o/t should the tv licence be scrapped?

[Mr Burns]

I rather pay the BBC to do things properly than send a teenager out onto the street with a camera he had a couple of days training to use.

As soon as the licence fee goes you'll see the quality of programming fall through the floor across the board.

The BBC won't feel the need to live up to its Public Service remit, and other channels won't feel the need to produce quality programming to compete with the BBC.

Compared to the cost of SKY (and the quality you get for your money) the BBC represents excellent value.

We honestly don't know how lucky we are to have it.

But the problem with the BBC is you have to pay for it whether you use it or not. I watch very little if any BBC, but still have to pay for a licence because I own a TV.
If the license fee goes, and the quailty drops, then so be it. There are other stations to watch. And to say quailty will drop across the board is untrue. Quailty of programmes has already dropped, and if it drops further people will stop watching it, and the crap station will disappear.

 

[Mr Burns]

Commercial television is free is it ?

You'll never hear ITV bleating on about how they don't cost you anything.

Funded by advertising, that's paid for by us by shopping in Tescos.

Are you serious.

 

[The Clown of Pevensey Bay]

But the problem with the BBC is you have to pay for it whether you use it or not. I watch very little if any BBC, but still have to pay for a licence because I own a TV.

You might not have any kids, but you still have to pay for the education system. You might be really really healthy, but you still have to pay for the NHS. Should they be scrapped?

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

One thing I like about the BBC is that it ISN'T afraid to stand up to successive Governments.

The board of governors came pretty damn close to bottling it in the lead up to the illegal and immoral invasion of Iraq. Full support for the journalists was distinctly lacking when it mattered most.

Tho the corporation does a fine job with the licence fee generally IMHO. There's literally something there for everybody. And they give PROPER coverage across all areas.

Could do with a small discount in BN1 mind, on account of us getting all the news, such as it is, from shitty estates in Cambridge and Southampton and the bloody New Forest, whatever THAT is.

 

[beorhthelm]

ok, stop funding the BBC with the licence fee. then how you fund it? make it commercial? another channel full of ads and shite.? besides channel 4, most non BBC output is poor. now alot of the BBC output is poor too, but only because it has to pander to ratings. But theres alot of good.

Radio 1 is excellent varity after 7pm, BBC2 has some good stuff if you want to engage your brain as does BBC4. BBC is hit and miss but theres been some good stuff of there too. BBC News is probaly the most objective TV news coverage you can find anywhere in the world (even if it is staffed by liberals and lefties)

who said about the daily cost above, they are righ ton the money. its fantastic value. Yes its overblown staff wise, but thats a managment issue nothing to do with it source of funding. Maybe theres an argument for giving it a dowry and sending it on its way. at least provide an alternative if you going to say stop the licence fee.

 

[clapham_gull]

Are you serious.

Yes I'm very serious am I glad you find that so amusing. ITV is a commercial operation (as is SKY), nothing in this life is free.

I saw some statistics once about the amount of money you actually spend for "free" commercial television, in terms of the cost advertising (which is effectivley passed onto you in terms of the money you spend on goods and services) and it made very interesting reading.

 

[ben andrews' girlfriend]

After just having to fork out £131 to watch tv - i say YES, it is expensive

oops, forgot the point of the thread - how silly!!! Yes, i DO want it scrapped. Perhaps they'd save money if they stopped paying Jonathon Ross et al so much money for making rubbish jokes!

 

[clapham_gull]

But the problem with the BBC is you have to pay for it whether you use it or not. I watch very little if any BBC, but still have to pay for a licence because I own a TV.
If the license fee goes, and the quailty drops, then so be it. There are other stations to watch. And to say quailty will drop across the board is untrue. Quailty of programmes has already dropped, and if it drops further people will stop watching it, and the crap station will disappear.

We live in an age where crap can be produced at a reasonable cost and make a profit.

Its very cheap to get a television programme on air these days, what costs the money is making it any good.

"Crap" stations are appearing at an alarming rate.

Lets just let the market decide shall we ? No-one goes to church anymore shall we burn those too ?

Whilst you maybe don't watch much BBC, you are probably unaware how much of your licence fee goes in helping commercial sector produce their own content ?

Channel Four digital switch over costs are being paid for by....

.. the licence fee.

You also very rarely hear the commercial broadcasters complaining about the licence fee and you've got to ask yourself why ?

The reason is that if the BBC suddenly had to fight for advertising revenue like everyone else, ITV and all the other commercial stations would be in serious trouble.

There is only so much advertising revenue available to go round, and advertisers could play the BBC off against ITV to get the best rates.

If the licence fee was scrapped, broadcasters (BBC and ITV) would be forced to offer subscription only services to meet their costs or quality television as we know it would cease to exist.

The fact that the licence fee is there gives ITV a certain degree of freedom knowing that the other big broadcaster has a seperate revenue stream.

That's right - you'd have to PAY upfront for quality television or it would be rubbish. The choice is yours.

 

[The Clown of Pevensey Bay]

After just having to fork out £131 to watch tv - i say YES, it is expensive

You can get it on direct debit for just over 11 pounds a month.

 

[Beach Hut]

Very good value BBC when you look at the bigger picture - regional, national etc

 

[clapham_gull]

You can get it on direct debit for just over 11 pounds a month.

Per household, and within that household you can have as many televisions as you like and watch as many other stations that are available.

( As well as the all the radio stations, and digital channels if you fork out £30 for a digibox )

Sky do that - its called multi-room and they charge you a tenner on top...

( For each room.... )

 

[Starry]

Nope. I think it's great value.

Especially the radio.

 

[perseus]

One thing I like about the BBC is that it ISN'T afraid to stand up to successive Governments.

Watch out for the whitewash coming up on the BBC about the Police killings. 70% of the victims are shot in the back. Ian Blair is still in charge of the Met after he failed to apologise after the Brazilian was shot four times. Not only that he said he is going to shoot some more innocent people. Americans can put up with collateral damage (=innocent people).

The BBC is Government-speak and always has been.

I did not hear this on the BBC. It is censored according to its own prejudice, which roughly corresponds to the Government of the day, its paymasters.

It is even run like the Civil Service, top heavy with bureaucrats.

It should not go to Manchester: it should be down-sized and regionalised.

 

[clapham_gull]

Watch out for the whitewash coming up on the BBC about the Police killings. 70% of the victims are shot in the back. Ian Blair is still in charge of the Met after he failed to apologise after the Brazilian was shot four times. Not only that he said he is going to shoot some more innocent people. Americans can put up with collateral damage (=innocent people).

Th BBC is Government=speak and always has been.

I did not hear this on the BBC. It is censored according to its own prejudices.

I've seen some very good coverage about the shooting on the local London BBC News.

Are you honestly saying the BBC is working with the MET to cover up the shooting at Stockwell ?

You obviously didn't see the recent BBC documentary that uncovered racism within the police force then ?

 

[clapham_gull]

The government are now longer the BBC's "paymasters" by the way. Since 1991, they've collected their own licence fee.

The only part of the BBC that is funded directly by the government is the World Service.

How you think the BBC will become more "politically independent" by paying for it through direct taxation is right up there with your stadium plans.

 

[Gully]

Definitely worth the money, the Beeb produces some of the best TV and radio programmes anywhere in the World, if it means keeping the channel free from adverts then I will happily continue to pay the £10 or so a month that it costs.

 

[ben andrews' girlfriend]

Per household, and within that household you can have as many televisions as you like and watch as many other stations that are available.

( As well as the all the radio stations, and digital channels if you fork out £30 for a digibox )

Sky do that - its called multi-room and they charge you a tenner on top...

( For each room.... )

Unless you dont have a Joint tenancy agreement - if you dont, you need a tv licence for every room you have a tv in

 

[Springal]

you should see how much the company i work for, charge the BBC for various work we do, im talking £x,xxx,xxx not that i see a penny of it

 

[clapham_gull]

Unless you dont have a Joint tenancy agreement - if you dont, you need a tv licence for every room you have a tv in

Granted, but that is the exception.

You really have to take a longer view on things. I agree with the salaries being paid out to some presenters, but if the licence fee was removed it would cost you more to consume the quantity and quality of television and radio you are used to.

 

[perseus]

What the Telegraph readers think

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/mai...g=yourview&xml=/news/2006/10/12/ublview12.xml

The BBC is the British establishment news and culture media. Should it be centralised in Manchester or have news stations all around the UK?

If they are determined to become the Government centralised voice, why should it be a Quango and not answerable through the democratic electorate?

Brighton and Sussex should have its own TV station.