnham, 1990; McQuail, 2002, p.202). These kinds of pressures at some point are essential when it comes to achieving high quality value of broadcasted programs. When it comes to high quality value, this would mean those programs that are loved by the audience and would give them substantial amount of satisfaction. Commercial broadcasting would ensure that there is a high value created for the consuming public. Just like in the case of private corporations, they always look forward to sustaining the need of the consuming public especially on what they love the most. In the absence of highly commercialised pressures, BBC does not have to look forward to compete with independent broadcasting networks for as long as it is secured with the creation of its funds with the consuming public. In other words, some viewers might not be thrilled about the programs created by BBC and will tend to look forward to highly commercialised ones. Those programs that are highly commercialised are ensured to be well-studied because their primarily goals would be to create substantial amount of profit in the end. As a result, they would see to it that these programs could gather substantial number of audience in order to gain back their costs and ensure profitability. As a result, commercialised TV programs are well-known to be appreciated by huge number of audience because of their ability to create needs and understand what the audience exactly wants. This is one thing that is absent from the BBC because of its prevailing system of funding. BBC will tend to be less dynamic in its approach in the absence of competition. As a result, the sense of accountability especially in the creation of programs that would be appealing to the public would not exactly be a primary concern. TV licensing fee therefore is just an opportunity for the government to monopolise a service due to the absence of competition. However, even in the presence of competition through independent broadcasting activities, BBC would still remain in its level because it has all the immunity to be never distracted with any economic or political concerns especially in the business environment. The above two major disadvantages about TV licensing fee are remarkable because they would ensure a fair assessment whether this kind of funding BBC is a potential option for the consuming public. The above disadvantages would only emphasise whether the advantages of TV licensing fee outweigh them prior to the assessment whether a TV licensing fee is a good option or not. These would also determine whether TV licensing fee would still remain a great controversy in contemporary time. Conclusion As a national broadcasting station, BBC is another potential area of concern knowing the fact that its great advantage prior to its support which was obtained from the government is to ensure national culture to stay in good shape and vigor. Commercialising BBC would make it more susceptible to commercial pressures which at some point could either be good or bad depending on which perspective it has to be taken into account. The reason why BBC remains a controversy nowadays is because of the presence of these highly commercialised pressures brought by independent and commercial broadcasting companies. With them, people are ensured to avail of their services for free, leaving the people to seek for more personal advantage. Such personal advantage is highly associated by looking at the point whether it is highly justifiable to pay for something which at some point are not consumed or not totally enjoyed. The case of BBC together with its TV licensing fee as source of funding generated from the people is a remarkable controversy indeed. However, such controversy may also be potentially addressed by not simply only looking at the disadvantage part, but on what it can substantially do not only from the personal point of view, but for the entire nation. This is actually the general essence of the whole point of the various advantages offered by TV licensing fee in funding BBC. References BBC (2012) The license fee. Retrieved from: http://www.bbc.co.uk/aboutthebbc/insidethebbc/whoweare/licencefee/ [Accessed: 29 April 2012]. BBC (2012) Inside the BBC http://www.bbc.co.uk/aboutthebbc/insidethebbc/whoweare/publicpurposes/ [Accessed: 29 April 2012/ Bromley, M. (2001) No News Is Bad News: Radio, Television, and the Public. London: Longman. Collins, R., and Murroni, C. (1996) New Media, New Policies: Media and Communications Strategies for the Future. 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