[Ruffy]

The licence fee is an inefficient, outdated way to bring in the revenue to fund the BBC.

If we value aspects of the BBC then forcing it to become just another competitive broadcaster is not the way forward IMHO. However, I have no problem with changing the funding mechanism.

The discussion about the 'correct' funding level will exist whether the licence fee exists or not. It would just affect charges to advertisers or subscribers instead.

If we think there's a place for a national service broadcaster then why not just pay for it out of general taxation like most other public sector entities and have Ofcom deal with regulating it according to a periodic settlement arrangement in line with a documented license, charter, service agreement or whatever you want to call it. That's an existing model used for railway and road infrastructure and is not too dissimilar to what happens in telecoms and energy sectors too.