BBC debate: It's The People v The Government

silicon.com readers have taken sides and thrown their weight squarely behind the BBC as the government strives to crackdown on what it perceives as the anticompetitive practices of the corporation, which it says are threatening UK innovation online.

Last week silicon.com ran an article entitled 'The BBC: The monopoly it's OK to love' and for silicon.com readers at least that would certainly appear to be the case.

Now a poll has revealed that more than 70 per cent of silicon.com readers would back the BBC in everything it chooses to do rather than allow any government intervention.

When asked the question "Should the BBC websites be allowed to compete in non-core areas with commercial sites?" 70.3 per cent of respondents voted 'yes' compared to just 22.1 per cent who opted for 'no' while just 7.6 per cent remained sat on the fence debating an issue which stirred strong opinions.

But the level - or presence of any - anti-BBC sentiment out there may still surprise many. One reader, presumably squarely in the 'no' camp, wrote: "It infuriates me that a publicly funded organisation (which we're taxed to support) can dabble and compete wherever it wants in a totally irresponsible way. The BBC should only engage in online activity that supports its broadcast programming."

Another reader, Brian Chappell, wrote: "I've worked for the BBC, I am a licence payer, a Sky subscriber and a commercial website developer and from all these perspectives the BBC has overstepped its remit. I've seen comments stating that commercial organisations obviously can't compete because they aren't good enough. The BBC is offering these services for free, funded by the licence fee - money it is going to get regardless of whether you visit the site or not.

"Compare that to a normal commercial venture where attracting users is your life-blood. You could develop a site that's better than the BBC, but you would need the same kind of resources as the BBC. I'm willing to give it a go if someone is willing to stump up the £2bn to at least level the playing field."

But in the main, the majority message is strictly 'hands-off Auntie'.

Chris White wrote: "As a licence payer I fund this site, it is the best site I have ever used, and I'm the one who should say what is and is not acceptable, not commercial organisations."

Steve Chambers wrote: "The BBC has a responsibility to provide a public service to all. In order to support as wide an audience as possible its site must appeal to a vast range of tastes and interests. Hence the spectrum of information and activity from football to the arts.

"I consider the web service provided by the BBC to easily sit within the remit of its charter."