Paying The Piper

Internet service providers could face a new tax to help pay for unprofitable programmes shown on ITV and Channel 4, which may in turn lead to higher broadband charges for consumers.

The levy could be imposed by the Government on the service providers and websites within the next few years, under proposals published yesterday about the future funding of "public service" programmes which make little or no money for commercial broadcasters.

What is public sector broadcasting?

In essence, it facilitates a stranger to exercise power and influence over our lives by making a programme that they decide we should watch or listen to rather than something else that we might choose to watch or listen to.

Of course I am upset that I am forced to contribute to paying this person but it is their arrogance in believing that they know what is good for me that I find truly insidious.

Presumably the rationale for using a levy on the internet to pay for television news is that the latter is much easier to manipulate than the former.