Britain will freeze funding for the BBC for two years and debate whether a universal licence fee should continue, the government said on Monday, sparking accusations of 'cultural vandalism'.
Pedestrians walk past a BBC logo at Broadcasting House in London, Britain, January 29, 2020. REUTERS/Henry Nicholls/File PhotoUK says debate needed on BBC funding post 2027LONDON, Jan 17 - Britain will freeze funding for the BBC for two years and debate whether a universal licence fee should continue, the government said on Monday, sparking accusations of "cultural vandalism".
Created to educate, inform and entertain, the BBC has been admired around the world for its high-quality news output, drama and documentaries by broadcasters such as David Attenborough.But in recent years it has struggled to navigate the heightened political and cultural disputes gripping Britain, notably about Brexit, with critics saying its London-centric, metropolitan viewpoint fails swathes of the country.
Tim Davie, the BBC's director general, and Chairman Richard Sharp, said the freeze would necessitate tougher choices that would impact licence fee payers. Lucy Powell, the opposition Labour spokeswoman for culture, told parliament that the funding freeze was an attack on one of the biggest institutions in British public life, and accused Dorries of "cultural vandalism".BBC's news bulletins recorded some of the highest viewing figures for 20 years during the pandemic, and it remains more trusted than competitors, but it has admitted it could do more to be impartial.
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