Britain to freeze BBC funding for next two years

LONDON (Reuters) – The British government will freeze funding for the BBC for the next two years in a bid to preserve public finances, the culture minister announced on Monday.

Nadine Dorries said the license fee, paid by all households with a television, would be frozen for two years and would increase in line with inflation for the next four years.

The Culture Minister added that she would look into the future of license fees in the light of new technologies which have revolutionized the media landscape since the BBC was founded 100 years ago.

“It’s time to start asking those questions about the BBC’s long-term funding model,” said Nadine Dorries. “And whether a mandatory fee with criminal penalties for individual households is still appropriate.”

Television license fees are the main source of funding for the BBC, which does not broadcast commercials.

(Report Kate Holton, Kylie MacLellan and Paul Sandle; French version Camille Raynaud)