Random Irritations

[Voyager EMH]

I have just been thinking the last time I watched a programme on the BBC and honestly can’t think of when it was.
I asked the Mrs and she said she watched Tom Daly knitting programme for about 15 minutes (not sure on what channel) but other than that she couldn’t remember either.

Me,

Mortimer and Whitehouse fishing.
Have I Got News For You.

Strictly Come Dancing, but with no sound apart from when they are actually dancing.
This makes it more tolerable. Usually doing something else while this is on - such as drinking, The Times Quiz and laughing a lot.

I watch Channel 4 news.

 

[Sid Rixon IV]

It's our last night in Japan in Osaka. First thing I do is check out the hotel bar prices to determine where we'll be having a drink after eating.
1400¥ for a hotel draught beer is reasonable.

 

[Sid Rixon IV]

But then you put it in perspective.

 

[pendodave]

The TV licence funds a lot of things as well as BBC TV.
You don't need a TV licence to listen to BBC radio, or to use the BBC website.
You only need a licence if you watch or record broadcast TV or use iPlayer.

If you're happy to consume all your viewing via streaming services, and avoid iPlayer, there's no need for a TV licence. So all those people saying the BBC is rubbish and we shouldn't have to pay for it - you don't have to.

I find it revealing that the left think the BBC is right biased, while the right think it's left biased. That suggests to me that it's probably fairly well balanced.

I look at the people who seem most keen to get rid of the BBC (Murdoch, Telegraph, Mail) and am reassured that keeping it is definitely the right thing.
Just because something isn't perfect doesn't mean that we'd be better off without it.
Our current media landscape is mostly owned/funded by very rich people who don't live here. I'd rather like their influence diminished than increased.

 

[Orikoru]

Eh…any of us can decide at any time to not pay the licence fee and we need not subsequently do anything that breaks the law.

Anyway.

Yep, absolutely, I opted out this year and it felt great to finally do so after debating it for a few years!

Don't forget the BBC license fee also covers radio as well.
Radio without the ad's is so much better.

Nope, that's nonsense. You don't need a TV licence to listen to the radio.

 

[Bunkermagnet]

Yep, absolutely, I opted out this year and it felt great to finally do so after debating it for a few years!


Nope, that's nonsense. You don't need a TV licence to listen to the radio.

How is the BBC radio funded then?

 

[Orikoru]

How is the BBC radio funded then?

Why should I care?

 

[simsini]

How do I avoid paying for the BBC if I just watch live sport on Sky Sports, TNT or DAZN?

 

[Bunkermagnet]

Why should I care?

I suppose that just the modern societal response to many things now..

 

[Lord Tyrion]

How do I avoid paying for the BBC if I just watch live sport on Sky Sports, TNT or DAZN?

You can't, legally. You could just stop paying it but you may get a fine.

You have to think in the next few years the BBC will get scrambled and you either pay to watch or you don't get the channels. Same as Netflix, Amazon Sky etc. The current model makes no sense for so many people, the under 30's in particular who do not watch the BBC

 

[irip]

You can't, legally. You could just stop paying it but you may get a fine.

You have to think in the next few years the BBC will get scrambled and you either pay to watch or you don't get the channels. Same as Netflix, Amazon Sky etc. The current model makes no sense for so many people, the under 30's in particular who do not watch the BBC

I don’t think that would happen.
I think a lot of people wouldn’t subscribe and that would cost them a lot of money compared to now.

I certainly wouldn’t subscribe to them

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I don't like ads and that is why I object to paying for them.
I prefer telly with no ads. (And radio)

I use iPlayer a lot and listen to stuff on Sounds all the time...every day in fact. The range and volume of content is superb...and due to the size of the BBC archive it cannot be matched - and all ad free. You don't need a license to listen to BBC Sounds...but the material available on it is only there as a result of the license fee and many decades of the British public paying it.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

I don’t think that would happen.
I think a lot of people wouldn’t subscribe and that would cost them a lot of money compared to now.

I certainly wouldn’t subscribe to them

It would have to be a very different BBC to the current version. However, in an era of subscription tv why should people pay for something they don't use? It doesn't make sense.

The numbers for younger people not watching the BBC is significant. It's watched by older people but the numbers decline markedly as you go down the age ranges. Younger people will not buy licences, they don't see that they should, and it is hard to argue against the logic.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I have just been thinking the last time I watched a programme on the BBC and honestly can’t think of when it was.
I asked the Mrs and she said she watched Tom Daly knitting programme for about 15 minutes (not sure on what channel) but other than that she couldn’t remember either.

She did point out though whenever we go to my parents they seem to have the telly on and it’s always on BBC one, maybe that’s a generational thing?

I do pay my TV licence I’m not sure if I need to or not but for 50p a day I can’t be bothered to check and I know when the World Cup is on I’ll be glued to it.

Wot? You don't watched Traitors? Your life is incomplete

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

It would have to be a very different BBC to the current version. However, in an era of subscription tv why should people pay for something they don't use? It doesn't make sense.

The numbers for younger people not watching the BBC is significant. It's watched by older people but the numbers decline markedly as you go down the age ranges. Younger people will not buy licences, they don't see that they should, and it is hard to argue against the logic.

Because many cannot afford subscription TV, and as a society we recognise that we have a responsibility to help others less fortunate than ourselves, and also to provide a resource of material and events that educate, and to nurture and support talent across the spectrum of the Arts and Sciences.

There is much in life that I pay for but do not use - but I know that others do and value it - so I am happy to pay. A country and society of individuals is not a society living up to 'British values'.

But hey - I guess some will say that I would say that.

 

[irip]

It would have to be a very different BBC to the current version. However, in an era of subscription tv why should people pay for something they don't use? It doesn't make sense.

The numbers for younger people not watching the BBC is significant. It's watched by older people but the numbers decline markedly as you go down the age ranges. Younger people will not buy licences, they don't see that they should, and it is hard to argue against the logic.

I think less people would subscribe than currently pay for a licence.
I agree they would have to change the type of programming they currently provide and that would cost them more money.

 

[Lucifer MorningStar]

You can't, legally. You could just stop paying it but you may get a fine.

You have to think in the next few years the BBC will get scrambled and you either pay to watch or you don't get the channels. Same as Netflix, Amazon Sky etc. The current model makes no sense for so many people, the under 30's in particular who do not watch the BBC

This is my issue I can’t even choose to run the risk and not pay due to work and housing it’s a legal requirement of our tenancy that we must have one! So I’d be fined twice if I was able to choose not to!

I don’t think that would happen.
I think a lot of people wouldn’t subscribe and that would cost them a lot of money compared to now.

I certainly wouldn’t subscribe to them

Same here I’d happily not subscribe and it would have no impact on my viewing but it would mean I’m not funding them

Wot? You don't watched Traitors? Your life is incomplete

Never seen an episode or even been tempted to!

 

[simsini]

Because many cannot afford subscription TV, and as a society we recognise that we have a responsibility to help others less fortunate than ourselves, and also to provide a resource of material and events that educate, and to nurture and support talent across the spectrum of the Arts and Sciences.

There is much in life that I pay for but do not use - but I know that others do and value it - so I am happy to pay. A country and society of individuals is not a society living up to 'British values'.

But hey - I guess some will say that I would say that.

The BBC currently acts like a commercial broadcaster in the type of programming it produces, so it should become one in my opinion. A subscription model seems unavoidable. The public at large will not accept a constantly rising licence fee just to watch live TV much longer, it's archaic. TV is not essential like housing and food.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Because many cannot afford subscription TV, and as a society we recognise that we have a responsibility to help others less fortunate than ourselves, and also to provide a resource of material and events that educate, and to nurture and support talent across the spectrum of the Arts and Sciences.

There is much in life that I pay for but do not use - but I know that others do and value it - so I am happy to pay. A country and society of individuals is not a society living up to 'British values'.

But hey - I guess some will say that I would say that.

There are channels out there that are advert driven, people will not be cut off from all tv. Free news is available on those channels. There are many commerical radio stations out there.

It is not essential to have the BBC. It may be preferable, but it is not essential. People will not be cut off.

Anyway, people already pay for the BBC, through their licence. All that would change is that those who dodge the licence will not be able to view because the screen will be scrambled.

 

[Neilds]

The notion that the BBC does not advertise is very quaint, but sadly outdated. Just about every guest on every chat show and radio show on the BBC is there to sell a record, advertise a tour, plug a film or TV show - all this can be considered to be advertising.