LONDON: An Ipsos Mori poll for MediaGuardian suggests that while most Britons enjoy BBC TV programmes, a significant number disagree that the mandatory licence fee is value for money.
Nor do they believe the fee to be an appropriate way of funding the public broadcaster – a sentiment that gains in potency the further north from London respondents reside.
In Scotland 47% disagree that the licence fee is an appropriate funding mechanism, while 35% are in favour; in the north of England the percentage of dissidents falls slightly to 44% and 37% support the fee; in London only 28% disagree and 41% are supportive
There is a similar split among socio-economic groups. Asked if the fee is an apt mechanism for funding the BBC, 56% of those in the higher-income A/B group said it was; at the opposite end of the spectrum only 32% of the D/E group thought so.
The BBC's opponents – led by the Murdoch-owned daily press which commands some 37% of all UK newspaper readership – have vociferously lobbied against the £139.50 ($260.18; €177.05) annual fee levied on all TV-owning households, irrespective of whether their occupants watch BBC channels.
The anti-brigade argue that the fee is difficult to justify in a fragmented digital age given the decline in time spent in watching BBC programmes.
The BBC counters that in such an environment it has a more important role than ever in delivering high-quality public service content to a wide audience.
However, many critics and viewers question how much of the BBC's heavily populist output meets its claimed quality standard?
Nor do they believe the fee to be an appropriate way of funding the public broadcaster – a sentiment that gains in potency the further north from London respondents reside.
In Scotland 47% disagree that the licence fee is an appropriate funding mechanism, while 35% are in favour; in the north of England the percentage of dissidents falls slightly to 44% and 37% support the fee; in London only 28% disagree and 41% are supportive
There is a similar split among socio-economic groups. Asked if the fee is an apt mechanism for funding the BBC, 56% of those in the higher-income A/B group said it was; at the opposite end of the spectrum only 32% of the D/E group thought so.
The BBC's opponents – led by the Murdoch-owned daily press which commands some 37% of all UK newspaper readership – have vociferously lobbied against the £139.50 ($260.18; €177.05) annual fee levied on all TV-owning households, irrespective of whether their occupants watch BBC channels.
The anti-brigade argue that the fee is difficult to justify in a fragmented digital age given the decline in time spent in watching BBC programmes.
The BBC counters that in such an environment it has a more important role than ever in delivering high-quality public service content to a wide audience.
However, many critics and viewers question how much of the BBC's heavily populist output meets its claimed quality standard?
Data sourced from Guardian.co.uk; additional content by WARC staff