Blaming covid for the lack of dough and having to stop free licenses is a low shot.
The beeb agreed that back when negotiations took place to have their own budget responsibility that the deal was good. I bet HMG end up covering the licenses as the media inc the bbc will invariably spin it to be their fault. I want to see boris tell them to foxtrot oscar but alas hes showing himself to be a bit of a pussy atm so nothing would surprise me.

The BBC is a dead man walking. Defended the licencing model for decades but now cannot wait to see it have the rug pulled from under its feet.

"The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command." - 1984 - George Orwell.

The BBC is an outrageous bargain.

£157.00 per annum for all that?

And you do have the choice of having it or not.

It would cost you a fortune to get the spectrum of coverage the BBC supplies.

The only thing wrong with the licence fee is that it is too low.

And why would our elderly tories mind paying, after all they put them back in power.

Don't knock it!

It should be free.
Every other channel uses advertising. No one would notice if the BBC did likewise. It can't be worse than that ridiculous HD red screen you have to endure every time local news is on.

I totally agree that there should never have been any criminal element, really I have never seen why they cannot set up a simple system to collect the fee through general taxation with allowance for hardship etc.

Personally I think over 75s should have the option to pay any amount from 0 to the full fee.
Some might pay nought some a pound some if not quite a few will pay the full amount. Some might pay a tenner etc etc. A sense of fair play will break out and everyone has had a choice which we are all told we dont have in life apparently!
Then it's fair imo.
The bbc save face and get a few quid in the kitty as well. Remember millions of over 75s can afford this without blinking.