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

Dan:_4

The idea that you can force people to pay a mandatory tax for state media, is pure and utter communism

MiserlyMartin

tomterm8 wrote: »

I think I object to the fact you have to buy a TV license to listen to streamed radio over the internet. There are foreign radio channels I have to listen to for work... so, I have to buy a TV license.

Otherwise, I would be happy scrapping the TV and watching iplayer.

I don't know why you are buying a TV licence to listen to the radio - you do not need a licence to listen to any radio, be it foreign or even the BBC for that matter, currently

With regard to the i player I think access should be restricted to only those who have paid their subscription/licence fee to avoid any arguments. Then those who choose to watch any downloaded TV from around the world on their computer e.g. youtube, then are completely free from hassle from BBC TV licensing's door-to-door salesman as we have currently.

Another thing I forgot to mention is the existence of BBC world which carries advertising and yet is not available to most TV viewers unless they have a satellite dish pointing at 1° west. But it iis free to air for satellite viewers to watch all over the world and the BBC also recieves money for carrying it on some pay tv platforms.

BBC online and all its websites must cost an absolute fortune to run. We are bullied into paying for it with the license tax yet everybody outside the UK who has unrestricted Internet access can use the BBC's websites. Why should we pay for that?

The BBC does not class itself as a public service broadcaster anymore it is a business -- an enterprise (BBC Worldwide which sells DVDs of Dr who etc) so now it is time for it to be financed as one with a voluntary subscription from those who choose to watch it.

StevieJ

tomterm8 wrote: »

I think I object to the fact you have to buy a TV license to listen to streamed radio over the internet. There are foreign radio channels I have to listen to for work... so, I have to buy a TV license.

Otherwise, I would be happy scrapping the TV and watching iplayer.

You mean freeloading

Swan_2

tomterm8 wrote: »

I think I object to the fact you have to buy a TV license to listen to streamed radio over the internet. There are foreign radio channels I have to listen to for work... so, I have to buy a TV license.

Otherwise, I would be happy scrapping the TV and watching iplayer.

the radio licence was scrapped in 1971

bristol_pilot

It amazes me how people think they are watching the commercial channels for free (ITV1 etc). These channels are funded by advertising, the cost of which is added to the price of goods and services. So we pay through the nose for ITV1 etc everytime we buy something whether we watch those channels or not, which is just the same as many of the arguments on this thread opposing the BBC licence fee on a similar basis. The only truly fair way would be pay-per view for each programme, but I guess most people would get through £145-worth pretty early in the year.

MiserlyMartin

StevieJ wrote: »

Why? BTW should we scrap NHS dentistry because I only use private?

Comparing the NHS to the BBC is a rather interesting concept. They share some similarities e.g. they are both inefficient organisations, both bloated, in some cases poor quality.

But not having the BBC in its current form is not life-threatening to some of the general public. Cutting access to cheap dentistry or free health care could be.

I do kind of see your point that it is unfair that some people who pay for private healthcare should have to contribute to the NHS but that's an entirely different debate.

lynzpower

Surely commercial channels buy programmes off the BBC though dont they?

Maybe BBC should charge more for these

lucylucky

tomterm8 wrote: »

I think I object to the fact you have to buy a TV license to listen to streamed radio over the internet. There are foreign radio channels I have to listen to for work... so, I have to buy a TV license.

Otherwise, I would be happy scrapping the TV and watching iplayer.

A reasonable objection since you don't have to have a licence to listen to the radio.

Get a refund and start using iplayer for your non-live TV viewing

tomterm8

Hm, that's interesting, I was under an impression you needed to buy a black & white tv license if you wanted Radio. Must have changed at some point.

StevieJ wrote: »

You mean freeloading

Not at all, StevieJ. As you very well know, the TV license is a tax, it is not a payment for services rendered. People can use iplayer, entirely legally and honestly, without owning a TV license. That is not 'freeloading', it is how the system is set up.

wymondham

bristol_pilot wrote: »

It amazes me how people think they are watching the commercial channels for free (ITV1 etc). These channels are funded by advertising, the cost of which is added to the price of goods and services. So we pay through the nose for ITV1 etc everytime we buy something whether we watch those channels or not, which is just the same as many of the arguments on this thread opposing the BBC licence fee on a similar basis. The only truly fair way would be pay-per view for each programme, but I guess most people would get through £145-worth pretty early in the year.

No, I don't agree with this. I don't pay for ITV, it funds itself through advertising and I have a choice over paying for any advertised product, which I don't with the license fee.