TV Licence Super Thread

  • Thread starter Thread starter Ken
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It needs scrapping. But they won't do it because they know that no one would pay for it if they didn't have goons going round bullying people like some kind of extortion racket.
 
Swanster said:
I'm not so sure it is that rare any more. It certainly was 10 years ago, maybe even 5 years ago, but now with decent offerings from netflix, amazon prime, etc., it's easy to legitimately watch TV without a tv licence.

I don't watch (or even have the means to record) broadcast tv or use iplayer, so I see no reason to pay for a tv licence "just in case". I do have Amazon prime and nowtv entertainment+film subscriptions though, which to me represents much better value (although I'll probably swap nowtv for netflix soon).

When it was legal to watch iplayer without a license, I'll admit I did watch the odd programme on it, but now you do need a licence (fair enough, really) I've just stopped - it's nowhere near worth ~£12/month to me given how little I used it.
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well if you don't like sport at all then sure. but most people like tennis, golf, football,rugby, etc and it's really only available using live broadcasts. then you have all the people who cannot stream stuff because their internet is rubbish, what other options do they have apart from an aerial or satellite?

this is a tech savvy forum. it doesn't represent the majority. most people are clued up on streaming, etc. however in the masses i'd be surprised if from say 100 people that own a tv and don't have a licence. legitimately how many should actually have a license would be 90+ IMO.

all the people on here saying don't pay it, etc live in flats i assume which is pretty easy to get away with. much like cash in hand is easy to get away with without paying any tax or NIC, etc. just because it works for them doesn't mean it will work for everyone else. it's £12 a month and the law states i require one so i have one.

i do think it should be scrapped and added into council tax, much like how water bills are added into council tax in scotland. they either need to incorporate it into a blanket tax or get rid of it. the current system just lets ****** get away without paying and honest people end up paying for everyone.
 
The argument that you can watch BBC shows on Netflix is stupid as well, since Netflix aren't funding the production of the show in the first place.

You only have to look at this years BAFTA TV winners to see how great and varied the BBC programming is:

Happy Valley
The Night Manager
People just do nothing (BBC 3 comedy)
Exodus: Our Journey (BBC 2 documentary)
Murdered by my father (BBC 1 drama)
Muslims Like us (BBC 2 reality show)
Fleabag (BBC 3 comedy)
2016 Wipe (BBC 4 review/comedy)
Planet Earth II (Nature documentary)

It would be interesting to know how much Netflix has to pay BBC to show their stuff.
 
VincentHanna said:
The argument that you can watch BBC shows on Netflix is stupid as well, since Netflix aren't funding the production of the show in the first place.
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So what - fact still remains that you can watch them on Netflix... the night manager was pretty good - I watched it on Netflix, I also have access to a whole bunch of other quality shows I can watch whenever I like, in HD! Frankly, for my purposes, it offers much better value than buying a TV license.
 
dowie said:
Why not?
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The BBC fund programming that wouldn't get made elsewhere. The nearest comparable drama shows are those from HBO, for example, and that's a pretty specialist niche cable network. You're not going to get decent programming of that ilk out of ITV, are you?
 
Vonhelmet said:
The BBC fund programming that wouldn't get made elsewhere. The nearest comparable drama shows are those from HBO, for example, and that's a pretty specialist niche cable network. You're not going to get decent programming of that ilk out of ITV, are you?
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when you're talking about programming that wouldn't get made elsewhere I'm not sure your previously listed examples really apply - the fact that the night manager is available on Netflix demonstrates that it is commercially viable

if the BBC switched to a more commercial funding model (perhaps with some direct funding from general taxation to support some public service broadcasting) then the programs you've posted previously could still be made

Some of the best TV ever made comes from HBO and they don't require state funding. Netflix has come out with decent drama too, even Amazon prime has had some good shows including things they've picked up that other broadcasters (such as the BBC in the case of Ripper Street) stopped producing - like Netflix they both directly fund/create content and buy shows from others.

Even ITV has had success with dramas too - not that I've watched them but Broadchurch won multiple BAFTAs and Downton Abbey has been particularly successful in the US.
 
dowie said:
when you're talking about programming that wouldn't get made elsewhere I'm not sure your previously listed examples really apply - the fact that the night manager is available on Netflix demonstrates that it is commercially viable

if the BBC switched to a more commercial funding model (perhaps with some direct funding from general taxation to support some public service broadcasting) then the programs you've posted previously could still be made

Some of the best TV ever made comes from HBO and they don't require state funding. Netflix has come out with decent drama too, even Amazon prime has had some good shows including things they've picked up that other broadcasters (such as the BBC in the case of Ripper Street) stopped producing - like Netflix they both directly fund/create content and buy shows from others.

Even ITV has had success with dramas too - not that I've watched them but Broadchurch won multiple BAFTAs and Downton Abbey has been particularly successful in the US.
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You're partially right, but without the BBC other broadcasters wouldn't even be attempting to compete. Downton Abbey only gets made because the BBC have made other comparable class type period shows. If the BBC weren't doing that we'd just have more populist cobblers to get eyeballs on adverts.
 
dowie said:
when you're talking about programming that wouldn't get made elsewhere I'm not sure your previously listed examples really apply - the fact that the night manager is available on Netflix demonstrates that it is commercially viable

.
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how old is Netflix and how old is tv license. Tv license was absolutely needed, but the case for it in its current form gets weaker every year.

imo should be stripped to just independent and high quality news (and enforced better than it is at the moment) and educational/research. Then paid out of general government purse. Then let the ret of the bbc compete, with such a massive back catalogue and established brands (especially documentaries) it shouldn't be hard to get the funding to carry on, when these are well respected and already sold around the world.
 
Glaucus said:
how old is Netflix and how old is tv license.
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that isn't really relevant to the point - I was highlighting that another (commercial) company purchased rights to it, the funding model or years or existence of that company doesn't matter and it was just one example... the BBC has sold plenty of programs overseas to various commercial media companies which have been in existence for various time periods
 
dowie said:
that isn't really relevant to the point - I was highlighting that another (commercial) company purchased rights to it, the funding model or years or existence of that company doesn't matter and it was just one example... the BBC has sold plenty of programs overseas to various commercial media companies which have been in existence for various time periods
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well it does as there is much more of a global audience these days and far more is sold global and far easier to watch globally which changes things drastically. so its very much relevant.
 
Glaucus said:
well it does as there is much more of a global audience these days and far more is sold global and far easier to watch globally which changes things drastically. so its very much relevant.
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not to the point I was making - if anything it simply adds more weight to the idea that the license fee isn't required to produce something like the night manager (this is a program made after Netflix became established)
 
decided not to pay this year myself as i was watching less TV
TV is only used for xbox, 4OD app, ITV player player etc now
i have missed the BBC at times, it has some good programs and sports. but happy with saving myself some money this year
 
VincentHanna said:
The point was that without the BBC license you wouldn't get any of those shows in the first place.
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Yes you would. It’s getting more common for BBC to lose bids and the shows move to places like Netflix. Take the Crown it was meant to be a BBC show but they lost out and it turned into an excellent drama on Netflix.

Netflix now spend more on new original content and produce more high quality original content then BBC. Worse the few good things the BBC produce you are better off watching anywhere else apart from the BBC. One of the few things BBC produce and I like is Planet Earth 2 which is best seen at 4k with HDR but you cannot watch it like that on BBC.
 
VincentHanna said:
BBC were the first UK broadcaster to transmit HD back in 2006 (World Cup/Wimbledon)

They have already trialled 4K HDR transmissions, and are likely to be the first broadcast channel to do that also.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/rd/projects/high-dynamic-range
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Which puts them years behind the big TV options like Netflix or Prime which just goes to show how outdated and irrelevant BBC is becoming. So BBC are only just trailing what the rest of us have been enjoying for years. That's why I gave up on BBC its an outdated system that's a waste of money. BBC is expensive for little content. Why go to BBC when you can enjoy 4k, HDR content now on Netflix or Prime?

EDIT: I cannot read that link. Don't have a TV licence so cannot view BBC websites.
 
"Years"?

Netflix have had HDR since April 2016. That's a streaming service not a broadcast service.

BBC were the first to allow you to watched streamed shows. iPlayer has been around for 10 years now.

They are very forward thinking.
 
VincentHanna said:
"Years"?

Netflix have had HDR since April 2016. That's a streaming service not a broadcast service.

BBC were the first to allow you to watched streamed shows. iPlayer has been around for 10 years now.

They are very forward thinking.
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What does it matter if you get TV via the internet, satellite, cable or TV Arial? So what if its a streaming service, it’s overtaken and is better than BBC’s broadcast service in most areas. HDR is still well over a year in advance of BBC and 4k goes back years running into a large amount of titles. Yes Iplayer streamed 10 years ago and BBC did HD but that just shows how much BBC has stagnated in recent years. BBC went from being at the forefront to falling massively behind.

As far as I can see BBC is very expensive for worse imagine quality, less new content and lower quality content. BBC is an outdated service in my mind, why would I ever want to use BBC as it stands right now? Its just not worth it.
 
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