Poll: UK - The TV Licence

[CloudKiller]

The licence fee means I can watch Top Gear and Dr. Who without interruption it's worth it for that alone. Although most of the TV I actually watch on a TV not my PC is on Dave.

EDIT: Also I heard you had to pay if you have a PC monitor, is this true?

 

[Rolling Thunder]

I like the BBC using Licence money as we don't get ad breaks in films and TV shows. That's always good.

My name is the Dark God Fondant and I support this message.

 

[Azraellod]

since i have got my laptop i don't really watch tv anymore. i find anything that i particularly want to see can be found on the internet given a little searching.

besides, i was losing interest in a lot of what tv was showing anyway.

edit: oops, i seem to have misinterpreted the OP

i think that the tv licence is fine on principle, but if they are going to harass you for not owning a licence because you don't own a tv, then really there are serious flaws with whatever system they are using.

 

[Zani]

Did you know that the UK is the only country that has to pay tax for a TV license which I think is just crazy since we are just basically paying for BBC which I haven't watched in about 4 or 5 years,so whats the point in paying for it if you have sky or virgin and never watch BBC?

It isn't true that the UK is the only country where you have to pay for a TV license.

I never watch BBC anyway, only program they air that I watch is Top Gear.

 

[Lyri]

It's not all that bad, it's twelve pounds a month which is less than some kids get for pocket money.
The only time it becomes a "Large figure" is added to it's annual total, again it's not all that bad considering it's a twelve month investment.

It is a little shite, considering that PC's now fall into the category, if you can watch iPlayer you must pay for a TV license.
Where I currently live, we Don't get TV because a huge block of flats blocks our signal reception.
We where still forced to pay for the license.

BBC provides some good stuff either way, so I don't mind paying the service fee to get rid of the advertising.
Well, I wouldn't if I could get TV.

I don't watch enough TV to justify paying £12 a month. So I don't. According to the TV Licensing website I'm exempt because my TV is solely for playing consoles, watching DVDs and as a monitor for my PC. I don't have an aerial cable, so I keep up with the one or two programmes that interest me through BBC iPlayer and the other channels' equivalents.

That said, I'd have no problem with paying for it if I actually watched it, and it's nice to have a couple of channels that don't spam you with adverts every ten minutes. £12 a month is reasonable for that privilege, I spend more than that on Diet Coke in a week.

Nothing is said about the monitor for the PC and since you own one, you're no longer exempt.

 

[Ben Legend]

The TV licence fee doesn't bother me, its when they send letters to you as a student.
basically saying stuff like "we will call round" "you will face a fine"
"you NEED a licence"

So i sent them a letter saying I only use my TV as an output for a console. Did they reply? Did they boot!!! Thats what annoys me, they try to scare you into getting a TV licence when you don't need one.

 

[messy]

I quite like it. BBC has no adverts, and since we pay for it they have to show decent programmes to justify the taxes. They do some really good shows like question time, other one of political documentaries, pretty much every decent panel comedy show (mock the week, QI and Have I Got News For You) and they get the proms (which i watched last night and it was Epic, Seth MacFarlene of Family Guy was singing "singing in the rain" and other MGM movie classics which you don't get on ITV)

 

[CoconutTequila]

And that's why I use iPlayer. You only need to pay TV licenses for actually using your TV for viewing, not gaming. So my TV is totally free of fees

Actually, if you use iPlayer without a TV license, you are liable to be fined. I've heard of a lot of students who fell into that trap. Just to warn you.

 

[Trivun]

I like the BBC using Licence money as we don't get ad breaks in films and TV shows. That's always good.

I have to agree there. It's what makes the BBC my favourite broadcaster, even though some ITV shows are better (that said, the BBC does have a lot of TV gold...). No ad breaks are worth it. Overall though, due to the quality in general from the BBC, I'm perfectly happy paying for the TV License. Well, I say paying. My parents paid for mine last year at university and since I'm living with nine other people in a shared house next year we'll only have to pay for one license, plus Sky, between us. But I don't see a problem with the TV license as long as the BBC keeps churning out the good stuff. My Family, Mock the Week, and other comedy greats. Drama such as The Street. Family entertainment like Robin Hood (though not any more, sadly) and Merlin. Even the reality stuff, like The Apprentice, is good (not to mention the only reality TV I'll watch). And don't get me started on the radio channels. Basically, I say yes, the BBC is worth it, but only as long as they continue to keep up the good quality programming they do now.

EDIT: Actually, looking back at the poll, which I answered after posting, I agree that the license fee should be made cheaper. However, the BBC cutting costs is fine but not at the expense of their programme quality.

 

[The Maddest March Hare]

And that's why I use iPlayer. You only need to pay TV licenses for actually using your TV for viewing, not gaming. So my TV is totally free of fees

Actually, if you use iPlayer without a TV license, you are liable to be fined. I've heard of a lot of students who fell into that trap. Just to warn you.

According to this the "current version of BBC iPlayer does not require a licence" [http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/bbcinternet/2008/01/iplayer_does_not_require_a_tv_1.html]. Apparently it's only for live shows, not "on demand" shows.

 

[Zamn]

The BBC is without any doubt the finest broadcaster of any kind in the world by some distance. The reason for that is that it's publicly funded and not driven by the same market forces that drive commercial tv into the lowest common demoninator of reality TV and trashy 'documentaries' about people with appaling medical conditions. The license fee means the production of the excellent quality television, uninterupted by advertising, long may it live on.

 

[Lord George]

I don't mind it, you get constantly good programming and news, and no adverts also there not afraid to show what they want as they don't answer to any big advertising corporation.

Actually they do answer to someone the regulatory boards who heft big fines on them every time they screw up. Plus their programming is 99% soaps and dramas. Aka 99% fail. News service is good but...thats it tbh. (I'd list top gear and dr who as pluses but they are hardly ever on)

MY biggest problem is its a MANDATORY fee whether you watch bbc or not. A mandatory fee just to OWN a tv. Thats proper fucked up that is.

Yes but my point was that the regulatory board can't stop, change or drop a programme just because it doesn't fit in with the advertisers demographic, as is the case with channel like ITV and C4. Nor are they required to have product placement.

 

[Lyri]

And that's why I use iPlayer. You only need to pay TV licenses for actually using your TV for viewing, not gaming. So my TV is totally free of fees

Actually, if you use iPlayer without a TV license, you are liable to be fined. I've heard of a lot of students who fell into that trap. Just to warn you.

According to this the "current version of BBC iPlayer does not require a licence" [http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/bbcinternet/2008/01/iplayer_does_not_require_a_tv_1.html]. Apparently it's only for live shows, not "on demand" shows.

http://tvlicensing.metafaq.com/templates/tvlicensing/main/answerPage?_mftvst:answerRef=%24http%3a%2f%2fapi.transversal.com%2fmfapi%2fobjectref%2fEntryStore%2fEntry%2fhttp%3a%2f%2fwww.metafaq.com%2fmfapi%2fMetafaq%2fClients%2ftvlicensing%2fModules%2flicensingInfo%2fTopics%2fgeneral%3a137849%3a6&_mftvst:moduleID=%24licensingInfo&_mftvst:topicID=%24general&id=LDGKKITD05H6HJKKS5IQUGGDI6

The link (silly large as it is) does work and it takes you to the point about TV online, Maddest March is right but it does have a live service.
So, I'm assuming they'd do some check to see which you use.

 

[DazZ.]

I swear I didn't pay £145 last year, It was around £30, for a year.
Oh hang on, that was each...

Yeah its shit, I never watch TV (Internet TV all the way). It should be if you want to watch BBC, then fair enough your paying for no adverts, but if I want my TV for my consoles, then you shouldn't be charged at all.

 

[The Maddest March Hare]

And that's why I use iPlayer. You only need to pay TV licenses for actually using your TV for viewing, not gaming. So my TV is totally free of fees

Actually, if you use iPlayer without a TV license, you are liable to be fined. I've heard of a lot of students who fell into that trap. Just to warn you.

According to this the "current version of BBC iPlayer does not require a licence" [http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/bbcinternet/2008/01/iplayer_does_not_require_a_tv_1.html]. Apparently it's only for live shows, not "on demand" shows.

Long URL is long [http://tvlicensing.metafaq.com/templates/tvlicensing/main/answerPage?_mftvst:answerRef=%24http%3a%2f%2fapi.transversal.com%2fmfapi%2fobjectref%2fEntryStore%2fEntry%2fhttp%3a%2f%2fwww.metafaq.com%2fmfapi%2fMetafaq%2fClients%2ftvlicensing%2fModules%2flicensingInfo%2fTopics%2fgeneral%3a137849%3a6&_mftvst:moduleID=%24licensingInfo&_mftvst:topicID=%24general&id=LDGKKITD05H6HJKKS5IQUGGDI6]

The link (silly large as it is) does work and it takes you to the point about TV online, Maddest March is right but it does have a live service.
So, I'm assuming they'd do some check to see which you use.

Luckily (but, also, sadly) my internet can't cope with Live streaming, so I just watch my favourite few shows on demand. As of right now that's free from licensing, so s'all good

I only really watch about 8 different shows, so it's good I don't need to pay the full fee for that xD

 

[jasoncyrus]

Wheres the "you can take the licence and shove it up your arse" choice.

Indeed, screw the bbc >.> I'll get my tv from the internet tyvm.

I'm fine with it. BBC 1 and 2 and Channel 4 are pretty much the only channels I watch anyway so I'm probably biased. I do think, however, that this means we should have a little more influence on certain things (like how they got rid of Arlene from Strictly Come Dancing because they think she's too old even though it's pissing off most people who watch the show and who's money is being used to broadcast it).

I'd personally have burned the whole concept since its mindless dribble really, like big brother or eastenders etc etc.

 

[Lyri]

Luckily (but, also, sadly) my internet can't cope with Live streaming, so I just watch my favourite few shows on demand. As of right now that's free from licensing, so s'all good

I only really watch about 8 different shows, so it's good I don't need to pay the full fee for that xD

Yeah we don't watch much TV, just what we can find on DVD.
It sucks not having the option, even though the TV is like a hippo in the front room. It just does nothing but sit there till we force it too copulate with a DVD player or our streaming network.

 

[Faps]

Wheres the "you can take the licence and shove it up your arse" choice.

Indeed, screw the bbc >.> I'll get my tv from the internet tyvm.

And who makes the TV that you watch on the internet?

The BBC is great, I watch the news every evening, several shows weekly and not to mention the documentaries and one off programmes that they make.