Britain’s publicly-funded BBC has announced that it will no longer tolerate people older than 75 watch its programs free, saying they should start to pay like others to have their yearly TV license renewed.
The BBC said on Monday that around 3.7 million pensioners who previously watched programs free on their TV sets as part of a free license scheme would have to pay the annual 154.50 pound tax, adding the broadcasting corporation would no longer be able to shoulder a concession that had started several years ago.
BBC Chairman David Clementi said it was very hard for him and other members of the management board in the organization to reach the “tough decision”.
“While research suggests pensioners are now better off than they were when the concession was first introduced nearly 20 years ago, the simple fact is that many are still in poverty – and many want the companionship the BBC can provide,” Clementi said.
He said restoring the fees would generate around 745 million a year for the BBC.
Many people in Britain are already unhappy about the BBC license fee, a form of tax they should pay to keep the organization afloat. They say the BBC receives huge amounts of support from the government, political parties and business entities while it also earns massive money through advertisement.
Clementi said all households having a color TV set should pay the fee as of June 2020 except those that have a member on a Pension Credit, a form of social aid given by the British government to the poorer pensioners.
Pensioners and others reacted to the announcement, calling it a disgraceful decision.
Conservative lawmaker Peter Heaton-Jones wrote on Twitter that the decision showed how “arrogant” BBC is when it comes to evading social responsibility.
“… this is a disgraceful decision … It (BBC) receives £4 billion of OUR money every year yet fails to live within its means. It is a largely unaccountable organization with an arrogant streak,” said Heaton-Jones.