BBC Trust to Review License Fee-Collection Procedures

LONDON, September 8: The
BBC Trust, which oversees the activities of the British pubcaster, has
announced a public consultation to review how the license fee is collected.

The Trust is responsible
for overseeing the fee-collection procedures implemented by BBC management.
Announcing the review, Sir Michael Lyons, the chairman of the BBC Trust, said:
"It is use of a television, or other television receiving equipment, which
dictates the need for a television license, but the purpose of the license fee
is to pay for all BBC domestic services—on television, radio and online.
For the BBC to meet its remit, and deliver the quality programs and services
the public rightly expects, it is essential it collects the funding needed. The
BBC has a duty to be efficient in collecting the license fee and to keep
evasion rates as low as possible so that those people who pay are not
disadvantaged by those who do not. This is an issue which arouses strong
emotions, because the right balance needs to be struck between ensuring
compliance with the law and avoiding any disproportionate heavy-handedness. On
behalf of license-fee payers, the Trust will consider whether that balance is
being struck through the processes used to collect the license and, if there is
room for improvements, we will ensure they are made."

Among the areas to be
explored by the review are payment methods, the “tone” of marketing and
advertising about the fee and enforcement methods. The Trust wants the public’s
views on those issues, as well as comments about how far the BBC should go in
pursuing those who don’t pay the fee. The consultation period kicks off today
and runs until November 28.

—By Mansha Daswani