The license fee

[Brentbaggie]

The BBC frustrates me for a number of reasons and, at times infuriates.

However. Its the envy of the world and rightly so.

Its pros far outway the cons and its value is excellent.

The envy of the world? Really? I doubt many in the world give a toss about it.

And again, for a lot of people there are no pros. For those that like it, subscribe! It’s value is not excellent if you don’t use it. It’s a tax for nothing.

The idea that a thing is only of value if you as an individual use it is specious nonsense.  A philistine is a person who knows the cost of everything and the value of nothing.

In the case of media, I disagree. It’s a tax for nothing. Stick adverts on it or subscription.

So you decide what is a worthwhile tax and what is not?  On that basis I presume you are going to write to your local council and tell them you only intend to pay rates for those things the council provides that you use?

[backsidebaggie]

The BBC frustrates me for a number of reasons and, at times infuriates.

However. Its the envy of the world and rightly so.

Its pros far outway the cons and its value is excellent.

The envy of the world? Really? I doubt many in the world give a toss about it.

And again, for a lot of people there are no pros. For those that like it, subscribe! It’s value is not excellent if you don’t use it. It’s a tax for nothing.

The idea that a thing is only of value if you as an individual use it is specious nonsense.  A philistine is a person who knows the cost of everything and the value of nothing.

In the case of media, I disagree. It’s a tax for nothing. Stick adverts on it or subscription.

So you decide what is a worthwhile tax and what is not?  On that basis I presume you are going to write to your local council and tell them you only intend to pay rates for those things the council provides that you use?

Lol. Society can’t function without council tax, and you know it. Society can function easily without a tv licence.

[baggy1]

Amazing that after a year of seeing how important the BBC is to get daily messages across to the nation there are still people hat don't see the value of having a dedicated national broadcaster. £160 for the full year of everything on two TV channels plus multiple online and radio stations seems too be a problem whilst paying between £500 and a grand for subscription TV is ok. Not everyone can afford Sky, Virgin or BT and less than £15 a month covers a great source of info and entertainment.

Pensioners would beg to differ

Why is that?

[Protheroe]

Then stick adverts on it to pay for it. The less well off are struggling to afford the 14 quid a month anyway (nearly double the basic Netflix price).

The idea that no bbc will fragment society more is hilarious tbh. Society is fucked. The bbc don’t make a jots difference. Hardly anyone under 30 uses it, and tons of pensioners are refusing to pay for it.

Advertising is the obvious way forward, and if you look at the BBC most days there's a huge amount of advertising for its own content anyway.

I agree that the suggestion that no BBC will fragment society is just about the funniest thing I've read so far this week.

[Fulham Fallout]

Amazing that after a year of seeing how important the BBC is to get daily messages across to the nation there are still people hat don't see the value of having a dedicated national broadcaster. £160 for the full year of everything on two TV channels plus multiple online and radio stations seems too be a problem whilst paying between £500 and a grand for subscription TV is ok. Not everyone can afford Sky, Virgin or BT and less than £15 a month covers a great source of info and entertainment.

Pensioners would beg to differ

Why is that?

Because if state pension is the only income they receive, then it’s a large chunk of their income compared to someone who is employed.

[backsidebaggie]

Then stick adverts on it to pay for it. The less well off are struggling to afford the 14 quid a month anyway (nearly double the basic Netflix price).

The idea that no bbc will fragment society more is hilarious tbh. Society is fucked. The bbc don’t make a jots difference. Hardly anyone under 30 uses it, and tons of pensioners are refusing to pay for it.

Advertising is the obvious way forward, and if you look at the BBC most days there's a huge amount of advertising for its own content anyway.

I agree that the suggestion that no BBC will fragment society is just about the funniest thing I've read so far this week.

Indeed. Advertising is the best way forward, then those who can’t afford subscription services are sorted too. Like with channel 4 and itv.

[Ossian]

Amazing that after a year of seeing how important the BBC is to get daily messages across to the nation there are still people hat don't see the value of having a dedicated national broadcaster. £160 for the full year of everything on two TV channels plus multiple online and radio stations seems too be a problem whilst paying between £500 and a grand for subscription TV is ok. Not everyone can afford Sky, Virgin or BT and less than £15 a month covers a great source of info and entertainment.

Pensioners would beg to differ

Why is that?

Because if state pension is the only income they receive, then it’s a large chunk of their income compared to someone who is employed.

Wouldn't that qualify them for pension credit and automatic exemption from the licence fee?

[baggy1]

Amazing that after a year of seeing how important the BBC is to get daily messages across to the nation there are still people hat don't see the value of having a dedicated national broadcaster. £160 for the full year of everything on two TV channels plus multiple online and radio stations seems too be a problem whilst paying between £500 and a grand for subscription TV is ok. Not everyone can afford Sky, Virgin or BT and less than £15 a month covers a great source of info and entertainment.

Pensioners would beg to differ

Why is that?

Because if state pension is the only income they receive, then it’s a large chunk of their income compared to someone who is employed.

If they receive pension credit then they don't have to pay, if they don't have savings and other pensions then it is virtually guaranteed that they will get pension credit and not have to pay the licence fee.

---

Pensioners would beg to differ

From the Times:

Up to 750,000 older people have refused to pay for a television licence after losing their right to a free one, figures suggest.
That equates to a £117 million deficit for the BBC, which scrapped free licences for over-75s last August.
A refusal to pay the £157.50 annual fee can result in a £1,000 fine and a prison sentence of three to six months.
Dennis Reed, director of the pensioner campaign group Silver Voices, said: “There are a hard core who are resisting. The stalling is significant. The over-75s have suddenly been flooded with further reminder letters.
“Some had three or four letters in the last couple of weeks reminding them their licences would be cancelled. They are desperate to get people to pay.

If the TV Licensing Authority doesn't come after these 750,000 individuals - why should they demand payment from the rest of us?

Shock, horror, another Proth non-story!

750k have 'refused to pay" - well not really. 4.2M previously held free licences, 2.7M have paid, 750k applied for free licences leaving 750k shortfall. In a year where we have had 530k over 65s die which will have made a dent in those 750k and then those that are just confused by it all and need some help or even don't need a licence any more due to moving into care it really does show the story to be a bit of nothing really.

[Shabby Russian]

Then stick adverts on it to pay for it. The less well off are struggling to afford the 14 quid a month anyway (nearly double the basic Netflix price).

The idea that no bbc will fragment society more is hilarious tbh. Society is fucked. The bbc don’t make a jots difference. Hardly anyone under 30 uses it, and tons of pensioners are refusing to pay for it.

Advertising is the obvious way forward, and if you look at the BBC most days there's a huge amount of advertising for its own content anyway.

I agree that the suggestion that no BBC will fragment society is just about the funniest thing I've read so far this week.

I don't watch a lot of commercial tv, a programme with adverts has to be very good for me to be bothered by it.

Is it unfair for me to pay to more for goods that have been advertised on tv, when i don't watch the programmes  that were paid for by that advertising.

[Hopalong]

Up 0.9%!!!!

Anyone on here got any strong and repetitively aired views on whether to pay it or not?

Cheap as chips!