TV licence dodgers may no longer face prosecution

[Tuppy_Glossop]

Wow, TV licensing from taxation ? Can we expect a political manifesto with lists of which programmes will be axed and which saved if the party is voted in ?

Given the current set-up, anybody who buys a license is tacitly agreeing that Radio DJs and TV presenters are worth millions of pounds a year. If you move it to taxation will politicians have control over salaries ? And how could it remain independent ?

 

[Randomface74]

TV will never come from taxation - it's not an essential service. The money would always be better spent on education etc.

 

[Woden]

If the licence was swapped for an actual (not scaremongering oh em gee teevee tax!) tax there would be uproar.

State funded TV is never impartial. At the very least (and in the UK I would like to say most likely) the BBC would simply appease whoever is in power to protect their budget. At it's worst we get state media like Russia has, or North Korea.

 

[darael]

"It is outrageous that so many people are brought into the criminal justice system through this means. I believe that non-payment should be treated in the way that parking tickets are," Mr Bridgen told the newspaper.

Nobody seems to have noticed the bit I underlined. As I understand it, collecting non-payment of parking tickets can eventually lead to bailiffs.

 

[thep02]

TV will never come from taxation - it's not an essential service. The money would always be better spent on education etc.

The govt pays for loads of stuff that's nonessential out of taxation.

 

[philip2009]

Wow, TV licensing from taxation ? Can we expect a political manifesto with lists of which programmes will be axed and which saved if the party is voted in ?

The BBC regularly negotiates charter renewal with the government of the day. That is a political process that hasn't destroyed the BBC. I'm fairly confident safeguards could be put in place if it were funded from taxation - it's a £1.5 billion gamble I'm prepared to take.

 

[Glaucus]

Good, now take it out of the general tax pot. And save money on all the pen pushers etc. No reason to collect it separately. Its classified as a tax anyway.

 

[spoffle]

Nobody seems to have noticed the bit I underlined. As I understand it, collecting non-payment of parking tickets can eventually lead to bailiffs.

Bailiffs and debt collectors are not the same thing, and not all parking tickets are equal either.

 

[Glaucus]

If the licence was swapped for an actual (not scaremongering oh em gee teevee tax!) tax there would be uproar.

State funded TV is never impartial. At the very least (and in the UK I would like to say most likely) the BBC would simply appease whoever is in power to protect their budget. At it's worst we get state media like Russia has, or North Korea.

Why? Its already classified as a tax, is already covered by a charter. There is no reason to think anything would change at all. Other than how that tax is collected.

 

[=XDC=FluphyBunny]

He said that for some cash-strapped families, the current law was "criminalising them for being poor".

Okay firstly that is complete ******* as a Tv is not essential and its a choice of the individual to both have one and not pay the licence fee.

I don't know anyone who has ever been prosecuted for not having a licence so I'm shocked, and a little suspicious, of the figures.

Please fully star out all swearing in future. Thank you.

 

[BaDBoY_uK]

The poor don't have to watch tv. It's not a necessity.

Would you rather they were mugging people and using drugs... go to school

 

[Glaucus]

Okay firstly that is complete ******* as a Tv is not essential and its a choice of the individual to both have one and not pay the licence fee.

.

Especially now most people have internet and its seen as an essential item, so much free content that doesn't require a license.

 

[Derek W]

Would you rather they were mugging people and using drugs

Wow didn't realise that was the only other option. Pay for a service you want or go mug people and use drugs.

 

[Randomface74]

The poor give their benefits to Sky anyway.

 

[Destination]

The poor give their benefits to Sky anyway.

and tobacco and alcohol, don't forget our best ways to reclaim the benefits we give them

 

[nick.lidgett]

Maybe BBC should follow the same route as Sky and Virgin Media.

3 or 4 tiers of channel packages. I do begrudge paying £145 a year just to watch MoTD, Top Gear and the news.

 

[anything I don't mind]

I have received 100s of letters saying that I am under investigation and I will be going to court soon addressed to this mystery person called legal occupier. I wonder if the letters will stop?

 

[Tuppy_Glossop]

Maybe BBC should follow the same route as Sky and Virgin Media.

3 or 4 tiers of channel packages. I do begrudge paying £145 a year just to watch MoTD, Top Gear and the news.

Radio Five and 5 Sports Extra cover news and sport for free. You could buy the Top Gear DVDs.

 

[nick.lidgett]

Radio Five and 5 Sports Extra cover news and sport for free. You could buy the Top Gear DVDs.

I was merely pointing out that out of all of the BBC abundant and mostly very good services there are only a handful I enjoy, like most people I reckon. I often listen to R5L and frequently buy the Top Gear specials on DvD anyway so thats neither here nor there.

If the BBC said you can have BBC1 and 2 along with the red button service for £30 - £50 a year I would be happy with that. This fee could also include a contribution to Radio and Internet based services.

 

[james.miller]

Maybe BBC should follow the same route as Sky and Virgin Media.

3 or 4 tiers of channel packages. I do begrudge paying £145 a year just to watch MoTD, Top Gear and the news.

if they followed Sky's example, then all three of those programs would be on seperate packages lol