Post by Teddy Bear on Apr 5, 2013 16:59:39 GMT
The BBC continually like to tell the public how open and transparent it is, in the hope it will be believed, rather than having any real basis for the statement. The incoming Director General is using the same tactic by declaring how trust is being restored following the Savile and McAlpine scandals, despite nothing to show just how that's been achieved. Quite to the contrary, everything we've seen the BBC having done is to simply shuffle people most responsible around with no loss of position in the hierarchy or loss of earnings.
This story also reveals just how shallow is the BBC claim to being open and transparent as it refuses to disclose just how many people have opted out of paying their licence fee on the basis that they no longer watch live broadcasts. Their grounds for doings so are "disclosure would, or would be likely to, prejudice the prevention or detection of crime [and] the collection of the licence fee".
So any 'trust' they claim is clearly a one sided affair. Considering how much they 'champion' the poorer elements of society, and the welfare claimants, at least for the purposes of their anti-Tory propaganda, precisely those who would mostly want to avoid paying the licence fee, it shows they don't trust them - not one little bit.
This story also reveals just how shallow is the BBC claim to being open and transparent as it refuses to disclose just how many people have opted out of paying their licence fee on the basis that they no longer watch live broadcasts. Their grounds for doings so are "disclosure would, or would be likely to, prejudice the prevention or detection of crime [and] the collection of the licence fee".
So any 'trust' they claim is clearly a one sided affair. Considering how much they 'champion' the poorer elements of society, and the welfare claimants, at least for the purposes of their anti-Tory propaganda, precisely those who would mostly want to avoid paying the licence fee, it shows they don't trust them - not one little bit.
BBC refuses to disclose how many watch catch-up to avoid licence fee
The BBC has refused to disclose how many people say they do not need a television licence because they watch programmes online instead, it has emerged.
More than a million households do not pay the £145.50 annual fee, according to reports.
And increasing numbers are taking advantage of the "catch-up" loophole which allows viewers to use online catch-up services such as the BBC iPlayer and ITV Player without owning a licence.
Almost all programmes are available online after their live broadcast. The BBC has recently decided to make some programmes, such as a new Peter Kay sitcom, available on iPlayer before they are broadcast, meaning that viewers without a licence could enjoy them several weeks before those who pay.
John Whittingdale, chairman of the Commons Culture, Media and Sport Committee, said it was time for the Government and the BBC to discuss alternatives to the licence fee, suggesting that the committee would also consider the issue.
"In an era when people are more and more not watching broadcast linear television, it becomes harder and harder to justify (the licence fee),” he told The Times.
"As more and more choice is available, the necessity for the BBC having a presence in every genre and every kind or programming becomes steadily harder to justify.”
Those who feel they do not need a licence can respond to letters from TV Licensing by making a "no licence fee needed claim"
The BBC declined to respond to a Freedom of Information request seeking to establish how many households had made such a claim on the ground that "disclosure would, or would be likely to, prejudice the prevention or detection of crime [and] the collection of the licence fee".
Matthew Sinclair, chief cxecutive of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: "It is very disappointing that the BBC are refusing to answer legitimate questions. Telling us how many people don't pay the licence fee because they aren't supposed to pay the licence fee, is obviously possible without compromising efforts to ensure people who should pay do.
“It is attempts to enforce the law that are protected in the Freedom of Information Act, not attempts to confuse people into paying more than they should."
The BBC licence fee is frozen until March 2017. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport said it might look at changing the scope of the fee then.
The broadcaster claims that it makes £2 for the British economy for every £1 it gets from licence fee payers, most of which is calculated by seeing how the money it spends on wages and programming “ripples through” to private businesses.
A recent BBC study said there was a “multiplier effect” which meant the wider British economy profits from its vast spending. It said this was because the information would be "of use to those seeking to evade paying the licence fee".
Licence fee payers were found to be getting less value for money from their spending on both television programming and the website, but more from spending on radio.
The BBC has refused to disclose how many people say they do not need a television licence because they watch programmes online instead, it has emerged.
More than a million households do not pay the £145.50 annual fee, according to reports.
And increasing numbers are taking advantage of the "catch-up" loophole which allows viewers to use online catch-up services such as the BBC iPlayer and ITV Player without owning a licence.
Almost all programmes are available online after their live broadcast. The BBC has recently decided to make some programmes, such as a new Peter Kay sitcom, available on iPlayer before they are broadcast, meaning that viewers without a licence could enjoy them several weeks before those who pay.
John Whittingdale, chairman of the Commons Culture, Media and Sport Committee, said it was time for the Government and the BBC to discuss alternatives to the licence fee, suggesting that the committee would also consider the issue.
"In an era when people are more and more not watching broadcast linear television, it becomes harder and harder to justify (the licence fee),” he told The Times.
"As more and more choice is available, the necessity for the BBC having a presence in every genre and every kind or programming becomes steadily harder to justify.”
Those who feel they do not need a licence can respond to letters from TV Licensing by making a "no licence fee needed claim"
The BBC declined to respond to a Freedom of Information request seeking to establish how many households had made such a claim on the ground that "disclosure would, or would be likely to, prejudice the prevention or detection of crime [and] the collection of the licence fee".
Matthew Sinclair, chief cxecutive of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: "It is very disappointing that the BBC are refusing to answer legitimate questions. Telling us how many people don't pay the licence fee because they aren't supposed to pay the licence fee, is obviously possible without compromising efforts to ensure people who should pay do.
“It is attempts to enforce the law that are protected in the Freedom of Information Act, not attempts to confuse people into paying more than they should."
The BBC licence fee is frozen until March 2017. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport said it might look at changing the scope of the fee then.
The broadcaster claims that it makes £2 for the British economy for every £1 it gets from licence fee payers, most of which is calculated by seeing how the money it spends on wages and programming “ripples through” to private businesses.
A recent BBC study said there was a “multiplier effect” which meant the wider British economy profits from its vast spending. It said this was because the information would be "of use to those seeking to evade paying the licence fee".
Licence fee payers were found to be getting less value for money from their spending on both television programming and the website, but more from spending on radio.
