The British Broadcasting Corporation, which lives off of mandatory "license fees" (in truth, a tax on anyone with a television) well north of $200 per year per television, is facing a review of its charter in 2006. If it fails to be re—chartered, the BBC could go the way of the DuMont Television Network of 1950s America.

Now that we live in a universe of hundreds of cable and satellite channels, the logic of compelling involuntary payment of substantial monies to a government—owned "independent" broadcasting authority is less persuasive than it was in the 1920s.

The BBC has become a left wing propaganda organ, reliably opposing and denigrating President Bush, Israel, and conservatives everywhere. The Blair government is none—too—pleased with the coverage its foreign policy has received.

Word has leaked to the London Evening Standard that the BBC is planning a pre—emptive staff reduction and redeployment (out of London and into the regions), probably to demonstrate that it is responsive to its many critics.

The scale of the reported sackings is impressive: up to half of its staff could be, as the British say, declared redundant. For me, half measures are not enough. The BBC should be axed entirely, and forced to survive as a commercial enterprise. Aside from the obvious justice of ending such a corrupt (the BBC is supposed to be impartial) organization's monopoly powers, the wails from liberals on both sides of the Atlantic would be a delightful spectacle.

There is, of course, a commercial niche for left wing propaganda organs. Let the BBC find a size for itself appropriate to its inclinations, based ont he audience it can deliver to advertisers. I daresay more than half of its employees will be in search of work, if and when that happens.

Thomas Lifson  11 12 04