TV licence could cost £170 by 2013

Tuesday, October 11, 2005

The price of a TV licence could rise by £43, according to reports.

The BBC is set to present to a bid to parliament outlining an increase in the licence fee of 2.3 per cent above inflation each year.

It is reported that the percentage increase would happen every year from 2007, with the extra money raised supporting the switch to digital television.

"Our audiences, rightly, have very high expectations of the BBC. They themselves are driving incredible change by the way they want to access our programmes and services," said Mark Thompson, the BBC's director general.

The current cost of a television licence is £126.50, but according to some reports this could rise to as much as £170 by 2013, the anticipated end of the price hike scheme.

Mr Thompson will join chairman Michael Grade at the hearing, where they will face a committee of MPs.

The government says it is "committed to switching over to digital" sometime after 2008 and before the end of 2013.
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