TV License Price Is Frozen

On Thursday, the BBC Trust confirmed that they were freezing the price for the cost of a TV License until 2013.  Culture secretary Jeremy Hunt and the rest of the government have managed to convince the BBC to keep the current fee, which stands at £145 the same.

The Trust has proposed a two-year freeze, due to the economic recovery, although Mr. Hunt still wants to review the structure again in 2012.  Understandably, Mr. Hunt was delighted at the BBC Trust’s decision.

"I have made it clear that the BBC needs to take proper account of the current economic climate and this move, which comes with the Trust's assurances that it will not significantly impact on the quality of services provided to licence fee payers, will be welcomed by the public."

Traditionally, the BBC is required to increase the TV license every financial year by 2%, but the recent recession, and the budget cuts that the corporation has been forced to make of late has made this an almost untenable rise.  The news come on the same week that the current chairman of the BBC Trust, Sir Michael Lyons announced that he would not be standing for election at the end of the year and the corporation’s drama controller was placed on ‘gardening leave,’ as she is joining Channel 4 next January.

There have been many calls in recent months for the BBC to either reduce or axe the TV License fee, neither were really logistical.  However, this is a step forward between the BBC and the coalition government, so it is a positive move, whatever the final outcome may be.

6 Music Is Reprieved - The Campaign Worked!

BBC Radio 6 Music has been saved this week, after massive petitions and campaigns to keep the station alive, have been approved by the BBC Trust.  The initial plans to shut the station in January 2010 seem to have been overturned.

The governing body of the BBC – which is the BBC Trust, said it was still planning cuts to its digital service, but understood the support fans have for 6 Music, and clearly felt under pressure and a possible public uproar, should their controversial plans had gone ahead.  It is now believed that the BBC is considering its digital radio future, at the next broadcasting strategic review, planned for the autumn this year.

The chairman of the BBC, Sir Michael Lyons is still convinced that there is a lot of uncertainty over the national switchover to DAB.  The government is expecting a switch to the DAB in 2013.  The government believes that by 2013, 50% of people should be listening to digital radio, despite its very slow uptake on sales since it made its technological breakthrough seven years ago.  The high prices and poor coverage reception, might well explain why forecasts of people listening, via the digital format is 22% behind where they should be.  The recession has also played a major factor – with Channel 4 shutting down its digital radio plans back in 2008. 

The Culture Secretary, Jeremy Hunt has pledged his support for 6 Music, and since news of its expected closure were broken in the press, the audience viewing figures have risen by over 50%.  However, there are still plans to trim spending of the BBC Online format by 25%, as well as the full shutting down of the BBC Asian Network.

Whilst 6 Music looks like it has been saved, the traditional analogue TV have finally disappeared from the High Street.  Last month saw absolutely no sales of the old television format for the first time ever, since it was invented back in 1925, by John Logie Baird.  The digital switchover began in Whitehaven, back in 2005 and now 20% of the UK has been converted.  By 2012, the whole of the UK will have a digital TV signal.