Shock as it appears the BBC has shared income in the past

Yesterday's FT picked up a bit of ammunition for those who want the BBC to share its income.

archive documents seen by the Financial Times reveal that, from the inception of the licence fee in 1928 until 1962, up to 12.5 per cent of the licence fee went straight to the Treasury as part of its general revenue.

This being an argument firmly dismissed by the corporation at the moment,the revelations will not doubt embarass the BBC.

On top of that

Richard Collins, professor of media studies at the Open University, said that, in addition to the Treasury’s share of the licence fee, around 8 or 9 per cent was kept by the Post Office, which collected the licence fee on behalf of the BBC.