Ofcom proposes tax on internet service providers

Faint warnings (for now at least) of the possibility of a "broadband tax" to pay for the public service programmes put together by commercial TV stations.

The proposals are being put forward by the Office of Communications (Ofcom), the regulator for telecoms. It is included in their latest public broadcasting review. Click here to read the pdf, if you must.

So Ofcom thinks it's a good idea to introduce a tax to pay for such programmes. In their words,

It might be possible to introduce levies on providers not currently part of the formal public service broadcasting model, such as broadcasters, equipment sales, internet service subscriptions or UK online content providers.

Interesting how they use the less aggressive word, "levy", to describe what is in essence, a tax.

Needless to say, this "levy" will not be borne ultimately by the internet service provider. Rather, it will be passed down to the poor consumer, who will have to pick up the tab for whatever passes for "public service" programmes in dumbed-down Britain today.

What rot. Now I have nothing against public service programming - some of the programmes are quite good - but I fail to see why the average broadband user should be made to pay for programmes for which he does not care. If these public service programmes provide value, surely it shouldn't be too hard for them to find some commercial sponsors, and leave the poor taxpayer alone. If, on the other hand, they can find no advertisers or sponsors for their wonderful programmes, then perhaps we are all philistines who do not know what is good for us. Forcing us then to pay for such programmes would not be right, as we obviously do not value them enough to watch them. But perhaps Ofcom does not care whether or not we watch; they are simply satisfied if they can part us from our money.