Do I need to buy a license if I dont terrestrial TV?

50Twuncle

shavy65 wrote: »

OK, so I know the rules/requirements for a TV Licence.

But...if I cancelled mine are they really going to know?
My friend has had them visit him twice in the last 2 years (since he moved in, he`s never had a licence) and both times he just tells them he only watches Netflix.

After a few conversations it`s now apparent to me that what he is doing is very common nowadays.

Now, I feel like the sucker!

But without OUR funding - how would people like Chris Evans, Graham Norton and Gary Linekar manage to put food on their tables ?
They need our money to survive - Evans specifically uses Shavy65's £147 to run his MacLaren 675LT for less than 24 hours which is necessary to get him to work when he was working his 4 hours per day - not that he does even that these days (after being "moved on" from Top Gear)
Similarly Norton uses mickthemikemans payments to fund his addiction to wine for breakfast
And as for teddysmum - you don't want to know what Linekar does with your £147 - but it does involve large quantities of crisps !!
mee's £147 just goes into general funds (Christmas partys etc)

Jackmydad

Is it just me who sees BBC programs on NetFlix, and thinks that there is a certain irony in us paying to see what we have already in effect paid to make?

I don't want sport in any way, shape or form. I wonder how much of the fee goes to that.

The whole setup is so "Steam Radio" somehow. "You will pay this licence fee, because we know that what we are doing is right for you"

As for the BBC being without political bias. :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:
I heard them come out with that crepe the other day while I was working out in the garage listening to R4. I was just drinking a coffee, and literally had to spit it out!

50Twuncle

Jackmydad wrote: »

Is it just me who sees BBC programs on NetFlix, and thinks that there is a certain irony in us paying to see what we have already in effect paid to make?

I don't want sport in any way, shape or form. I wonder how much of the fee goes to that.

The whole setup is so "Steam Radio" somehow. "You will pay this licence fee, because we know that what we are doing is right for you"

As for the BBC being without political bias. :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:
I heard them come out with that crepe the other day while I was working out in the garage listening to R4. I was just drinking a coffee, and literally had to spit it out!

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/04/14/how-does-the-bbc-spend-its-5bn-in-licence-fee-money/

HWW

wongataa wrote: »

If that happened then the there would be no BBC which would be a great loss. Why would you want to lose high quality programming?

Big wrong, the loss of the self serving BBC, would be a wonderful gain for the UK population - it is self serving, biased & inefficient.
It's funding method, is outdated - but it refuses to change in any significant way to improve ANY of these massive faults.
Time for The BBC to go.

Mee

Don't disagree on lack of efficiency and political neutrality at the BBC, but not sure it is any worse than tax dodging Amazon and Netflix.

bevernbridge

As these are, after all, the MSE boards, a suggestion for those who feel pestered by the Crapita :- save up the entire set of tv licence threatening letters.


After a few years, sell them on eBay. People buy the weirdest stuff, and to someone from abroad, this might seem like a quirky slice of British 21st century life.


I had around 5 years worth saved, until my wife took exception and recycled the lot.

bevernbridge

I stopped watching telly at home quite a few years ago.


I was a tad disappointed not to spot any thread comments on how very, very bad, especially for children, tv actually is. Ignoring the advertising dross, the social engineering, downright brainwashing, subliminals, abhorrent content, etc. etc. - the passive alpha-state induced by the boob tube should be avoided. Plus recent studies on cinematography techniques - cuts/fades/zooms/etc. - suggest the science of maintaining 'viewer anxiety' is pretty advanced. Good book = "Who's Bringing Them Up?".


Walk the dog. Read a book. Play cards/bingo/darts/bowls/footie.
Join a club. Take an evening class. Volunteer. Meditate. Sleep. Make love. Paint. Garden. Chat. Tell jokes. Make beer/wine. Write. Dance.


All (except possibly evening classes) cheaper than the idiot box.


For heaven's sake mankind ...

HWW

bevernbridge wrote: »

I stopped watching telly at home quite a few years ago.


I was a tad disappointed not to spot any thread comments on how very, very bad, especially for children, tv actually is. Ignoring the advertising dross, the social engineering, downright brainwashing, subliminals, abhorrent content, etc. etc. - the passive alpha-state induced by the boob tube should be avoided. Plus recent studies on cinematography techniques - cuts/fades/zooms/etc. - suggest the science of maintaining 'viewer anxiety' is pretty advanced. Good book = "Who's Bringing Them Up?".


Walk the dog. Read a book. Play cards/bingo/darts/bowls/footie.
Join a club. Take an evening class. Volunteer. Meditate. Sleep. Make love. Paint. Garden. Chat. Tell jokes. Make beer/wine. Write. Dance.


All (except possibly evening classes) cheaper than the idiot box.


For heaven's sake mankind ...

I read a good book, some time ago - called: "The plug in drug" - very true.

Anthorn

Getting back to the topic: Do you really need a license and will they know if you cancel your license? They have a database of all addresses and know when an address doesn't have a license.

If I'm reading cases correctly it doesn't really matter whether you watch BBC channels or not. What matters is that you could watch them because you own equipment which can access BBC channels. Basically if you don't want to pay the license fee get rid of your tv aerial.

But it goes deeper than that because now we need a license to watch BBC online programming. Previously people got rid of their tv aerial and cable connection but still accessed BBC iPlayer and it's that loophole that has been closed.

So these days to avoid the license fee get rid of your tv aerial, your cable connection, your internet connection and for good measure your tv too.

Lastly, I too don't like the license fee but if that was dropped and the BBC became a subscription service I would probably pay the subscription as I do with Netflix!

HWW

You can own & install whatever equipment you wish, but by law, you should have a TVL if you watch any "Live" TV, or BBC online. You DO not need a TVL, if you watch non BBC catchup online, DVDs etc, any radio listening, No licence is needed.


Yes, they will know your household has no TVL, as Capita have a database of all addresses, which they match with addresses that ARE licensed - the difference between the two lists, will receive threatograms (best ignored if you are LLF) & perhaps, visits from TVL salesmen.
Minimal communication with Capita, is usually the best option should you wish to remain in a "legally licence free" status, they will twist anything you say - & sign nothing.