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In grappling with the question of how to save the BBC from itself, the former culture secretary has placed the blame at the door of Rishi Sunak, who was Chancellor while she had responsibility for the BBC in Boris Johnson\u2019s Cabinet.<\/p>\n
She slams him for intervening to take control of licence fee policy, claiming it was tax policy and therefore his responsibility.<\/p>\n
As culture secretary as well as attempting to privatise Channel 4, Ms Dorries launched a review of the BBC licence fee, which she describes as \u201cregressive and indefensible\u201d.<\/p>\n
Mr Sunak halted the review last July, which Ms Dorries now blames on the broadcaster\u2019s viewers crisis.<\/p>\n
She said: \u201cAudience figures continuing to plummet; bosses remaining unaccountable\u2019 the content impeccably woke but not particularly entertaining – and one of the nation\u2019s former cultural gems losing ever more of its shine.\u201d<\/p>\n
Don’t miss… <\/strong> We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info<\/p>\n She adds that it takes four years to transition from the current licence fee to an alternative funding, and that a \u201cdelayed review\u201d by the current Government is \u201cnow too late\u201d.<\/p>\n At a Tory leadership husting with Conservative MPs last summer, Mr Sunak hinted he would be willing to scrap the BBC licence fee.<\/p>\n Addressing the Commons Sense Group of Conservative MPs, Mr Sunak indicated he would be willing to shake up the BBC, and his team later refused to deny the reports.<\/p>\n Nadine Dorries froze the licence fee at \u00a3159 until 1 April 2024, resisting demands from the corporation to increase it to \u00a3180.<\/p>\n In her column, she argues that a state-funded broadcaster cannot compete with the streaming services like Netflix and Amazon Prime, because they have no incentive to give listeners, viewers and readers what they want.<\/p>\n \u201cThey increasingly become run in the interests of their staff, not their customers,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n \u201cPrivate businesses such as Netflix and Amazon have to cater to their audience\u2019s demands. The BBC, paid for by an anachronistic poll tax enforced by the criminal justice system, is far more free to do what it likes.\u201d<\/p>\n
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