Student Loans going straight back to the government! (TV Licence)

Member Name: hugnluvable

Product:	TV Licence
Date:	09/02/01 (207 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Yeah - it does pay for more TV programmes and Broadcasts etc

Disadvantages: £104 - HOW MUCH WAS THAT AGAIN?

Well...yes I know TV Licencing is a logical idea - the money raised does go towards new broadcasts and programmes but wanting it off of students - TOP WHACK! - is not a very good idea. This morning each member of our hall recieved a letter from the TV License company stating - "I am writing to inform you we have no record of a TV License at this address." It then went on to explain the STUPID conditions that us students have to follow! I myself do have a TV in my bedroom to watch videos on and to occasionally watch channel 4 and ITV. But many watch it more frequently and pay nothing as well!

The letter went on to say - "If you are a student....you'll need to get your own TV Licence if you have a television in your own room in either: halls of residence, or a shared house where each occupant has a seperate tenancy" The thing that was really stupid was when I shared a room and BOTH of us had to pay for a seperate licence if we each had a TV (although we were in the same room!) And even more stupidly - the Hall's communal TV set has to have a special "entertainment" lisence rather than a normal TV Licence which costs a lot more than usual!

Right ... so those of you who do think paying for your TV lisence is fair and believe students should pay exactly the same amount as everyone else think about this....TUITION FEES! AND STUDENT LOANS! Most of us have to pay full tuition fees - a whopping £1050 A YEAR!!!! and if we wanted to go onto postgraduate study it would cost us an amazing - £2500 A YEAR!!!! Student Loans are also co-ordinated by the government and in the end all of our student debts ends up back to the government. And where does the TV licence money actually, indirectly, go to? Yes you guessed it - the government! So now you realise why most of us are really angry with the whole TV licencing system!

Yes - it costs us students £104 to watch what? Hardly anything that we honestly want to really watch! So that money could be spent on mo
re important things such as the rent, books and ummm BEER? Because in the long run everything that we are spending at the moment all goes back to the government indirectly!

If TV Licences were subsidised for us students say about 50% less then maybe we would pay it. Its kinda pointless as well getting one if we live in halls because we dont live there all year (not even 6 months!) so we'd be paying for nothing really! And besides why should people pay for it if the reception is really bad and we cant see the full picture anyway?

After reading the letter this morning I spoke to my parents and have come to an agreement with my parents. If the TV detectors do come around and make me pay for it my Dad will pay - because I cant afford it. There are plenty of other students who dont pay for it either and they use their sets more frequently than I do - I just feel sorry for those who dont have this agreement with their mums or dads!

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