TV Licence

[AliFlump]

�180 for a TV licence!! Are they serious i dont see why we should have to pay anyway as it only goes to the BBC and noone watches that channel exclusively. With people getting more channels and going to digital it should be abandoned and they should advertise like the rest of them

[jake-the-peg]

I don't know about that I guess I watch the occasional Channel 4 program but I can't remember the last time I watched ITV must be months ago.

The BBC have managed to maintain a level of quality that's recognised the world over and judging by the utter dross that ITV turns out that'd probably just not be possible with adverts.

You could subscription fund it but then you'd end up with a very small service like PBS in America.

Personally I don't think 50p a day is that extortionate - I mean what is that 3 or 4 cigarettes? a quarter of a pint of beer? how far can you get on a bus for 50p?

[AliFlump]

Thats a point Jake but i just seems strange one channel charges you for watching all te other channels

Dont get me wrong i will be getting mine renewed, i enjoy watching a bit of telly, but its like one football team charging you a season ticket to watch all the others when they dont own the premier league if you see what i mean.

[metagirl]

i think its a pretty cheeky request considering their recent layoffs. they should instead concentrate on their primary offerings i.e. terrestrial TV, website, radio including the brilliant world service - perhaps instead of requesting more money they should scale down their operations? their budget compared to other news networks is absolutely amazing.

[AliFlump]

Yes they do get �2.94 billion from the licence fee thats an outragous amount of money!!

[january_bug]

It doesn't just go into making programmes.  It's the running of the brilliant website and all the amazing charity work they do. 

They make a lot of very good educational programmes (esp environmental documentaries), and do public service work too (Crimewatch etc). 

The bbc also runs a lot of free online learning programmes that benefit people who can't afford to go on language courses etc. 

Also, for only �30 extra for a set top box you can enjoy all the other channels too. 

When you look at it as 50p a day, it seems cheap at twice the price to me!!

:-)

[january_bug]

I realise what I said repeated what others had written - end of a long day - sorry!

[Zen]

BBC tots up �12m cab fare in one year
02 September 2005 13:15

The BBC spent almost �12m on taxis to ferry staff and celebrities around over the past year.

The �11.8m spent was an increase of 3.5% on 2003 and only includes cabs ordered through the company�s central booking system.

Staff are allowed to take taxis if they live within 30 miles of work and start before 6.30am or finish after 10.45pm.

Nice work if you can get it.

[Chessman]

I'd like to get rid of the television, who needs it, answer, my wife, to watch the soaps.

[jno]

the taxi bill is to get interviewees to their studios. (In London, anyway, their HQ is out of town, though they plan to move back.) So does anyone know what ITV's taxi bill is, by way of comparison?

[THECORBYLOON]

Aliflump, the commercial channels get their money off the companies who pay to advertise their products and services. These companies have to recoup their advertising budget and they get some of it back EVERY time you, me and everyone else buys a product or service. At �180 a year, that works out to be less than the price of a newspaper each day.

[Chillum]

I'd simply like to have the choice of whether or not to fund the BBC. I'm sure I probably would, but I shouldn't face prison if I don't.

[vehelpfulguy]

Many people say that they should not pay for the BBC if the dont watch it.

But they also pay for the library service and may not use that, or the swimming baths, or many other national services.  

To me the BBC is one of Englands greatest assests. It is known the world over and is (mostly) a bastion of quality television when all around is dross.

Look at Coast, Restoration, David Attenborough, and Space Race that was on a week or so ago, all quality television.

Imagine a world where only Sky produced the TV programs. A living hell. 

[jno]

I'd like the choice of whether to fund ITV. If I could produce a certificate proving I never watched it (and I don't), I should get a discount off anything I buy that's advertised on ITV. As TCL correctly points out, their advertising budget is recouped in the shop price. With the money I saved, I would pay my BBC licence. Fair enough?

[brachiopod]

Let's also put into perspective regarding timescales. It's not as if they are going to charge you �180 the next time you renew your license. It is a slightly above inflation rise year on year, which means, if approved, this figure of �180 will be reached by 2013.

Remember that, by 2013, you could easily be paying well over a pound for a daily newspaper, probably �4-5 for a pint, god-knows-how-much for a litre of petrol, and about �8.50 to go one stop on the bus (irrespective of where you live) in order to pay for Britain's hosting of the Olympics.

Remember that the TV license fee also pays for the BBC's excellent radio services, from music to sport to spoken word. a small price to pay.

Although I agree with much of what you say, vehelpful,  I wasn't aware that BBC transmissions ended at the Welsh and Scottish borders?

Still, why pay for programmes like 'Restoration', when you could have 'Britain's Most Derelict Buildings From Hell' ?

Or rather than 'Coast', would you prefer 'When Seashores Go Bad' ?

And rather than the seminal Life On Earth, we'd have The World's Funniest Critters and Bugs.... and here's your host, Mr. Daaa-aaave Attenboro' !!

[brachiopod]

Sorry, vehelpful, on re-reading my post, the second half seems to be aimed at you - it's not meant to be, as I was actually agreeing with you. My only contention was your use of the word 'England's' greatest asset, when, of course, you meant 'Britain's....'. We do have BBC in Wales too.  ;o)

 

[THECORBYLOON]

vehelpfulguy, that first "B" in "BBC," it stands for "BRITISH," just a reminder.........

[vehelpfulguy]

Sorry for offending all Scottish, Welsh and those from Northern Ireland, it is as you say the British BC.

But then you know how arrogant we English are  :-)

[january_bug]

Some more fantastic points made.  Of course you'll it'll be tricky to sort out ITV's taxi bill, with all the regional divisions. 

And let's not forget what ITV did to football in this country.  Poor business management there between Carlton and Granada (I'm thinking!) left many clubs almost bankrupt. 

We've also fogotten (I believe) to mention the wonderful work the BBC does in music.  Broadcasting many concerts for all to enjoy.  Anything from the Proms to Glastonbury.  Thank god we don't have to endure adverts in the middle of those! :-)

Anyway �180 a year to bring a channel that doesn't have an American mouse trying to sell me insurance as an improvement on Michael Winner has got to be good.  Although he did have a point... "Calm down dear!  It's only a licence fee!". 

[AliFlump]

Some of the points that people have made have made me think twice but it just dont agree that i would have to pay for a TV licence if all i wanted to do was watch DVD's on it. Yes the BBC do make some fantastic programmes, i love the website, listen to Radio 2 all day and wouldnt want to take Tweenies away from my niece but the point im trying to make is that i dont understand why you need a 'licence' to watch TV!

I do underdstand what you mean about companies recouping money from advertising by customers buying products but most people need tea bags, washing powder,  coffee, cereals etc so they dont necessarily need to be prompted to buy them.

I have sky and watch alot of sports and the repeats of catchphrase and lots of other channels on it and yes i know i pay so much a month for this privalige but that is because i  CHOSOE to do that. I was not threatened with a massive fine or prison if a i didnt.