BBC 'must pay for free TV licences' for over-75s

[maureenho]

BBC 'must pay for free TV licences' for over-75s
5 July 2015
From the section Entertainment & Arts

The chancellor is planning to announce in Wednesday's Budget the BBC will have to meet the cost of free TV licences for over-75s, BBC News understands.

George Osborne wants the BBC to have "a strong future" but told the Andrew Marr Show that the corporation should make a "contribution" towards the deficit.

The move is reported to cost the BBC £650m, or one-fifth of its budget.

It is also understood the BBC and government are in talks over charging for use of the iPlayer.

This could recoup some of the cost of funding free licences for over-75s.

It would involve changing the law so that people who watch TV via the iPlayer and other online catch-up services would have to have a TV licence.

Currently the licence fee does not cover these digital services.

A BBC spokeswoman said it would not comment.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-33400935

[Rosalind]

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