Do you pay your TV licence fee?

Author
Discussion

HARTLEYHARE1

588 posts

130 months

Monday 31st January 2022
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Yet another Tax we cannot avoid without some hassle

deckster

9,630 posts

256 months

Monday 31st January 2022
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leef44 said:
Yes I pay, never stopped paying ever since I had my first house. Over 50.

I like the convenience of just switching on the tv now and then, and sitting down flicking through the channels.

I watch very little BBC content but too old fashioned to plug something in from the internet to watch tv. I enjoy the convenience of live tv, recording something from the tv guide but don't enjoy paying for BBC service.
So just to be clear, you enjoy the convenience, consume the content, but don't pay for it.

There's word for taking something but not paying for it. Tip of my tongue...help me out here.

Catz

4,812 posts

212 months

Monday 31st January 2022
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deckster said:
leef44 said:
Yes I pay, never stopped paying ever since I had my first house. Over 50.

I like the convenience of just switching on the tv now and then, and sitting down flicking through the channels.

I watch very little BBC content but too old fashioned to plug something in from the internet to watch tv. I enjoy the convenience of live tv, recording something from the tv guide but don't enjoy paying for BBC service.
So just to be clear, you enjoy the convenience, consume the content, but don't pay for it.

There's word for taking something but not paying for it. Tip of my tongue...help me out here.
Is there a word for not reading a post more carefully?

Castrol for a knave

4,716 posts

92 months

Monday 31st January 2022
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I don't watch much TV, but I do watch it selectively and often, it is BBC output.

The problem with a fully commercialised output, is that is is forced to provide what pays, which means TV for people with silver furniture. I quite like having a broadcaster that can cover minority subjects, with smaller viewing figures, which not would not be picked up by commercial companies.

Fatherdougal

178 posts

51 months

Monday 31st January 2022
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48 years old. Happily paid up until 4 or 5 years ago but now the BBC doesn't align with my values and I don't watch BBC News, I don't listen to any of their radio output at all and I watch maybe 2 or 3 of their drama series a year. I'm probably paying about £12 per episode of all the BBC content I consume.

I do watch a lot of live TV though - all through Sky which I pay through the nose for, and as above I very rarely watch any of the BBC channels. I can't really figure out how this is sustainable - I have to pay a licence fee to fund the BBC even though 99.5% of what I watch is other channels? I would love to stop paying the licence fee and pay for what I watch on the BBC. I do seriously hope there is so much of a backlash for the BBC that something actually changes.

Munter

31,319 posts

242 months

Monday 31st January 2022
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Use BBC stuff quite a lot.

I think there are some interesting questions to ask around this sort of thing.

What sort of organisation would manipulate social media to their benefit?
What sort of organisation would like to reduce the output of a free press?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-58395121
Obviously don't click that if you don't pay for it.

All well and good getting wrapped up in "I'm doing this because other people on the internet are also doing it". But that's how you end up with momentum, corbyn, brexit, etc.

deckster

9,630 posts

256 months

Monday 31st January 2022
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Catz said:
deckster said:
leef44 said:
Yes I pay, never stopped paying ever since I had my first house. Over 50.

I like the convenience of just switching on the tv now and then, and sitting down flicking through the channels.

I watch very little BBC content but too old fashioned to plug something in from the internet to watch tv. I enjoy the convenience of live tv, recording something from the tv guide but don't enjoy paying for BBC service.
So just to be clear, you enjoy the convenience, consume the content, but don't pay for it.

There's word for taking something but not paying for it. Tip of my tongue...help me out here.
Is there a word for not reading a post more carefully?
Yeah. Embarrassment.

Plus, of course, apologies to leef for impugning his good name.

Move along, nothing to see here whistle

bazza white

3,564 posts

129 months

Monday 31st January 2022
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Not had one in 5 years. I miss some stuff on channel 4 but not enough to warrant the £159/year. Girlfriend is moving in in a few months and whilst sky wont be coming with her (for now) I think shell want Sunday night dancing on ice and if I get an extra evening free a week to myself then ill start paying.

LimaDelta

6,533 posts

219 months

Monday 31st January 2022
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Nope. Not that I watch much anyway, and never live/iPlayer content.

Imagine if anyone who wanted to use the countryside for leisure pursuits was forced under threat of prosecution to take out a Countryside Alliance membership subscription. After all, it's only the price of a coffee a day, and even if you don't agree with their stance on some things, they aren't just there for you, they are doing it for the benefit of the countryside as a whole.

Randy Winkman

16,208 posts

190 months

Monday 31st January 2022
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Castrol for a knave said:
I don't watch much TV, but I do watch it selectively and often, it is BBC output.

The problem with a fully commercialised output, is that is is forced to provide what pays, which means TV for people with silver furniture. I quite like having a broadcaster that can cover minority subjects, with smaller viewing figures, which not would not be picked up by commercial companies.
That sounds a bit like my view. I pay because I want to support BBC radio and like you, most of what I watch on TV is on the BBC. I like the sort of low-key British based stuff that tends to be on the BBC rather than other TV stations. I had Amazon Prime for while (by mistake) and never watched a thing. I've also done some basic research into Netfilx and don't think I want that either. People say to me "You should get Netflix" and I ask what's on it and think "Why?"


Cotty

39,613 posts

285 months

Monday 31st January 2022
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Munter said:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-58395121
Obviously don't click that if you don't pay for it.
I assume that comment was tounge in cheek. There is lots of BBC content that people can watch, read and listen to without a TV licence.

Netflx currently has many of their TV show on there including The Bodyguard.
If you search YouTube you get the following
https://www.youtube.com/c/BBCNews
https://www.youtube.com/user/BBC
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwmZiChSryoWQCZMI...
Website and radio are both free to use.

silobass

1,180 posts

103 months

Monday 31st January 2022
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We're happy to pay it. I think the BBC produces some great stuff and is worth it for the content they provide.

Munter

31,319 posts

242 months

Monday 31st January 2022
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Cotty said:
Munter said:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-58395121
Obviously don't click that if you don't pay for it.
I assume that comment was tounge in cheek. There is lots of BBC content that people can watch, read and listen to without a TV licence.
Well no. Because if nobody pays, nothing gets produced. There is no BBC content without people paying the licence.

You can sponge of others paying the licence, but without a TV licence, there is no BBC content.

Its Just Adz

14,144 posts

210 months

Monday 31st January 2022
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No, haven't paid it for years.
It's very very rare we watch live TV, usually just stick to streaming.
For the very odd time ill put some live TV on for the background, no way I'm contributing to the BBC.

WonkeyDonkey

2,343 posts

104 months

Monday 31st January 2022
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I had it for a couple of years when I first bought my house. Then realised paying for virgins basic package and a tv licence was a complete waste of money as I didn't watch any of it.

I would get now tv for sky sports f1 but I loathe to pay BBC for the unnecessary privilege.

Cotty

39,613 posts

285 months

Monday 31st January 2022
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Munter said:
Well no. Because if nobody pays, nothing gets produced. There is no BBC content without people paying the licence.

You can sponge of others paying the licence, but without a TV licence, there is no BBC content.
I don't watch any BBC content that I have not paid for so I am not "sponging" off others. I won't use their news website and don't listen to the radio I was just demonstrating that you could legally use those things. If the content is good enough then people will buy it. I have purchased most of the David Attenborough documentaries on DVD which includes the huge Life box set, Frozen Planet, Blue Planet 1 & 2, Planet Earth 1 & 2, Life Story and Yellowstone. I even purchased some of the theme music on CD.

Munter

31,319 posts

242 months

Monday 31st January 2022
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Cotty said:
Munter said:
Well no. Because if nobody pays, nothing gets produced. There is no BBC content without people paying the licence.

You can sponge of others paying the licence, but without a TV licence, there is no BBC content.
I don't watch any BBC content that I have not paid for so I am not "sponging" off others. I won't use their news website
So you've got no issue not clicking the link. So what's the issue?

Evoluzione

10,345 posts

244 months

Monday 31st January 2022
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No as i've never been asked to pay it. Living in the middle of nowhere has it's advantages.

Cotty

39,613 posts

285 months

Monday 31st January 2022
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Munter said:
So you've got no issue not clicking the link. So what's the issue?
Your implication that only licence holders should be able to click on the link. I was just confirming that people without a licence were allowed to view the BBC news website. It was just a clarification.

Caddyshack

10,875 posts

207 months

Monday 31st January 2022
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Evoluzione said:
No as i've never been asked to pay it. Living in the middle of nowhere has it's advantages.
You are asked to pay it by definition of it being a licence to watch.