Are you happy to pay for a tv licence?

[Eeyore]

My only concern about the BBC is the dumbing down of its content.

That said, as has been noted above, they represent one of the only independent media we have left in this country. I always use their online pages for news updates, and enjoy their radio coverage. I'm happy to pay the fee, hence my vote, but there does need to be a proper and informed debate about their role in modern culture.

 

[drew]

Do you think Pointless is expensive to produce? You mentioned those shows, I didn't. Are you suggesting that there's not one program produced by the BBC that isn't needed?

I never commented on what it cost to produce Pointless but interesting of the three programmes I listed you selected what is quite clearly the cheapest to make! Perhaps you could actually answer my first response and let us know what exactly it is you believe the BBC do best. In all likelihood I will probably agree with you but I still believe that they have to cater for all tastes.

 

[symyjym]

To me, the cost isn't the issue. It's he principle that everyone with a television has to pay it. There are a lot of talentless (in my opinion obviously) people on there that do not deserve such high salaries just because the bbc has a guaranteed income.

I rarely watch anything in the BBC and have a sky subscription. I used to watch all the football highlights but now will usually watch it live on sky or online highlights.

I think less people would mind it if it was built into packages like sky, a bit like line rental. It will probably never happen.

I was having this same discussion with an American the other day who was saying she thought it was great and watched it all the time back home. It raised the question of if they have to pay - which they obviously don't. So why should my money go to funding an overseas channel? Very much devils advocate but you can see why some people will find reasons for it not to be there anymore.

Having said all that I work for a water company and face the 'why am I charged for an essential service and have no option to change' argument a fair bit so I am in no place to question!

For £3 a week it is an absolute bargain though, when you delve deeper into what they have brought to our screens for over the last half century. Without the BBC we would have no David Attenborough, Patrick Moore, Monty Python, Black Adder, Young Ones, Porridge, Red Dwarf, Play school, Blue Peter, Clangers, Chigley, Trumpton, Dr Who, World News Service, Open University etc etc etc the list goes on and on with classics.

How much does Sky cost each year? and you still get adverts every 20 mins.

And in answer to the poll, I never feel happy paying for anything.

 

[Footsoldier]

there are some great vids on youtube, giving the tvl bods grief..

I must try and upload my clip that my friend filmed of the eastern european dept collector that visited our home. He didn't walk away in tact and refused to return. Debt collectors should think before hammering on peoples doors because the people behind the doors aren't always OAPs

 

[KZNSeagull]

To me, the cost isn't the issue. It's he principle that everyone with a television has to pay it. There are a lot of talentless (in my opinion obviously) people on there that do not deserve such high salaries just because the bbc has a guaranteed income.

I rarely watch anything in the BBC and have a sky subscription. I used to watch all the football highlights but now will usually watch it live on sky or online highlights.

I think less people would mind it if it was built into packages like sky, a bit like line rental. It will probably never happen.

I was having this same discussion with an American the other day who was saying she thought it was great and watched it all the time back home. It raised the question of if they have to pay - which they obviously don't. So why should my money go to funding an overseas channel? Very much devils advocate but you can see why some people will find reasons for it not to be there anymore.

Having said all that I work for a water company and face the 'why am I charged for an essential service and have no option to change' argument a fair bit so I am in no place to question!

I pay DSTV a subscription which includes 4 BBC channels. DSTV pay the BBC. So we are paying for it, just not via a tv licence.

 

[Guinness Boy]

Why do you think you're in the minority?

Because my chat with the Mrs was in the context of an item about the evolution of the BBC plus whenever the licence fee is discussed it is normally due to a prompt from the antis. I'm very glad NSC proved me wrong

 

[1066familyman]

The Beeb is an institution and a fine one at that that we should all be proud of.

I know radio is technically free, but for that alone I'm happy to pay for my licence fee.

In an increasingly commercial world we need publicly funded institutions where quality of content and independence is paramount.

 

[Footsoldier]

The Beeb is an institution and a fine one at that that we should all be proud

The BBC is biased against any party/person who doesn't conform with the loony left wing ideology. **** them, will never get a single penny out of me. I'd rather spend 10 years in prison. Wankers.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

The BBC is biased against any party/person who doesn't conform with the loony left wing ideology. **** them, will never get a single penny out of me. I'd rather spend 10 years in prison. Wankers.

If the license fee also offers the possibility you might get 10 years long may it continue.

 

[pastafarian]

Harold Shipman and Jimmy Saville did not pay for their TV licence
make of that what you will

 

[Footsoldier]

If the license fee also offers the possibility you might get 10 years long may it continue.

I wouldn't though would I? I'd invoke my human rights that Tony Blair and his whore of a wife (cherie Blair) human right lover enshrined into British law or does the Human right act only cover terrorists, pedophiles and illegal immigrants.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

The BBC is biased against any party/person who doesn't conform with the loony left wing ideology. **** them, will never get a single penny out of me. I'd rather spend 10 years in prison. Wankers.

What a load of unadulterated horse shit. Loony left? It's like you've swallowed The Daily Mail whole and now just vomit out the same old paranoid crap as they publish.

The BBC is consistently fair and impartial. It would appear that the fact that views that you disagree with are given air-time causes you to suspect reds-under-the-bed. You are a throwback, a McCarthy of the 21st century. Let's hope that you get caught, and penalised accordingly.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

I wouldn't though would I? I'd invoke my human rights that Tony Blair and his whore of a wife (cherie Blair) human right lover enshrined into British law or does the Human right act only cover terrorists, pedophiles and illegal immigrants.

As if on cue...

 

[willyfantastic]

put it this way - would you rather pay £150 a year, or have more ITV on the television?

 

[Tubby-McFat-Fuc]

except when they obtain a warrant, backed by the legistalation that enforces the existance of the licence fee. never mind that people have been prosecuted and there a history of case law of all the excuses under the sun being rejected. just because they display some inept application of the enforcement process, doesnt mean that it isnt law.

Watch the second video my friend, and see just how they are not backed by legislation. People are prosecuted, because they admit to viewing live broadcast TV. They are prosecuted, because they give the debit collectors their names. Once you admit to that, no excuse will get you of it.

The only way they can take to you court is, if you admit to using it, or they catch you watching live broadcast TV. If you remove implied rights of access, unless your TV can be viewed from the street, they cannot do this. Why do you think there hundreds of thousands of non payers? The TV License will be abolished in the future. Not because they want to, but because as more and more people find out their rights, more and more will not bother paying.

You started off by saying

and as all TV sets are capable of watching broadcast TV, you have to have a licence for one. or for that matter a VCR or DVR and also applies to TV tuner cards for PCs.

That is simply incorrect. That is a myth, that people thought was true for years. It is not true. You are wrong to say or think that. That is not the law. The reason why people get taken to court and fined, is because they simply do not know the rules. And judging by your posts neither do you I'm sorry to say.

You only need a TV License, if you watch or record TV as it is being broadcasted. Not for simply owning a TV, or a video or a computer!!!!

 

[drew]

I wouldn't though would I? I'd invoke my human rights that Tony Blair and his whore of a wife (cherie Blair) human right lover enshrined into British law or does the Human right act only cover terrorists, pedophiles and illegal immigrants.

 

[Billy the Fish]

Fair play mate. If anyone is happy to pay it and gets a lot from it, then why not pay for it.

I'd pay for services I use and am more than happy to do so.

Just don't use the BBC, and need bullies to try and force me to pay for it, whilst lying and giving force information.

As I say, the videos above are quite amusing. The people filming are generally knobs in the way they conduct themselves, but they are correct!!

Ive actually got a lot of respect for this point of view. I voted that I like it and I'm happy to pay, but I don't have any gripes with someone who disagrees and wants to make a stand.

 

[pastafarian]

I wouldn't though would I? I'd invoke my human rights that Tony Blair and his whore of a wife (cherie Blair) human right lover enshrined into British law or does the Human right act only cover terrorists, pedophiles and illegal immigrants.

No,the act only covers four groups .........terrorists, pedophiles, illegal immigrants and you(licence avoiders)

You are part of a "special" club,well done

 

[Paul Reids Sock]

I pay DSTV a subscription which includes 4 BBC channels. DSTV pay the BBC. So we are paying for it, just not via a tv licence.

Ah, I stand corrected!

Don't get me wrong, the BBC do some great work and I am not completely anti it. I just enjoy a good debate from both sides of the argument. Ultimately they take £12 a month from me and the mrs is kept happy with eastenders giving me time to read or play FIFA so it can't be all bad!

 

[symyjym]

Watch the second video my friend, and see just how they are not backed by legislation. People are prosecuted, because they admit to viewing live broadcast TV. They are prosecuted, because they give the debit collectors their names. Once you admit to that, no excuse will get you of it.

The only way they can take to you court is, if you admit to using it, or they catch you watching live broadcast TV. If you remove implied rights of access, unless your TV can be viewed from the street, they cannot do this. Why do you think there hundreds of thousands of non payers? The TV License will be abolished in the future. Not because they want to, but because as more and more people find out their rights, more and more will not bother paying.

So what you are saying is that people should lie about watching live TV and or BBC broadcasts? But I am aware of this a loophole.

The lying debate deserves a seperate thread tbh.