The licence fee could have ten more years of life left in it, according to BBC director general Tony Hall.
Hall discussed the future of the licence fee to BBC's Andrew Marr, saying that reform is important to ensure "everyone is paying equally for it".
"Reform is up for the government to decide and have a debate," he said. "We suggested ways of reforming it so whatever way you consume and use BBC services you can pay for it. Somewhere in there lies a solution."
On the idea of introducing a household fee instead, Hall commented that it was a "very interesting idea".
Dismissing the idea of a subscription model similar to Netflix, he added: "By everybody paying something, we all get great services for a lot less than if you went down a subscription model route."
Hall also discussed culture secretary John Whittingdale's comments about the licence fee, in which Whittingdale called it "worse than a poll tax".
"He's very direct about the BBC and the licence fee, but John Whittingdale's report when he was chairman of the DCMS committee said some very positive things about the BBC," Hall said.
"He knows the sector and loves what the media do - and the arts - and it's a positive way to start."
The BBC is in denial about continuation of the licence fee just as it was in denial about Jimmy Saville. It can no longer be justified in its present form.
