There’s actually a very strong argument that rather than subsidizing the BBC (or any other broadcasters) we should be taxing them. They use a scarce resource, spectrum, and they don’t pay for it (the ITV channels do, in a minor way). They should be forced to pay for it, in the same way that the 3G telecoms companies were.
Something of a problem though given that we don’t in fact have an economically literate political party in the UK.
Tim Worstall, Silly, silly idea