BBC iPlayer: Viewers now need TV licence to watch catch-up

The point of the BBC is to not only provide for the lowest common denominator bit to provide airtime for things that would not otherwise be made. There is probably little commercial value in playing the music that BBC 6 music plays or for the Archers on radio 4, but because of the licence fee they can make these without having to worry about the commercial success of it. Whereas a radio version of ITV would make it and cancel it after 1 series when the ratings were too low to bother continuing.

Yes BBC prime time is too concerned with reality type TV but if they were putting out something that was more niche in these time slots they would also come in for some flak. At least they can counter it with decent ratings showing that people are watching what they produce.

In addition BBC World Service is a fantastic service and something that does not have a commercial comparison, it will never exist without the license fee and is of huge international value.

It is but you could also obtain those books and dvd's from the library. Now you don't like every book or dvd in the library but that's OK because they have such good coverage that there are books and dvd's that will be something there for you and also for everyone else.