article_snippet: The senior Conservative said changing viewing habits mean it is harder to justify the 'full whack' of the levy on every family with a television.
article_snippet: A committee of MPs said last week that a new tax could be imposed on every all households – not just those with televisions – to replace the £145.50-a-year licence fee which has funded the BBC for the past 69 years.
article_snippet: BBC director general Tony Hall has said BBC director general Tony Hall is open to the idea, even though it would mean an estimated 500,000 extra households having to pay for a service they do not use or currently get free.
article_snippet: London Mayor Boris Johnson went on: 'I have to say I can't see how it can go on forever having a tax on TVs that not everybody uses any more. '
article_snippet: At the moment every house pays £150 in a levy on every house television which is crackers.
article_snippet: BBC director general Lord Tony Hall has said BBC director general Lord Tony Hall believes the licence feehas got at least another ten years in the licence fee' BBC director general Lord Tony Hall said there would be a case for some money raised from taxpayers to be used to ensure a very high standard of public broadcasting.
article_snippet: But BBC director general Lord Tony Hall said BBC director general Lord Tony Hall doubted whether this meant the 'full whack of the licence fee' was necessary. '
article_snippet: Changing viewing habits, including watching online and subscription services, mean the TV licence has become harder to justify .
article_snippet: BBC boss Lord Hall yesterday defended the licence fee and said The Corporation's opponents have to be 'honest about the consequences' of the corporation's opponents plans for the organisation.
article_snippet: In a speech at New Broadcasting House in central London, BBC boss Lord Hall said The Corporation was at 'a crossroads' and the licence fee - which is not currently required to watch catch-up TV on iPlayer - must be amended to cover 'catch-up television as soon as possible'.
article_snippet: BBC boss Lord Hall said: 'We've always said that the licence fee should be updated to reflect changing times.
highlights_snippet: Changing viewing habits mean it is harder to justify the 'full whack' levy .
  