Topic: TV Licence Fee

[LanceLink!!!!!]

Absolutely 0, I've got Sky, which I chose to have and pay for, I didn't choose to pay for a TV license its forced upon.

So you don't mind paying what, £40, £50 a month for Sky TV, lining that c*nt Murdoch's pockets, but you are whinging about paying £12 a month for your TV Licence?

If you never watch BBC Four's fantastic output or listen to class radio stations like 6 Music, you should have to pay a tax anyway, for being a cunt.

This made me laugh.

[muyuu]

So you don't mind paying what, £40, £50 a month for Sky TV, lining that c*nt Murdoch's pockets, but you are whinging about paying £12 a month for your TV Licence?

This is the same lad who wouldn't pay for the police or firemen because he hasn't used them and never needed them.

[Jake]

Andy you must be on a wind up?

Although I also find incredibly funny those who say they don't need a TV license as they torrent their shows

[gregor]

This is the same lad who wouldn't pay for the police or firemen because he hasn't used them and never needed them.

If he wasn't on a windup, it's one of the most berserk shouts I've ever seen anyone make on here. And I've seen quite a few.

[AndyMuller]

I was on a wind-up about the police and fire services I'll admit that and I am with Sky but contracts up in September and fucking it off it was my bird who wanted it in the first place now she's not arsed about it.

[muyuu]

I was on a wind-up about the police and fire services I'll admit that and I am with Sky but contracts up in September and fucking it off it was my bird who wanted it in the first place now she's not arsed about it.

All the better, now you can ditch the TV and save the fee then, as you only watched Sky.

Glad to hear you were on a wind up re: police and fire and council tax I assume.

[AndyMuller]

All the better, now you can ditch the TV and save the fee then, as you only watched Sky.

Glad to hear you were on a wind up re: police and fire and council tax I assume.

You do know that it's not only BBC and Sky on television don't you?

I just wanted to see where my hard earned money was going regarding the bottomless pit that is council tax, as I said, there's fuck all for the kids around here to do, parks are shitholes and centres closed.

[muyuu]

You do know that it's not only BBC and Sky on television don't you?

It's you who said you only watched Sky.

In any case, watching content through internet connected devices you can avoid the licence, just avoiding BBC real-time broadcast.

I just wanted to see where my hard earned money was going regarding the bottomless pit that is council tax, as I said, there's fuck all for the kids around here to do, parks are shitholes and centres closed.

Maybe not enough council tax then.

[AndyMuller]

I don't even know why I'm moaning about Council Tax to be honest, I don't have to pay it for three years from September  TV license is paid for the year too but it was a good discussion lads and lasses 

[Dirkydirkdirk]

If the license fee is abolished and BBC has to go subscription then they will have to chase ratings to maximise income. You can say goodbye to any high quality niche programming.

Also, if you enjoy reading things in the internet for free then you can thank the BBC. If BBC sites go subscription then other sites will be free to follow suit. Currently they can't do that because they know that their competitor provides high quality news and sport coverage for free.

Public broadcasting is hugely important to the country whether you watch it or not.

[LanceLink!!!!!]

I don't even know why I'm moaning about Council Tax to be honest, I don't have to pay it for three years from September  TV license is paid for the year too but it was a good discussion lads and lasses 

3 years in prison for not paying your council tax?

[gregor]

You do know that it's not only BBC and Sky on television don't you?

I just wanted to see where my hard earned money was going regarding the bottomless pit that is council tax, as I said, there's fuck all for the kids around here to do, parks are shitholes and centres closed.

Where do you live?

[LanceLink!!!!!]

Where do you live?

Fucking la la land by the sounds of it

[rob1966]

I'm just curious, but do people without kids resent their taxes going towards schools? It's never bothered me, but then neither did paying the TV license when I lived in the UK.

This country does seem to be going more and more like the place Thatcher was trying to build, ie I'm alright Jack fuck you.

I love the BBC, as while they cater for the mainstream with soaps etc, they also do brilliant documentaries, some of the kids programmes are ace, my kids learnt so much from Cbeebies watching stuff like Come Outside, Andy's Wild adventures, etc. Remove the licence and you'll lose that and get inane drivel in its place. Look at ITV, its channels are overrun with utter shite with the odd decent programme thrown in.

[AndyMuller]

Get BBC1 on now guys! The critically acclaimed, boundary pushing Holby City is on!

Well worth £12 or whatever it is a month IMO.

[reniformis]

If people are going to demand the right not to pay for something they don't watch on the beeb, then where's the fuss about the unfairness of sky subscriptions? In order to get Sky Atlantic and the less than half a dozen other channels I regularly watch on sky and to get them in HD I'm having to pay 30-odd quid a month for a bucketful of random shite as well. Take the manipulative c*nts at sky to task as well then I might listen to arguments about the licence fee, otherwise it's just hypocrisy.

[rob1966]

If people are going to demand the right not to pay for something they don't watch on the beeb, then where's the fuss about the unfairness of sky subscriptions? In order to get Sky Atlantic and the less than half a dozen other channels I regularly watch on sky and to get them in HD I'm having to pay 30-odd quid a month for a bucketful of random shite as well. Take the manipulative c*nts at sky to task as well then I might listen to arguments about the licence fee, otherwise it's just hypocrisy.

Springsteen sang about 57 channels (and nothin on), 20 odd years later Sky have over 600 Tv channels and there's till nothing on.

[idontknow]

Not strictly true.  If you're taken to court and subsequently fined by the magistrate an enforcement officer technically has the right to force entry (although it very rarely happens).  This isn't anything to do with the BBC or government, it's because once it's been in front of the magistrate it becomes a criminal fine (for the time being, decriminalisation is being considered).

Didn't know that, cheers.

Anyway, here's the link to tv-licensing laid bare I said I would post.
It's a download now, but if you've any doubts as to the law, get it and read it, and tell your friends.
http://tv-licensing.blogspot.co.uk/p/free-book.html

I do get annoyed at how many people get bullied into paying it when they don't watch it.

[McrRed]

Didn't know that, cheers.

Anyway, here's the link to tv-licensing laid bare I said I would post.
It's a download now, but if you've any doubts as to the law, get it and read it, and tell your friends.
http://tv-licensing.blogspot.co.uk/p/free-book.html

I do get annoyed at how many people get bullied into paying it when they don't watch it.

Good link. Thanks for that.

Should be optional. End of.

[Bunter]

Always makes me laugh people kicking off about the BBC, the content alone you get off iplayer is incredible, seriously you would struggle to find such quality anywhere else, not just TV but radio aswell.

Honestly the amount of shite on Sky and the other freeview channels is staggering, the only thing Sky has going for it is the footy (For now) and you can watch that in the pub for free if you choose to, paying nearly 70 fucking quid a month for the privilege.

I'd be gutted if it was scrapped.

Seems endemic nowadays of people's mentality that anything culturally significant should be scrapped, things that enhance the country for the better that are of incalculable value then the narrow minded idiots want it fucking off just to save their selfish fucking selves a few quid regardless of the huge culture vacuum it'd create.

Just look around at the state of countries that go down the route of state owned TV and pour scorn on things that allow people to express themselves and immerse in the arts and cultural enterprises. It would be fucking horrible.

[Ciara (with a capital "C")]

So you don't mind paying what, £40, £50 a month for Sky TV, lining that c*nt Murdoch's pockets, but you are whinging about paying £12 a month for your TV Licence?

Without getting into a debate about Murdoch, BBC content etc... When you strip it down - Sky or any other cable TV is optional.

Sky has over 600 channels as someone mentioned on this thread - say £50pm / 600 = £0.08 per channel (roughly)

BBC TV and Radio content consists of how many channels/feeds? Would there be 20 per region? £0.60 per channel.

The cost is extortionate for something that people might consider a luxury and something that they don't use. It's in no way a necessity, which is why I feel uncomfortable when people are comparing it to Fire of Ambulance services.

There should be an opt in and opt out scheme IMO - don't want it? Don't pay for it and don't have access to the channels. 

Some people love the BBC and its content - others don't watch it. I don't think someone should be hammered for not caring about BBC products.

[marko35s]

Without getting into a debate about Murdoch, BBC content etc... When you strip it down - Sky or any other cable TV is optional.

Sky has over 600 channels as someone mentioned on this thread - say £50pm / 600 = £0.08 per channel (roughly)

BBC TV and Radio content consists of how many channels/feeds? Would there be 20 per region? £0.60 per channel.

The cost is extortionate for something that people might consider a luxury and something that they don't use. It's in no way a necessity, which is why I feel uncomfortable when people are comparing it to Fire of Ambulance services.

There should be an opt in and opt out scheme IMO - don't want it? Don't pay for it and don't have access to the channels. 

Some people love the BBC and its content - others don't watch it. I don't think someone should be hammered for not caring about BBC products.

You guys genuinely have no idea of how lucky you are to have the BBC, the quality of the programming is pretty high compared to what a lot of state broadcasting entails these days.
One of the few things I actually miss about the UK.

[muyuu]

Sky has over 600 channels as someone mentioned on this thread - say £50pm / 600 = £0.08 per channel (roughly)

BBC TV and Radio content consists of how many channels/feeds? Would there be 20 per region? £0.60 per channel.

That's as pointless a stat as it gets. Out of these 600 you wouldn't watch 95% for your own sanity's sake.


That's not to say the BBC doesn't have its share of crud. It should be slimmed down to the important stuff and the public service part of it IMO.

[gregor]

Get BBC1 on now guys! The critically acclaimed, boundary pushing Holby City is on!

Well worth £12 or whatever it is a month IMO.

You're really weird.

[VintageRed74]

Is there still a requirement to have a TV license? nobody told me 

[muyuu]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/bbc/11617034/BBC-licence-fees-days-are-numbered-says-Jeremy-Paxman.html

[reniformis]

So where do people see a non-licence fee BBC fitting in? Shut down altogether? Just another subscription channel on the sky/freeview platform? A small presence on free-to-air but all their best stuff behind a paywall? Everything as it was but free and with ads?

What I loved about the BBC was never just its output but its ability to lead where others had to follow. Look at iPlayer, it is still miles ahead of the commercial alternatives like 4OD or ITV player. Alternatives that probably wouldn't even exist if the BBC hadn't forced it on them. You think Sky News would be free if they didn't have to compete with the BBC news channel? You think ITV would broadcast in HD for free if the BBC hadn't forced their hand? I see that £12 a month fee as not only giving me everything the BBC produce but everything we get off the others free as well. Because it won't be free once the BBC have been hamstrung. Say goodbye to that £12 you've just saved. I daren't even think about what radio would be like without the BBC. Wall-to-wall Chorley FM and Pete Price-like shite I expect. Shudder.

[Giovanni]

I've just moved and I've got my TV licence.  I don't mind paying it but presumably (and hypothetically), as I'm paying double for the first 6 months I can stop paying in 6 months time and be in credit for the next 6?  And if not, why not?

You pay the first 6 months upfront, then you move to paying for 12 months with no 6 month break. It's a fucking racket.

I've had it out with them on the phone too many times now, I've given up.

[McrRed]

Two thirds of viewers opposed to the licence fee changed their minds after just 9 days without access to any BBC services in a deprivation study:

http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2015-08-25/two-thirds-of-viewers-opposed-to-the-licence-fee-changed-their-minds-after-just-nine-days-without-bbc-services

"It was shocking in that we realised how much we did watch BBC programmes".

The bits of transcripts read like an infomercial brought to you by ... the BBC.

[Titi Camara]

Radio fucking Times!

Who gives a shit what Hyacinth Bucket thinks!

[muyuu]

So where do people see a non-licence fee BBC fitting in? Shut down altogether? Just another subscription channel on the sky/freeview platform? A small presence on free-to-air but all their best stuff behind a paywall? Everything as it was but free and with ads?

What I loved about the BBC was never just its output but its ability to lead where others had to follow. Look at iPlayer, it is still miles ahead of the commercial alternatives like 4OD or ITV player. Alternatives that probably wouldn't even exist if the BBC hadn't forced it on them. You think Sky News would be free if they didn't have to compete with the BBC news channel? You think ITV would broadcast in HD for free if the BBC hadn't forced their hand? I see that £12 a month fee as not only giving me everything the BBC produce but everything we get off the others free as well. Because it won't be free once the BBC have been hamstrung. Say goodbye to that £12 you've just saved. I daren't even think about what radio would be like without the BBC. Wall-to-wall Chorley FM and Pete Price-like shite I expect. Shudder.

I think the BBC will have to move to a dual model without licence fee. Part of it is infrastructural service and will be covered by the general budget. Other parts, not so much... so they might end up being part of a premium subscription package.

But the licence model is simply becoming obsolete.

[paul211b]

Was talking about this with the Mrs and few people down the pub, the only thing worth watching on the BBC is Match of the Day(if we won). 
Do you agree with the fee?

Close to £5billion a year with that sort of money they should be making TV Shows like the Game Of Thrones or Walking Dead not the dross that they provide.
Most of the old shows can be seen on Dave and other channels.  Think this is really outdated and needs to be scraped.
Make it PPV was the outcome of our discussion at the pub, scraping the license fee (tax) and if people want to watch it they can subscribe like you do with NetFlix and Amazon.

Thoughts?

[CraigDS]

Bake Off, Strictly and Planet Earth were the three most watched shows on UK TV last year, all from the BBC. Sherlock, Call the Midwife and Top Gear were also in the top 10. This includes the likes of GoT and Walking Dead.

So whilst you may think MOTD is the only thing worth watching for you, they are clearly making shows a good chunk of the fee payers want to see. This is before you count the various news channels and radio shows.

[Millie]

The fee is worth is for their wild life documentaries alone.

[Gerry Attrick]

It's disappointing they've lost a lot of their sports coverage over the last decade or so but it definitely shouldn't be scrapped. It's still the best outlet for news, radio and documentaries. I'd subscribe if they did do away with the license fee to a subscription based model but I think you'd see the quality of output dwindle across all channels to be honest. The BBC sets the standard and if you remove that you'd probably just see a lot more dumbed down TV.

[Alan_X]

Detectorists, Line of Duty, Car Share, Match of the Day, Eastenders, Panorama, Newsnight, Question Time, BBC Parliament, Free-to-air Childrens's TV, 6 radio stations, The Proms, amazing science and arts programmes, Ground-breaking Natural History documentaries... The BBC online presence is superb from the BBC news sites to the creation of iPlayer.

And on and on...

It's public service broadcasting that is the envy of the world and the important things it does won't be picked up by purely commercial enterprises.

It's £150 a year for all of that, free-to-air. To catch up with Game of Thrones will cost me half of that for just one programme. Or I have to subscribe to Murdoch's Sky. 

[killer-heels]

Its worth it and I am happy to pay for it. Also some of their TV shows are brilliant and the idea that they make dross is silly.

My main criticism of the BBC though is that they could do more to spread their jobs and opportunities around the country.

[SP]

My main criticism of the BBC though is that they could do more to spread their jobs and opportunities around the country.

They have just moved most of their staff from London to Salford for exactly that reason. Broadcasting is not a cottage industry, there needs to be creative hubs for economies of scale. Unless you want to pump more money in to duplicate functions regionally...

[killer-heels]

They have just moved most of their staff from London to Salford for exactly that reason. Broadcasting is not a cottage industry, there needs to be creative hubs for economies of scale. Unless you want to pump more money in to duplicate functions regionally...

The Salford move was great but there is a lot of administration, support and technology work that they carry out that could easily be spread amongst the many regional centres they have. They are doing more though so thats good.

[Sir Afghan]

I'd pay for it just for 6 music to be honest