[M.Joshi]

I have always wondered why it is in the interest of terrestrial television companies to provide new and interesting programs afterall, people only pay the standard license fee and the companies get no extra benefit?

[hornydragon]

Originally posted by M.Joshi
I have always wondered why it is in the interest of terrestrial television companies to provide new and interesting programs afterall, people only pay the standard license fee and the companies get no extra benefit?

Well the more people watch the more they can sell advertising space for!!!!! The BBC are the only broadcaster that benefit from the license!
ITV four and five all run on advertising revenue as do UKTV etc etc etc.

SO they doit so people will watch
Simple!

[M.Joshi]

Does that technically mean that if you have Cable or Sky, you don't have to pay a license as you are already paying a subscription to watch the channels?

[hornydragon]

LOL err no as the license is not for channels but for the "authority to recieve them legally".

[LV426]

If you have cable or $ky, none of the subscription money goes to the BBC or the other 'free' channels, ITV, C4 etc. It all goes to Rupert Murdoch (pretty much).

The TV licence has the sole purpose of funding the BBC. But you do not have the option to not pay it, unless you have no means of receiving broadcast television of any type/channel/broadcaster.

In other words, if you had only a monitor (no tuner) plus a DVD player - no licence fee. However, buy or rent any type of tuner/set top box and you must pay the licence - even if you have absolutely no intention of watching the BBC.

[billduff]

Originally posted by nigel
In other words, if you had only a monitor (no tuner) plus a DVD player - no licence fee. However, buy or rent any type of tuner/set top box and you must pay the licence - even if you have absolutely no intention of watching the BBC.

In other words is a TAX for watching TV. Calling it a licence is a poite way of fooling everyone.

As long as the BBC churn out a fair deal and good programmes I am not too fussed but I object to it being wasted and really object to the US getting better and cheaper DVD's and Videos of BBC programs trhat we have paid to make, while we get basic versions at twice the price.

[hornydragon]

The license is only payable by those under 70 though!

[Logo Hater]

Originally posted by hornydragon
The license is only payable by those under 70 though!

Actually it's 75, but the craziness about this is that if any person living in a property is over the age of 75, then everyone in that property can watch without paying the licence.

This only applies if the property is a self contained dwelling, not for instance if it's something like a block of flats.

So it's theoretically possible for a family with perhaps several reasonably well paid members living in a house with one person over the age of 75 to pay nothing, whilst a single Mum on benefits, who can't really afford it, has to pay.

[hornydragon]

I did't realise it was 75 i just know my grandparents dont pay. When you say self contained dweeling i assume a house(terrace semi detached flat etc) not a room in nursing home type thing.

[Logo Hater]

Originally posted by hornydragon
I did't realise it was 75 i just know my grandparents dont pay. When you say self contained dweeling i assume a house(terrace semi detached flat etc) not a room in nursing home type thing.

Yes! that is the type of dwelling which applies. It just applies to a property which can in theory only be occupied by one family. Ruling out such as rooms in nursing homes, which are not usually owned by the elderly occupants, but the dwelling to which it does apply does not need to be owned by the person over the age of 75.

If for instance, one or both of your Grandparents, who apparently qualify, came to live with you, you would then be entitled to apply for a free licence and if you are able to demonstrate that you have someone over the age of 75 living in your property, you become entitled to a free TV licence.

If every licence payer could arrange for a suitable aged person to share their home, the BBC would receive no money, sounds good doesn't it.

[hornydragon]

Not really i would rather pay than entertain a OAP!!!!

[bob1]

Even if the fee was scraped you would still need a licence this would be about £15 a year going on other licence fees.My ham radio licence covers me for tv reception so i wouldn't need another licence if the fee was scraped.We can only dream

There's a lot of things that are unfair about the license fee. For instance, a quarter of all women in prison in Scotland are there for non-payment of the fee! If you work for a living, you are unlikely to be caught, as the inspectors are only allowed to call between 8am and 6pm on a week day. So the only people that get caught are students and the unemployed. The inspectors target these groups, because they're the most unlikely to pay, and they get the data from Universities and dole offices as to where the people live.

Having said all that, I'd rather pay the BBC for its programmes than give a penny to Murdoch.