Is the TV licence worth £145.50 a year?

[thisistips]

100% this all day long. Its about 40p a day. TV, radio, online content, covering just about every subject imaginable with content and production values that are respected and envied the world over. 40p a day!
I'd defy anybody to find anything that represents better value than the BBC.

And no ads.

 

[cunning fergus]

The problem with decriminalising non-payment of the license fee (The same applies to council tax) is that large numbers of people would stop paying, leading very quickly to them running out of funds. The ultimate threat of imprisonment* is very persuasive (even though, in reality, it's highly unlikely).
The worst thing about TV license non-payment is that to be prosecuted for it, you have to incriminate yourself but, unlike speeding, there is no provision in law for you to identify yourself to the TV licensing authority's enforcement officers; this leads to two scenarios, the first where the officer says "are you watching TV without a license", you say "yes", he asks your name and you tell him. The second scenario you shut the door in his face.
Only one of these will lead to court.


*Whilst TV license payment evasion only carries a fine or community penalty, you could, in theory, be imprisoned for wilful refusal to pay the fine.

Fact is that in this day and age criminalising those people for non payment of the BBC licence fee is socially regressive, both Labour and the Tories support the move, the irony of "liberals" being less flexible should not be lost.

http://www.theguardian.com/media/2014/mar/21/tv-licence-fee-evasion-could-be-decriminalised-bbc

In any event we should welcome decriminalisation as it is the right thing for a mature democracy to do, and not least free up court time given 10% of criminal court cases (200,000 last year) relate to the licence fee.

Of course once this happens then many won't pay, myself included, and change to the fee will come as a consequence, which would surely include opting out.

The positives are that this thread demonstrates how many supporters the BBC has and are willing to pay.

It's win win all round isn't it?

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

The amount of use I get out of the BBC website is worth 40p a day

 

[South Stand Rebel]

A resounding no.

 

[El Presidente]

Fact is that in this day and age criminalising those people for non payment of the BBC licence fee is socially regressive, both Labour and the Tories support the move, the irony of "liberals" being less flexible should not be lost.

http://www.theguardian.com/media/2014/mar/21/tv-licence-fee-evasion-could-be-decriminalised-bbc

In any event we should welcome decriminalisation as it is the right thing for a mature democracy to do, and not least free up court time given 10% of criminal court cases (200,000 last year) relate to the licence fee.

Of course once this happens then many won't pay, myself included, and change to the fee will come as a consequence, which would surely include opting out.

The positives are that this thread demonstrates how many supporters the BBC has and are willing to pay.

It's win win all round isn't it?

All the support for scrapping the licence fee comes from right wing Tories, ergo, you must be one yourself.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

In addition the iPlayer is brilliant, especially if you travel abroad a lot.
.

Agree with all your points EP, but being abroad at the moment, I haven't been able to access the iplayer. There was a message about having to live in the UK. Perhaps it was because I was wanting to watch a movie.

It is well worth the money, and I would be prepared to pay substantially more. Radio 6, Radio 5, Albion commentaries, Radio 4 - all very well listened to in my household.

The quality and variety of the programming would disappear if the licence fee went. My brother lives in Italy - no licence fee there, but the quality of the output is abysmal.

 

[El Presidente]

Agree with all your points EP, but being abroad at the moment, I haven't been able to access the iplayer. There was a message about having to live in the UK. Perhaps it was because I was wanting to watch a movie.

It is well worth the money, and I would be prepared to pay substantially more. Radio 6, Radio 5, Albion commentaries, Radio 4 - all very well listened to in my household.

The quality and variety of the programming would disappear if the licence fee went. My brother lives in Italy - no licence fee there, but the quality of the output is abysmal.

How can you say that in the land of Berlosconi?

I know what you say about the iPlayer. I'm abroad at present stuck in an airport. I download lots of shows from the iPlayer onto my iPad before leaving home, and then watch them in the evenings, as I'm at anti-social so and so, especially when I don't speak the language and there's no football to watch on a Saturday!

If you do get a chance to get to Blighty, download all you can. I'm working my way through 'The World at War' at present, and it is as moving as ever.

 

[seagullsovergrimsby]

Why does the TV licence just go to the BBC instead of all TV providers? I feel that if the BBC want to charge for their content they should become a subscription-based provider rather than forcing people who have a TV to pay them.

Some of the TV licence is diverted to pay for almost all of the funding of the Welsh language channel S4C and the BBC World Service which used to be funded by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office is now paid out for from the licence fee.

 

[cunning fergus]

All the support for scrapping the licence fee comes from right wing Tories, ergo, you must be one yourself.

On the contrary Margaret, I think the BBC criminalises the poor for non payment and therefore the socially progressive step is to remove this crime from the statute book. I think Labour and Tory agree, only the Liberals are opposed...........how liberal of them.

Once it's removed, I will stop paying the fee because I think we should have the freedom to choose whether or not we want to pay for an institution like the BBC.

I can chose what papers I want to buy, and what sky channels I want to view so why is the BBC different?

If that's Tory dogma then knock yourself out.

 

[tigertim68]

No not worth it , it should be self financed including subscription and adverts , I wonder if all the people on here who say how wonderful the BBC is would subscribe to it ?

 

[cunning fergus]

This sums Britain up nicely. Good things ruined by dickheads who only look out for themselves. That is not progressive, it is being a dick.

Dear Pot,

Yours sincerely,

Kettle.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

On the contrary Margaret, I think the BBC criminalises the poor for non payment and therefore the socially progressive step is to remove this crime from the statute book. I think Labour and Tory agree, only the Liberals are opposed...........how liberal of them.

Once it's removed, I will stop paying the fee because I think we should have the freedom to choose whether or not we want to pay for an institution like the BBC.

I can chose what papers I want to buy, and what sky channels I want to view so why is the BBC different?

If that's Tory dogma then knock yourself out.

The poor don't have to watch tv if they can't afford a licence. There's nothing compulsory about watching television. You can listen to the radio without a licence.

 

[El Presidente]

I can chose what sky channels I want to view.

Really? Can you show the rest of us how to just view Sky Sports without having to pay for the rest of the package?

 

[Pogue Mahone]

How can you say that in the land of Berlosconi?

I know what you say about the iPlayer. I'm abroad at present stuck in an airport. I download lots of shows from the iPlayer onto my iPad before leaving home, and then watch them in the evenings, as I'm at anti-social so and so, especially when I don't speak the language and there's no football to watch on a Saturday!

If you do get a chance to get to Blighty, download all you can. I'm working my way through 'The World at War' at present, and it is as moving as ever.

Cheers fot that. I'll remember next time. I will get every chance to return to Blighty as I'm only away for a week!

 

[drew]

You've done the classic jumping down my throat and then backing up my point. Is it right that there are people in our society who would struggle to find £3 a week when there is so much wealth swishing around.

I'm lost at what point you're really trying to make. Things have to be paid for, whether that be through a licence fee, general taxation or subscription. I'm not sure this particular thread is really about the redistribution of wealth although for what it's worth, I agree that gulf between the top and bottom is far too wide.

 

[wellquickwoody]

For 99% of the population the TV licence fee is the best value in their life, even if they do not realise it.

 

[jimbob5]

I'm lost at what point you're really trying to make. Things have to be paid for, whether that be through a licence fee, general taxation or subscription. I'm not sure this particular thread is really about the redistribution of wealth although for what it's worth, I agree that gulf between the top and bottom is far too wide.

Then you've pretty much agreed with my previous point. Thanks.

 

[Freddie Goodwin.]

Just compare the price per month with what some pay for the other channels
.

 

[cunning fergus]

Really? Can you show the rest of us how to just view Sky Sports without having to pay for the rest of the package?

Well firstly I can choose whether or not to have sky, then if I do there are different packages, one is a sports package, then you can choose other add ons like BT Sport or Racing UK.

I think Virgin and BT offer similar packages, there is a veritable smorgasbord of choice.

In time the BBC will have to accept and embrace this new modern world and allow an opt out, which could ironically be the outcome of the EU's single digital market proposals.

However as this thread indicates the institution has plenty of support, so all will be OK. I am surprised at the lack of confidence............

 

[El Presidente]

Well firstly I can choose whether or not to have sky, then if I do there are different packages, one is a sports package, then you can choose other add ons like BT Sport or Racing UK.

I think Virgin and BT offer similar packages, there is a veritable smorgasbord of choice.

............

But that's not what you originally said, which was that you can choose which Sky channels you want to see.

I am only interested in the Sky Sports, but when I ask to just watch it, Sky say I must also buy the other basic package, which I don't want.

I'm just wondering how you've got around this, this is FAR more important than the BBC, as Sky Sports costs £500 a year with the other package, but I'd have it for £250 if I could get it without all the family and other channels.