Members of Plaid Cymru have backed calls to boycott the television licence fee in an effort to defend the independence of Welsh-language broadcaster S4C.
Delegates at Plaid's Annual Conference voted overwhelmingly to support the controversial boycott, which stems from a proposed Government shake-up of S4C funding.
The Government plans to cut the channel's £100 million direct grant by 25%. Responsibility for funding S4C would also transfer from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport to the BBC, who will have to fund the Welsh broadcaster from TV licence revenue.
Plaid MEP Jill Evans is the latest in a growing list of high profile TV licence "refusniks" opposed to greater BBC involvement in Welsh broadcasting.
A Plaid statement said: "Conference agreed that it would offer support to those who choose in a personal capacity to make the decision to withhold their TV licence fee because of their strength of feeling."
A TV Licensing spokesperson said: "Regardless of personal opinion, if you don't have a valid TV licence when you need one, it's against the law and you risk a prosecution and a fine of up to £1,000."
A BBC spokeswoman said: "The UK Government’s decision to change the funding arrangements for S4C cannot and does not amount to a BBC takeover of S4C. The BBC is fully committed to Welsh language provision and to an editorially independent S4C."
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“Free the Airwaves!” The Freedom Association Campaign launch
14 September · 19:30 - 21:30
The Barley Mow, 104 Horseferry Road, Westminster, SW1P 2EE
"Come along to the launch of The Freedom Association’s newest campaign – Free the Airwaves, a call to scrap the licence fee and reconsider what the role of a public service broadcaster is. Joining us to give their thoughts on the matter will be John Whittingdale OBE MP, chair of the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee, and Alex Deane of Bell Pottinger Public Affairs and previously Big Brother Watch. Following on from the sp...eeches from our invited guests there will be a question and answer session. The Freedom Association’s report – entitled “Free the Airwaves: A look at the BBC and the Licence Fee” by Tom Waters will also be unveiled.
As the BBC approaches its 90th birthday, questions are being asked about the oldest broadcaster in the world, and whether it’s fit for purpose in 21st century Britain. More people are beginning to speak up about its – sometimes flagrant – bias on important matters like the European Union, the left/right divide and global warming. Tales of waste and extraordinary executive salaries have been widely publicised. It’s time to rethink the licence fee, and rethink public service broadcasting.
Please come along and join us. Admission is free but there will be a collection at the end to help cover costs. We look forward to seeing you there!"
If you would like to attend, please register at: http://freetheairwaves.eventbrite.com/
More details here :
http://www.tfa.net/the_freedom_association/2011/09/the-curious-case-of-the-tv-license-fee.html
S4C is elitist in that it caters for just the 14% of the Welsh population who understand Welsh, so why don't they pay for it ?
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