| Product: |
TV Licence |
| Date: |
19/06/09 (66 review reads) |
| Rating: |
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Advantages: There's no better broadcater
Disadvantages: Hearing people moan about having to pay for one
To mention the words 'TV licence' in any crowded gathering is not unlike lighting the touchpaper to a particularly explosive firework. Typical responses include "what a waste of money", "there's never anything worth watching" and "why not make their money from adverts?".
There's no getting away from the fact that most householders resent forking out £142.50 a year for a colour TV licence (that's 39p a day). It is, of course, compulsory if you have the equipment that allows TV programmes to be watched in your home. What does such a princely sum get you? well, there's 2 high quality, my own assessment, TV channels (BBC1 and BBC2), several decent and diverse digital only channels, a plethora of radio stations, the BBC website and iPlayer.
Of course that in itself is not all that you get from the British Broadcasting Corporation, oh no, far from it. You buy into its uninterupted coverage of sporting events, magnificent drama (costume and modern), seriously good documentaries, award winning soaps, quiz shows, high calibre comedy (stand up and sitcom), good (clean) family entertainment, 24 hour a day news coverage, 2 channels devoted soley to kids and so very, very much more.
From my personal view(er's)point, I have in recent times enjoyed the delights of Dr Who, Top Gear, QI, Eastenders, The Antiques Roadshow, Mock The Week, Little Dorrit, Outnumbered, Dragon's Den, Spooks, Hustle, The (US) Masters, Panorama, Strictly Come Dancing, repeats of Dads Army, and FiveLive's sports output. All well crafted, wonderfully executed and free from the irritatingly regular punctuations of commercial breaks. I have all but given up on the opposition - ITV1, C4 and Five - their advert ridden offerings can rarely compete with the Beeb's brilliance.
Detractors may rant on about impartiality, the crass and unforgiveable antics of Jonathan Ross and Russell Brand, sky-high salaries for the Beeb's top earners, the Top Gear team's yobbish and non-PC behaviour, etc, etc. These are indeed serious issues that need to be addressed but none, in no way, alters the fact that in the BBC we have the premier, most admired, goddamn brilliant in the known universe. Rejoice in that fact, don't begrudge paying a paltry 39p a day for such excellence
Summary: We should be proud of the Beeb and not begrudge paying for it
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Last comments:
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- 11/07/09 I think most of the bbcs output is garbage and i wouldnt dream of paying for a licence- id rather do without a tv altogether! |
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- 20/06/09 I've copied the following from the official 'TV Licence' site, which states the requirements for needing a valid licence. The concept of owning a TV but not using it to either watch programmes "as they're being shown" or recording them for future use is an interesting one and the authorities are going to need some pretty convincing evidence to prove that this is the case.
"You must be covered by a valid TV Licence if you watch or record television programmes as they're being shown on TV. It makes no difference what equipment you use - whether it’s a laptop, PC, mobile phone, digital box, DVD recorder or a TV set - you still need a licence.
You do not need a TV Licence to view video clips on the internet, as long as what you are viewing is not being shown on TV at the same time as you are viewing it.
If you use a digital box with a hi-fi system, or another device that can only be used to produce sounds and can't display TV programmes, and you don't install or use any other TV receiving equipment, you don't need a TV Licence. " |
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- 19/06/09 I disagree with the above comment. You cant prove if you have a TV you dont use it. |
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