My proposal to the BBC

WITH the announcement that some of us are going to have serious problems receiving BBC TV in the Balearics from May 30 I would like to suggest the following. As you will have read the BBC has ended their deal with Sky Digital and is moving to a new satellite whose “footprint” (the technical term for coverage area) is much reduced and the signal is therefore weaker. The BBC will be using the same satellite as ITV from May 30 and this could cause some serious problems. Many people have difficulty receiving ITV after certain hours and they will soon be suffering the same problems with the BBC.

So here goes my proposal.

I am quite prepared to pay the standard BBC licence fee in Majorca as long as I can receive all programmes. Judging by Sky's present programming I am not missing a lot and I am sure all those who pay the subscription service, which I believe is about 35 pounds a month, would be quite prepared to exchange their Sky subscription for a BBC licence fee. In some ways it would make me feel a lot better because this way it would all be above board. The BBC, I understand, is always looking at ways to raise revenue and by embracing the European expatriates I am sure they would be able to boost their coffers quite substantially. If the necessary technology exists to receive the programmes here then it also exists to establish who is receiving it.