CITY VIEWS: SHOULD PART OF THE BBC LICENCE FEE GO TO COMMERCIAL BROADCASTERS?

DAVID MAYNARD UBS
“If the BBC is going to remain competitive it’s going to have to pay enough to keep the best people at the channel. I think it should keep the money. At the end of the day if they don’t pay enough, their best staff will defer to rivals who will.”

RISHI PATEL RBS ASSET MANAGEMENT
“The government earmarked the money for the digital switch, rather than for BBC investment so I think they should cut the licence fee, rather than give it to ITV and rivals and give the public back the difference. I think they’re changing the goal posts.”

MARK O’CONNOR VTB Capital
“I think the £130m difference left over isn’t that exorbitant, and wouldn’t make that much of a difference to rivals. The BBC is already cost cutting by around 30-40 per cent so I think it’ll begrudge giving their rivals the few extra quid. ”