The end of the BBC is nigh

In the heyday of terrestrial broadcasting, every family across the country would sit in front of television at Christmas to watch a blockbuster offering from the BBC. The 1977 Morecambe and Wise Christmas Special featuring Shirley Bassey drew an audience of 28 million, or half the then population of 56 million. Even long-forgotten specials from Dick Emery or Cilla Black could count on tens of millions of viewers.

This year, however, the ratings have collapsed. It was the BBC’s worst festive season on record. At least 4.6 million people watched the King’s Speech, but the corporation can hardly claim credit for that. Otherwise, its most watched programme was a cartoon, The Scarecrow’s Wedding, with an audience of 4.3 million, or a mere 6 per cent of the current population.

Last year’s figures were inflated by the finale of the much-loved Gavin and Stacey, as well as a new Wallace & Gromit film, but it is hard to see how the existence of the BBC is essential to the production of such work, pleasant viewing as it is. Despite the fact that it has substantial resources, supplied by viewers regardless of their consent, the national broadcaster nowadays struggles to command an audience.

Broadcasting has changed out of all recognition since the 1970s peak. There are not only competing broadcasters, there are also the big, global streaming services such as Netflix. The BBC does achieve blockbuster hits, many of which are enjoyed all around the world, but it does not produce so many of them that it can still stand high in the British national consciousness on its own merits. It would, in fact, be kinder to let those parts of the corporation that the British public does not want to come to a natural end, rather than keeping them artificially alive by virtue of a compulsory levy.

[Source: Daily Telegraph]