Ads on BBC Radio?

With the news that BBC World Service is going to carry advertising, in limited form, on its website, it gives me a chance to open a debate about the TV licence.

The TV licence covers both BBC Radio and BBCTV in the UK. Yet, if you don't have a TV, you get BBC Radio for free. In addition, the TV Licence covers radio.

So, should the TV Licence do as it says on the tin, I.e. only cover BBC TV? Basically, the BBC radio services, national and local in the UK would then carry commercial advertising.

It's an interesting question I pose, but it's one that also can lead to many more questions and suggestions. What's everyones feelings?

It would be madness !!!!

Radio 2, 3, 4, 5, and local Radio would never be able sustain anything like present levels of programming through ad revenue alone. They'd be reduced to the same trashy inane crap and drivel of their commercial counterparts.

Radio 1 might just survive, though it would have to cut all of its 'live' and 'original' music programming.

And the commercial stations would be in big trouble because they'd have to share the advertising market with the BBC, which has about half the share of the radio audience. Advertisers would fall over themselves to advertise on stations like Radio 1, 2 and 4, with less to spend with the likes of Capital, Heart and Classic FM.

GOOD, we might just get rid of some of the those awful stations. Heart has done nothing to improve the standards or levels of enjoyment in British radio.

Why, did you get banned from DS where the usual polarised pro- and anti- licence fee idiots run riot?

I'm not on DS!

Here's a few ground rules for adverts on BBC Radios 1-4.

No programming, or segments of programming could be sponsored, only adverts at normal commercial breaks.

There would be no adverts immediatley before or after news programmes.

advertising could not be carried on the radio stations websites, only on the radio station broadcasts itself (this would include online streaming)

Sounds simple, and would ensure a fair chance for the commercial stations.

It won't happen, so your "fantasy" is fairly pointless. Stop now.

You either do it and do it properly, with the BBC competing properly for advertising and having the same rules - and being fully funded by adverts - or don't do it at all.

It just wouldn't work, you seem ignorant to the issues concerned and I don't think anyone can be bothered to explain them to you.

So I think we'll leave it there.

So, commercials when nobody would listen to them? That'd rake in loads of cash...

At least the structure and values of the BBC wouldn't be ruined though in doing so... ah...

But what you'd end up with is the big network stations which have taken over most of the commercial radio network like Heart and Capital will survive while the smaller more local stations wither.

The independent stations and those that are owned by small groups are struggling enough, in the highly unlikely circumstance that BBC radio started taking advertising then the likes of Heart would be the ones that survive.

TV Forum... there's a forum just for radio-stuff over on Metropol...