The TV licence makes me rage.

[eldar]

Blue62 said:

I lived in the US for 6 years and suffered their interminable ad breaks and largely rubbish programmes. In comparison the Beeb is worth every penny, no adverts, some great stuff on telly (and some crap) and brilliant radio in the form of R4 R3 and R6, not to mention some excellent local stuff and TSM.

Watch Spanish TV. Makes American TV look professional, slick and intelligent. Spanish radio, in contrast is quite good.

[Corpulent Tosser]

stuart313 said:

I have even had arsoles at my door interrupting my peaceful evening trying to question me, what the fk has anything go to do with them. I'm not a tt to many people but these nasty little jumped up pricks deserve everything they get.

It is their job, they get paid to do it. would you rather they were on benefits instead ?

Someone doing their job does not deserve to be abused, all you need to do is politely tell they they are not getting in and to go away. Ignore any threats as if you do not watch live TV you do not need a licence.

[robemcdonald]

stuart313 said:

You don't need to worry about adverts if you know where to look. A quick example is San Andreas is available to watch right now for free on the internet. I started watching it before but got called out.



Edit : I think its actually a low rent rip off, no wonder it looked st.

Edited by stuart313 on Monday 25th May 20:49

Is that free in the same way that your next door neighbours car is free, you just need to know where he puts his keys.

[Eric Mc]

How many other countries have a TV licence or a TV licence equivalent?

[98elise]

Corpulent Tosser said:

stuart313 said:

I have even had arsoles at my door interrupting my peaceful evening trying to question me, what the fk has anything go to do with them. I'm not a tt to many people but these nasty little jumped up pricks deserve everything they get.

It is their job, they get paid to do it. would you rather they were on benefits instead ?

Someone doing their job does not deserve to be abused, all you need to do is politely tell they they are not getting in and to go away. Ignore any threats as if you do not watch live TV you do not need a licence.

Would you feel the same if Microsoft were hounding people that didn't have a licence registered at their address?

[stuart313]

98elise said:

Corpulent Tosser said:

stuart313 said:

I have even had arsoles at my door interrupting my peaceful evening trying to question me, what the fk has anything go to do with them. I'm not a tt to many people but these nasty little jumped up pricks deserve everything they get.

It is their job, they get paid to do it. would you rather they were on benefits instead ?

Someone doing their job does not deserve to be abused, all you need to do is politely tell they they are not getting in and to go away. Ignore any threats as if you do not watch live TV you do not need a licence.

Would you feel the same if Microsoft were hounding people that didn't have a licence registered at their address?

That's the thing you see, no other company does hound you like that. Even the hated DVLA don't want to look in the garage of none licence holders just to see if they secretly have a car.

[Funk]

stuart313 said:

98elise said:

Corpulent Tosser said:

stuart313 said:

I have even had arsoles at my door interrupting my peaceful evening trying to question me, what the fk has anything go to do with them. I'm not a tt to many people but these nasty little jumped up pricks deserve everything they get.

It is their job, they get paid to do it. would you rather they were on benefits instead ?

Someone doing their job does not deserve to be abused, all you need to do is politely tell they they are not getting in and to go away. Ignore any threats as if you do not watch live TV you do not need a licence.

Would you feel the same if Microsoft were hounding people that didn't have a licence registered at their address?

That's the thing you see, no other company does hound you like that. Even the hated DVLA don't want to look in the garage of none licence holders just to see if they secretly have a car.

Absolutely this. Spot on.

TV Licensing scum are nothing more than aggressive, jumped up, nosy door-to-door salesmen. They've been shown to outright lie and deceive in order to get a sale.

Apparently they've visited my place but I'm never in when they have and as I never watch live TV they're on a hiding to nothing. I hope it continues to cost them significantly to harass me.

They will never get a penny from me.

[MarshPhantom]

supersingle said:

Yeah, look what I got with mine

I hope that isn't the TV on in the background.

[98elise]

There is going the be a massive change soon, certainly within the next 10 years.

My kids hardly watch broadcast TV. They both have TV's, but they prefer to watch stuff on YouTube or socialize on Facebook. They only really watch on demand stuff like Netfix or a Bluray.

The concept of having the TV on in the background, or having to wait for a show to be on weekly is alien to them. Even I spend more time on the net than watching TV.

Broadcast TV really has had its day, and I often wonder why I'm paying sky so much let alone the BBC.

[The Mad Monk]

Funk said:

Absolutely this. Spot on.

TV Licensing scum are nothing more than aggressive, jumped up, nosy door-to-door salesmen. They've been shown to outright lie and deceive in order to get a sale.

Apparently they've visited my place but I'm never in when they have and as I never watch live TV they're on a hiding to nothing. I hope it continues to cost them significantly to harass me.

They will never get a penny from me.

Yes, but apart from that, are they ok?

[Moonhawk]

Eric Mc said:

How many other countries have a TV licence or a TV licence equivalent?

Loads - I posted a wiki link showing just that earlier in the thread.

Some countries go one further and have separate tv and radio licences (Austria) - and some counties require separate radio licences for car radios, with one licence per car (Belgium)!

The 'tv licence' in Denmark is required for any device capable of viewing broadcast media regardless of whether it is actually used for that purpose (so technically covers any internet enabled computer and even mobile phones).

Germany have a blanket tax per household - regardless of whether you even have a TV.

[CrutyRammers]

Moonhawk said:

Loads - I posted a wiki link showing just that earlier in the thread.

Some countries go one further and have separate tv and radio licences (Austria) - and some counties require separate radio licences for car radios, with one licence per car (Belgium)!

The 'tv licence' in Denmark is required for any device capable of viewing broadcast media regardless of whether it is actually used for that purpose (so technically covers any internet enabled computer and even mobile phones).

Germany have a blanket tax per household - regardless of whether you even have a TV.

And what a ridiculous system it is!
A whole layer of administration, enforcement, and punishment, to achieve what, exactly?

[Moonhawk]

CrutyRammers said:

And what a ridiculous system it is!
A whole layer of administration, enforcement, and punishment, to achieve what, exactly?

I agree - I guess they could just simplify the whole thing and charge every household a flat fee - like Germany do. No fannying around over who does and doesn't watch live TV then.

Or they could abolish the licence all together and roll it into general taxation - perhaps raising VAT by a couple of percent to pay for it.

[Richyboy]

Its a dinosaur that only exists because its allowed to force people to pay. When not paying becomes a civil offence, it will be slapped on the broadband bill.

[supersingle]

MarshPhantom said:

supersingle said:

Yeah, look what I got with mine

I hope that isn't the TV on in the background.

You'd better report me to the authorities, comrade!

Incidentally, when I get round to it the aerial is coming off the roof. How much nicer will our streets look without all those aerials cluttering up the skyline?

[Hackney]

stuart313 said:

I know a few people who love to go fishing, they spend more time there than they do with their families. However not one of them have ever told me to buy a fishing licence because its such great value.

So why do people ram it down your throats that a TV licence is only 40p per day? who cares. Also on the analogy above, imagine the environment agency or whichever gestapo agency runs the fishing set up went and hired a private company to try to invade you home to check for fishing rods, on the sole information that you didn't have a fishing licence.

I wouldn't say anyone who has defended the BBC or the licence has rammed it down your throat.
Quite the contrary.

Simply pointing out that 40p per day is not much based on what you have access to.
Personally, if the choice was
a) pay the licence fee or
b) no fee, but BBC becomes ITV1 and commercial radio
Then it's A every time for me.

[Moonhawk]

Richyboy said:

Its a dinosaur that only exists because its allowed to force people to pay. When not paying becomes a civil offence, it will be slapped on the broadband bill.

What are the alternatives though - given that pretty much every country that doesn't have a TV licence funds public service broadcasts from general taxation (meaning everyone pays - not just those using the service).

Even if the TV licence were to be abolished - we'd still end up paying for it one way or another. At least the licence gives people the option to opt out if they genuinely don't watch live TV broadcasts.

Looking at the way other countries operate - we could have it far worse. The phrase "better the devil you know" springs to mind.

[Corpulent Tosser]

98elise said:

Would you feel the same if Microsoft were hounding people that didn't have a licence registered at their address?

I would feel exactly the same way in as much as I certainly wouldn't be abusive to people just doing their job.

[Corpulent Tosser]

Moonhawk said:

What are the alternatives though - given that pretty much every country that doesn't have a TV licence funds public service broadcasts from general taxation (meaning everyone pays - not just those using the service).

Even if the TV licence were to be abolished - we'd still end up paying for it one way or another. At least the licence gives people the option to opt out if they genuinely don't watch live TV broadcasts.

Looking at the way other countries operate - we could have it far worse. The phrase "better the devil you know" springs to mind.

This is correct.

[Funkycoldribena]

Hackney said:

I wouldn't say anyone who has defended the BBC or the licence has rammed it down your throat.
Quite the contrary.

Simply pointing out that 40p per day is not much based on what you have access to.
Personally, if the choice was
a) pay the licence fee or
b) no fee, but BBC becomes ITV1 and commercial radio
Then it's A every time for me.

Can we charge you 10p a post?Its not much based on what you have access to.