The results of the www.moneysavingexpert.com poll are now available.


The question asked was:-
“Should the BBC be downscaled?”

The available options were as follows:-


1)  No, make it bigger – increase the licence fee to pay for more
2)  No, make it bigger – but scrap licence fee and pay for it from general taxation
3)  No, keep roughly as now – and same licence fee (rising with inflation)
4)  No, keep roughly as now – but scrap licence fee and pay for it from general taxation.

5)  Yes, downscale TV arm to news plus other programmes you wouldn’t get elsewhere – cut but keep the licence fee
6)  Yes, to just news, weather, radio, website – via huge cut to licence fee & rest funded by ads
7)  Yes, to just news, weather, radio, website – via huge cut to licence fee & rest funded by subscription.

8)  Scrap BBC special status & licence fee – fund by advertising
9)  Scrap BBC special status & licence fee – fund by subscription
10) Close the BBC entirely

Although the poll split the age groups into 5 different groups, the results were broadly similar.

The results could be divided into three basic preferences:-

The same (or bigger) BBC with an inflation-linked licence or funded from tax. (Options 1,2,3,4)  59%

Downscale the BBC to a basic provider of News, Public Service type programmes funded by either advertising or subscription (Options 5,6,7) 10.5%

Scrap the BBC completely, or fund completely by advertising or subscription (Options 8,9,10) 30.5%


The full results may be seen here.