television license

[claymore]

Did I read those posts about the BBC and their Gaelic tv channel correctly, do you actually have to have a license to watch television in Britain? If so, why do you let the government or whoever it is rip you off like that? Now that really is a reason to think about emigration . p.s. if tv is as crummy as it is here in oz they should pay you to watch it.

[jno]

it's quite a lot better - though slowly declining. It's how the BBC is paid for. Other channels are 'free' - that is, they're paid for by ads, and the advertisers raise their prices to cover their advertising budgets, and you have to pay the high prices whether you watch the channels or not. So it works out much the same. Give me the BBC and a fee over the Shopping Channel 'free' every day.

[vehelpfulguy]

We DO have to pay a TV licence to watch TV. This goes to fund the BBC.

Now I happen to think that the BBC is one of the UKs greatest assets and the quality of many of their programs is the only thing that makes TV worth watching.

EVERY other channel has advert breaks (often 4 or 5 in each hour).

The BBC have NO advert breaks on their various channels which makes watching them a pleasure.

I could list some of the great BBC programs but it would probably take me all day.

[Gromit]

The BBC have 5 national TV channels with local input. The BBC also have 8 national radio stations and many local ones. Again, all advert free. The BBC website is quite simply the best in the world. Then there is the World Service which broadcast us all over the world.

All that for less than �3 a week. (The elderly are exempt from paying.)

Sounds like a bargain to me. I would not swap your free service for our BBC.

[libertie]

Agree with all of the above....well worth the licence fee!!

[the 5niper]

It's east to knock the BBC but when they produce world class programmes like "Life on Mars" "Cranford" "Newsnight" etc then the licence fee is a bargain.
Lets not forget that many people worldwide listen to the BBC's "World Service news" and regard it as the voice of truth, reason and objectivity

[sp1814]

If the BBC was funded by advertising (a shrinking pool with more and more channels chasing the same advertisers) we could kiss goodbye to any quality television. All telly would end up looking like Sky One or ITV1.

[Ethel]

As well as the quality of the tv it is the content that counts.

The BBC aren't governed by advertisers, so they can have programmes like Watchdog and investigative journalism that blows the whistle on big companies.

New series are allowed to establish, rather than be pulled quickly if the ratings aren't good enough and the advertisers complain.

The BBC has to meet certain obligations and cater for 'minority' viewers which they do very well on the whole.

They can report on politics impartially, because the big newspaper owners aren't funding the programmes.

I would hate to lose the tv licence and the BBC.

[claymore]

Sounds like the BBC is worth every cent,we have the ABC but it is government [ taxpayer ] funded and runs a distant last to the commercial channels of which there are four. If we want to watch half decent programs we need Foxtel which costs around 25dollars a week.

[sp1814]

$25 a week???

For that, I'd want tv stars to come round to my house and perform in my living room.

[brionon]

The question is NOT is the BBC worth the licence fee. The Question is {Pay attention } Should you have to pay a licence fee to watch TV ? Got it ?

[Gromit]

brionon, you pay attention.

The question is Do you have to have a license? Not should you?

[pink-kittens]

The elderly are exempt from paying.

Only if they reach 75!

[Haggisdj]

lol sp1814, especially Eve Myles from Torchwood...

[anotheoldgit]

First may I say that I agree with most of the posters that the BBC does indeed produce some excellent TV and Radio.

But I would like to see the scapping of the TV licence and the introduction of a fee funded BBC. Then those that choose to watch or listen to the BBC could pay to do so.

Others that watch or listen to other Channels/Stations, fee paying services such as SKY/Cable, or even just watch DVDs, could be free to do so without the need to be forced to buy a licence.

Regarding the statements that their are no commercials on BBC, there are indeed an ever increasing number of BBC products and programmes advertised between programmes.

Regarding the BBC reporting on politics impartially. I think that this is the image that they would like to convey, but it is just not so. The BBC's liberal/left leanings are universally known.

Regarding the statement the elderly do not have to pay for a TV licence; pink-kittens is quite correct it is only when they become 75 that they are exempt..

[Lucy Thomas]

To elaborate on Ethel's point. The first series of Only Fools and Horses was slated by critics when it first appeared in 1981. If you watch that first series you'll see that it is rather tame and sometimes short on laughs.

However, if advertisers had complained and the series had been pulled, we would have missed out on probably the greatest ever sit-com on British television.

[Gromit]

AOG

When the analogue signal is switched off, encrypting the BBC signal for subscribers only will be possible, and you may get your wish of a subscription paid for BBC.

I don't think Mr Murdoch would be be happy with that though. The punter faced with a choice of

BBC Package
8 National TV channels = �7.54
10 National Radio Stations = �1.17
Local Radio stations = 75P
Total: �9.46 a month

SKY basic package
�16 a month + �30 set-up fee

I know which one I would choose if I had the choice.

[slark]

how many people are forced to pay for a tv licence so that they can have a tv in ther homes.if they think you may not have a licence expect a knock at your door anytime. i renewed my licence straight away, a month or two later sunday night 6-45pm.doorbell goes, banging on front door.
man at door says there is no record of this house having a tv licence.i say well i have got one.tv man says that was last year. i say no i have an up to date one.cut the story short.five minutes later .you have no tv licence, yes i have.
may i see this licence,wait here he has his foot on doorstep so i could not close the door if i wanted too. go into house get my licence show tv man, is that a tv licence, no answer,he takes a note of the number on licence 2 more times i asked him was it a tv licence, no answer. hands me back my tv licence and says very sorry to have troubled you i asked once more is that a tv licence, no answer.