This timely book is a collection of essays from practitioners, academics, commentators on the future funding of Britain's national broadcaster-the BBC. The future financing of Britain’s national broadcaster — the BBC — is not just a question of finance but also of our country’s culture and politics.

The BBC is a great British institution. How will it be financed after the current Royal Charter runs out at the end of 2027?Could the 80-year-old TV licence fee be up for the chop? Will it be replaced by some form of subscription, advertising, broadband levy, household or income taxes or some hybrid version of those?These are questions for all of us to consider and this new book sets out some ideas and possible solutions for debate.

The enemies of the BBC are at the gate more than ever. Commercial right-wing newspapers and outlier TV ‘stations’, some of the Chatterati, and organisations such as #defund the BBC are rampant.

Some would like to see the BBC not just tamed but emasculated and cut down to the size of PBS in the USA. The argument is being had in the shadows.

There is a government review taking place with little publicity. This collection of essays brings the debate into the open.

The 25 contributors to this book bring a wide range of views to the debate. The writers include a former BBC Director General, media entrepreneurs and executives, national newspaper journalists, and leading academics.

The Preface is by Sir Peter Bazalgette, former chair of ITV, and the Afterword is from distinguished historian Sir Anthony Seldon. Book editor John Mair says, ‘Can we afford to lose the BBC? Will Britain be a different place if we do? Just how do we keep this national treasure alive? This is a debate for all of us to have.

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