'Do you believe in the BBC licence fee?' poll discussion

Former_MSE_Lawrence

Poll between 19-27 July 2010:

Do you believe in the BBC licence fee?

The TV licence fee costs £145.50 a year for any home with a colour TV, and pays for the BBC - that's TV, radio, regional programmes and BBC online and associated costs (full details).

Do you believe in the licence fee?

[FONT=&quot]A. Yes. I think it's an important public service - [/FONT]23% (6715 votes)
[FONT=&quot] B. Yes, but it's far too high. It needs to be cut and scaled back - [/FONT]27% (7959 votes)
[FONT=&quot] C. No. I'd happily see ads fund it - [/FONT]50% (14666 votes)

Voting has now closed, but you can still click 'post reply' to discuss below. Thanks

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MrsBartolozzi

I haven't voted because I'm not sure what to vote.
I like the BBC for their nature documentaries and appreciate the way the programs are laid out with no need to allow for ad breaks and the inevitable recap which comes after ( like discovery and national geographic channels for example).
BUT I don't think it should be a mandatory "if you want to watch tv at all you must pay even if you will never use BBC channels" heavy handed approach. I think it's this that gets people's backs up.
If I want to watch Sky1 I pay Sky or Virgin for the privilege, I don't pay for Sky sports because I don't want to watch it, and Sky don't make me pay for it even though I want to watch their other channels so this is a better approach. The problem with this is that if it was somehow optional to pay for BBC then there might not be enough funding for the super documentaries they are renowned for, so I don't really know what the answer is. Maybe a minimal fee for everyone with a larger fee for those who want to access their other channels or their ondemand service which you can access even if you've not paid your fee??

lucylucky

I believe the concept of the licence fee is outdated.

I also believe the BBC could and should scale back on many of the things it does that have no bearing on its public service remit.

toontron

I watch Sky to be honest, I would say probably 95% of the time, I also dont listen to BBC radio. My prefered option would be for BBC to be pay per view.

robin_banks

40P A DAY - great value.

Eric_Pisch

the bbc is superb, but its lost a lot of edge after the woss/brand joke

£100 is enough, especially as it raises good money from selling DVDs and programs to overseas


mind you £500 a year would be a bargain if it meant you never had to watch ITV, SKY1, C5 and Virgin 1

Saucepot

The value of the BBC is not the issue.

The issue is that all are forced to pay the TV tax if they wish to consume TV. Sky charges are not compulsary & ITV is advertising led and free at the point of use.

I mean, you can be criminalized in the UK for watching TV if you don't pay for the beeb. The main targets of convictions are the poor.

Would you accept a newspaper tax? That you could not buy a newspaper unless you first bought a copy of the guardian?

Scrap the TV poll tax!

Reggie_Rebel

It is value in my opinion. As robin banks says 40p a day for now 24 hour access to news, information and entertainment. Plus Susannah Reid.



Worth 40p of anyone's dosh

lucylucky

Reggie_Rebel wrote: »

It is value in my opinion. As robin banks says 40p a day for now 24 hour access to news, information and entertainment. Plus Susannah Reid.



Worth 40p of anyone's dosh

or 40p a day for Chris Moyles, The One Show, Hotter than My Daughter - worth no money from anyone - ever!

lewist

I'm happy to pay the licence fee to be free of ads. They destroy programmes on other channels. Not everything on the BBC is to my taste, and some of it is awful, but the documentaries on BBC 2 & 4 are well worth paying for. The website is also outstanding. Leave it alone!

sharnad

I would prefer to have the adverts and not pay