Why should we be forced to pay a Licence fee to a state run Broadcaster. sign the petition if you agree. https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/end-the-bbc-licence-fee
signed, also signed this one ... https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/235653 I'm trying to persuade the wife to stop watching broadcast TV. I pulled the aeriel last week to trial it. Looking good to cancel. I'd cancel now but need to be sure the wife won't accidentally incriminate herself when the BBC goon squad arrive, I'm only still paying it as protection money.
You’ve still got to have a TV licence even if you’re only watching Sky or cable. Any device that can receive broadcast TV needs one. The buggers have got you all ways
You can watch catch-up and on demand services (other than iPlayer) But you mustn't watch any broadcast TV, even pay to view such as SKY/BT sports. Other than the odd footy game, which I can watch down the pub, we don't need to watch broadcast TV, everything we need is available on catch-up or on-demand. Kids only watch youtube or netflix, so the BBC have lost the next generation, they will have no brand loyalty or nostalgia for BBC like the older generations.
Yeah but they get you on the fact that you still have the ability to watch broadcast TV by having the equipment to view it. When you don’t have a licence they actively target your address for detection. We’ve had it with our old house when we rented it out, just before the tenant moved in.
They still have to prove you guilty, and without a court warrant they can not enter your premises, just owning and using a TV does not need a license, and is not enough on it's own for the goons to get a warrant. The problem comes when (mostly female) householders incriminate themselves by being helpful. Which is why I hesitate to stop paying even though legally we shouldn't need to pay. I'd happily tell the goons to get lost, the wife is likely to invite them in and sign anything she is asked to sign. 75% of people convicted of license fee evasion are women, BBC like to lecture us about equality, but not when it comes to paying thier salaries.
MP.s are not concerned because they get them free. https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/wealthy-tories-claim-free-tv-13752146
I hate loathe and despise commercial broadcasting. I have experienced it in various other countries including the USA where it is particularly vile. The licence fee goes towards BBC Radio and also the BBC website which I find indispensible. Usually, when abroad, the only radio worth listening to is BBC World Service. So I'm one of the annoying people who think that the licence fee is a damn good thing if it means that I can avoid the horrors of the commercial channels.
I don't watch any broadcast TV, on-demand and YouTube only. Try explaining to a child under 12 that they have to wait until a set time to watch a tv program, they will think you are mad.
Unfortunately it is the law (just another indirect tax) so you either pay your money or take your chances. Wessa
Peeps signed both. But I won't hold my breath. They are even robbing the pensioners now. Not bad enough they tax their pensions and take their homes to pay for care. You wonder about all the life time of work to better yourself and family. When really you are just saving for the assholes sitting in parliament and government offices. Regards Joe.
I come from a different angle. To my mind the proper question is ‘what do we need from a 21C Public Service Broadcaster?’ It would not look like the Beeb and cost a fraction of the current licence. The BBC is a pseudo commercial operation subsidised by a compulsory tax levied on live viewing. It crushes local stations and dominates web output while its entire rationale derives from an era long past. Similarly its ethos is also stuck in a soft left featherbed unwillingly funded by grafters given no choice.
The BBC are a truely evil and hideous organisation. They have a clear and obvious political bias, not only having a malevalent influence in the UK but also around the world. https://www.ukcolumn.org/article/bbc-media-action-subversion-broadcasting-house-kazakhstan Don't forget their cover up of child abuse for years and protecting those who perpetrated it (Saville, etc). I dislike commercials on TV and radio, but in my opinion that is a far lesser evil than the BBC. I wouldn't stop at scrapping the licence fee, I would like to see the BBC taken down completely. Their TV output is total shite these days anyway...
As has been said, it’s a possession tax, (tv or other devise) irrespective of whether you actually watch it or even turn it on. But I would gladly pay double not to be subjected to the amount of mind numbing, intelligence insulting, fukwit adverts that plague ever other channel now! If advert muting was an Olympic sport, I’d win gold for sure!
2 comments - How much are people prepared to pay to watch football on TV ? A lot more than the BBC cost. It's fairly obvious that anti BBC comments on this site are usually politically not financially motivated. Secondly - try looking at a commercial site eg. Visordown on a mobile to see what the dire options lead to. I am a pensioner and I think the licence fee is excellent value when one considers the alternatives.
BBC is ~£12.50 per month, thats the same as I pay for Netflix and Amazon Prime combined (and I get free amazon next day delivery) I had BT sports free with their broadband. I can't remember the last time I watched a game on BBC, I'm not in to women's football, and even the internationals are on commercial channels now.
I think the Tv & Radio licence went out of date with the dinosaurs. It's meant to be a subsidised private company now, so how come it is still the law to pay for it. It should be a choice. I say out of date because the licence fee was set up only when there was BBC radio and TV. Today we have hundreds of free channels and many SKY channels to watch. I haven't listened to any BBC radio stations since the seaside roadshows in the 80s early 90s. I don't watch a lot of TV but if there is a programme that i want to see, i record it then watch it back skipping the ads.