THE BBC could be in a position to “challenge” the Government in talks concerning the future of its funding due to advice given by the National Pensioners Convention, the General Secretary has told Express.co.uk.
BBC: Campaigner discusses plans to ‘help’ broadcaster
The BBC will be “helped” in their funding negotiations with the Government by “better knowledge” around the fate of pensioners in the UK, the National Pensioners Convention (NPC) has told Express.co.uk. Last month, the Government formally kicked off talks to agree the level of the TV licence fee from 2022. NPC General Secretary Jan Shortt gave insight into meetings that her organisation has been conducting with the national broadcaster on the state pension, universal entitlements, the threshold for pension credit and diversity and inclusion. The campaigner also warned approximately 1.4 million over-75s have not paid their licence fee.
“Hopefully that will help them in the run-up their negotiations with the Government around their funding.
“Also it may help them to challenge the Government with better knowledge around older people and their needs as well as isolation and loneliness.
“Television plays a really big part in older people’s lives, particularly now in the pandemic.”
Government decision to ‘abdicate’ TV licence responsibility is ‘cruel’
BBC can ‘challenge’ No10 in negotiations on future TV licence funding using pension issues (Image: GETTY)
NPC General Secretary Jan Shortt gave insight into meetings. (Image: NPC)
Ms Shortt continued: “A lot of our older members won’t actually leave their homes when all this is over because it’s become the norm for them.
“So we’ve got that kind of relationship going with the BBC, which is really good.
“I find them very genuine in the fact that they do want to learn, they do want to understand.
“But to be quite honest we are still targeting the Government, because we actually know it’s their fault for the free licence revocation.”
Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden has asked the BBC to set out its financial needs. (Image: BBC)
BBC are ‘chasing the elderly for licence fee’ says campaigner
Free TV licences for the over-75s finally came to an end this year.
The current negotiations will determine how much a TV licence costs and, as a result, how much public funding the BBC will get for at least five years from April 2022.
Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden has asked the BBC to set out its financial needs in line with its public purposes.
BBC ordered to decriminalise non payment of TV licence
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