TV Licence article Discussion

Suffolk_Gardener

Hi,


It seems to me that, however you choose to watch the BBC (or listen to one of the many radio stations) then you should bear in mind that this service is currently reliant on receiving funding via licence payments. This is, I think, going to be reviewed in the near future. But the BBC is such an important service both nationally and internationally I don't think people should just opt out of paying for it. Not for nothing is it considered a national treasure, and with nothing coming in it will cease to exist. By all means do all sensible financial things for yourself, but be aware of what you might lose.

[Deleted User]

Suffolk_Gardener wrote: »

But the BBC is such an important service both nationally and internationally I don't think people should just opt out of paying for it.

Even if they don't use it at all?

cw18

Suffolk_Gardener wrote: »

But the BBC is such an important service both nationally and internationally I don't think people should just opt out of paying for it. Not for nothing is it considered a national treasure, and with nothing coming in it will cease to exist.

I doubt I'm the only person who doesn't think the BBC is what it used to be. When I was a child (and right through my teens) we rarely watched a non-BBC channel or listened to a non-BBC radio channel, but by the time I cancelled my licence (4.5 years ago) I only turned in to one of theirs 2 or 3 times a year at most - absolutely nothing they make any more inspires me to turn on the TV, and I've not listened to a BBC radio channel in over 25 years (other than when channel hopping in the car trying to find travel news when the motorway is at a standstill).

I still think it unfair that by refusing to support them I can't watch any of the other channels (I'd spent 3 years watching almost nothiing by Five US and 5), but have discovered that by spending that £140+ a year on second-hand DVDs I don't actually miss live TV at all. A few of the DVD collections I've purchased are actually old series from the BBC (The Good Life for example), but IMO nothing from the last 15 years compares to those and I prefer to spend my money on the 'oldies but goodies'.

Daisy_Bell

Quite honestly, I think that the license fee is like demanding money with menaces! If any other company tried to extort money for something that people don't want and then threatened if they refused to pay, they'd be charged with just that criminal offence! The BBC lost its way years ago! They have become a political party in their own right! Very 'Leftie' documentaries; even their dramas have a preachy and finger-wagging: 'Auntie knows best' attitude! So patronising! Their arrogance is almost beyond belief. They seem to think it is their duty to go into every country in the world preaching it's views and provide radio content for every country in the world; all paid for by the license fee! How many other countries do this? The BBC have become a law unto themselves!
We watch very little BBC in our house; less and less as the years have gone by. If it were not for the fact that my hubby is over 75 and we now don't have to pay, I'd have bitten the bullet and risked not paying the license years ago. I know of several people who have got away with not paying for years and never been caught. When you think about it, the £1,000 fine is still cheaper overall if you've not paid for several years!
When you already pay for TV from Virgin or Sky, etc., it's too much to expect people to pay twice! The BBC should be made to pay it's own way like everyone else, or be broken up and sold off!

smileycon

I don't watch live tv and there are only a handful of bbc shows i would miss... getting into that peter kay's car share at the min. but as has been said in this forum, a subscription-based model would be better. only pay for what you use ie. radio, streaming, live tv etc. obviously it would be based on the honour system, but I think it's fairer

cw18

Cornucopia wrote: »

For a variety of reasons, I can't see a German-style levy coming to the UK.

I wish I felt as confident as you sound.

Unfortunately it sounds to me like the hardest method to avoid paying, which means a lot more income for the BBC with a lot less costs in chasing up non-payers (if it's tagged onto your electricity bill, which appears to be one option they're looking at, you can't actually avoid it unless you're totally off-grid or refuse to pay your electricity bill).

So it's a win-win situation for the BBC, and a lump-it for those of us who are LLF and would like to stay that way.

monkeymo

I started to pay my TV License by monthly direct debit for the first time this year. Obviously I'm a bit annoyed that they will charge me for this years license in the first 6 months and then take 50% of next years license fee in the next 6 months. So my question is this:

Can I cancel my direct debit after the £145 for this year has been taken but before they can take the £72.50 (ish) for next year?

I assume I can do this and then simply start the direct debit again next year. Any thoughts?

Thanks in advance
Mo

cw18

smileycon wrote: »

but as has been said in this forum, a subscription-based model would be better. only pay for what you use ie. radio, streaming, live tv etc. obviously it would be based on the honour system, but I think it's fairer

Why an honour system? Surely a subscription service would work like Netflix etc, in that you need a password to be able to access - certainly for the streaming services. I accept that they couldn't implement it on live TV without everyone having to upgrade equipment - but then they made us all do that when they brought in Digital TV, so there's nothing to stop them doing it again.......

cw18

monkeymo wrote: »

Can I cancel my direct debit after the £145 for this year has been taken but before they can take the £72.50 (ish) for next year?

I assume I can do this and then simply start the direct debit again next year. Any thoughts?

In theory I guess you can, but they could refuse to let you set up a Direct Debit plan for future years.

Cornucopia

Sunny67 wrote: »

Hello,
Is it also valid to watch recorded sky programmes and not require a tv licence?

Thank you

It depends on what you mean by "recorded" and when/where you recorded them.

You cannot record the programmes in the first place without having a TV Licence. You could (potentially) cancel your licence and watch old recordings (though Sky's set-up doesn't really lend itself to that).

If you want to watch Sky programmes whilst not requiring a TV Licence, I would suggest Catch-up and Box-sets on Now TV.