Should the BBC be privatised?

[DangerousMike]

Fittster said:

television is necessary for information ... it affects everyone in Britain.

speech
letters
internet
newspapers
radio
maths
semaphore

etc, etc.

[DangerousMike]

i just also want to point out the TV LICENCE isn't a tax, its a licence.

[turbobloke]

Yes, but it feels like one

[grumbledoak]

DangerousMike said:

i just also want to point out the TV LICENCE isn't a tax, its a licence.

Semantics.

[F i F]

[redacted]

[eldar]

Fittster said:

eldar said:

Fittster said:

It's an excellent comparison. If you take the recent election most political commentators agree that the leaders debate had a significant impact on the campaigns. Only people with televisions could access those.

Balderdash. It was on the internet and radio, and broadcast long before polling day.

So people without a TV license should second rate coverage of major political events, even when they are not being shown by the BBC??

Only if they are unaware they are living in the 21st century.

[loltolhurst]

DangerousMike said:

i just also want to point out the TV LICENCE isn't a tax, its a licence.

http://www.askoxford.com/concise_oed/taxxx?view=uk



tax

• noun 1 a compulsory contribution to state revenue, levied by the government on personal income and business profits or added to the cost of some goods, services, and transactions. 2 a strain or heavy demand.

looks like a tax to me..

[ewenm]

loltolhurst said:

DangerousMike said:

i just also want to point out the TV LICENCE isn't a tax, its a licence.

http://www.askoxford.com/concise_oed/taxxx?view=uk



tax

• noun 1 a compulsory contribution to state revenue, levied by the government on personal income and business profits or added to the cost of some goods, services, and transactions. 2 a strain or heavy demand.

looks like a tax to me..

But it's non-compulsory and getting more so (well, easier to avoid) with the rise of on-demand and internet services.

[WhoseGeneration]

More to the point, anyone care to estimate what the privatisation of the BBC might raise, in the current climate?
Would PE be interested? Is there scope for asset stripping by a consortium of major independent players, who then would have removed a competitor?
Government, if minded, could ressurect "Sid"?

[grumbledoak]

ewenm said:

But it's non-compulsory and getting more so (well, easier to avoid) with the rise of on-demand and internet services.

FFS. I cannot have a setup to watch commercial TV without paying for the BBC. The number of weasely excuses and misrepresentations is laughable.

Do you folk work for them?

Edited by grumbledoak on Wednesday 30th June 21:00

[Dixie68]

Just don't pay it. I'd consider it except that I get cable tv so it's a bit obvious I'm watching tv. Not one person I know that avoids paying it has had so much as a fine - and some of them watch Eastenders, the utter scoundrels.
So I'm paying for a tv licence and they get it for free. Mind you if it was RFL or car insurance I'd bubble them for it, but tv licence? Nope - good on 'em.

[ewenm]

grumbledoak said:

ewenm said:

But it's non-compulsory and getting more so (well, easier to avoid) with the rise of on-demand and internet services.

FFS. I cannot have a setup to watch commercial TV without paying for the BBC. The number of weasely excuses and misrepresentations is laughable.

Do you folk work for them?

No, just know the rules. If you don't watch live broadcasts then you can own a TV, watch the BBC/ITV/C4/etc online or using On-Demand services, without buying a TV licence. It's a licence to watch live broadcasts.

It's really not that complicated. If you want to change those rules lobby your MP to get them changed, just like all other laws you don't like.

Edited by ewenm on Wednesday 30th June 21:09

[johnfm]

surprised nobody has mentioned BBC announcements yesterday on cutting their pension benefits and today's announcment of uper management pay cuts.

I think Mark Thompson reads PH and has realised the jig is up.


The BBC should not be privatised, but needs to contract a little and get back to creating top drawer content and leave "ballroom dancing with stars on ice factor" to ITV.

[turbobloke]

johnfm said:

surprised nobody has mentioned BBC announcements yesterday on cutting their pension benefits and today's announcment of uper management pay cuts.

I think Mark Thompson reads PH and has realised the jig is up.


The BBC should not be privatised, but needs to contract a little and get back to creating top drawer content and leave "ballroom dancing with stars on ice factor" to ITV.

And re-read its charter, this time reading for understanding

[DonkeyApple]

eldar said:

qube_TA said:

DonkeyApple said:

mondeoman said:

Even if you buy a TV just to watch DVDs or play on your Playstation you STILL have to pay the licence fee - thats where the extortion comes in.

Hollywood produce them, I watch them - the BBC does nothing to enhance that experience, so why should I pay for them if I don't want to watch (or listen to) their biased drivel?

No you don't.

The TV Licence is solely to watch broadcast television in the live environment.

Yes you do as you are operating equipment that is capable of receiving BBC TV, whether you chose to or not is irrelevant.

Correct. 'Capable' means plugged into an aerial. Remove the cable so it isn't, and you don't need a licence. Fair enough. Keep your car on your drive, no VED. Park it on the road, buy VED.

Exactly. If you fit an aerial to a TV you are very clearly intending to receive TV broadcasts in the live environment and so require a licence. Just because the TV has a socket for an aeriel doesn't mean you need a licence.

We have cars capable of breaking the speed limit but does that mean we should be fined for speeding when we are driving below the limit?

[DonkeyApple]

grumbledoak said:

ewenm said:

But it's non-compulsory and getting more so (well, easier to avoid) with the rise of on-demand and internet services.

FFS. I cannot have a setup to watch commercial TV without paying for the BBC. The number of weasely excuses and misrepresentations is laughable.

Do you folk work for them?

Edited by grumbledoak on Wednesday 30th June 21:00

Grumble, did the BBC abuse you as a child? You seem very upset with them. Did Jimmy Saville not fix it for you? Just drive that lovely car a bit more and forget about the BBC.

The licence allows you to watch all terestial and freeview TV live which is a good thing. The BBC does produce some good shows but there is no law that you have to watch them. On all modern TVs you can cut out the channels you don't like.

[Dunclane]

elster said:

munroman said:

Eric Mc said:

Yes - I absolutely love ITV a nd Channel 4and the way they handle evertything - especially their sports coverage. The ITV years of F1 coverage were the best ever. The constant ad breaks during the race added so much to each race weekend. I really miss this aspect of F1 coverage and find the constant unbroken coverage as seen on BBC terribly frustrating. There is nothing better than coming back after an ad break to find that you've missed the only overtaking manoeuver of the race or the only goal of the game.

And while you're at it it, abolish all the radio coverage and website material they carry as that is just so much junk. I mean, who wants to be intellectually stimulated or eductated or challenged by the media. Give me "You've Been Framed", "Britain's Got Talent" or "Big Brother" any day.

Yes - commercial is best. Shut down the BBC straight away and refund me the exhorbitant 3p a day they charge. Outrageous!

Edited by Eric Mc on Monday 28th June 09:57

Eh, I get a figure of 40 p per day based on £145.50 pa?

26p for TV
6.5p for Radio
3p for Digital switch over
2p for online content

Per day.

Pretty good value.

I agree, it's worth 40p just so I don't waste my life watching adverts. I do think it should be streamlined, problem is as a government run entity it has to go through the hoops of being diverse/culturally aware/non-political (subjective I agree) etc etc which drains resources.

[DonkeyApple]

Dunclane said:

elster said:

munroman said:

Eric Mc said:

Yes - I absolutely love ITV a nd Channel 4and the way they handle evertything - especially their sports coverage. The ITV years of F1 coverage were the best ever. The constant ad breaks during the race added so much to each race weekend. I really miss this aspect of F1 coverage and find the constant unbroken coverage as seen on BBC terribly frustrating. There is nothing better than coming back after an ad break to find that you've missed the only overtaking manoeuver of the race or the only goal of the game.

And while you're at it it, abolish all the radio coverage and website material they carry as that is just so much junk. I mean, who wants to be intellectually stimulated or eductated or challenged by the media. Give me "You've Been Framed", "Britain's Got Talent" or "Big Brother" any day.

Yes - commercial is best. Shut down the BBC straight away and refund me the exhorbitant 3p a day they charge. Outrageous!

Edited by Eric Mc on Monday 28th June 09:57

Eh, I get a figure of 40 p per day based on £145.50 pa?

26p for TV
6.5p for Radio
3p for Digital switch over
2p for online content

Per day.

Pretty good value.

I agree, it's worth 40p just so I don't waste my life watching adverts. I do think it should be streamlined, problem is as a government run entity it has to go through the hoops of being diverse/culturally aware/non-political (subjective I agree) etc etc which drains resources.

But at least they will be publishing everyones' salaries.

fking morons. No one has the right to publish employees details. What the BBC needs is a special department where they must run all fkwitted lefty ideas passed a group of PHers who then decide whether to beat the person around the head or defenestrate the little schmuck.

[F i F]

DonkeyApple said:

What the BBC needs is a special department where they must run all fkwitted lefty ideas passed a group of PHers who then decide whether to beat the person around the head or defenestrate the little schmuck.

indeed.

As Dara O'Briain would say

:get in the feckin' sack wit' the others:


In case you don't know what the sack is, it's where all the various nefarious charlatans are placed prior to being beaten with a stick.

[Halb]

DonkeyApple said:

Grumble, did the BBC abuse you as a child? You seem very upset with them. Did Jimmy Saville not fix it for you? Just drive that lovely car a bit more and forget about the BBC.

Pans People spurned his advances?