The TV licence makes me rage.

The TV licence makes me rage.

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Discussion

robemcdonald

8,716 posts

195 months

Sunday 24th May 2015
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un1corn said:
Had a threatening letter through today saying my licence expired a month ago.

I find it hilarious that our 'democratic' government forces us to pay money to a terrible organization which i don't even watch, listen to, use or intend to use.

In fact, i cant recall the last time i watched something on the bbc which wasn't bettered by something on sky/commercial channels, and bbc radio (probably with the excption of radio 4) is one giant, large, nick grimsaw hipster bumming pile of ste.

I want to pay for Sky because I watch it.

I don't like being legally forced to pay something that has no interest/relevance/use to me.

Nevermind, it's the bank holiday weekend. There's bound to be something good on tonight. Let's see what my £145 has bought me tonight.

Aaaaaaaaaaaand we're all paying for 3.5 hours of the eurobk song contest. Nevermind, i'll turn over to BBC 2 and watch the Chelsea f***ing flowershow.

Hmmm, maybe BBC 3 will help?

Nope, coverage of the worlds biggest fking hipster event, the radio 1, big wk weekend. Oh wait, what's that, they're covering the exact same ste on BBC radio aswell?

I might as well tune in to 'Panjabi Hit Squad' on the BBC Asian Network.

I'm all for different tastes an options, which is why I dont pay to watch the Golf or the Boxing on Sky. Yet I'm forced to pay for the BBC regardless of what I can watch.

The sooner we can opt out of the BBC, the better.
6/10 need to try harder: you didn't mention clarkson or top gear and you censored you're own swearing

MarshPhantom

9,658 posts

136 months

Sunday 24th May 2015
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grumbledoak said:
MarshPhantom said:
I don't have kids, does it bother me that my taxes pay for other people's childrens education?
A ridiculous comparison. Mass entertainment vs. schools? Are you going to try comparing it with our health service next?
What is your problem? Seems to be a reasonable comparison. I pay for the Royal Family but would happily see them kicked out onto the streets.

grumbledoak

31,504 posts

232 months

Sunday 24th May 2015
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Cotty said:
Is mph1977 trolling?
I can only assume he works for them. He calls people some quite spectacular names whenever the BBC's licence is questioned. Sociopathic? Really? hehe


Lunja

420 posts

184 months

Sunday 24th May 2015
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Whenever this argument arises the full extent of the BBC's activity is rarely fully considered, since its TV and Radio output are the most 'visible' parts of its operations. Four key things come to mind:

1. Through its BBC Introducing programme it helps to develop and promote unsigned musicians, helping them gain industry exposure.
2. Its technical training programmes upskill some of the brightest talent in the production industry, important in maintaining the UK creative sector which contributes considerably to UK GDP.
3. The BBC Bitesize education service helps children prepare for exams.
4. The R+D unit develops new technologies that bring better and cheaper connectivity. Their partnership with the Japanese broadcaster NHK helped deliver 8k test transmissions of the Olympics, whilst their recent trial of live HD broadcasting via IP could significantly reduce production costs by reducing the need for hired satellite time.

I don't profess to understand the full range of services the BBC provides, but when just the above are considered the licence fee seems to me to be outstanding value.


Cotty

39,393 posts

283 months

Sunday 24th May 2015
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Lunja said:
Whenever this argument arises the full extent of the BBC's activity is rarely fully considered, since its TV and Radio output are the most 'visible' parts of its operations. Four key things come to mind:
You don't get it. The licence fee has nothing to do with the BBC. You need a licence to watch live TV regardless who provides it. You would have to be a complete moron to think you pay a licence to watch BBC

ApOrbital

9,942 posts

117 months

Sunday 24th May 2015
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Well said cotty.

Sharted

2,615 posts

142 months

Sunday 24th May 2015
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Cotty said:
You don't get it. The licence fee has nothing to do with the BBC. You need a licence to watch live TV regardless who provides it. You would have to be a complete moron to think you pay a licence to watch BBC
Eh?

Have a look at TV licence website, it specifically says that the fee pays for the BBC:

The fee you pay provides a wide range of TV, radio and online content, as well as developing new ways to deliver it to you.
The licence fee allows the BBC's UK services to remain free of advertisements and independent of shareholder and political interest.

PorkInsider

5,877 posts

140 months

Sunday 24th May 2015
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Just to make everyone feel better when you're coughing up your BBC tax, imagine it's some hipster bellend like this deciding what sort of ste Radio 1 and BBC1 dribbles out from the Big Load Of bks Weekend that you kindly paid for.




biggrin

skeggysteve

5,724 posts

216 months

Sunday 24th May 2015
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Cotty said:
... You need a licence to watch live TV regardless who provides it....
Sharted said:
...Have a look at TV licence website, it specifically says that the fee pays for the BBC...
You two can argue that point arguebiggrin

I don't pay the licence fee because I don't watch anything live, the BBC have just as many advert as commercial channels, but it's just adverts for the BBC.


Lunja

420 posts

184 months

Sunday 24th May 2015
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Cotty said:
You don't get it. The licence fee has nothing to do with the BBC. You need a licence to watch live TV regardless who provides it. You would have to be a complete moron to think you pay a licence to watch BBC
That's unfair. Money collected through the licence fee funds the BBC. Not all monies collected, but the majority. Therefore when the value of the licence fee is debated, the value of the BBC's output should be considered.

Cotty

39,393 posts

283 months

Sunday 24th May 2015
quotequote all
Sharted said:
Have a look at TV licence website, it specifically says that the fee pays for the BBC:
OK lets look at this from a different perspective. Say the BBC did not exist, the tV licence would still exist. You pay to watch TV regardless who gets the money.

Cotty

39,393 posts

283 months

Sunday 24th May 2015
quotequote all
Lunja said:
Cotty said:
You don't get it. The licence fee has nothing to do with the BBC. You need a licence to watch live TV regardless who provides it. You would have to be a complete moron to think you pay a licence to watch BBC
That's unfair. Money collected through the licence fee funds the BBC. Not all monies collected, but the majority. Therefore when the value of the licence fee is debated, the value of the BBC's output should be considered.
You have to pay the TV licence to watch live TV. The fact that the BBC receives funds is irelevent

You pay to watch TV. If the BBC ceased to exist, you would still pay that licence fee.

Moonhawk

10,730 posts

218 months

Sunday 24th May 2015
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Cotty said:
You are missing the point. Why are we charged to watch TV regardless of where the money goes.
We just are - like many other countries.

Whether by way of a licence fee - or whether it's paid for by general taxation - the residents of most 1st world countries fund public broadcast TV in one way or another.

The way people bang on about it - you'd think we were the only country who paid a TV licence.

Cotty

39,393 posts

283 months

Sunday 24th May 2015
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Moonhawk said:
We just are .
Thats not an answer.

vonuber

17,868 posts

164 months

Sunday 24th May 2015
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MarshPhantom said:
Some people know the price of everything but the value of nothing.
This should be the strapline for pistonheads to be honest.

Moonhawk

10,730 posts

218 months

Sunday 24th May 2015
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Cotty said:
Moonhawk said:
We just are .
Thats not an answer.
Yep - it is. Just not the answer you wanted to hear.

We are taxed on many things - just because we can be.

The BBC provides public service broadcasts that probably wouldn't be viable if funded on a purely commercial basis. Whether you use these services or not does not make them any less important and somebody has to pay for them. The powers that be have decided that anyone who watches live broadcasts should contribute towards this public service broadcast. Don't like it - don't watch live TV. At least you do have the option of opting out. Where the BBC to be funded solely by government grants - you'd have to pay by way of general taxation whether you wanted to or not.

Edited by Moonhawk on Sunday 24th May 21:01

Lunja

420 posts

184 months

Sunday 24th May 2015
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Cotty said:
You have to pay the TV licence to watch live TV. The fact that the BBC receives funds is irelevent

You pay to watch TV. If the BBC ceased to exist, you would still pay that licence fee.
Agreed, but the reason I don't mind the licence fee is that I see the value in the services that it funds, and I see value in being able to access live TV rather than catch-up services. If someone didn't see that value I'd understand why they felt the licence fee was unfair.

mph1977

12,467 posts

167 months

Sunday 24th May 2015
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grumbledoak said:
Cotty said:
Is mph1977 trolling?
I can only assume he works for them. He calls people some quite spectacular names whenever the BBC's licence is questioned. Sociopathic? Really? hehe
I don't work for the BBC. What this all boils down to is Libertarianism, which is a philosophy based in Narcissism and Sociopathy...

I would also suggest that some people questioning the use of the term perhaps don;t actually understand the meaning and definition of sociopathy - i.e. lacking in social responsibility, empathy and with a self serving moral compass, rather than the tabloid portrayal of the 'psychopathic' killer ...

It's also interesting how some people on PH love to jump on minor issues of typography as though it is a way to discredit an argument.

Cotty

39,393 posts

283 months

Sunday 24th May 2015
quotequote all
Moonhawk said:
Cotty said:
Moonhawk said:
We just are .
Thats not an answer.
Yep - it is. Just not the answer you wanted to hear.
Be a sheep let people walk all over you, take from you what is not theirs. I am so sad that people will not stand up for themselves.

Moonhawk

10,730 posts

218 months

Sunday 24th May 2015
quotequote all
Cotty said:
Moonhawk said:
Cotty said:
Moonhawk said:
We just are .
Thats not an answer.
Yep - it is. Just not the answer you wanted to hear.
Be a sheep let people walk all over you, take from you what is not theirs. I am so sad that people will not stand up for themselves.
I'm not letting anyone walk over me. I happen to think the BBC is excellent value for money and regularly make use of their services from live TV, radio, catchup services and their website. IMO they put out far better factual programmes than any of the commercial broadcasters.

I'm perfectly happy to pay the TV licence.