Public open to paying more to maintain BBC services

LONDON - Most licence payers would pay substantially more, if push comes to show, to get BBC services, according to an independent report.

The Barwise Report, commissioned by the BBC governance unit, into public opinion about the BBC's licence fee, indicated there is a broad agreement that the corporation is offering value for money.

According to Professor Patrick Barwise, who published the report, public support for a potential licence-fee hike would receive broad support, and consumer reaction to the corporation's proposed new services were largely positive.

Barwise said: "When asked to think about it, and if really forced to choose between paying the licence fee and losing the BBC's services, most licence fee payers would, if they had to, pay substantially more than the current £10 a month for existing BBC services."

The report also indicated that there was little evidence of there being a "tipping point" above which willingness to pay the licence fee would fall sharply -- providing the current levels of service were maintained.

Further, the more consumers were informed about the BBC's proposed new services, the more confident they were that the corporation was delivering value for money.

The report focused on three key areas of public debate: reaction to a possible £150 licence fee rise by 2013; responses to the BBC's new investment proposals; and the government's plans to use licence fee money to aid vulnerable citizens during the digital switchover.

However, the full report, which is available at , warned that a substantial licence fee increase by 2013, after the digital switchover process is expected to be completed, would likely result in a fall in support for the BBC, unless it delivered new services as promised.

Barwise added: "My estimate is that, if the licence fee increased by £150 per year in 2013/14, the proportion of people willing to pay for the existing services would fall from about 75%-80% to about 65%-70% in 2013/14.

Support for aiding the elderly with the switch from terrestrial to digital TV by 2012 proved to be a divisive issue, with 53% offering support for the BBC's responsibility to ensure the most vulnerable in society are assisted in switching to digital, with 47% against.

"However, if the government proceeds with this proposal, it won't be the straw that breaks the licence fee's back."

Barwise, who is professor of management and marketing at London Business School, has published numerous books on television and media, including 'Simply Better', which he co-wrote with Sean Meehan.

In 2004, Barwise led an independent UK government review on the BBC's digital television services.

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