The TV licence ?

[Alan 45]

To each his own indeed.....We have even been to 'do's' and had people we don't know, come over to us and ask if we are the couple who don't watch t.v.! Dead true....

Ha , look at it this way your obviously giving the something to talk about that their drab little lives apre interested in

[Guest]

if I go out for the night I pay for it, if I go to a football match I pay for it, I don't watch Dr Poo or Boringthenation St or any other rubbish (just my opinion ) that the Bloated Broadcasting Conmen turn out so why should I pay. I wouldn't expect anyone else to pay for my golf club membership just so I can enjoy playing. but any offers would be gratefully accepted. and I promise you wont have to watch me play.

good topic

[Guest]

i just wanted to find out how many people think this is value for money ?

I am probably in the minority, but I think this is an essential service that has done a lot for television in the UK, not just for the content that they do, but other services too.

The BBC have the only radio stations not supported by advertising. You can't step out and make a cup of tea during an ad break in the car, you really are forced to be bored on commercial radio during their breaks.

The BBC introduced the iPlayer, FOR FREE. In order to compete, the advertising supported companies have had to offer the same service, but it's also free - only putting a couple of ads where they would be on the tellybox. This service may in part be negated by a PVR that most people will have these days, but I know wherever I am with a computer and an internet connection I can catch up on what people are talking about. Even Sky have to step up and give away "box sets" for free as part of their existing subscription, though to be fair this is more a response to Netflix than the iPlayer.

The BBC have BBC4. This may largely go under the radar, but there's some fantastic stuff on this channel with a lot of historical documentaries and thought provoking programmes. This is because output like this is stipulated in the charter. Without the charter we may as well resign ourselves to reality tv, cookery programmes and -Factor knock offs as a permanent output.

The BBC don't have adverts. This is important because again the other channels have to compete. If we moved to the sheer number of adverts on American Television where a 30 minute show can regularly fill only 20 minutes with 5 advert breaks it would be too jarring for us by comparison. By having no adverts the other channels are forced to have a reasonable amount without going full on Yankie Doodle.

The BBC have the 6 Nations.

[Guest]

The 6 channels, wow, 2 don't even start till 7pm

BBC's 3 & 4 turn into the two CBeebies channels during the day and swap over at the same time, there's always 6 continuous channels running (excluding HD channels).

[Guest]

I'd love to add my comments to this, but I can't.....My wife and I haven't had a T.V. licence for four years now.

That doesn't stop you consuming the output of the Beeb, the only requirements to having a TV License are:

You need to be covered by a valid TV Licence if you watch or record TV as it's being broadcast. This includes the use of devices such as a computer, laptop, mobile phone or DVD/video recorder.

[Adrian "Marvel" Reynolds]

BBC's 3 & 4 turn into the two CBeebies channels during the day and swap over at the same time, there's always 6 continuous channels running (excluding HD channels).

Sorry but 3 and 4 don't show anything until 7pm, there is no childrens tv.

On another note, if your TV provider ( Sky, Virgin etc ) supplies your channels, do they pay a licence fee?

Adrian

[spanner570]

That doesn't stop you consuming the output of the Beeb, the only requirements to having a TV License are:You need to be covered by a valid TV Licence if you watch or record TV as it's being broadcast. This includes the use of devices such as a computer, laptop, mobile phone or DVD/video recorder.

Yes I know,. A good mate of mine, who's a Barrister, kindly gave me all the legal stuff on what we could or couldn't watch without a licence.....What to do, say - or rather not say - to the licence wallahs who still send us threatening letters.

I explained to my buddy we have been weaned off the t.v. for so long now, we wouldn't go back to watching the box even if we were payed for the dubious privilege of doing so....He ordered another round of drinks!!

Anyway, enough said....We seem to be wandering off Alan's initial post.

[Guest]

Sorry but 3 and 4 don't show anything until 7pm, there is no childrens tv.

Yes, but CBBC and Cbeebies stop at 7pm to free up the two channels for BBC 3 and 4 - you even have to change channel for some reason. BBC's 3/4 then stop in the middle of the night to free up the two channels again for CBBC and Cbeebies to use it again at 7am, again forcing a channel change even though it is in fact the same channel. Madness I know, but that's how it works!

On another note, if your TV provider ( Sky, Virgin etc ) supplies your channels, do they pay a licence fee?

No, it's your responsibility to have a license fee, if applicable, however the content is delivered to you.

[Guest]

Anyway, enough said....We seem to be wandering off Alan's initial post.

Fair enough! I think I can summarise my tuppence as:

LONG LIVE THE BEEB!!

[BBdave]

We only rent movies or watch a music channel on ours so yes the licence fee is a waste for us.

The larger part of my family were bought up without TV our neighbours don't have one I find nothing unusual in not owning one.

Dave

[stona]

i disagree there................and equally the beeb make complete garbage just like the commercial channels

Of course it does. But when was the last time a commercial channel made something like 'Life on Earth' or showed the national remembrance ceremony from the cenotaph? Who showed the 'celebrations' on the anniversary of the D-Day landings?

The question really is do you want a public broadcasting service at all? It shows things like the service from the cenotaph because it is obliged to under the terms of its charter. Commercial broadcasters are not and will not.

If you don't mind commercials that's fine. I recorded Guy Martin last night and watched it without commercials this afternoon. Let's just say it took rather less time to watch than it did when broadcast. I saved twenty minutes of my life not being bombarded with adverts for stuff I don't want

If we want a public broadcasting service but don't want a licence fee then money would have to be raised in other ways. The licence fee in 2013/14 raised £3.7 billion of the BBCs £5 billion income. The money has to come from somewhere.

Put that £3.7 billion in perspective. In 2013 the UK government levied £612 billion in various taxes, duties, national insurance etc.

I think it's worth it, but it's a free country and others are quite entitled to disagree!

Cheers

Steve

[eddiesolo]

What got my goat was the add campaign they ran regarding the criminal record and prosecution you could face for not owning one! I'm sorry but sat at home watching something is a crime if you don't have a licence! Something wrong there...maybe I should just beat up old folk instead. As for a waste of money, I too have seen foreign TV and I just cannot watch it, ads every three mins and poor TV, so the quality is there, however, it is for the masses and I rarely watch the Beeb now, Top Gear was a must even the latest series seem watered down as to what they used to be. No F1 except highlights-the Beeb doesn't cater for me.

Si

[Ian M]

I think the bottom line is that the licence is to expensive for what you get.

There are way to many repeats and way to much sport!

All the daytime soaps are unwatched by me, I do like a good nature program or a good film though.

Ian M

[eddiesolo]

I do like a good nature program or a good film though.

I agree, that the nature programs or science programs can be very good, as for films, I do like the odd one, but with the price of DVD's now you can get then and watch when ever you want.

Si

[Guest]

Of course it does. But when was the last time a commercial channel made something like 'Life on Earth' or showed the national remembrance ceremony from the cenotaph? Who showed the 'celebrations' on the anniversary of the D-Day landings?The question really is do you want a public broadcasting service at all? It shows things like the service from the cenotaph because it is obliged to under the terms of its charter. Commercial broadcasters are not and will not.

If you don't mind commercials that's fine. I recorded Guy Martin last night and watched it without commercials this afternoon. Let's just say it took rather less time to watch than it did when broadcast. I saved twenty minutes of my life not being bombarded with adverts for stuff I don't want

If we want a public broadcasting service but don't want a licence fee then money would have to be raised in other ways. The licence fee in 2013/14 raised £3.7 billion of the BBCs £5 billion income. The money has to come from somewhere.

Put that £3.7 billion in perspective. In 2013 the UK government levied £612 billion in various taxes, duties, national insurance etc.

I think it's worth it, but it's a free country and others are quite entitled to disagree!

Cheers

Steve

You know what? You have changed my opinion on the subject.

I now support the TV licence, and here is why.

1 - If we didnt then as you say there is a lot of important programming that would be missed out. OK, I dont watch things on BBC 4 very often but things like SKy at Night are, IMO, an important part of TV history for the 2 or 3 people that watch it.

2 - If we didnt pay then the government would make up the shortfall, meaning that we would pay anyway. So, by paying the way we do at present means that we pay less in the long run. Afterall, Mr and Mrs Dole scrounger doesnt pay tax but they do pay for a TV licence (Eventually, after a court summons).

3 - The way it is at present we have a choice. Have a TV and pay the fee, or dont have a TV and dont pay the fee. When I first moved out of my parents home I was shocked by the cost of a TV licence, so ditched the TV and refused to pay the licence fee. OK, I had a few visits, but eventually, after looking round my house (including under the bed and in the airing cupboard) they took the hint and left me alone. However, with the internet becoming such an important part of my life I couldnt live without it.

4 - I probably dont have a proper viewpoint in which to debate anyway. I live in rented accomodation where the TV licence is included in the monthly rent and when Im working as a live in carer my client is usually age exempt anyway.