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Dear Supporter,
Just yesterday, the BBC chairman told us that the corporation is a ‘national asset’ and placing the BBC behind a paywall would diminish the BBC and 'weaken the United Kingdom'. He could not be more out of touch.
For many years now, the public have been falling out of love with the licence fee model. Two weeks ago, the TPA launched our “Axe the Tax” campaign to scrap the BBC licence fee. And last week, a consultation was opened to decriminalise non-payment of the TV tax.
That came after the news that the tax will increase in April, jumping up to £157.50 – something that may not be noticed by some households but will by many others struggling with the cost of living.
Plenty of people wouldn't necessarily mind a small licence fee if it was paying for a much slimmer BBC that focused on serious news and cultural enrichment. But let's face it – that's not been the case for quite some time.
Despite what the BBC chairman seems to believe, the corporation urgently needs to accept reality and adapt to the 21st century. The youth audience that it is so desperate to court has gone elsewhere, with streaming services providing top drawer programming on demand.
We need your help to make the case for reform. There are two things you can do to support our campaign:
- Make a donation to our “Axe the Tax” Fighting Fund. We can't do any of our important work without your support. (Thanks to those who have already made a donation!)
- Join us at 5.30pm on 3 March for our next policy event: The future of the BBC licence fee: Mark Wallace in conversation with Sir Robbie Gibb. Full details of the event are here.
Thank you in advance for your help. We really appreciate the support, and look forward to seeing you on 3 March if you can make it.
Best wishes,
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