BBC licence fee should be scrapped, says thinktank - The Guardian

HappyMJ

I wonder what I would get in the post every month instead of the threatening letters for not having a licence? Would it be more along the lines of Sky's, advertising the (alleged) benefits of a subscription?

FTBFun

Dan: wrote: »

Sky News - love it!

Sky Sports - the only thing that keeps me going (Fair point mind, i did watch BBC for the World Cup)

Discovery - worth the subscription fee IMO

UK Gold - love it!

My point is why do you have to be 'forced' to pay for BBC services. Why cant it be on a subscription fee basis like everything else?

Sky News = Fox News UK. I'm sorry but if you like that sensationalist clap trap then "The Day Today" truely has become real life. It's also free to air on freeview anyway.

Fair enough on the next two, although IMO the Sports channels are too expensive and, in the case of the football channels, way too focused on the so called "Big 4", or "Sky 4".

UK Gold (and its sisters channels) are more or less entirely BBC programmes. UKTV is a joint venture between the Beeb and Virgin.

So no BBC, no UK Gold.

Out,_Vile_Jelly

FTBFun wrote: »

Sky News = Fox News UK. I'm sorry but if you like that sensationalist clap trap then "The Day Today" truely has become real life. It's also free to air on freeview anyway.

I can't believe The Day Today was over a decade ago. Somewhere along the line the DVD label describing it as a biting satire has rubbed off, and a work experience kid at Sky News has filed it among the training manuals.

FTBFun

Out,_Vile_Jelly wrote: »

I can't believe The Day Today was over a decade ago. Somewhere along the line the DVD label describing it as a biting satire has rubbed off, and a work experience kid at Sky News has filed it among the training manuals.

Interestingly the US rapper Fur-Q is a guest today.

Dan:_4

FTBFun wrote: »

Sky News = Fox News UK. I'm sorry but if you like that sensationalist clap trap then "The Day Today" truely has become real life. It's also free to air on freeview anyway.

Fair enough on the next two, although IMO the Sports channels are too expensive and, in the case of the football channels, way too focused on the so called "Big 4", or "Sky 4".

UK Gold (and its sisters channels) are more or less entirely BBC programmes. UKTV is a joint venture between the Beeb and Virgin.

So no BBC, no UK Gold.

I would rather watch Sky News for free then pay to watch BBC News. Sure, some people prefer BBC News and are happy to pay for it but can we have a choice in that please?

Sky sports are expensive but I dont mind paying it as I get a lot of entertainment from it.

No BBC no UK Gold sure - but im paying for UK Gold and its my choice to do so.

Why have I got to pay for BBC Services when I dont use them?

ultrawomble

I still can't believe that people pay to watch adverts. :rotfl:

Generali

Dan: wrote: »

Why have I got to pay for BBC Services when I dont use them?

You don't have to, you can go to prison instead like if you don't pay another tax.

This is why the Treasury hates hypothecated taxes as they link payment of a tax with consumption of a public good or service.

ruggedtoast

I heard that the tv detector vans are either a scam or their evidence is inadmissable. Supposedly they work on picking up the radiation from your crt tv, sounds like utter bollcax to me and wouldnt work at all on flat panel.

Which just leaves the inspectors. Apparently they can only issue a fine if they enter your premises and find the equipment. Something they cant do without a court order and a police officer present.

Anyone know the legalities of this?

ninky_2

Dan: wrote: »

I would rather watch Sky News for free then pay to watch BBC News.

for how much longer though? they are already pulling the sports news from freeview.

lucylucky

ruggedtoast wrote: »

I heard that the tv detector vans are either a scam or their evidence is inadmissable. Supposedly they work on picking up the radiation from your crt tv, sounds like utter bollcax to me and wouldnt work at all on flat panel.

Which just leaves the inspectors. Apparently they can only issue a fine if they enter your premises and find the equipment. Something they cant do without a court order and a police officer present.

Anyone know the legalities of this?

TVL have no more automatic right to enter your property than I do.

Owing a TV set does not require you to have a licence