A total of 1.96 million households said they did not watch the BBC or other live TV in 2021-22, an increase of 270,000 on the previous year and equivalent to a loss of income of £42m. The figures were contained in TV Licensing’s annual report, which warned that revenue from license fees would fall as more people switched to streaming services or decided they could no longer afford the £159 a year outlay. “The BBC expects license fee income to fall, at least in the short to medium term, due to increases in the cost of living from the start of 2022 and the continued decline in license sales resulting from changes in the way audiences watch television content,” the report said. There was also a significant increase in the rate of tax evasion, which reached 8.9 percent in 2021-2022. The BBC blamed this on two factors: the suspension of home visits by TV license enforcers due to Covid restrictions, and the inclusion of over-75s in tax evasion figures after their free licenses were withdrawn. Around one in 10 over-75s ignored BBC letters telling them to pay for a license or apply for a free one.
“Get the balance right”
As a result, the report said, “over the next year we will deepen our efforts to reach customers in ways that best suit them.” He said the easing of Covid rules meant there was now scope for the BBC “to make more household visits”, but argued the company’s approach “will strike the right balance between enforcement and encouragement”. This boost includes a new ‘customer value management approach’, which will include letters being sent to non-paying households, emphasizing how much enjoyment they can get from watching live TV on the BBC and other channels and the shows they can to watch on iPlayer. If the license fee remains unpaid, the person faces criminal prosecution and a fine of up to £1,000.
The BBC will broadcast radio broadcasts
Despite an increase in tax evasion and those no longer requiring a licence, total revenue from license fees rose by £53m to £3.8bn in 2021-22 thanks largely to an increase in the cost of a license from £157.50 at £159. The BBC is to start broadcasting its radio phone-in shows on TV, emulating commercial rivals such as LBC. Nicky Campbell’s Radio 5 Live program is the first to be piloted. It will be shown weekday mornings on BBC Two and broadcast on the BBC News Channel. The company said other programs will follow as it invests in the “visualization” of radio broadcasts. This approach has proved a great success for LBC, the commercial station that has landed many of the BBC’s biggest names, including Andrew Marr and Eddie Mair. GB News also has TV phone inputs, while TalkTV broadcasts output from TalkRadio.
