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Is it your BBC? Radio Times readers reveal their thoughts on the public broadcaster – and why they fear for its survival

With Charter renewal due, digital disruption causing chaos and the licence fee called into question, the Corporation is at a crossroads. But which way do you want it to go?

Mike Kemp/In Pictures via Getty Images

Radio Times Brand Director

• Tom Loxley

Published: Sunday, 14 June 2026 at 8:01 am

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We need to talk about the BBC. A digital revolution is rapidly transforming the television and radio landscape, and out of this flux new challenges constantly emerge.Earlier this year the UK’s official ratings body, Barb, revealed that YouTube had overtaken the Corporation in audience reach for the first time. That’s momentous news if the BBC wishes to remain a national broadcaster that caters to all of Britain.

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Moreover, it must do so in a country where political opinion is deeply polarised. Each passing week sees a new row about impartiality, threatening the BBC’s long-standing reputation as a trusted voice at the heart of the national conversation.

On top of all that, the licence fee is under threat. A new Charter that settles future funding is being negotiated with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and is due to be delivered by the Government next year.

The fee that has funded the BBC for more than a century is increasingly seen as outmoded in an age of subscription TV.

And it certainly struggles to cover the costs of the BBC – consequently, the Corporation is currently looking to make £500 million of savings over the next two years in order to make ends meet. When he began work last month, the new director-general, Matt Brittin, had barely put his feet under his desk before announcing that the BBC faced “tough choices”.

Matt Brittin, new BBC director-general. Horacio Villalobos - Corbis/Getty Images

But what should those choices be? Barely a day goes by without someone somewhere offering their views on the BBC. But what about the viewers and listeners? People like you? When did you last have your say?

When Tim Davie resigned last year after the row about Panorama’s editing of a Donald Trump speech, Radio Times ran an appeal for your views. We asked how you felt about the BBC. Did it have a future in the digital age? How should it be paid for? What did you love about it – and what wouldn’t you miss? And to tell us plainly whether you trusted it any more.

Hundreds of people wrote in and what emerged was an extraordinary picture of the relationship between the BBC and its viewers and listeners. In this cache of correspondence there is love, passion, irritation, principles, a confidence that the BBC is part of our British life from morning until night. It’s hard to see this level of involvement, need, pride, fury and, indeed, trust in any other relationship within our society – apart from the NHS, obviously.

For decades the BBC enjoyed a rather cosy characterisation as “Auntie”. To many that description may feel out of date. But it remains remarkably appropriate in one way. The picture Radio Times readers paint suggests the BBC is like that relative we all know, the one who entertains and informs us, who can be relied on to be there when we need them, who might embarrass and possibly bore us on occasion, but above all else is part of the family – and whose demise we would mourn enormously.

A QUESTION OF TRUST

You answered – and in no uncertain terms

Having lived overseas for several years, first in Texas, USA, and later in Oman, I have experienced the sort of TV that you receive when the only motive is profit. It was terrible, particularly in terms of news and current affairs coverage. The only quality programmes that we saw in Texas were on the PBS channel and were imported from the BBC. Likewise in Oman, the only news to be trusted came from BBC World.

People in power, including journalists and politicians, should be really careful what they wish for because once the BBC is gone, it won’t ever be replaced and we shall all be worse off. I for one would never forgive a political party that took it down.

The situation that Panorama got itself into [over Donald Trump] and the Gaza: Doctors under Attack documentary was really stupid and there should certainly be better oversight – I think the current structure at the BBC is clearly lacking but we must be careful not to throw the baby out with the bath water.

I don’t agree with woke nonsense about not saying “women” when that is clearly what you mean [in November the BBC upheld 20 impartiality complaints after presenter Martine Croxall altered a script she was reading live on the BBC News channel, which referred to “pregnant people”]. We shouldn’t all have to change our use of the English language to salve the feelings of a few people. A bit of common sense is needed all round.

Overall, though, I do trust the BBC, particularly people like international editor Jeremy Bowen who put their lives on the line to show us what is really happening in the world. I love BBC wildlife – what an excellent service they provide – and we all love Strictly.

Sarah Roberts Alrewas, Staffordshire

I am 78 years old and grew up with the safe, cosy version of “Auntie”, and for many years trusted the news it disseminated. However, that trust is comprehensively broken. Once the BBC climbed aboard the woke bandwagon it lost all pretensions to impartiality.

The debacle over the doctoring of President Trump’s Capitol speech illustrates this perfectly. The censoring of Martine Croxall for correctly using the term “pregnant women”, a split-second decision, only underlines the hypocrisy.

Vivien O’Carroll via email

I’m very fond of the BBC, warts and all, and would be very sad if it were no more. It’s a national institution and offers a range of dramas, documentaries etc. Like school teachers, the BBC leans to the left, but the public are grown-ups and can sort the wheat from the chaff.

I trust them far more than the money men and far right. If it ain’t broke, don’t mess with it.

My one complaint is the incomplete, and sometimes totally missing, subtitles. There are millions of hard-of- hearing seniors who rely on them.

And for what it’s worth, I don’t think we should have sold the trains, British Gas and Royal Mail, either.

Marilyn Short London

Where public frustration really hardens regarding the BBC is around trust, and there are some very real reasons for that. The Jimmy Savile case can’t be brushed aside – it was a profound institutional failure. Serious concerns were missed or ignored, and the instinct to protect reputation over accountability did lasting damage. When an organisation asks for universal trust and compulsory funding, people understandably hold onto failures like that.

There’s also a growing sense that editorial authority isn’t as unquestionable as it once was. High-profile legal threats and lawsuits involving major broadcasters, including cases brought or threatened by figures like Donald Trump, feed a wider perception that big media institutions are no longer beyond challenge. Regardless of where people stand politically, that chips away at the idea of automatic credibility.

And then there’s Panorama. It remains an important investigative programme, but accusations that certain episodes have been selectively edited or framed to suit a particular narrative, whether fair or not, have also dented confidence. When people believe a programme is shaping evidence rather than following it wherever it leads, trust erodes quickly, especially for a broadcaster that sets such high standards for others.

All of that helps explain why loss of trust doesn’t come out of nowhere. That doesn’t automatically mean the BBC has no value, but it does mean it can’t rely on legacy or moral authority alone any more.

So for me, it comes back to reform, not abolition. The BBC needs: a fairer, modern funding model; civil, not criminal, enforcement of the licence fee; real accountability and transparency when things go wrong.

Public service broadcasting still matters, for news, regional coverage and areas the market won’t serve well, but people need to feel that the standards demanded of the public are matched internally.

Andrew Percy Haddock via Facebook

The resignations last year of the director-general, Tim Davie, and CEO of news Deborah Turness were very regrettable. The BBC should have mounted a much stronger response to the recent attacks on it. The BBC is the moral compass of this country and represents the very best of it. It is our greatest educator. May the glorious BBC continue its great work. What it presents and creates is priceless.

Georgina Barber Tintwistle, Derbyshire

The two things I am most proud of as a Brit are the NHS and the BBC. Sadly, both have suffered in recent years by underfunding, the risk of commercial interference and a hostile press highlighting their mistakes and ignoring all the amazing things they do.

I’m pleased to see the recent “This is Our BBC” campaign on my TV screen, reminding viewers of what the BBC does and how it only happens because we, the public, fund it. Some people seem happy to pay lots to commercial broadcasters and in return get annoying ads and very little being done for the public good. These channels are also open to political influence from their owners or other commercial interests.

The public needs to be reminded of all the other great things that the BBC does, such as children’s programmes, Bitesize, helplines for parents and those with specific issues, funding orchestras and choirs, roadshows, supporting aspiring new musicians of all genres, working with the Open University, fundraising for charities and so much more. All these things have a positive impact on the people of this country.

I fear for the BBC’s future if changes aren’t made. Ensure everyone knows of all the good things the BBC does for us. Get rid of all political appointees. Remain neutral in order to tell the truth and ignore outsiders who try to influence the content, be they political, commercial or foreign. Stand strong and keep to your Reithian principles. We need the BBC in an ever-changing world full of fear and false news.

Veronica Leader Capel St Mary, Suffolk

No, I don’t trust the BBC. Why not? Because I feel that the BBC has become an organisation that is no longer impartial. The Panorama scandal, the Martine Croxall incident, gender politics in Doctor Who (really?) all point to politicisation within the BBC. This is such a shame because in the 1980s and 90s when Margaret Thatcher accused the BBC of political bias, I would defend the BBC to the hilt, but not today.

Something has changed in the last five years and I don’t know what, but my trust in the BBC has been undermined.

Nigel Hartshorne Macclesfield, Cheshire

So, you asked us to tell you plainly:

Do you still trust the BBC? No.

Does it have a future? Not in its present form.

What do you love about it, what could it do better? Nothing. Stop being so blatantly biased in its reporting.

Are there services you couldn’t live without? All that is required is quality programming and less celebrity-based content.

Which programmes justify the licence fee, and which feel out of step? None.

Most importantly, how should the BBC be paid for in future – through the licence fee? No.

General taxation? Definitely not.

Via subscription? No.

Or using a new model entirely? Adverts at the end of programmes, never during them.

The BBC is losing revenue and viewers as a result of its own misguided approach to content and funding, and if it does not change the way it operates quickly, it will become irrelevant as a broadcaster, as there are many other services out there offering a far higher-quality experience.

Chris Wilson Hastings, East Sussex

I have watched BBC television and listened to its radio programmes daily for more than six decades. I’ve been educated, informed and entertained, and always felt I’d had good value for my licence fee. But the recent controversies have been disillusioning. They undermine the trust that so many had in the institution, both in this country and abroad. If we cannot trust the BBC, who can we trust?

I fervently hope a new top management team can find a way to restore the BBC’s reputation and return them to their Reithian ethics. We need public service broadcasting. So many broadcasters are solely interested in maximising profits for their shareholders or pushing the political agenda of their owners. A public broadcaster should aim to give us news that has been fact-checked, is as fair and unbiased as possible and gives us a trustworthy picture of what is actually happening in the world.

On the entertainment side, the BBC has always offered a broad range of programmes for all kinds of tastes. Alongside popular shiny-floor shows, it has offered edgier dramas and comedy, fascinating documentaries, and covered music, arts, humanities and science. I don’t think that any of the purely profit-driven stations would offer these.

Social media seems to be dangerously divisive and full of fake news. It would be disastrous if this were all we are left with should the BBC fall. I am watching developments with trepidation.

Anne Frost Salisbury, Wiltshire

The BBC is absolutely vital for Britain and our democracy. We must stand up against the hate campaigns orchestrated by extremist politicians and fostered by elements of the media. The BBC is also a very important factor in our country’s standing in the world. It is essential to find a way to fund the BBC without it being subject to political pressure.

The BBC’s core aim should be to tell the truth. By and large I think it manages that very well.

David Bird Guildford, Surrey

By attacking the BBC and potentially bringing it down, we run the risk of ending up at the mercy of the largely unregulated AI-driven abyss of misinformation and fakery.

I have always felt protected by the BBC, shielded from the worst malevolent forces. The British people are, at their core, a peaceful and diverse nation. The BBC constantly tries to represent these values. But the BBC is still managed by real people – and people are flawed. Who isn’t?

Yes, mistakes have been made, but who else would do better? If we throw out the BBC, who do we trust to uphold what defines us as a nation?

All organisations are naturally imperfect and those, such as the BBC, can only navigate the unsettled waters of this world as best they can, and be as accountable as is reasonable to be. I believe they still, by and large, understand that their role is to inform and comment with minimal bias.

I still trust in the BBC. Please support our BBC. Please fight for our BBC. Please save our BBC.

Katherine Parr Isle of Wight

Do I trust the BBC? Yes, a resounding yes. Do I want it to disappear or change dramatically? Absolutely not!

I grew up in France, brought up by my French parents, but have lived in the UK all my adult life. When I was young, I remember my dad not only mentioning la "BéBéCé" but talking about it with a feeling of respect for it. My dad travelled abroad extensively because of his job as an electronic engineer, and as a youngster I grew up with this image of the BBC having a respected presence in foreign countries.

Today, my image of the Corporation has not changed: day in day out, I can see for myself how BBC journalists manage to gain the trust of people on the ground and in high places too, both here but particularly abroad, so that they can bring back the correct, unbiased information.

The name "BBC" opens doors, there is no doubt about it – it is a name people know and trust, and have done for generations. I am very concerned that the BBC is being threatened. It plays a crucial role and should not be allowed to see its objectivity disappear.

Annie Moore Reading, Berkshire

Some years ago I was introduced to a lady who inquired, in an expensively educated voice, which school I went to. My reply? “I obtained most of my education from the Home Service of the BBC.” It began in the 1930s when my chore was to exchange the wet battery of “the wireless” for a newly charged one.

My confidence in and admiration for BBC correspondents is undiminished; the recent outcries, first over the Gaza film and the editing of the Trump speech, were the usual examples of “any stick to beat the BBC”. BBC editors must be forever vigilant without pandering to the forces of bigotry working for its downfall. Stay strong in the knowledge that the people are behind you. You must fight back. Decency and democracy need you.

Elsie Mathieson Castle Cary, Somerset

SPEAKING TRUTH TO POWER

Do you believe the bulletins?

BBC television remains first class even if new programmes are rather thin on the ground. Unfortunately, BBC News is bringing the wider BBC into disrepute, be it doctoring film or political bias. I realise accusations come from all sides but its reporting of Gaza has been completely one-sided.

The BBC must be allowed to continue as our principal public service broadcaster but government interference must be removed and a completely independent body set up to agree the licence fee, top management appointments and keep an eye on impartiality.

Darryl Sugg Surrey

I’ve always had great faith in the BBC presentation of the news. I accept there’s a degree of editorial bias but that’s present everywhere; you only have to look at the newspapers. The incident with President Trump that caused a stir was unfortunate, but as far as him demanding compensation for damaging his reputation, I can only hope that any court that may have to deal with this case treats it with the derision it deserves. I feel that the recent resignations were unfortunate and that BBC management should stand its ground in the face of these complaints, not just throw in the towel and let these bullies win.

Alan Ashman Sedgley, West Midlands

I no longer trust the BBC News, news-related panels or talk shows because there are clear biases (anti-Muslim, anti-Palestinian), and it has effectively given Nigel Farage and the Reform Party the publicity, platform and popularity it has today. This has directly affected current British parliamentary policy and all of the country’s media. Unforgivable. Other points: it remains a male-dominated institution from the upper echelons of management down. It now produces far too much dumbed-down, intellectually insulting content for entertainment, instead of education and information. It has far too much coverage of the royal family. Seriously, most people don’t care. History programmes rarely touch on the realities of British Empire in its colonies. Far too much cooking. Far too few presenters from outside the south east. Deeply damaging handling of the Trump footage. Smug.

K Kemra via email

We must not be a country where every news outlet is influenced by those with money or who wish to influence politics for their own gain. We are not that country; we must not become that country.

Sharon Fawcitt Winchester, Hampshire

I rely on the BBC for many things and would feel lost without being able to tune into Radio 3 or 4 and their excellent programmes (and without being bombarded with adverts). I trust the BBC to provide an accurate, comprehensive report of the news. It’s made mistakes but we need to protect the excellent work this organisation does.

Pauline Meadows Whetstone, London

The BBC is stuck in a mess of its own making. For a start it could try making programmes people want to watch, rather than what the BBC thinks is popular. So, for drama, please no more Death in Paradise, Return to Paradise, “Forgetting Paradise” or any other spin-offs. More of Blue Lights, Shetland and Line of Duty. Doctor Who has been an absolute mess. Strictly Come Dancing is a disaster with allegations of misconduct. Put it to sleep now.

It’s not all bad. BBC News is excellent. Yes, in a world of fake news, the BBC can be trusted to tell you the facts of the matter.

Andrew Garvey Enfield, London

I do trust the BBC reporting and think, in general, it has the right balance. However, I often think the TV News at 6pm fails to cover world news adequately. I also suspect there’s been intent recently to undermine the BBC because its reporting doesn’t suit certain groups. Its demise would be a huge, unpardonable loss. It’s one of the things that make me proud to be British. I’m happy to pay the licence fee and think this is the best system.

Carole Herbstritt Edinburgh

The BBC continues to play a vital role in our national life.

I don’t object to the licence fee and consider it good value for money. However, the Board needs to get a grip. Programming that justifies the licence includes a wide range of documentaries, news and current affairs, classical music and sports (though we seem to be losing sport to the highest bidder). Perhaps the arrival of a new director-general provides an opportunity to address some unfortunate policy decisions that have arisen in recent years. For example:

Return Newsnight to a running time of 45 minutes. The current, shorter format is rushed and, all too often, we hear the refrain “Sorry, we’ve run out of time” in the middle of an important discussion.

The big advantage of BBC over commercial channels used to be that there were no adverts. Now the end of every programme is ruined by noisy, repetitive trailers that take chunks out of the next item. These are just as annoying as commercial advertisements. My mute button is worn out.

Every few weeks, letters in the Radio Times Feedback pages complain about intrusive soundtracks on documentaries, drowning out the presenter. Yet they continue unabated.

I strongly object to being ordered to watch everything on iPlayer. How about “You may be interested to watch this on iPlayer”? Much more polite and less antagonistic.

Dr Philip H Smith MBE Formby, Merseyside

It’s vitally important that the BBC be maintained in its present form, keeping all the requirements that are statutory within its Charter, including its independence and investigative journalism. It should be protected from further dumbing down of its output, which has been detectable in recent years.

The corollary to all this, of course, is that the BBC should be more conscientious and vigilant in sticking strictly to its official remit and avoid creating incidents like the altercation with President Trump and the disturbing unsatisfactory personal behaviour of some of its leading employees that brings the Corporation into disrepute and jeopardises its future.

David Thompson Hastings, East Sussex

LICENCE FEE, SUBSCRIPTION OR ADS?

How do you think the BBC should be paid for?

The TV licence system may not be perfect, but if the BBC is to remain impartial and continue to deliver its mission to inform, educate and entertain, it’s vital that it gets an adequate level of funding without being beholden to either the government or to advertisers.

If the BBC was subscription- or advertising-funded, much of its best work would never have been commissioned, as it wouldn’t be worth risking anything that was expected only to appeal to a minority, such as, say, Monty Python or Fleabag. For me, Radio 4’s I’m Sorry I Haven’t a Clue would justify the licence fee on its own, but there are so many others that I couldn’t possibly list them all.

Direct government funding would open it to accusations of being a state broadcaster. It seems to me that the TV licence is the best available compromise, and we should keep it.

David Monksfield Stansted, Essex

The BBC is doing the best it can in a media world currently akin to a minefield, and they can’t get it right all the time. As long as those guilty of altering reports to suit their own, or a perceived corporate agenda, are found and dealt with, the present funding via licence fee is the best way forward. We need an independent BBC that can dig into, uncover and report stories. We would be far worse off if all our news sources were commercially funded.

Joss Barnard Liskeard, Cornwall

I like the fact that there are no adverts interrupting programmes, although I could do without all the BBC “plugs” (most people know what is on, especially if they read Radio Times), which are shown too frequently. I would rather pay a licence fee than a subscription or some other form of tax.

Nicholas Bateman Bordon, Hampshire

I think the licence fee is a waste of time. There is much potential in the BBC’s worldwide reach that could be exploited in the form of a subscription system.

I would happily pay a large monthly fee to get first-rate journalism supplied by many more foreign correspondents than are currently employed by the BBC. Plus, excellent drama, documentaries and feature programmes. Sport is now so expensive and over-commercialised that it should be left entirely to the private sector. State events should be carried as part of the output, but I see no role for soap operas, quiz shows and endless cookery/DIY/gardening/property shows. Again, leave that to commercial stations.

Dr Alexander Hall East Finchley, north London

It would be tragic for the BBC to turn to advertising. You only have to watch ITV for half an hour to realise that. Ad-free TV and radio is a blessing that should be preserved.

Darren Adams via Facebook

I get the frustration with the licence fee model, and there’s a legitimate debate to be had, but saying it’s not fit for purpose doesn’t really stand up when you look at it. First, the licence isn’t a BBC subscription. It’s a public broadcasting levy that underwrites a universal, independent broadcaster. The reason it applies to live TV broadly is to avoid market distortion and mass evasion. You can argue that the enforcement model is outdated (fair), but that’s an argument for reform, not abolition.

Second, every broadcaster produces content that misses the mark. That doesn’t negate the BBC’s wider output of national and regional news, global journalism (often used by other broadcasters), children’s TV without advertising, radio (including local services) that simply wouldn’t survive in a pure commercial model.

Third, the BBC now costs around £180 per household per year (around 49p a day). In the US, where broadcasting is heavily deregulated, households routinely spend £1,000+ per year on cable and streaming bundles and the TV still ends up being more polarised, with less trusted news.

Finally, the choice isn’t licence fee or shutdown. The real options are: reform the licence fee (income-based, household tax, or hybrid models), tighten governance and commissioning standards, modernise enforcement. But scrapping the BBC altogether won’t lead to cheaper, better media. As the US shows, it leads to higher costs, lower trust, and media owned by a handful of corporations.

Ron Oyston via Facebook

In my view it is essential that the BBC retains its current financing model, independent and financed by the licence fee. I would not want the BBC to be commercialised and a subscription service would not bring in enough funds. I would certainly not want the BBC to be taken over by one of the streaming channels. The quality and breadth of the programmes would be reduced and I would expect much more extreme political bias to creep in.

Graham Ward Wirral

For all its faults, the BBC is still a world-beating broadcaster. People who complain should be forced to watch TV from other nations for a month and then decide what they think. This is not an idle threat. Here in Switzerland we can get any unencrypted TV from numerous European countries via cable. They range from just about OK to awful.

If the BBC needs to increase its revenue and the government doesn’t agree to an increase in the licence fee (or penalise those who refuse to pay), then why not set up a subscription service for those living outside of the UK? Given the level of UK emigration to other countries, this would be an additional revenue stream.

It should not be beyond the wit of the BBC and government to sort out rights issues. This seems to be the recurrent argument as to why they can’t do anything to set up a subscription service.

Dr Janet Dawson Bennwil, Switzerland

I love the BBC, but I don’t believe the licence fee model fits any more, so probably needs to go. Be warned, though, if the BBC goes, I believe the other UK channels, ITV, Channel 4 and 5 won’t survive and will be swallowed up by US broadcasting giants.

Martin Ansell via Facebook

Regarding the question of paying for the BBC, I don’t want adverts. The BBC and ITV are both at a disadvantage compared to other broadcasters. The BBC has the licence fee but no adverts. ITV has adverts but no licence fee. Other broadcasters like Netflix and Sky have subscriptions and adverts.

To provide good programmes the BBC needs adequate funding. I am willing to pay more for quality programmes. I would like the TV licence to stay.

Aidan Murphy Stanley, County Durham

We are and always have been strong supporters of the BBC. We trust it despite the management issues. We love the quality of programmes across news, sport, drama, music, documentaries and children’s TV and there just needs to be an improvement in the systems and procedures for ensuring good behaviour by the stars and impartiality in its coverage. It is BBC TV, radio and online to which we turn first for our daily news and sport coverage and we regularly watch outstanding dramas such as Happy Valley, Line of Duty and more recently Prisoner 951. Amandaland and Daddy Issues are two brilliant comedies that we are currently enjoying. Empire is our favourite documentary and we absolutely loved the recent Celebrity Traitors!

We really want to keep paying for the BBC through the licence fee and would like to take this opportunity to thank the hard-working staff for entertaining and informing us so well.

Roy and Cath Horsley Nottingham

Last year, the licence fee cost £174 per annum, which in weekly terms is approximately £3.50 per week. This amounts to the price of a cup of coffee or two first-class stamps. What a bargain! What value for money! All those TV and radio channels including the World Service for the price of a cuppa.

Yes, the BBC has made mistakes like other corporations but on balance it is a valuable and trusted broadcasting company. It’s a box of delights, full of precious gems – long may it be protected by the licence fee.

Diane Reid Waverton, Chester

The BBC is institutionally biased. Too left wing.There is no need to chase the youth market. Surveys show the under-25s don’t watch television. Scrap BBC Three. The TV licence is not fit for purpose in today’s television environment. You should switch to a subscription-based model.

Do less and do it better.

Trevor Harvey Hove, East Sussex

As far as I’m concerned the BBC and its TV licence are a utility. They sit happily alongside my water bill, my energy bill etc. You get what you pay for and if you want excellent quality then you have to pay for it. That makes it sound expensive but it’s not.

I grew up watching the BBC and ITV and adore them both. In 1989 the UK “gained” multi-channel television, something which I embraced at first, but after all these years I realise I didn’t ask for it and I certainly don’t want it.

As a 54-year-old man who is tech savvy and has a lot of the latest screen-based gadgets, I can tell you that there is no better way to enjoy watching television than on a traditional television set. Yes, I watch YouTube and various other apps and platforms, but I will always return to my beloved television set for real, professional and polished entertainment. Sitting around the TV enjoying entertaining programming with family is something that should be cherished.

Robert Shoard Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent

If the BBC is to be preserved as a universal public service broadcaster, the licence fee must be kept. But it should be updated to be fit for the future. As television becomes increasingly online, a suitable method may be for the licence fee to take the form of a broadband levy. This would be more difficult to evade and a line on a broadband bill may cause less resentment than a separate bill.

Daryl Millar Mildenhall, Suffolk

One thing I would suggest is not allowing free access to iPlayer – at present you are merely asked if you have a TV licence, easy enough to answer in the affirmative even

if you haven’t. Why not ask for the licence number? It should be easy enough to tie this in with your BBC account so that you only have to provide it once and it would prevent those not paying the fee from watching.

Sara Brett Upper Dean, Bedfordshire

The positive aspects of the BBC are as follows:

1. It is an important national institution at a time of enormous social disruption. As a centrist floating voter, I look to the institutions that form our national identity and cohesionto continue to play a role. In our anti-expert, “fake news” world this is a difficult position to be in. However, we will lose such institutions to our detriment.
2. Great national events such as the coronation are of major social importance to bind us together as a nation.
3. The radio channels continue to provide a brilliant service. I would find life barren without Radio 3 and 4.
4. News coverage is an essential part of my life. In recent times the following are among my most valued and trusted reporters – Jeremy Bowen, Frank Gardner, Katya Adler, Chris Mason, Steve Rosenberg, Lucy Williamson and Clive Myrie.
5. Since 1980 I have lived in eastern England and Scotland. Regional TV services are relevant, professional and of good quality.
6. Unsurpassed classical music coverage, eg the Proms, Edinburgh Festival, and Radio 3 in general.
7. Drama and Entertainment are highly subjective and face greater competition. But Blue Lights was the greatest TV drama I watched in 2025.

Having a service without advertising is wonderful but I do not think the current method is politically sustainable.

I believe the BBC is so important that we need it funded by general taxation.

Geoff Sage March, Cambridgeshire

The BBC must not rely on advertising. Anyone who has watched TV in the USA or Canada can see how the flow and rhythm of a programme is ruined!

People happily pay for Netflix and similar platforms, so I don’t see a problem with the BBC licence fee. But second choice after the licence fee would be a subscription service.

I totally believe in the BBC.

Patricia Hill Ipswich, Suffolk

STILL A NATIONAL TREASURE?

Where and how does the BBC shine – or fall short...

As a retired couple, we predominantly watch the BBC for our entertainment. We would be utterly shocked if anything happened to it. We consider it as much a part of British life as the NHS. In fact, the clue is in the name – the British Broadcasting Corporation.

The Beeb is respected around the world as a fair and honest news outlet and, as such, should not be destroyed for making the odd mistake. Having said that, the culprits who edited the Trump Panorama should be made to pay for their error, but I do not believe that the director-general should have resigned.

The quality of programmes is extraordinarily high, which justifies the licence fee. At the current rate of £180 or £15 per month, this amount is, in the great scheme of things, nothing, even for retired folk.

There are certain things that make life in Britain worthwhile and the BBC is one of them.

Ann and Ray Levett Tiptree, Essex

The BBC is a very rare and precious jewel still gleaming in the nations’ crown. That said, the Corporation is in danger of becoming less relevant in the eyes of the viewers and listeners and, therefore, losing its way amid the plethora of commercial broadcasting and platforms. It’s not the BBC’s fault… It inevitably gets harder for one voice to be heard against an ever-expanding multitude of opposing voices.

But it does call for each and every one of us to rally round to keep the heart of this one-off institution fully and healthily beating. Because if we don’t, there will soon be no BBC and British broadcasting would then crumble, leaving us with a global broadcasting/media sector that is meaningless and pointless.

I do find the present BBC output generally less personally attractive than I used to. The BBC and I go back a long way [I am in my 60s] and I’ve increasingly felt alienated by schedules across radio and television pandering to a younger audience market. But the BBC also possesses the biggest, widest and most valuable archive of programmes across the last hundred years. It’s vital that the BBC releases and makes available this full treasure store.

Mrs C Harrison Glasgow

I am 75 and have gone from Bill and Ben to Pointless. I am not going to desert her now. I love the BBC, warts and all, and will fight on the barricades to protect her.

Not long ago I saw a snippet of TV where Al Pacino was on the red carpet at some premiere in America. All the media were being ignored by him until one reporter shouted out that he was from the BBC. Pacino stopped in his tracks, exhaled, smiled and said “Wow!” Then gave a mini interview. Need I say more?

Barry Ketchell Whitley Bay, Tyne and Wear

I cannot begin to express how strongly I feel about the BBC. You have only to watch what is going on in the USA at the moment to understand just how much the BBC is a bulwark – perhaps the only one – of our democracy.

Hard-hitting interviewers like Jeremy Paxman, and more recently Nick Robinson, Sarah Montague, Sue Mitchell and so many others hold politicians and others to account in a way that the press corps in the US seems incapable of doing.

I am in awe of the ability of BBC journalists to stand up to bullying, maintain their composure and remain polite under fire and in the national spotlight, in order to ask questions on behalf of the ordinary people of Britain. I am furious that a few minor mistakes seem to provide some sort of excuse to try and destroy a precious, irreplaceable resource.

I couldn’t begin to list all the programmes that have given me pleasure over the years, on the radio (standouts are The World at One, I’m Sorry I Haven’t a Clue and Just a Minute), TV (Strictly, Shetland, Question Time) and podcasts (To Catch a Scorpion, Ukrainecast).

Please, please, please, fight Donald Trump and all the right-wing critics who think only of their own short-term self-interest.

Personally, I am in favour of the BBC being funded through either the licence fee or general taxation, because it is a national resource, and vital to the health of our democracy. Whether people use it or not, we all depend on it for truthful, objective reporting and political accountability.

Andrea Clough Brighton

“Inform, educate, and entertain”? When the BBC was set up, it had a monopoly of the air waves. This is no longer the case. Should it still try to be all things to all [wo]men?

I still think that the Beeb has an important role in informing, particularly in a world where misinformation and disinformation are rife. Educate, too, which can take many forms, not just the schools-directed programmes that were so valuable when I was young, but in documentaries at which the Beeb often excels. In entertainment, the Beeb has a long history of quality comedy and period dramas. This is being progressively squeezed out by various subscription providers. Should it not cut back this provision?

I doubt whether there is anyone who could truthfully say that they never tune into a BBC radio programme, whether news or entertainment. BBC TV, on the other hand, has so many competitors that it can hardly justify the present massive output.

The modern world is drowning in output. There is a case for restricting it to strict quality and reducing the number of main channels. Two would suffice.

We pay for our public services, and it is arguable that the core BBC provides just that, through general taxation. I can see no alternative to that. It should be ring-fenced and index-linked. This will protect it from government interference.

Trevor Rigg Edinburgh

As far as TV is concerned, the BBC is needed. Can you imagine a world where everything was like ITV? There would be no point in having a TV or a radio, because Radio 4 is one of the greatest things we have.

People always talk about the licence fee, but think about it this way. If you went to see something like the FA Cup Final, Wimbledon, an international sporting event or Glastonbury, you would pay more for that one event than you do for the entire year of watching all of the above and more.

There is competition out there, it is said, but I’m sorry, there isn’t, really, because no one makes TV and radio as good as the BBC.

I’m not saying they are perfect – I would rather have the world rid of things like The Traitors and Mrs Brown’s Boys – but you can’t have everything.

Ian Reid via Facebook

I’m a keen radio listener and do my best to follow, in particular, Radio 3 – I rarely miss an episode of Soweto Kinch’s Round Midnight and on Sunday evenings the delightful Words and Music – and Radio 4’s culture and science output. The ability of the BBC’s channels to stimulate, inform and educate is unmatched elsewhere.

In criticism of the BBC the phrase “too metropolitan” comes up a lot. I find the exact opposite: every kind of accent can be heard many times a day representing every part of the land. Maybe what people are really objecting to is the measured tone.

For those who are right-leaning the BBC is too left and for those who are left-leaning it’s too right. Do the critics not ever hear the skill of the BBC’s reporters and news presenters at playing devil’s advocate? The will to be balanced seems clear enough to me. Could it be that its critics simply don’t listen to enough BBC!

Charles le Bek Bristol

I personally would be lost without BBC 6 Music, Radio 2, and Radio 3, BBC news and the BBC’s entertainment shows, the website, those shared TV events (Olympics, Euros, The Traitors, Line of Duty), BBC4 films and foreign dramas.

But I also appreciate that just because Radio 1Xtra isn’t meant for me, that doesn’t mean it should be scrapped. The BBC is a national broadcaster and it has to strike a balance to provide for all sorts of people. No other broadcaster would do that.

I couldn’t begin to list all the programmes that have given me such pleasure over the years.

Heather Stroud Leicester

I’m glad to have the opportunity to express how much I appreciate the BBC. A friend and I have agreed that at the age of 81 we would be prepared to take part in public demonstrations to defend it. It is a main pillar of our democracy and stability.

I trust it. It has made mistakes and it has to be extra-vigilant at every level of decision-making because there are people who want to bring it down. In this age of fakery, populism and falsehood it is the ultimate barricade against corrupt, manipulative and authoritarian power and the defender of truth.

I travelled widely when I was working and had the opportunity to experience the media in various countries. I found nothing that compared to the quality of TV and radio in the UK and observed how much the BBC is respected abroad. I cannot stress enough the importance of public broadcasting.

Honesty, integrity, balance and fearlessness must remain its principles. The freedom from commercial pressure and political influence is priceless. In the age of social media and the power of the big commercial corporations the BBC and independent press are the ultimate defenders of our freedom. I am grateful for and admiring of the courage of investigative journalists.

I appreciate the BBC for challenging the political and social status quo, accessing public opinion, maintaining the profile of our cultural traditions and our history and representing who we are. To me the BBC represents the best of who we are.

Denise Outen Leicester

Seeing it from a German perspective, you should be proud of your BBC. It is miles better than everything we have to suffer over here (and cheaper with it). And best of all it is non-commercial – which is worth gold these days. So, stop writing it down. The BBC is still a national treasure.

Wolfgang Konig Heidelberg, Germany

This is an edited version of the correspondence we received from RT readers. In total there were more than 700 replies. Anyone wishing to read more of our readers’ views on the future of the BBC should contact editor@radiotimes.com.

Illustrator: Gary Neil

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