TV License

[Saracen]

For those who watch a lot of TV, then yes, it would be (which is probably the way it should be). But us who just watch this or that, it should work out cheaper.

I'll put it another way. Hypothetically, why should I fund the shows that you watch?

Arguably, because :-

- the BBC is a public service and we all (if we watch TV) pay for it. We can then choose what, and how much, to watch.

- because given current analog technology and current TV sets, it would be hard or impossible to restrict, without forcing everyone (including those on fixed incomes, like pensioners) to buy extra hardware

- because, as a civic service, it's like many things we all pay for, whether we use them or not

- and perhaps because the costs of and administrative effort in taking it subscription-based, in the short term, would be prohibitive.

[Ferral]

This is something that has got me for the last few years. For a start we hardly ever watch the BBC analogue channels now as we do enjoy Sky. However we do pay our licence via DD monthly.

Now the reasoning behind the TV license is that the BBC don't get revenue from adverts apparently. Hence why we pay the licence fee each year.

Now back to Sky. The BBC have many other channels on there other than BBC 1 & 2. All of their other channels that are broadcast on Sky have ad breaks. So the BBC are actually getting revenue from advertising on a digital level. So why is it that we are paying licenses for programs hat have ads in them on Sky on top of the Sky subscription ?

We had a run in last week with of these inspectors. He came round ranting at my wife while I was at work. She produced the license and he was still not happy. Apparently we did not have a valid license ! They have been taking money directly from my wifes bank account since June last year. Instead of actually checking with their payments department to confirm that we do actually pay for this piece of paper (and half the rubbish broadcast by the BBC on terrestrial) they spent time and money sending out an investigator. Now where is the logic in that.

Granted as I was younger I did love the BBC, there used to be so many great and origional programs on there. Most of which I own on DVD now (Allo Allo, Porridge, Open all Hours and Red Dwarf to name a few). Lately though there has literally been nothing at all that has really sparked my interest at the times that I am home from work (I will admit to liking Dr Who and Torchwood to be fair in all this).

Also don't forget. When the analogue signal gets turned off and the TV license has been gotten rid of. Our government will find something to replace it with at the same price or higher.

Just my thoughts for this evening !

[KBeee]

You enjoy Sky
Nuff Said

[Dorza]

The easiest and legal way to get out of paying for a TV license is to find an OAP and get them to live with you.


I totally disagree with the TV license, its just another form of tax and I agree with what farral said about the BBC generating ad money on digital. When the TV license does go it will be replaced with a home computer license of some sort, you watch they'll make a killing. The only thing the BBC does better than anyone one else is documentaries and TG.

These people are no better than the RIAA imo.

[Bazzlad]

Just a warning.

My first day in my first house in Stoke.

I had PA speakers for seats, suitcases everywhere and had just shoved the TV on in the middle of my room - on my marshall amp (iirc).

"Knock, knock"

Man at the door.

Young, naive Bazzlad: "Hello, can I help you"
Strange looking Stokey man: "I'm from the Government, can I come in please and have a quick word?"
Young, confused Bazzlad: "Yeah mate, sure"
Strange looking happy man standing in my hall: "Well Andrew [wtf?!], do you have a TV in this property?"
"Young, kicking himself for being stupid Bazzlad:" "Firstly, my name isn't Andrew, it's Richard, and yes I do have a TV in the house"
Smug, overbearing tw*t of a man: "Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh but you don't have a TV licence"
Very annoyed Bazzlad: "That's not surprising, I just moved in 2 hours ago"
Man who doesn't believe me: "I don't believe you"
Still very annoyed Bazzlad: - As I open the door into the mess of suitcases and band equipment that was my lounge - "Believe me now?"

Anyway, he the read me my rights, I had to prove I wasn't "Andrew" and he told me I was liable with £1000 fine.

I bought a licence the next day - as I was going to do anyway! - and it was all ok.

Moral of the story. TV licensing men are sneaky bar stewards. Beware of them. And if you suspect one - slam the door in his self righteous, tax collecting face.

What I really hate is the guilty until proven innocent.

My new house doesn't pick up signal. I don't know why. I have a big new aerial, and digi box, an all for one aerial booster, and I can only get 3 channels. So I've taken the aerial out, and will within the next couple of months get sky - if this time, they can be bothered to keep an appointment and not make me wait 3 weeks. However, I've had at least 8 letters telling me I'm breaking the law, DESPITE me phoning up and letting them know I don't have one, they still threaten me with a door step bloke. Who I will let in, show him my TV with all my consoles attached and challenge him to get a signal. If he succeeds I will pay him £100 English Pounds.

[lost eden]

I'm from the Government, can I come in please and have a quick word?

Those first 4 words would have me slamming the door on him straight away!

[nichomach]

I do support the TV license; OK, Waking the Dead and spooks aren't everyone's cup of tea, but then the massive amount of sports coverage isn't mine, so I think it evens out.

That said, I sympathise with Bazzlad's predicament; the last house we moved into was newly built. We moved in in April of one year, and immediately after moving in, we received a shedload of mail starting from the previous September, the bulk of which was formed by increasingly hysterical letters demanding that "the occupier" buy a TV license. The red ones were particularly entertaining. As was the phone call explaining to the toffee-brained berks that, in the first place, we already HAD a license, in the second, that we'd only just moved in, and in the third, that sending increasingly strident demands to what was, at that point, a hole in the ground made them look, well, like complete idiots.

[chicken]

They used to send us threats all the time... we generally opened the reply envelopes, stuffed them with random items (and Ketchup) and sent them back... I think we burnt one and I bit the corner off another.

I've had them be right arses even when we had a licence (& TV of course) at uni so I've got no time for them. They have no right to come in without a warrant and Analogue encryption has existed for decades, never mind Digital so they have no excuse for this blanket charge bullying malarkey.

I don't care if it is a "British Institution", harassing people for money when they don't even watch the BBC is wrong and shouldn't be allowed, let alone sanctioned by the government!


/rant

[gabriel]

i got some questions:
1. if you u have freeview do you have to pay the licence?
2. If i have a tv but not pligged into any cable aerial etc etc, do i have to pay again??

thanks

[Bazzlad]

1. yes
2. yes

[Bazzlad]

The only way round it is to fully prove you cannot receive the signal, which is to say:

Remove the aerial from your house, remove any tv/pc card, and then prepare to argue for weeks with the TV license people.

My TV is for console use only, and I'm still arguing with them.

[mosherben]

Complete and utter noncense.. I think in the 1st year of uni (in student flat) we never paid for the license.

I have paid my share in the license since then for the last 2 years since am now in a house. Tbh, I aren't watching tv lately but things will change in 3 weeks

[Hans Voralberg]

What if I dont have a TV ? Or anything that can receive signal watsoever ?

[kasavien]

What if I dont have a TV ? Or anything that can receive signal watsoever ?

Then you don't need a liscence

[nichomach]

If you have NO devices capable of receiving a TV signal, you don't pay - but bear in mind, devices can include video/DVD/HDD recorders with tuners built-in etc. Also, "TV signal" is currently being expanded to include things like TV on mobiles, IP TV services, etc.

[gabriel]

:O i use my tv as watching DVDs!!!!! this is troublesome!!!!