TV Licence Super Thread
- Thread starter Ken
- Start date
I don't watch any news on TV.
I think a licensing by genre/type of programming/content would be good actually (or at least better than the current "you have to pay £160 for everything whether you like it or not" model).
Soldato
Indeed. They have a huge **** off back catalogue, yet none of it is available via iPlayer.
Soldato
Immense library means immense costs to transcode, store, make available on short notice, deliver... It's a lot of infrastructure and it would be difficult at scale. Ever notice how very old obscure YouTube videos take a while or fail to start playing? Those are in deep storage. Beeb would have to handle the same for a lot of content indeed. I do think it'd be worth it though, the bottom line is they have the content and people want to see it.
where would you watch any (credible) political interviews ? .. in general how would people have informed themselves on the referendum.
It'll be interesting to see if britbox succeeds ... but otherwise some of the material we'd perhaps like to see wouldn't be pc mind your language, till death us do part, Little Britain
would the government want the thick of it on loop, too
otherwise there is a lot of nostalgia - for what ? open all hours, foolsnhorses ?
BBC news is accused by the left for being the governments right wing puppet and by the right for being too woke / left wing. All in all it probably means it does a pretty good job at staying centrist.
The licence fee isn't a great solution and I think it will naturally change in time as more of our viewing / listening switches to online platforms but at the moment I don't know what the alternative would be without losing a lot.
People always link the licence fee to TV but its more than that, it covers some of the costs of free to air broadcasting so without it we'll have even more ads on the remaining channels and no BBC channels on freeview. It covers radio broadcasting so if the BBC goes to a subscription model say goodbye to their FM / DAB services, it pays for BBC world which gives us influence around the world and is seen as a trusted global news source. Then you have BBC news which is one of the few remaining decent news sources that isn't behind a paywall, we have very few centrist news sites as well and the right wing news groups will swoop in to fill the gap and lets be honest they have enough influence as it is.
Maybe news / radio and world need to split off and be supported by taxation and then BBC tv content switches to smart platform subscription access only. The younger generation might be happy with that but older voters who are a large part of the tory voter base won't like it. The other alternative is an ads based model but then that kinda destroys what makes the BBC great.
The licence fee isn't a great solution and I think it will naturally change in time as more of our viewing / listening switches to online platforms but at the moment I don't know what the alternative would be without losing a lot.
People always link the licence fee to TV but its more than that, it covers some of the costs of free to air broadcasting so without it we'll have even more ads on the remaining channels and no BBC channels on freeview. It covers radio broadcasting so if the BBC goes to a subscription model say goodbye to their FM / DAB services, it pays for BBC world which gives us influence around the world and is seen as a trusted global news source. Then you have BBC news which is one of the few remaining decent news sources that isn't behind a paywall, we have very few centrist news sites as well and the right wing news groups will swoop in to fill the gap and lets be honest they have enough influence as it is.
Maybe news / radio and world need to split off and be supported by taxation and then BBC tv content switches to smart platform subscription access only. The younger generation might be happy with that but older voters who are a large part of the tory voter base won't like it. The other alternative is an ads based model but then that kinda destroys what makes the BBC great.
Soldato
It probably needs the Government to be a lot more vocal about the split of the license fee and what it exactly funds because as you say, it pays for a lot more than TV which is (roughly) only 48-50% of the cost.
Some valid points. I would be OK with paying a reduced license fee to cover infrastructure costs and for BBC News. The rest can be subscription based.
Soldato
The problem with BBC News is it's full of clickbait trash, and woke trash. It doesn't report news, it creates news. Yes it's the least-worst option of all the news companies, but it's still garbage.
From what I recall even BBC's own report doesnt agree with you and they said they failed to be natural and ended up being too biased in I think it was last years report. BBC very much is woke and biased. Not all over it but they clearly have a problem with woke leaking into some content. Doctor Who for example was ruined by all there forced woke nonsense.
Soldato
So far I've not seen any Labour MP agree with the scrapping of the license fee, which hits the poorer people in the community hardest.
It's amazing that we have Labour promoting a tax and the Tories talking of suspending/removing it.
It's amazing that we have Labour promoting a tax and the Tories talking of suspending/removing it.
Yes, the current charter expires at the end of 2027, but beyond that nothing is set in stone, they have 5 years to figure it out.
Yes. Big headline which makes people look at the dead cat Boris just threw on the table to take attention away from his parties.
Permabanned
Its just white ragers that like to think it is, the ones that have issues with modern life and rage at anything even vaguely woke.
Soldato
lmao what a troll
Permabanned
You cant refute it cos its true. 
Soldato
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BBC's charter expires in 2027 so basically nothing can happen until then by which time we'll likely have another govt so it'll probably get put on the back burner if not shelved completely just like all the other times an overhaul has been promised. In other words don't expect much to change, if anything.
Doctor Who: same sex relationship incoming: check. Mixed race relationship box ticked: yes. Sex change of main character box ticked: yes. Reference every single woke issue in previous episodes: check. It used to be a programme about sci-fi...
Shoe horn diversity into Around the World in 80 days: check. Mixed race relationship where none existed originally: check. Shoe horn black characters into Father Brown at every possible oppurtunity where none existed originally: check.
Turn down opportunity on remake of All Creatures Great and Small because its all white characters and nowhere to shoehorn in diversity issues/character whatsoever: check. Is it a big success: yes. Do the BBC regret their decision: no.
Long term Radio 2 presenter Simon Mayo quits because the BBC decide there aren't enough frontline female presenters, they can't push him out so they shove Jo Wiley in as co-presenter and they don't get on: check. A female presenter takes over primetime slot anyway.
No, no diversity driven agenda at all. None whatsoever.
When culture wars become a political agenda for state broadcasters to push said agenda to maximum at every possible opportunity and shoehorn it in where none existed in teh first place, then yes I have a problem with it especially when its effectively compulsory that I pay for it.
Labour would probably like the fee funded through general taxation. And theres still plenty of Free to Air broadcasting that don't get any money from TV licence fee whatsoever theres something called, I forget the name of it now, oh yes, adverts.
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Soldato
Why the TV licence isn't good value for money (for me).
There's only one program I'm currently watching - Around the World in 80 Days. Stopped watching Doctor Who ('cos it's crap). Much cheaper to just wait for the DVD to be out and on sale or buy second-hand at a bargain price. Most of the shows I watch are on commercial channels.
I don't watch BBC news, or any other news channel. There are multiple online news sites where I can read articles and make my own mind up.
I only listen to commercial radio - gave up on the BBC when they forced Chris Moyles out with their new 'youngsters only' mandate, and the other BBC radio stations don't interest me. If I want new music I can listen to Spotify for free or just listen to my music collection, which comprises about 15,000 songs at present.
[Edit to add] I almost never watch live TV; I record 99.9% of TV shows and watch them later.
There's only one program I'm currently watching - Around the World in 80 Days. Stopped watching Doctor Who ('cos it's crap). Much cheaper to just wait for the DVD to be out and on sale or buy second-hand at a bargain price. Most of the shows I watch are on commercial channels.
I don't watch BBC news, or any other news channel. There are multiple online news sites where I can read articles and make my own mind up.
I only listen to commercial radio - gave up on the BBC when they forced Chris Moyles out with their new 'youngsters only' mandate, and the other BBC radio stations don't interest me. If I want new music I can listen to Spotify for free or just listen to my music collection, which comprises about 15,000 songs at present.
[Edit to add] I almost never watch live TV; I record 99.9% of TV shows and watch them later.
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Not remotely that's just a poor excuse to defend the BBC. How do you explain all the none white ragers who don't have issues with modern life or any other content and don't rage at anything vaguely woke yet find the BBC woke?