Being a global hub for data centres is brings huge benefits to Ireland – but demand for power is growing much faster than the supply of clean energy.
Besides, many resent being legally coerced into funding a service whose worldview is completely at odds with their own.
The two-year freeze in the licence fee announced yesterday by the Culture Secretary leaves the question of how to reform the Corporation unresolved.
It would be easy to write off the attitude of both as ‘only little earthlings pay taxes’, but the current taxation system allows them to get away with it.
Voters across the political spectrum are united in their wish to see more done here.
Some of us have taken up central casting from The Truman Show – being ogled, googled, zoomed, teamed and even on the odd occasion ‘citrixed’.
We should be able to choose whether we support the BBC with our wallets – the economic case for licence fees has evaporated.
What normalisation should mean is the return to a functioning market economy where our wants and needs are met in today’s circumstances.
The trust factor is simply less relevant, because fewer people are accessing the Corporation’s output in the first place.
Its reputation and market share has taken a buffeting recently, but its position is recoverable.
There is no prospect for reform unless Britain votes to leave and forces a new agenda on Europe’s elites.
I don’t believe that a private owner would freely choose to commission from as diverse a range of independents.