Sunday 19 April 2009

'Internet licence fee could save newspapers'

The Observer's media columnist Peter Preston argues today that to save newspapers anyone with a broadband link should be charged a licence fee.
He argues in the article - headlined 'As the web cripples papers, an internet licence fee could help deliver the news' -that the licence fee be split in two. One part would go to conventional TV and radio like the BBC and the other to news providers like newspapers.
Preston accepts that there would be contentious arguments over how to share the fee but says there is a risk of losing vital news stories, exposing the behaviour of baton-weilding police and politicians on the take, dug out by trained reporters on newspapers.
He concludes: "the best things in life can't be free."

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

What do you expect from a BBC loving newspaper. Yes they shown no consideration to the readers no they tell you whats best for you!