The BBC is currently funded through an annual television licence fee paid by Britons who watch or stream live programming.
Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer said earlier this month that the BBC may need to look at a “variety of sources” to keep it afloat.
The public broadcaster has been urged to replace the licence fee with advertising when the current funding arrangement ends on December 31 2027, a new Express.co.uk poll has found.
In a poll that ran from 8am on Sunday, May 14, to 1pm on Tuesday, May 16, Express.co.uk asked readers: “How should the BBC be funded?”
Overall, 2,514 readers responded, the most popular answer being “advertising” with 56 percent (1,407 people) of votes cast.
READ MORE: BBC licence fee being looked at ‘very closely’
Meanwhile, 33 percent (829 people) thought that it should be funded by a “voluntary subscription”.
Four percent of readers (106 people) said it should be funded through a “Government grant” and just three percent of readers (80 people) voted for the “licence fee” to remain.
A further one percent (20 people) supported the introduction of a “broadband levy” and 15 people thought a “new tax” should be launched. Two percent (39 people) said “other” and 18 people said they did not know.
Dozens of comments were left below the accompanying article as readers shared their thoughts on which model the public broadcaster should adopt in the future.
Many readers were in favour of an alternative funding model being adopted, with username davew555 writing: “They can fund it however they want as long as it’s not compulsory to pay a licence fee.”
Likewise, MarlowRobinson said: “So long as it is no longer compulsory for people to pay for a channel which [they] never watch.”
Whereas other readers felt strongly about the BBC introducing advertisements. Username StanParker said: “They should accept advertising and also offer the of paying a smaller fee to exclude adverts if they so wish!”
And username ValBrooker commented: “Advertising is the best solution.”
While username ColinKnight thought the BBC should become a subscription service: “BBC advertising will just do too much damage to other channels. If the BBC is seen by some as being very good value then a subscription should be the way to go.”
