One unnamed BBC presenter. One teenager whom he allegedly paid more than £35,000 for sexual images. One distraught mother who says her child used the money to fund a drugs habit that "destroyed" their life.

Put it all together, and you get a terrible human tragedy. You also get a new headache for the UK's troubled national broadcaster.

The mother of the alleged victim has said that she first complained to the BBCThe British Broadcasting Corporation is the UK's national broadcaster. in May. However, the organisation did not suspend the presenter until this weekend, after she took the story to the media.

Nobody is sure how much information the BBC had before the mother went public. But many think it looks as if it dragged its feet until it was finally bounced into action by the threat of bad publicity.

The crisis has crystallised a longer-term problem for the BBC. Criticisms of the organisation have been mounting for some years. Critics on the left say it is biasedUnfairly showing dislike or like. in favour of the Conservative PartyA British political party. Members are known as Tories. government, while many on the right insist it is too liberal.

Others say the real problem is that it is not really independent, because the government allocates its funding and appoints some of its senior staff. This means it can put its allies first in important decisions and threaten to withhold money to get its own way.

Another group says the BBC is simply out of date. They think there is no point in a public broadcaster in the modern world, when most people prefer to watch on-demand streaming services like Netflix.

Viewing figures also make sobering reading. Its flagship news programme, BBC News, has lost 9% of its viewers in the last year.¹

So what might be the alternative? One organisation, the Media Reform Campaign, says the BBC needs to be reorganised into a People's BBC.

It thinks the BBC should be much more devolvedWhen power is given from a higher level to a lower level. The term is often used when news powers are given to regional leaders. and democratic. Local people should be allowed to elect people to sit on regional boards and participate in decisions on commissioningGiving someone the task of making something. programmes.

Its funding and senior appointments would be decided by an independent body, rather than the government, which would free it from pressure from politicians.

But others think this is a solution in search of a problem. In reality, they say, the BBC is stronger than ever. In 2022, BBC programming had half a billion viewers in 200 different countries.² BBC News is still the biggest source of news in the UK by far. 

One reason for its success, they argue, is that it has always done a good job of appealing to a variety of audiences. It is willing to commit money to prestige dramasHigh quality television shows. aimed at small but discerning audiences, as well as investing in more populistThe term comes from the People's Party, which operated in the USA in the 1890s. Now, it is often used to refer to any movement that makes a distinction between the "people" and the corrupt "establishment". fare.

If ordinary people were invited to participate in the process, they argue, this would probably only attract a small minority of opinionatedHaving strong ideas or opinions and refusing to accept that they might be wrong. people. BBC programming would shift to cater for these extremists, alienating the less engaged majority.

And handing its funding over to an independent body would just prevent the democratically-elected government from scrutinising it.

Yes: This is a passing crisis of the kind that the BBC has faced down before. Despite its difficulties, it is one of Britain's most trusted institutions. Britain should not risk destroying its reputation with rash reforms.

No: The BBC has lost its legitimacyWhen a ruler or institution has the right to lead or rule. . It faces a new crisis every other week, and it is haemorrhagingLosing a huge amount. In medicine, it refers to a severe loss of blood ("haima" is the Greek word for blood). viewers. It is based on an outmoded funding model. It is time to pull the plug.

Or... The BBC has survived as long as it has because it adapts to changing circumstances. Whatever comes of this latest crisis, it will change because it always has to.