Should we have to pay a TV licence in this day and age?

It is fair enough that back in the day when there was only one channel that people had to pay a TV license, but in 2013 when you have satellite TV and hundreds of TV channels, should there really be a TV license one has to pay?
It seems unfair especially if you hardly ever watch the channel. It is really quite amazing that it is allowed.
I do like the BBC but I really don't watch many programmes on it at all. 
What do you think?

It's too expensive for sure, but I'll pay a fee so i can watch a film without adverts.

that winds me up no end.

No it should be stopped, they waste the money anyway and if you dont like adverts just buy the box sets like i do.

Agreed it should be stopped

Down with the bbc

full of pervs

With all the shows on these days that ask you to phone in at a cost of something like £2 per minute, it's outrageous that they still want to charge the people, all them dozy housewives phoning in more than cover it.

What is a TV license?

waynagain wrote:What is a TV license?

Something that allows you to take your TV onto the streets, you not got them then?

On Yahoo today there was an article on the strangest excuses people gave for not having a TV license. The best was someone owned a corgi dog that was related to one of the Queen's corgi's and so didn't think he needed one. lolol

£140/household/year expensive?

Sky, on their cheapest package is £21.50/month (equates to £258/year), plus don't forget about PPV and the advertising revenue they get!

Virgin is around the same

Freeview and Freesat - one off view

Commercials channels such as ITV, C4, C5 and all those on cabel and satellite gain their income through advertising, adverts only exist because of teh companies behind them and those companies only exist because of people who buy their products and services which, if totalled equatres to more than £140/person/year!


For me the BBC is fantastic for your money.  Their remit is to produce programmes for everyone of all genres faiths backgrounds which they do!  You may not like a programme but there could be others you do like.  Look at what you get for £140/year....

BBC1
BBC2
BBC3
BBC4
CBeebies
CBBC
BBC News 24
BBC Alba
BBC Parliament
from 2014 S4C - although they already produce 80% of the programmes on the channel

BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1Xtra
BBC Radio 2
BBC Radio 3
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 Extra
BBC Radio 5 Live
BBC Radio 5 Live Sport
BBC Radio 6
plus national stations such as Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland as well as all the local radio stations

Through their commercial arm they own 50% of UKTV (e.g. Gold, Watch, Really), own 75% of Freeview, and well as BBC TV and Radio channels in foreign countries

They also fund the BBC world Service (which was funded 100% by the Government up until this year)

Then look at their online presence.

So yes £140/year sounds a lot but look at what we get and is far cheaper than Sky, Virgin and all the other commercials channels which are all indirectly funded by us!

He does have a point when you calculate the figures.

Dont forget that on satellite, cable and other TV provider BBC is a "free" channel - because you already pay the licence fee-  It is not a case of paying £140/household/year then paying a provider so much a month on top just to receive BBC Channels.  If you take your skycard out of your box you still get BBC Channels (as well as a free commercial channels - although funnily enough ITV Granada becomes ITV Central West!!!!)

BBC is a Public Service Provider and as such have to maintain the "free view" status on these carriers as the BBC has to available to everyone whether they watch the channels or not - because of the licence fee.

We are not the only country.  Ireland has a licence and even the retired now have to pay for it.  Over 20 other European countries have a licence.  Of those that doen't they are funded by other means (not just solely commercials).  In The Netheralnds, for instance the Public Service Provider is NED.  No matter how you get your TV in the country you pay for it and the first €15 goes to fund Ned1, Ned2, Ned3, Ned24, Ned News24, Ned Kids and Ned Radio - that equates to teh same amount as teh licence fee here in the UK.

Now if you want unrefualted TV just see how good teh US networks are or teh Australian networks which do not provide proigrammes for everyone and solely rely on advertising and don't take risks in case they lose their revenue stream - hence drama's finishing after 2 or 3 epiosdes or long running drama's not having all lose ties tied!!!!  No decent documentaries etc etc - they are there but not on teh networks and have to pay for themand still suffer commercial breaks every 8-10 minutes!  Look at their dramas' less than 20 years ago a US drama would last 52 minutes without commercials, nowadays its 40-44 minutes with teh rest of the times filled by commercials - do you really want that?

BBC is utter shite, their output of good programmes is much lower than Sky.

They make a shit programme, like 'The Fall' with Gillian Anderson, hype it up with a million trailers and get the Radio Times to write a great review. The first couple of episodes get decent viewing figures, then no bugger watches it.

At least Sky don't make a habit of wasting money on British productions that are going to be shit, instead concentrating on great US shows.

I object to being told I have to pay a licence fee because there should be a choice - watch BBC and pay it, don't receive BBC and don't pay it.

Reebok Trotter wrote:He does have a point when you calculate the figures.

Cable, Satellite and Over the Air TV is going to soon be a thing of the past. With things like Apple TV, Roku, Hulu etc springing up each month, you will only need an internet connection and then be able to just pick and choose what you want to watch. I can currently watch every Prem Game and some Champioship games without having to pay. Same with Rugby. BBC does produce some excellent programmes which the License Fee pays for, but they are going to have to move with the times and either start having adverts or a subscription. The BBC News is on my TV right now and it has commercial breaks and the same with BBC America.

BBC America is a joint venture between BBC Worldwide (the commercial arm of the BBC) and The Discovery Network - hence the commercials.

BBC World News also has commercials as the BBC can have commercials in their programmes outside the UK.  During teh night BBC1 and BBC News Channel shows teh exact same programmes as BBC World but where there is a commercial break we have at 15/45 mins past the UK headlines and at 26/56 weather followed by programme promotions.

"BBC Worldwide" channels, even in the UK, can carry commercials (as I say they own 50% of UKTV)

But the "BBC" are not allowed to carry commercials.

It sounds confusing between the 2 and it can be especially when you see Doctor Who is made by BBC Cardfiff (which is "BBC") and BBC America (which is "BBC Worldwide")!!!

Don't you follow my work?

Natasha Whittam wrote:I had this, if you click the "switch editor mode" (last button on the right) when you're writing a message it will revert back to how it was before the site changes.

Natasha Whittam wrote:Don't you follow my work?

Natasha Whittam wrote:I had this, if you click the "switch editor mode" (last button on the right) when you're writing a message it will revert back to how it was before the site changes.

Thats better!!!

Unfortunatley I cannot be online 24/7 due to work!!!

Natasha Whittam wrote:I object to being told I have to pay a licence fee because there should be a choice - watch BBC and pay it, don't receive BBC and don't pay it.

But that is the point with all TV providers, in the UK, you can receive the BBC as it has to be available to everyone whenever you want to watch it. For instance with Sky if you remove the viewing card you can still receive ALL the BBC Channels and there is no extra cost to watch BBC with any provider - unlike other channels where you actually pay a premium to receive the other channels.

For instance if one stops subscribing to Sky then most of teh channels become unclear all you will get are ALL BBC channels, ITV Central West, Channel 4, E4, More 4, Channel 5 and a few very minor TV channels such as CBS channels and the Sony Channel and the majority of teh shopping channels!!!