So...the TV Licence

Glaucus said:
Project Barcelona?
Click to expand...

Move to offer paid VOD within the UK and without via BBCW. Will be a year or so before it starts delivering I should imagine as they are only just putting the technology team in place at the moment, not even sure when they are due to start cutting code.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-17368514

As you can see, it's been kicking around for a while, but sorting out the rights management is a pain in the bum.
 
Last edited:
[DOD]Asprilla;24595279 said:
Move to offer paid VOD within the UK and without via BBCW. Will be a year or so before it starts delivering I should imagine as they are only just putting the technology team in place at the moment, not even sure when they are due to start cutting code.
Click to expand...

Any links/more info?
Sounds interesting.
 
i think they should make it like sky movies or what not, you pay, they put it on your tv.

at the moment, its on your tv, so you pay... i cant cancel mine as i sometimes record "live" tv not very often, but still, it happens.

if i had to pay a monthly sub i wouldnt bother with them, but as it stands now, your hounded all the ****ing time to pay a license!
 
I would love them to move to a package based subscription model because for the minute amount of great stuff the BBC does, 99.9% of it is rubbish and I hate the idea that the ***** on radio one are drawing large salaries from an overpriced tv license.

Their charter to promote every single niche topic and their ability to spend vast amounts of money on dire "talent" shows and soap operas is enough to make me resent it.
 
krooton said:
Adverts means "hour" shows become 40 minutes, and "30 min" shows become 20 :(
Click to expand...

I wish.
The shows I used to like more or less given up on now.
I'm sure mythbusters for example could be compressed into 10-15 mins. Once advertis, what's coming up, what happens before the brake and all the other crap recaps. It's so annoying I cba to watch the new series.
 
I got nabbed by a TV licence inspector on the day of leaving hospital. During my two week stay my sister put a TV in my flat because I couldn't afford one. As I was going to be off my feet for awhile she thought it would be nice for me.

I got a big shot of Morphine before I was discharged and was questioned under caution when I could barely stay awake.

They dropped the charges against me after a massive telling off from my partner. Total bully boys, these kind of collection methods would not be allowed for other services.
 
a1ex2001 said:
as is, removing the license fee would ruin the best radio stations in the country, one of the best sites on the internet and a globally envied TV service.

Has anyone ever actually tried watching TV somewhere like America?
Click to expand...

No bs license fee in Aus and the free-to-air content isn't any worse than it is here. I can't really see how the BBC is a "globally envied TV service", outside of the UK and ex-pats no-one really cares.
 
Frxn said:
No bs license fee in Aus and the free-to-air content isn't any worse than it is here. I can't really see how the BBC is a "globally envied TV service", outside of the UK and ex-pats no-one really cares.
Click to expand...

Sales of BBC commissioned content via BBCW, Global iPlayer subscriptions and overseas hits to the BBC.com site tell a different story.
 
deuse said:
3)Use of advertising revenue

This the only place I know that forces a person who buys a TV to get a BBC(only) license.
Click to expand...

Do some research :)

There are loads of countries with a TV licence style system - many don't give you any opt out at all (IE you own a TV you pay it refardless, or it's lumped onto your electricity/bb/phone bils), and some charge you a TV licence but it goes straight into the governments coffers with no service provided.

There are also countries that require you to pay a licence per car radio as well...


My choice would be either leave it as it is, or add it to the council tax and ring fence it.

If you go subscription it cannot stay a PSB and would have to go for maximum cost effectiveness content - so no more niche titles, no more taking risks on new (but expensive to start up with) titles, no more documentaries that might take years to complete (Discovery is reportedly about to drop it's collaboration with the BBC for documentaries as it sees the History style "reality" stuff as being more cost effective).
You also run into the problem of a massive cost increase in administering the system, and the subscription cards (it would cost a not inconsiderable sum) - the current system has the advantage that it's pretty cheap to run, and doesn't cost any more for you if you have one set, or 4 sets and 2 PVR's.

If it goes advertising you end up with an immediate drop in content per hour of around 20-25%, you can no longer have shows that are critical of products as your advertisers don't like having their new car/computer/phone etc being slated for being rubbish.
You also run into many of the problems associated with subscription funded TV - why bother paying for a show that only gets half a million viewers (but is high quality, thought provoking and educational), when you can get a show that gets 5-10 million viewers but is absolute dross with no long term value, ut it costs less...(one of the reasons ITV was in trouble for a whilst was it went down the route of "reality" and "celebrity freakshow" TV at the expense of anything scripted).
Not to mention the advertising pot is dropping in size, already highly diluted and it would likely kill off a lot of the current commercial channels who simply would not be able to compete with an ad funded BBC.
 
Frxn said:
No bs license fee in Aus and the free-to-air content isn't any worse than it is here. I can't really see how the BBC is a "globally envied TV service", outside of the UK and ex-pats no-one really cares.
Click to expand...

The BBC World Service audience seems to differ with your opinion.

Further to that, I know plenty of people who live outside the UK and seek out BBC programming via the paid for iPlayer. I'll give that most of these are former UK citizens, as ultimately you probably aren't going to seek out Eastenders if you have never heard of it before.

Of course everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but the content the BBC provides is fantastic. I've lived in North America for more than two years and watching television there can be such a chore with the advertising.

I'd also point out that that two-thirds of the countries in Europe and half of the countries in Asia and Africa also have publicly funded television via licence fee, so its something that has been admired and copied elsewhere.
 
Nexus said:
Of course everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but the content the BBC provides is fantastic. I've lived in North America for more than two years and watching television there can be such a chore with the advertising.
Click to expand...

I wasn't being derogatory, I meant my experience of Aussie free-to-air content is of the same standard as content shown here.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom