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>No, the BBC is independent from government, hence a licence fee, not a tax.
No, the BBC isn't independant, they get their money from the Government, and consistantly work with them.
Papers that have been released under the 25 year rule show the BBC worked with the government, putting out propaganda, to persuade people to vote to join the EC.
Its a tax.
Can you provide a link? All I can find is a site mentioning that the BBC resisted the Heath governments attempts to influence it.
http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1468-229X.2006.00372.x?cookieSet=1&journalCode=hist0 -
There is no way that the so called Licence fee is anything but a Tax. After all, it is set by Government, not by the BBC. I really object to paying it. I never watch the BBC so don't see why I should finance it at all. The reception is so poor here [Channel 5 unobtainable on an aerial] so I had to pay for a Satellite dish and subscription to Sky. We can't use mobile phones here either.
Years ago I got taken to Court because I had a B&W TV Licence. I only had a B&W TV. However, according to their Inspector I had a Video recorder which was capable of receiving colour TV!!! even though my TV could only show the signal in B&W. I took the offending item to the Court, and showed that the switch which changed from colour to B&W was broken and jammed to the B&W setting, and a statement I got their Inspector to sign at the time to prove he had examined the set and video.
I was fined £1, as the Magistrate thought the whole case should never have come to court. I came home and threw the TV and the player in the bin rather than buy a colour licence. We did not have a TV for over 10 years after that, but were harassed mothly for the whole period. We even sent in a statement from a local Police Constable by Recorded Delivery, stating there was no aerial, TV, or video recorder in the house. I got the CAB to send a letter. They never replied, but continued the harassment.
Once Sky became available, we saved up for the new TV and Sky dish. We paid the Licence by quarterly Direct Debit. We get charged a premium for doing this, so our licence is more than £130. If you can't afford to pay in one lump sum you are penalised. The poor always get charged more because they have to pay in instalments. [Prepaid Electricity and Gas costs more. Why, when you are paying before you get it, not after you have used it?]:mad:
This tax should be scrapped, and BBC made to compete on a level footing with other TV Companies. If you like the Beeb so much, you can pay for it, like I pay for Sky.0 -
The first post by archna was quite clear and definitive, so why are people trying to wriggle through loopholes? do they expect the rest of us to subsidse their TV viewing?
Unfortunately they do.
They are the same as those who try to avoid paying Council Tax and fraudulently claim benefits etc. They think it is somehow admirable to 'put one over on the State' when in reality they are stealing from their friends and neighbours.
I have no objection to legitimate money saving, I wouldn't use this site if I were, but freeloaders do make my blood boil:mad:0 -
If it walks like a tax, and quacks like a tax...No, the BBC is independent from government, hence a licence fee, not a tax.
You are mistaken. If only the BBC was commercial free. I'm sick of all the cross channel adverts that occur on both the TV and, more especially, the Radio - for example:I am happy to pay my licence to keep it this way and to keep it commercial freeRadio_2 wrote:Watch Eastenders on TV TONIGHT!!!!!
And no, these aren't 'information.' They're adverts.Radio_4 wrote:On Radio 5 live later....Conjugating the verb 'to be":
-o I am humble -o You are attention seeking -o She is Nadine Dorries0 -
"we know every address the the UK without a TV licence" the scary voice on the TV licence propaganda (sorry, advert) says.
The how come I received a red final demand on my doorstep for the person who used to live here when I had bought a new licence for the address when I moved in?
I'm all for licence fee avoision (not evasion) if you are only paying for the BBC then why should you pay to watch ITV, channel 4 and 5, skyTV, cable and the rest of them. And since this money goes to funding the BBC website, BBC world, and The world service which is available to the rest of the planet, why should the british tax (sorry Licence) payer foot the whole (and expensive) bill.
I resent the £10.50 a month and if my girlfriend wasn't hooked on Ugly Betty I'd happily live without a telly or licence in the house.0 -
They don't. They have a record of every address that HAS a TV licence. They also (I assume) have every address in the UK.mr_forward wrote: »"we know every address the the UK without a TV licence" the scary voice on the TV licence propaganda (sorry, advert) says.
What they seem incapable of doing however is comparing the 2 lists and ignoring the licence holders. They also assume, erroneously, that every household that does not have a licence has a TV and must therefore be breaking the law.This is a system account and does not represent a real person. To contact the Forum Team email forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com0 -
They also assume, erroneously, that every household that does not have a licence has a TV and must therefore be breaking the law.
exactly! it is the most absurd and flawed form of reasoning they follow.
We get harrased monthly saying they are coming to get us but there is no TV in the house in question. No one lives there, there is no power supply or water but no we must be watching tv there!0 -
The presumtion is that if you're not glued to the box then you're weird...I would argue it's the other way but that's just me.0
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There is no way that the so called Licence fee is anything but a Tax. After all, it is set by Government, not by the BBC.
Yes it is set by the government, but it is used by the BBCI really object to paying it. I never watch the BBC so don't see why I should finance it at all.
David Attenborough, Fawlty Towers, Wimbledon, The Olympics, Newsnight, Dr Who, Catherine Tate, HIGNFY, Spooks, Morecombe & Wise, Bleak House, The Street, Mike Leigh, Stephen Poliakoff, Michael Palin,The Proms, Glastonbury, TOTP, Radio 1-4, BBC4, Little Britain etc. etc...
If you really never watch or listen to any of these, then you have my sympathy.
No you are not. You can pay by monthly DD and not pay any premium.Once Sky became available, we saved up for the new TV and Sky dish. We paid the Licence by quarterly Direct Debit. We get charged a premium for doing this, so our licence is more than £130. If you can't afford to pay in one lump sum you are penalised.This tax should be scrapped, and BBC made to compete on a level footing with other TV Companies. If you like the Beeb so much, you can pay for it, like I pay for Sky.[/COLOR][/B]
But you don't pay for it.
Sky, and all the other commercial broadcasters are paid for or subsidised by advertising revenue, the costs of which are passed on to the consumer. So, if the licence fee is scrapped and the BBC is only paid for by those who watch it, can I have a rebate on my shopping bill to reflect all the commercial channels that I don't watch?;)0
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