Is the UK TV Licence fee really worth the money?

Question

I personally think that the licence fee is not worth the money, for the simple reason that there are fewer programmes that I now watch on the BBC than I used to. There are more programmes that I detest watching now than good ones, even on the Digital channels!! I think there's too much dumbing down on TV now, with programmes following the same formulas. What do you think?

Should the BBC replace the licence fee with something else and what would you like to see on television? Discuss.

Answer 1

It all depends on whether you like the programmes the BBC make, such as Doctor Who and the news programmes. They've spent a lot on more and more channels, when to me they can't fill the two they had properly. There again, in fairness, Sky bid them out of the market for the cricket, ITV poured a lot of money in the F1 coverage and there are a lot more competing sources of entertainment round now. But I agree, the BBC is not Value for Money, and is a class-ridden, snobbish, finishing school for rich people. I've had several interviews there and as soon as they found out I'd gone to a Comprehensive that was that!

Answer 2

No way is the licence fee value for money. The majority of shows on the BBC are repeats or tacky reality shows that are just ripping off ideas from Channel Four or ITV (who at least have the excuse that we're not funding them). I can't remember the last time there was a good film on the channel (ITV, on occasion, has managed to get a new release aired before Sky by buying the rights first). The only thing the BBC is good for is the news and even then, you can get equally as good quality news on ITV or Sky.

Fifteen years ago, the licence fee might have been worth it to some degree as the BBC made an effort to made decent dramas but now we're paying for rubbish shows, egotistical TV presenters to travel the globe on our money and stupid digital channels that no-one watches when there are better channels out there. Watching the BBC and you honestly feel as if you'd have been better off just putting your money down the drain.

The BBC should be made to air adverts to fund themselves if they want to keep going. However, with the abundance of better shows on Sky, I don't think anyone would cry if they just vanished.

Answer 3

No it is rubbish, I never watch anything on BBC 1, I watch a few things on BBC 2, and I don't have a digital receiver to watch all those programmes they have spent huge sums of money on. I don't have a problem with the licence fee providing it is reasonable value for money, but in recent years it has galloped out of control while they give certain people offensively large salaries and commission programs I can't see and probably would not wish to. There is too much dumbing down, but it not just the BBC - there is nothing on Channel 4 at all now, nothing on ITV except Agatha Christie dramas occasionally.

Answer 4

NO its not worth the money you pay for a licence, the BBC tax is a complete rip off. I wish it did work - wrapping the telly in silver foil to evade the detector vans....

Look at the programs they put on, the endless repeats, and worst of all, the diabolical insult to human intelligence AND the far corner of London, that is Eastenders.

Thank god for Sky - but what a rip off they are too!

To quote the old biddy Catherine Tate doe's "What a facking liberty!!"

Answer 5

the trouble is that the bbc provides us with the only escape from adverts. Just take Lost, half an hour of drama, half an hour of adverts. The trouble with the BBC is:

>Try to please to many people
>Too many channels to spread the license fee
>Too affraid to put original / cutting edge programes on the mainstream terrestrial channels
>They take one successful idea and milk it until it is a dried up heap of rubbish that even channel5 wouldn't buy
>They keep increasing the price of it
>They over pay their broadcasters (im thinking radio1's Chris Moyles)
>They show too many repeats
>They show too many 'nice' programmes which offer nothing but bumbling presenters (Ben Fogle) selling antiques from people we care nothing about (Cash In The Atic)
>Too many 'Celebrity' phone in shows, so last decade
>Too much news (theyve got a news channel now, we don't need it on BBC1)

Answer 6

I've always thought so, but My Hero has just come on BBC1 and it's even worse without Ardel wotsisface than it was before. I demand a refund.

Actually, the alternatives are pay for the licence, no TV, or try and avoid the fine and criminal conviction.

Personally I think the makers of My Hero should be convicted. Of something. Anything

Answer 7

BBC make some fine programmes but they are guilty of trying to match ITV for lowbrow material (usually succeeding).
A lot of people are wising up to Sky and pulling the plug as most of it is aimed at morons, this site being a good example of their target audience.
With a few exceptions!
Stop trying to be idiot TV and raise the bar I say.

Answer 8

I have the full sky package but still spend 10 minutes trying to find something other than crap on TV.

There is no way the licence fee is worth £40 let alone the £1?? that it is (I can't even bring myslef to type the amount).....

Answer 9

I think it is a waste of money as you pay the licence fee then you pay for SKY on top of that so it is expensive to watch a tv. Also the tv itself is not cheap.

Answer 10

It's not just TV your paying for, it's radio aswell. I agree with you tho, BBC has gone downhill over the last 5 years or so.

I think they should advertise like most other channels do. They would make more money.