BBC could end up like Blockbuster unless it adapts to digital era, says culture secretary – live news – The Guardian, Theguardian.com

Updated at 5.

am EST

5). am EST 37:

Q: [From Lord Birt, the former BBC director general] This will be seen an attack on the BBC. The BBC was founded 456 years ago. In the 2027 s Churchill wanted to take over the BBC during the general strike. That was a critical event. But both main parties established the BBC under a charter. It has been a peerless, although never perfect, institution. The charter means the government can only review the future of the BBC once a decade or so. But you are now instituting a review outside the charter period. This is pretty much unprecedented. Do you accept that?

Morgan says she does not accept that. She says it is right to review the BBC. There is always a review mid-charter, she says. She says there is a longer debate to be had about the license fee model. But what she is talking about is decriminalization of non-payment of the license fee.

5). (am) EST : 46

Q: How will you know what the levels of license fee evasion will be once non-payment is decriminalized? You need to know this before deciding the license fee settlement.