The current BBC licence fee model is 'impossible' to sustain, the new Culture Secretary has said. Michelle Donelan told a group of MPs today (Tuesday) that she would be continuing with her predecessor's review into the annual charge.
Earlier this year, the former culture minister Nadine Dorries announced that the licence fee would be frozen at £159 for the next two years until April 2024. But she also said she wanted to find a new funding model before the current deal expires in 2027 as it is “completely outdated”.
Appearing in front of the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) Committee meeting for the first time on Tuesday (December 6), Ms Donelan confirmed she would continue with the Government review into the annual charge. She praised the BBC as part of Britain’s “cultural fabric and society”, but said it is “undeniable that the licence fee is not a long-term sustainable model in its own right”.
