The BBC is on strike today.
This has meant that I have been denied the opportunity to listen to the Today programme and instead was woken by that scab strikebreaker Ken Clarke enthusing about some dismal atonal jazz rubbish.
The BBC “Speak Your Brains” site is awash with contributions from both enraged and sympathetic listeners. A number of them are asking for a percentage of their license fee back. Andre, from London, disapproves:
To all those wanting their license fee refunded – you really do appear smug, greedy, and reactionary.
In fact, there is a good argument that those who want to show solidarity with the BBC strikers should campaign for a refund of their license fee. At the present, a strike is a mild embarrassment to the BBC management but – compared to strikes in the private sector – it only impacts upon them in a rather weak and anaemic fashion.
Were listeners to be able to claim back a portion of their license fee, sympathisers with the striking BBC workers would be able to help them to hit the Corporation where it hurts: in the pocket.
