Media Confidential

How to protect the BBC from its enemies

With Farage pledging to abolish the licence fee, can we future-proof the broadcaster?

January 22, 2026
article header image

Listen on Spotify | Listen on Apple Podcasts

Should the BBC be publicly funded? This week, Alan and Lionel are joined by media researchers and fellows of the British Academy, Georgina Bourne and Justin Lewis, whose new report on public service media tells us what the data really says. Reforms are needed, but how radical should they be?

The researchers discuss how to ensure the BBC’s independence and accountability, and what the UK can learn from international media systems, like those in Germany and Scandinavia, about how to make governance more democratic. They also explore what works, what doesn’t—and why it all matters.

And, with Nigel Farage promising to abolish the licence fee, is there a way to future-proof the broadcaster?