Should the BBC charge viewers to participate in its programming?

Hundreds of TV viewers have complained following a bungle in the scoring system that led to all three semi-finalists in 'Strictly Come Dancing' being put through to next week's final.

The BBC and internet message boards were inundated with calls and emails branding the outcome a fix. Viewers will not get a refund, with votes carried through to next week's show.

Should the BBC charge licence fee payers to participate in phone-in competitions? Is there a better way of promoting viewer participation - perhaps through the internet?

No.  We all pay a whopping licence fee to watch programming, interacting with it is what we want though to get the best entertainment experience possible.  Dialogue not monologue.  I think that this is where the issue of the future of television as a medium comes to the fore.  Reaching for the phone to involve yourself in programming on TV isn't going to be stuff of the future.  We'll all live in connected homes, the red button will transmit our vote, our TV will be our computer which in turn will be our phone, connected by the glorious ties of the internet.  Paying for this will be simple, extra cost won't be necessary.  I guess we'll just have to grin and bear it until that day arrives.     

I hardly think the license fee is 'whopping'. The BBC is incredibly good value and I'm bored beyond belief by those who perpetually snipe at the cost of it. It's worth it for the impartiality of The News alone. As for charging to participate - who ever said you have to participate? I'm happy watching it, but I don't have to vote for some B lister trying to dance.

I agree with the above, if you want to get involved with the voting process then that is your choice and the charges are made clear from the start. I also agree that the license fee is reasonable for the impartiality it allows the BBC as well as the lack of ad breaks.

What I do have a problem with is this. Whenever the BBC gets fined for a breach of its licensing agreement (usually over phone votes) who is actually losing out? It's the license payer once again, because the fine will come from the money paid by the public. So fining the BBC for misleading and ripping off its viewers is in effect punishing viewers a second time, especially those of us who couldn't give a damn which 3rd rate celebrity can dance the waltz better than another.

As far as I recall the call charges for BBC shows are relatively low.  I doubt it does much more than cover the cost of the systems (dodgy though they may be).

As for whether the TV Licence is good value for money... I've seen a different side of this to most people.  From the outside the BBC seems like good value given the quality of programmes it produces and the breadth of TV and Radio coverage.

However, they are a grotesquely inefficient organisation and waste a fortune.  A leaner, more efficient BBC would be preferable.

I would also take exception with the comment posted that the news is impartial.  Granted it's not as bad as US news coverage, but ITV does a perfectly good job of providing non-partisan coverage and they are a commercial station.