TV Licence Super Thread

[stockhausen]

. . .
A lot of people don't want or need the BBC
. . .

As has been pointed out, basing taxatin on what some individuals need or want would eliminate a lot of tax.

I. . .
it's not as if it is a channel that delivers any particularly good content or impartial news
. . .

You don't want, need, like or respect the "content" on the BBC; many people do.
Equally. many people don't respect or want the "content" of Netflix, Amazon, etc. or appreciate the "spend more money on unnecessary junk" message of the commercial channels.

Have you got lots of examples of "partial" news on the BBC? Do share; meantime, stick to watching the impartial Fox News.

 

[Dirk Diggler]

Its not exactly like schools, hospitals, police, etc is it
It's entertainment.

A school isn't exactly like a hospital, a hospital isn't exactly like the police. They are all public services, as is the BBC and it goes far beyond just entertainment.

You have many alternatives

Exactly. You don't have one alternative, you would have to compound a whole array of services together before you could call it a direct comparison to what the BBC provides. This is why people inevitably compare an apple to an orange and think they've made a compelling argument against the BBC.

Netflix, YouTube, endless streaming sites.

As per my previous point, you've selected services that are not a direct comparison to the service that the BBC provides. These streaming services are a direct comparison to BBC iPlayer only. If you subscribe to just one of those services, you will have spent the entire yearly license fee on this one single service. If you choose Amazon Prime then you'll get expedited delivery on your shopping and a streaming music service included, so no comparison with Netflix there. Of course, the Amazon music aspect could be a rival to BBC Sounds but not directly, and the BBC doesn't offer expedited delivery on shopping.

I could go on, but you're an intelligent person and I've no desire to patronise. These services are not a direct comparison to each other, and none of them come close to what the BBC package offers.

Where do you draw the line?
I want Netflix in general tax
I want amazon prime in general tax
I want my bus fare in general tax
My rail fare
My petrol

Again, nothing on that list is a direct comparison to the BBC service. A couple of the items actually are funded by the tax payer; bus services are subsidised and Northern Rail is in the process of being nationalised. None of this is an argument against the BBC licence fee, it's just... Noise. Random services listed together with no relevance to the conversation.

BBC on the list isn't that important

In your opinion.

 

[Pottsey]

“A school isn't exactly like a hospital, a hospital isn't exactly like the police. They are all public services, as is the BBC and it goes far beyond just entertainment.”

Going beyond entertainment doesn’t make it worthwhile or something to put into tax. The difference with schools, hospitals, police and the rest is they are essential services and BBC is not an essential service in fact its becoming more irrelevant year by year. Putting the BBC into tax would be flat out wrong at this stage.

I used to love the BBC in the distant past but today it’s an antiquated unneeded organisation that in recent times puts out low quality content and shockingly poor standards in how they treat people.

There doesn't seem to be any good reason to put BBC into tax.

 

[Dirk Diggler]

Going beyond entertainment doesn’t make it worthwhile or something to put into tax. The difference with schools, hospitals, police and the rest is they are essential services and BBC is not an essential service in fact its becoming more irrelevant year by year. Putting the BBC into tax would be flat out wrong at this stage.

I used to love the BBC in the distant past but today it’s an antiquated unneeded organisation that in recent times puts out low quality content and shockingly poor standards in how they treat people.

There doesn't seem to be any good reason to put BBC into tax.

I'm really just quoting your post to acknowledge it. What you have written there is your personal opinion, and obviously it's every bit as valid as my own.

If anything, we could possibly agree that the current funding model is wide open to abuse and doesn't work?

 

[Pottsey]

I'm really just quoting your post to acknowledge it. What you have written there is your personal opinion, and obviously it's every bit as valid as my own.

If anything, we could possibly agree that the current funding model is wide open to abuse and doesn't work?

That I can agree on the current system is being abused and doesn't work. I hate the current system and how the BBC are abusing it against the public. That and some public abuse it as well.

 

[Rannoch]

The bottom line is you can watch live tv like millions do and never pay the fee. They can send endless letters and send the goons round every other day. It doesn’t matter. Even if they turn up with a warrant and the cops you still don’t have to open the door. The cops are only there to stop a breach of the peace. There’s no way the police would force entry

 

[Dirk Diggler]

That I can agree on the current system is being abused and doesn't work. I hate the current system and how the BBC are abusing it against the public. That and some public abuse it as well.

I'm not convinced the BBC abuse it, you'd have to elaborate a little on that? The public definitely abuse the system, it's ironic that those who would be outraged at having to pay via general taxation think it's acceptable to essentially steal the service and leave honest people to pay their share for them. It's similar to benefits cheats etc. And the system needs to be improved to rid itself of the scroungers.

 

[LuckyBenski]

I think the people who disagree with putting it into taxation don't realise it would be a small cost. It wouldn't be £150 per person because right now that's per household. It would be the total income from TVL, divided by number of taxpayers. Probably with some weighting.

 

[hornetstinger]

I think the people who disagree with putting it into taxation don't realise it would be a small cost. It wouldn't be £150 per person because right now that's per household. It would be the total income from TVL, divided by number of taxpayers. Probably with some weighting.

Don't care.

 

[Deleted member 77746]

Don't care.

It's better in TAX, people wouldn't even see the increase really! Then we can have a proper free for all!

 

[hornetstinger]

It's better in TAX, people wouldn't even see the increase really! Then we can have a proper free for all!

And if your tax goes up you can pay for my optic fibre connection. And food. And beer

 

[Pottsey]

I'm not convinced the BBC abuse it, you'd have to elaborate a little on that? The public definitely abuse the system, it's ironic that those who would be outraged at having to pay via general taxation think it's acceptable to essentially steal the service and leave honest people to pay their share for them. It's similar to benefits cheats etc. And the system needs to be improved to rid itself of the scroungers.

Of course they abuse it, I experienced it first-hand. They send overly aggressive letters, they target vulnerable people and trick them into getting a licence when they don’t need one by making threats at the door. They send aggressive goons around to our homes that are paid extra for forcing people into getting a licence even if they don’t need one. You just need to watch that famous video where a reporter went into a job interview to be a goon with a hidden camera and what was said by appalling.

Its not ironic as you have it all wrong. Those of us against general taxation are not saying it’s acceptable to steal the service. Your idea of general tax is going to punish the honest hard working people like me. Why should I have to pay for people like you? You sound like the scroungers where you just want to pay less by making honest hard working people pay your share.

EDIT:
Iplayer requires you to put in your licence code to watch it. All they need to do is implant the same system for the BBC TV channels with the digital box's which are smart enough to do that to unlock the channels. Problem mostly solved without hurting the honest hard working people like me.

 

[Deleted member 77746]

And if your tax goes up you can pay for my optic fibre connection. And food. And beer

No, just a TV licence will do.

 

[hornetstinger]

How do you class a TV license is essential over food and drink, you can't live without that.

You are in essence denying essential requirement for life.

 

[Deleted member 77746]

How do you class a TV license is essential over food and drink, you can't live without that.

You are in essence denying essential requirement for life.

It's the crap that comes with it as already said in this thread 1000 times over. No other company harasses you like the BBC.

 

[b00merang69]

Some right fools in here lucky the current PM does not agree with them.

Nobody even need a TV neverminded you can legally have a TV and still watch non live things like Netflix/Prime etc, you do need hospital and schools etc, it is not even comparable.

 

[Dirk Diggler]

Its not ironic as you have it all wrong. Those of us against general taxation are not saying it’s acceptable to steal the service. Your idea of general tax is going to punish the honest hard working people like me. Why should I have to pay for people like you? You sound like the scroungers where you just want to pay less by making everyone else pay your share.

I was referring to those who are against taxation yet use the service now and refuse to pay for it. If you don't use the service then clearly that doesn't include you.

Why should you have to pay for people like me? That's taxation, you could say that about literally every tax that exists; it's a weak argument IMO.

By the way, could you link to the video you referred to?

 

[Dirk Diggler]

Iplayer requires you to put in your licence code to watch it. All they need to do is implant the same system for the BBC TV channels with the digital box's which are smart enough to do that to unlock the channels. Problem mostly solved without hurting the honest hard working people like me.

I just saw this edit, once again I'm having to point out that you think you just solved the licence problem when in reality you've only thought about iPlayer. And I've never had to enter my license code in to watch iplayer, this is a new thing?

 

[do_ron_ron]

Of course they abuse it, I experienced it first-hand. They send overly aggressive letters, they target vulnerable people and trick them into getting a licence when they don’t need one by making threats at the door. They send aggressive goons around to our homes that are paid extra for forcing people into getting a licence even if they don’t need one. You just need to watch that famous video where a reporter went into a job interview to be a goon with a hidden camera and what was said by appalling.

Its not ironic as you have it all wrong. Those of us against general taxation are not saying it’s acceptable to steal the service. Your idea of general tax is going to punish the honest hard working people like me. Why should I have to pay for people like you? You sound like the scroungers where you just want to pay less by making honest hard working people pay your share.

EDIT:
Iplayer requires you to put in your licence code to watch it. All they need to do is implant the same system for the BBC TV channels with the digital box's which are smart enough to do that to unlock the channels. Problem mostly solved without hurting the honest hard working people like me.

This is a Govt tax NOT the BBC.

In the United Kingdom and the Crown dependencies, any household watching or recording live television transmissions as they are being broadcast (terrestrial, satellite, cable, or Internet) is required to hold a television licence.

The BBC and others get money from the general pot. 'Against general taxation', mmmmm. For a regressive tax system then? The only trouble with that is there are many, many more people on low wages who will rebel and the result is usually Govt of extreme views which is why no Govt of a major country round the world has done it. The trouble with your way of thinking is that society depends on lots of people doing crap jobs paying crap wages. Normally they only come to light when they go on strike and the rich moan about the disruption to their lives.

 

[Pottsey]

I was referring to those who are against taxation yet use the service now and refuse to pay for it. If you don't use the service then clearly that doesn't include you.

Why should you have to pay for people like me? That's taxation, you could say that about literally every tax that exists; it's a weak argument IMO.

By the way, could you link to the video you referred to?

Its not a weak argument there is a difference in paying tax to an essential service even if other people use it and I don’t and paying tax towards a none essential service I will never use.

How would you feel in paying an animal tax even if you don’t have animals? It’s the same principle. Same for vehicle tax. You don’t include that in console tax as only the people use have vehicles should pay it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2jVgO-Id2U
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u66K1BZtykw

Like I said before I have directly experienced there tactics which go beyond what is in this video. For them its all about maximizing profit and sales.