Minister from the UK: "The BBC should not be able to prosecute individuals for licence fees"

Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer remarked that consumers who fail to pay the TV licence fee should not be prosecuted criminally by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). She also said that the broadcaster's powers will be reviewed in its next charter review.

Since the British Post Office mistakenly convicted hundreds of its branch managers for false accounting, fraud, and theft since the turn of the century, convictions for failure to pay the licencing fee have come under scrutiny.

"In terms of prosecutions, I don't think the BBC should have criminal tools in its toolbox," Frazer stated to Times Radio on Monday.

"I think that there are issues in relation to criminal prosecutions, especially for those people who are the most vulnerable."

The national broadcaster's funding source, the TV licence, will increase by £10.50 to £169.50 pounds annually in April.

Frazer announced in December that her department will examine the BBC's long-term financing alternatives, including ways to boost its revenue from advertising.

Frazer also said on Monday that, as part of a mid-term review of its charter, which expires at the end of 2027, she was expanding the jurisdiction of regulator Ofcom to include the BBC News website.

She stated in a written address to parliament that viewers were expecting the same levels of objectivity from the BBC's radio, television, and internet services since they were consuming more and more information online.

(Sources: investing.com, reuters.com)