BBC counters Ball's licence fee attack

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The BBC has reacted furiously to BSkyB chief Tony Ball's claim that most viewers oppose the licence fee and accused him of treating TV programmes as "merely a commodity to be bought and sold".
In a strongly worded statement, the corporation vigorously defended the licence fee and released its own research, which, it claimed, presented a "very different picture".

"We are flattered Tony Ball should be so preoccupied with the BBC but his comments have to be seen in the contest of Rupert Murdoch's long and hostile campaign against the BBC," the corporation said.

"Thankfully for the British public, Mr Murdoch has not been successful in this campaign."

The BBC was responding to research, commissioned by BSkyB, which showed 51% of viewers believed the £116 annual fee did not represent good value for money.

This is the first time an opinion poll has shown such a high level of dissatisfaction with the BBC.

Mr Ball, the chief executive of BSkyB and Rupert Murdoch's right-hand man in the UK, will use the research to attack the BBC in a speech delivered at the Media Guardian Edinburgh International Television Festival this evening.

But the BBC today hit back with its own survey, showing 86% of viewers said they would "stand up for the BBC" compared with just 30% for BSkyB.

The corporation's research, commissioned in July and carried out by Taylor Nelson Sofres from a base of 1,000 people, also showed 80% claimed to be "very happy or happy with the BBC the way it is".

"This speech clearly reflects BSkyB's view that programmes are merely a commodity to be bought and sold," the BBC said.

"The BBC and probably the majority of British broadcasters and producers believe programmes are about creativity, talent and broader cultural and social influences."

Mr Ball's attack on the licence fee - widely considered sacrosanct, even by rival broadcasters - comes during a vulnerable time for the corporation, which is already under fire from the government following defence correspondent Andrew Gilligan's controversial claim it "sexed up" the Iraq dossier.

There have been fears at the BBC that this dispute with the government will harm the licence fee's long-term chances, although the culture secretary, Tessa Jowell, has insisted the row will not affect the renewal of the BBC's charter.

BSkyB's survey, carried out by NOP in June, showed 51% of respondents disagreed with the statement "the BBC licence fee provides good value for money".

The greatest dissatisfaction is demonstrated in low-income groups.