Seems unfair and a bit draconian when half of us no longer watch BBC (TV Licence)

Member Name: huggy2009

Product:	TV Licence
Date:	11/10/09 (22 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: It helps fund quality programmes like Planet Earth

Disadvantages: And Hole in the Wall or the John Barrowman Show!

A Colour TV License is a legal requirement to watch a colour television in the United Kingdom, it must be purchased prior to use and if you are found to be watching television without one you are in line for a big fine.

Cost - £142.50 per year. Unless your over 75 when its free. Also if you are blind or have visual impairment you can apply for a 50% discount.

To watch or record television programmes as they're being shown on TV. It makes no difference what equipment you use - whether using a tv, laptop, mobile phone, so be careful.

You do not need a TV Licence to view video clips on the internet so long as your watching it on a computer and not a tv.

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 you don't need one, so you could listen to digital tv through your digital box and your ok, just don't watch it!!

What if I don't pay:

The TV Licensing people have a database of all license holders and have vans scouring the streets who can detect those without, if you are caught without a license, you could be taken to court and fined £1000.

You can pay by direct debit over the phone, online or at the post office.

Part of the license fee goes to the BBC to ensure they maintain 'Quality' output (Hole in the Wall, Cash in the Attic, Snog Marry Avoid) without having to take on advertising like other channels, in an age where we pay for cable or satellite television and the Beeb content is now devalued to such a point that it has few flagship 'quality' shows, I don't think it is a good idea anymore, i'd rather spend my £142.50 per year on Sky and have the choice of channels than pay for one band of channels which I increasingly avoid.

I think in time as BBC try to make money from commercial enterprises and furore over the ridiculous pay and expenses of their employees drags on, they will be asked to find more of the money to manage their channels themselves and hopefully we will be given the choice of whom we want to pay £142.50 to provide television output.

Summary: Seems unfair and a bit draconian when half of us no longer watch BBC