Stephen Fry and a load of luvvies, unions and interest groups are lobbying to stop the BBC licence fee from being redistributed to non-BBC public service broadcasters.  They want to levy new taxes rather than divert funds away from the bloated BBC to other suppliers.  Calling themselves the Citizens’ Coalition for Public Service Broadcasting they are mostly drawn from the public sector  and unions funded by a grant from the Joseph Rowntree Trust.  It is the usual bunch of media lefties, worried that their BBC gravy train might be derailed.  They are so out of date in their thinking that they still think in terms of  “broadcasting” rather than content provision across all distribution platforms.

The BBC does not have a monopoly on public service broadcasting, the next government would be wise to promote a more diverse public service content provider environment.  The technology of new media lowers the cost of entry to new online broadcasters.  Ofcom even identified some excellent prospects.  Guido is almost too modest  to name  worthy emerging public service candidates…