BBC will close iPlayer licensing 'loophole' on 1st Sept

[MonkeyL]

I beleive the TV license is outdate in this day and age and as for monetary value you get sod all for the fee you pay

Couldn't disagree more, for the amount you pay the BBC offers excellent value for money, be that radio, tv or online.

[aidanjt]

Couldn't disagree more, for the amount you pay the BBC offers excellent value for money, be that radio, tv or online.

The BBC only offers value if you consume its content. If you don't consume BBC content then you're just getting screwed. Therefore the license system is inherently unfair since it legally requires that non-users subsidise users. And since the low cost technology exists to make personal subscription to content accessible, the license model is, in fact, outdated.

[Vigil]

I like some of their radio programmes (primarily radio 4) and nature documentaries, but I'll be buggered if I'll ever pay for a TV licence again. Can't see why they don't just introduce a Netflix-style pay scheme for everyone (international viewers included). Antiquated BBC.

[Vigil]

My niece and nephew who have sky TV have american accents all the time and have christmas lists as long as your arm all based off of TV advertising they pay for!

Ha, what a load of crap. If it is true, then their parents are clearly letting them watch too much TV (and apparently they also never let them interact with anyone). And you cite Dr Who and Robot Wars as great British shows? PFf, to each their own I suppose. The issue as I see it is that the BBC doesn't give you a choice. If you own a TV and don't want to watch anything on the BBC, you still have to pay the licence fee (which is completely unfair). A subscription service would be far better. The only reason it hasn't come about is because people (the ollllllllld in particular) don't like change.

[crossy]

I like some of their radio programmes (primarily radio 4) and nature documentaries, but I'll be buggered if I'll ever pay for a TV licence again. Can't see why they don't just introduce a Netflix-style pay scheme for everyone (international viewers included). Antiquated BBC.

And how, pray tell, am I supposed to input a license code on a radio?

Actually I get a bit hacked off with the folks that bleat "but I don't watch the BBC so why do I need a TV license". Given that I've had two weeks of only being able to access American TV, I'm distinctly glad that the Beeb is there. And the universal provision (in theory we all pay the same) seems fair. The alternative is a horrible mismash of licensing models and software and I just don't want that. Heck the iPlayer app is bad enough.

I do wonder though if the new iPlayer setup means that my old faithful get_iplayer is going to get screwed up. Be a major shame since my TV no longer does iPlayer and it can be a bit hit or miss on the Sky box.

Closing thought, while I'm still willing to give the Beeb the money they need, I'm quite unhappy about the huge salaries that are being offered for the "stars" and especially the management. For the 'talent' surely there's a career benefit in working for one of the global major players, and for management, NO ONE should be earning more than the PM.

[Flibb]

Currently have Netflix and NowTV on trial, both will be getting binned at the end of the trial period. Have also just cancelled Sky, had them on stacked cashback so they ended up paying me to use their service, will not resub to them even ta £10 a month. The quality and range of BBC documentaries is incredible, especially when you delve in to Iplayer and give some of the more unusual stuff a go.

[aidanjt]

And how, pray tell, am I supposed to input a license code on a radio?

Apply DVB subscription access technology to DAB?

Actually I get a bit hacked off with the folks that bleat "but I don't watch the BBC so why do I need a TV license".

People shouldn't be upset about being involuntarily charged money for something they don't use?

Given that I've had two weeks of only being able to access American TV, I'm distinctly glad that the Beeb is there.

That's nice. But I don't recall anyone calling for Broadcasting House being levelled. Merely reevaluating the means by which they're funded.

And the universal provision (in theory we all pay the same) seems fair.

It's only fair if you consume the content. If not, you're subsidising content consumers against your will and getting nothing in return beyond the nostalgic glow of patriotism, or some such.

The alternative is a horrible mismash of licensing models and software and I just don't want that.

Assuming you don't exclusively consume BBC content, in which case, may God have mercy on you, then you're going to have to deal with that brain damage anyway. Adding an extra subscription into the mix isn't the end of the world.

[cheesemp]

Ha, what a load of crap. If it is true, then their parents are clearly letting them watch too much TV (and apparently they also never let them interact with anyone). And you cite Dr Who and Robot Wars as great British shows? PFf, to each their own I suppose. The issue as I see it is that the BBC doesn't give you a choice. If you own a TV and don't want to watch anything on the BBC, you still have to pay the licence fee (which is completely unfair). A subscription service would be far better. The only reason it hasn't come about is because people (the ollllllllld in particular) don't like change.

Nice way to discount my views... As a matter of fact they probably do watch too much TV but find me many children who don't! Its more a case of odd americanisms creeping in but it is noticeable since they got into Sky TV content. I maintain the fact that british TV (other than reality stuff and the odd comedy) would just disappear without the bbc. There is no easy profit in it so no one will do it.

[MonkeyL]

The BBC only offers value if you consume its content. If you don't consume BBC content then you're just getting screwed.

Why wouldn't you want to consume it's content, it's the best available in the UK? The vast majority of the population use it daily.

Therefore the license system is inherently unfair since it legally requires that non-users subsidise users.

It's not unfair, it's a public service thats part of our civil society. You are free to use it any time you like.

Should those who can afford their own medical care be able to not contribute to the NHS because they won't use it? Serious question, where would that leave public services?

And since the low cost technology exists to make personal subscription to content accessible, the license model is, in fact, outdated.

No, it keeps it within the means of the majority of people who live in the UK. You only have to look at the cost of a basic sky subscription to see why it's excellent value for money.

[tonyd223]

get_iplayer - I thought I was the only one... :-)

[aidanjt]

Why wouldn't you want to consume it's content

A person could have a number of reasons to not consume its content. They could simply not like it. They could be abroad for most of the year. They could be a cable cutter. I could go on. But needless to say, there are reasons, and all of them are completely reasonable.

it's the best available in the UK?

Is it? Oh dear.

The vast majority of the population use it daily.

Which is still much less than everyone.

It's not unfair, it's a public service thats part of our civil society.

And it'll carry on being a public service that's part of your civil society with or without the license. Nobody is saying nuke the BBC from orbit.

You are free to use it any time you like.

It's only 'free' to use as long as you have a license. If you own a TV, you're 'free' to pay for a license whether or not you consume BBC content. So no, it's not free in any sense of the word.

Should those who can afford their own medical care be able to not contribute to the NHS because they won't use it? Serious question, where would that leave public services?

Will you die/be crippled if you don't get BBC service? I don't see how they're in any way comparable.

No, it keeps it within the means of the majority of people who live in the UK.

It would still be in the means of the majority of people who live in the UK if its funding method was changed.

You only have to look at the cost of a basic sky subscription to see why it's excellent value for money.

Sky is a private company. They're a useful guideline as far as what's possible is concerned, but hardly equivalent for costs.

[Otherhand]

I think a lot of people seriously underestimate how important the BBC is.

Historically, this share of culture belonged to the aristocracy, distributed via its institutions, and your access to it was diluted according to your proximity to the aristocracy. Someone like me would have had a very hard time knowing their world, but now I can know what they know and innately know how to manoeuvre in their social space. I've been able to adapt to structures that might otherwise shut me out.

The BBC has grown to give that to all of us. I didn't have a great education and without doubt the BBC has taught me more than school ever did, both in direct learning and from hearing mentions of interesting things in passing which I've then investigated further myself. It's not just the TV, but also the excellent radio service. The BBC's innovations in streaming media reinforced that, by allowing us to pick from the week/month's broadcasts, so providing us with great factual, dramatic and literary broadcasts. That's before we even talk about the music of the BBC: classical, folk, jungle, grime, hip-hop, indie, reggae, soul, and on and on... whatever you want is likely to be covered.

A huge part of what we fumblingly try to call "Britishness" is spread between us by the BBC. You might not partake in it directly, but you do indirectly. Take it away, and we'd lose a lot of cohesion. Sky isn't going to fill that void for you.

[aidanjt]

...

I'm confused, why are you arguing as if those opposed to the license system are out to destroy the BBC? The BBC isn't synonymous with the license. The license is just a mechanism of funding. That's all.

[shaithis]

It's not unfair, it's a public service thats part of our civil society. You are free to use it any time you like.

It's just another tax. I got to say, it always rubs me up the wrong way when I hear the phrase "the unique way the BBC is funded".....

[peterb]

I beleive the TV license is outdate in this day and age and as for monetary value you get sod all for the fee you pay,

Poor value? At less than a pint of beer a week?

[shaithis]

Poor value? At less than a pint of beer a week?

Then I'm sure you won't mind donating me £140 a year for nothing, after all its only a pint of beer a week!

Many people do not watch BBC, yet feel cornered into paying the fee, especially after the 4th or 5th visit you get to check your not watching it.....so that it becomes a tax against being hassled every month by detector vans.