Why do we pay a TV tax?

Cleaver

michaels wrote: »

You are probably right but two counter arguments:

1) BBC is paid for by everyone without choice so should probably not have a bias to one party unlike Sky which customer chose to pay for.
2) There is that embarrassment when you go abroad if the foreigners snigger at you for thinking the BBC is a bastion of unbiased reporting just as we feel superior to the state controlled media in Russia or Venezuela.

I think it has a slight bias. And come on, it isn't comparable to state controlled media is it?!

If you asked the general public, I would imagine that 90% plus wouldn't notice or care about any bias. I would have thought that paying for something without much of a choice about it would be the main issue for anti-BBC people as your first point mentions. And I still maintain that you do have a choice. As I said before, if you think the BBC is not worth £12 a month then you certainly don't think the basic Sky package would be worth £18 to you for worse programmes. So why not just not have TV if you don't like it?

I still reckon that for most people paying a very small percentage of their income on the BBC relfects pretty good value, hence why it tends to just be small corners on the internet where you hear people moaning about the 'tv tax' and 'liebor bias' but very rarely hear anyone in real life caring. What is it anyway, just over £12 a month? Pretty insignificant for most people really.

olly300

One thing that none of you have mentioned is children's programs.

While they are aimed at children the fact that as an teenager and adult you can sit down with a child and watch TV, or as a student watch them with mates makes a difference.

American children's programs on the whole are rubbish. I can only think of one I can bear to watch and part of the funding for that is provided by the state.

Also unlike in the states I'm glad I don't have to watch programs with commercial breaks every 5 minutes.

Paranoid

michaels wrote: »

You are probably right but two counter arguments:


2) There is that embarrassment when you go abroad if the foreigners snigger at you for thinking the BBC is a bastion of unbiased reporting just as we feel superior to the state controlled media in Russia or Venezuela.

Embarrassment? Snigger?

I have travelled abroad widely for many years. Including Russia and America. The BBC is held in high esteem everywhere I have been. Unlike any other broadcaster I know.

I sometimes think that the only thing left for us to be proud of abroad is the BBC.

1984ReturnsForReal_2

Paranoid wrote: »

Embarrassment? Snigger?

I have travelled abroad widely for many years. Including Russia and America. The BBC is held in high esteem everywhere I have been. Unlike any other broadcaster I know.

I sometimes think that the only thing left for us to be proud of abroad is the BBC.

From that I take it you have never been to China.

At the start of the Olympics the BBCs "coverage" was disgusting & they were lucky not to get kicked out of the country.

StevieJ

Well this is only their web site but seems quite popular to me, right across the world, and China don't have a lot to shout about in freedom/censorship, what do you think 1984

http://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/bbc.co.uk#trafficstats

Mr.Brown_4

It's an outrage. Populist feed for the masses, in order to keep them quiet - an opiate administered daily under the guise of 'broadcasting' And the powers that be then have the nerve to charge us for the privilege. Say what you like about Murdoch, at least he didn't try to cover up the Tolpuddle martyrs. I'm going to write a strong letter (well email) to Points of View.

edit: After the sick fest comment got nul points, if this fails I'm off to Mumsnet.

1984ReturnsForReal_2

StevieJ wrote: »

Well this is only their web site but seems quite popular to me, right across the world, and China don't have a lot to shout about in freedom/censorship, what do you think 1984

http://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/bbc.co.uk#trafficstats

I think it is a place to get headlines from.

Its reporting on political matters varies from straight to perverse to downright misrepresentation.

When I switch on to watch the Olympics I don't want to watch a "short report" by Nick Robinson which is clearly taking the !!!!..

olly300

Paranoid wrote: »

Embarrassment? Snigger?

I have travelled abroad widely for many years. Including Russia and America. The BBC is held in high esteem everywhere I have been. Unlike any other broadcaster I know.

I sometimes think that the only thing left for us to be proud of abroad is the BBC.

Everyone with any intelligence - OK my friends tend to have intelligence though members of my extended family it is debatable at times - realises news is bias.

However if you have ever subjected yourself to watch the news like Fox News or ABC News then you realise that BBC news could be a lot worse.

Of course it could be better but at least if you know what slant the news has you can then bother to look for alternative views on an issue you are interested in.

Personally I've enjoyed watching Paxman read the news for years from when he started on local news, as he makes it clear when he thinks stories or people are simply ridiculous.

Paranoid

1984ReturnsForReal wrote: »

From that I take it you have never been to China.

At the start of the Olympics the BBCs "coverage" was disgusting & they were lucky not to get kicked out of the country.

A rash assumption! Although I have only had trips to Shanghai, Canton & Beijing.....

And elsewhere in the far east.

Like all broadcasters the BBC would have taken a feed of the Chinese Olympic coverage and added to it, where appropriate, for home viewers.

Any documentary additions would doubtless have reflected accurately the staging of the games. I hope we don't have to bus in folk to bolster the audience and issue smog masks.......

Do your experiences of China conflict?

1984ReturnsForReal_2

Paranoid wrote: »

A rash assumption! Although I have only had trips to Shanghai, Canton & Beijing.....

And elsewhere in the far east.

Like all broadcasters the BBC would have taken a feed of the Chinese Olympic coverage and added to it, where appropriate, for home viewers.

Any documentary additions would doubtless have reflected accurately the staging of the games. I hope we don't have to bus in folk to bolster the audience and issue smog masks.......

Do your experiences of China conflict?

Not a rash assumption at all.

My experience of China doesn't conflict at all, I have little experience of China.

But I do have lots of experience of sports coverage & sport is indeed sport not some idiot driving hundreds of miles out into the sticks dragging people in front of the camara in a vain attempt to make a "story".