TV Licence

[ToTaL ITK]

to pi33 you off

[Pedro de la Rosa]

to pi33 you off

3 looks like an E, backwards. A 5 looks like S.

[Croesy Blue]

to pi33 you off

NeEdLeSsly PaYInG mY tV LiCeNse tO oWN tHe LiBS

[Croesy Blue]

What do you get from Sky? Many more channels than on the BBC.

What’s been on them that’s any good?
Genuinely interested.

[az city]

Definitely. If the BBC stopped competing with the private sector by making programmes like Eastenders and Strictly, which are ideal for mass-market commercial TV, then it could even be paid for without any increase in tax. The Australian equivalent is paid for from general taxation.

Why do they have to send production teams to far-off places to cover events, staying at the best hotels, when they could hire a local stringer to report in for them?

It's a public service broadcaster which thinks it's an institution.

It does produce some excellent stuff and could still do that if financed by taxation and run more efficiently.

"We have done a vast amount to make the BBC simpler, leaner, and more efficient. We have brought down overheads to industry-leading levels: just 6% of our total costs." BBC Annual Plan 2018/2019


Just curious. Can you provide more detail of how they are inefficient?

[az city]

What do you get from Sky? Many more channels than on the BBC.

Does Sky do radio, online, local news and media, produce as many quality programmes of its own? I think you have the wrong comparator there.

Why would you want to mess around with (a somewhat admittedly flawed) public institution that actually works and the world envies?

Britain has privatized numerous public services and look at how that has turned out.

[Croesy Blue]

Look at the comedy that’s been made/shown on the bbc that would never have got a chance otherwise, in the last year it’s had:

Fleabag, derrygirls, vic and bob’s big night out, This time with Alan Partridge, What we do in the shadows, inside no 9, still game, gone fishing, cunk on Britain, limmy’s show....

[az city]

It really gets me why people complain about the BBC. Here's a quote from Digital Spy:

"... £97 million was spent making seasons one and two of The Crown, resulting in 20 hours of content across two seasons, which was viewed by 14% of adults and ranks 8.2/10 for viewer appreciation of that content.
Meanwhile, the BBC claims to have spent £97 million making 18 different drama series – including Poldark, Call the Midwife, Our Girl, Peaky Blinders, Sherlock and many more – and producing around 85 hours of content viewed by 72% of adults with a viewer appreciation ranking of 8.7/10.

[az city]

Even if you never watch it you are still enjoying many benefits of its being there.

It has a profound effect on the quality of program making in the UK. Look at other countries like France or Australia, the locally produced TV there is really amateurish. The tone of news broadcasting.
The money spent by the BBC brings much more than that back into the country, many times over.
It is a key part of UK soft power, which considering we are about to leave the EU, seems more important than ever.

It's like saying you don't drive a car, so you don't benefit from money spent on the roads, or you have no kids so you dont benefit from spending on education. Equally bogus.

Correct.

[The Bob Banker Spanker]

NeEdLeSsly PaYInG mY tV LiCeNse tO oWN tHe LiBS

**** posters are not welcome

[WJ99mobile]

I love the Beeb and happy to pay its tax.

I think the programming is crap, but needed to provide a outlet for the broader spectrum.

[surge]

Maybe we'll have to start talking to our elderly relatives and neighbours now? How ghastly!

[Former Labour leader]

I think the tories would love to be rid of the bbc just like the NHS. I remember when the funding was cut in 2015 the free to over 75s was expected to be scrapped completely anyway, I'm surprised this has come to anyone as a surprise.

Well not that surprised thatthe posters who just post "lefty" as an insult have such short memories.

Yet another legacy of the Cameron/Osborne axis.
Glad I'm a lefty not a bloody Tory.

[Organ Morgan.]

Only professional moaners and groaners could possibly disapprove of coughing for a licence fee. Going forward over 75s will effectively have to pass a means-test to qualify for a free one. Those wrinkly b'stards whose income is too high or have assets and/or savings above a certain threshold shall have to pay full whack.

The government should implement similar with regard to Winter Fuel Allowance as it would save billions that it can add to the £15 billion it's giving away in Overseas Aid this year. Continuing austerity for Britons while foreigners have a knees-up at our expense is something we can all fully support, or had better else risk being branded a racist, xenophobe, white supremacist, Brexit nutter, etc.

[PontBlue]

If pensioners can afford to pay it they should. Those who can't will get it free. I do not see what's wrong with that.

[life on mars]

It really gets me why people complain about the BBC. Here's a quote from Digital Spy:

"... £97 million was spent making seasons one and two of The Crown, resulting in 20 hours of content across two seasons, which was viewed by 14% of adults and ranks 8.2/10 for viewer appreciation of that content.
Meanwhile, the BBC claims to have spent £97 million making 18 different drama series – including Poldark, Call the Midwife, Our Girl, Peaky Blinders, Sherlock and many more – and producing around 85 hours of content viewed by 72% of adults with a viewer appreciation ranking of 8.7/10.

The reason why some folk have a dig at the BBC is probaly ( we hate anything British ) campaign.

I wish they would all go live in some anti western despot place like Russia or China if I'm honest , where real state television can be enjoyed, as it might be more appealing to them .

[WJ99mobile]

From what I’ve read, it only affects those that can afford it anyway

[PhyllisStant]

If all the idiots who don't pay it because they claim they don't use the BBC coughed up the stupidly small sum of £150 a year - then perhaps we wouldn't have to force the poorer and more vulnerable members of our society to do so. Nothing as thick as a working class capitalist.

[dave1927]

If you own any device - including a computer - capable of receiving a live TV signal then you need a licence. Some people were getting round it by not owning a TV and then watching catch-up on their computers, so the BBC started checking on people watching the iPlayer.

This is wrong, it has nothing to do with the device capability to receive a live signal. Here is the official guidance:

You don’t need a TV Licence if you or anyone at this address:
never watch or record programmes on any channel as they’re being shown on TV or live on an online TV service, and
never download or watch BBC programmes on iPlayer – live, catch up or on demand.

This could be on any device, including a TV, desktop computer, laptop, mobile phone, tablet, games console, digital box or DVD/VHS recorder.

[life on mars]

The licence fee is excellent value for what you get I'd be lost without the BBC , TV, Radio,Podcasts and the I Player, all for £154 quid. 🤣

If you have over 15 devices you then pay another £154. Lol.

Some burn £154 in a weeks drinking and eating.

Nuts

[splott parker]

The licence fee is excellent value for what you get I'd be lost without the BBC , TV, Radio,Podcasts and the I Player, all for £154 quid. 🤣

If you have over 15 devices you then pay another £154. Lol.

Some burn £154 in a weeks drinking and eating.

Nuts

Exactly, £3 a week, tremendous value. We went to a wedding all day/night on Saturday so were on the settee all day Sunday. Binge watched the 8 episodes of Series 2 Killing Eve. Approx 6 hours of brilliant television, beats me when people complain about the cost of the tv licence.

[Gofer Blue]

Maybe the BBC need to "market" the licence fee better. £3 a week sounds a lot better than £150 a year.

[Eric the Half a Bee]

Only professional moaners and groaners could possibly disapprove of coughing for a licence fee. Going forward over 75s will effectively have to pass a means-test to qualify for a free one. Those wrinkly b'stards whose income is too high or have assets and/or savings above a certain threshold shall have to pay full whack.

The government should implement similar with regard to Winter Fuel Allowance as it would save billions that it can add to the £15 billion it's giving away in Overseas Aid this year. Continuing austerity for Britons while foreigners have a knees-up at our expense is something we can all fully support, or had better else risk being branded a racist, xenophobe, white supremacist, Brexit nutter, etc.

You clearly have no idea about overseas aid.

[Eric the Half a Bee]

From what I’ve read, it only affects those that can afford it anyway

Precisely this.

[Organ Morgan.]

You clearly have no idea about overseas aid.

The money is given away and £15 billion will be gifted this year. The budget is ring fenced and increases each year, while - for example - many benefit payments have been frozen since 2016. As I also stated, it's continuing austerity for Britons, millions of 'em.