BBC funding: What the readers think

Should the Beeb charge us for its online content?

By John Oates, 4 July 2001 15:25

NEWS A senior executive from the BBC opened a large can of worms and stuck his head in it when he suggested that the national broadcaster should charge for its online content. It seems if there's one thing guaranteed to get a silicon.com reader's goat, apart from BT, it's how the BBC should pay for its websites. To read the whole story, and post your own comments: http://www.silicon.com/a45456 Dave Parker believes its time the BBC gave up the licence and allowed advertising on at least some of its services. He said: "Time for the BBC to grow up and be a big boy with the rest of the broadcasters." Howard Kitto said: "The BBC's online stuff is great, but if I was allowed to tax everyone in the country I'd have a great website too." We had some defence of good old Auntie too, some of it admittedly from a BBC employee. Someone even suggested that the BBC "filter out" anyone accessing the site from outside the UK. These people would then see BBC web pages but with banner adverts. The BBC tried this before and found out at some expense that it was not possible.

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