BBC tv is it worth it ??

Question

In the UK they pay a fee of around $180 a year because 1 channel BBC seems to have the rights to this!
All other channels Sky etc are funded by adverts.
No one I have spoken to here thinks of this BBC thing as an investment, but they all have to pay,they have 'detector vans' snooping around the streets to check if a TV is being used, they then check if a 'licience' has been bought for the reception at that house! And if not a fine of around $1800 is given to the house holder.
How stupid is that??

OH yes!! in all fairness I forgot to mention(some one has just pointed out) that if the house holder is blind they get some sort of reduction in the fee!

Answer 1

Unfortunately the authorities are quick to remind us that the TV licence fee not only pays for the BBC TV and radio channels but also pays in part for the British Board of Film Censors and a myriad of other gubbins. This means that even if you physically and electronically stop your TV from being able to recieve BBC 1 & 2 they'll still sting you if you watch DVD's and video tapes.

:¬(

Also they remind us that the licence fee represents value for money and the BBC is unbiased and produces top quality TV entertainment.

Personally I think the TV licence is outdated and nothing more than a cash cow for the BBC. If the BBC went commercial ( which they already are with regards to their own advertisements for its own services ) imagine the premium they could charge - top dollar for top products.

I might actually photocopy last years licence - seems fair for all the repeats

:¬)

And yes, if you are registered blind you do get 50% off the price ( but nothing if you are deaf )

:¬o

Answer 2

The license fee also applies if you watch TV on your PC.

Yet it is worth every penny. The BBC also provides international, national and local radio and an on-line service and does it all to a high standard with which the other broadcasters have to compete.

The BBC also maintains a high level of impartiality and is often the first port of call when trying to get a balanced view on news and current affairs.

I have travelled a lot and have yet to find any country which has a broadcast network that comes close to the standard we enjoy here in the UK.

The licence fee is around $15 a month. Cable and sattelite services are far more expensive - so it is far better value for money.

If all of that fails to sway you - this will. IT IS NOT OWNED BY MURDOCH!

Answer 3

Because of the method of funding they are able to produce &/or broadcast a proportion of programs which don't have to have mass-audiance appeal (eg intellectual/special interest), the programming doesn't need to be interspursed with adverts and they don't have to keep showing repeats on their main channels.
The BBC has about 8 channels on their digital networks (2 on analogue), as well as 5 national radio stations & scores of regional radio stations.
Since their digital services became available, I have been more than happy to pay the BBC TV license fee - it's much less than satellite & cable packages from other broadcasters.
If you allowed it to, it would give you a whole year's entertainment: how many nights out could you get for £130, 5 to 12 maybe?
As for the detector vans - I'm pretty sure they only visit addresses which their database shows as not having a license, to see if you have a tuner oscilating at UHF frequencies.

Answer 4

The money is for a TV Licence. You have to get one even if you don't watch BBC! The money does go to them though. For your fee, you get 4 or 5 channels, 2 from BBC, Channel 4 and ITV. If you want the others, you have to pay more!
Regardless, you still have to have a Licence. It's the same in Ireland, although, I don't think it's that expensive and in Ireland, you get the British Channel and 4 Irish ones too!

Answer 5

The answers is for the UK not to pay the TV licence fee.
I mean, not just a few people do not pay, EVERYBODY does not pay.
The £3+ Billion revenue the fee brings in, is as we know classed as a tax. This revenue doesn't go to the BBC it goes to a government department.

Brighton on the South East coast, have got it right, they have the most non-paying households in the southern UK.

'SCRAP THE LICENCE FEE'

Answer 6

many people say the licence fee is too expensive, and it isnt needed. Agreed, the BBC can always go to advertisment to raise revenue, but that would probably have a knock-on effect in the shops, the advertisers only have a finite amount of money to spend, and the cost of the product would have to rise.

The money doesnt only go to BBC1.. there are BBC1,2,3,4.. BBC RADIO 1,2,3,4,5., BBC LOCAL RADIO....which includes just about every town in the UK, and no, I am not going to list them, it aslo covers BBC world service, where the BBC has a "base" in many countries... and to cap it all, the licence only costs around 30pence per day

Answer 7

i do no longer watch a lot of television yet what I do watch is especially actual, so a procedures as high quality is in contact no different channels compete, without the BBC there'd be little element me having a television. No television licence and that i might have almost no longer something to hearken to or watch. So each thing I watch and hear i'm getting for decrease than £3 each week without interruptions from classified ads. i might omit it, badly.

Answer 8

One word. Sorry two words. WORLD CUP. Anyone who has watched with interest the conflict between the quality of coverage from ITV and the beeb of this year's event should realise that this kind of coverage every 4 years should cover the licence fee. Step up and receive your plaudits Messrs Lineker, Shearer, Hansen, Lawrenson, and of course Motty! Even Ian Wright can be afforded a few compliments, Gooner nonetheless!

Answer 9

It allows them to produce some excellent documentaries and dramas instead of just 'popular' reality crap like the uk advertising channels have stooped to to boost revenue.

And the fee funds a lot more than a couple of tv channels.

As for value for money .... that's debatable

Answer 10

Well we love it here in the US and have to pay to see it to. It's worth the money although lately BBCAmerica has reduced the amount of comedy shows . they used to show Blackadder and The Royale Family but not lately.I don't watch their news coverage at all but anything else is fair game.Hex is an excellent newer series but not for younger children.Do they really have vans out searching for homes without licenses?Geez what a waste of time.Unbelievable.