The BBC say that the majority of viewers want the TV license. They won't mind a national vote then will they?

Question

"The nation's favourite" they call themselves, but with every gratuitous rise in the License Fee they are becoming more and more disliked, even hated. If they are as popular with the British public as they say they are, then let's see. I call on Culture Minister, Tessa Jowell, to give the go ahead for a national debate and fee-payers vote. Let the minister and the BBC put up, or BACK DOWN.

Answer 1

I agree lets vote the bastards out.

Answer 2

They're dreaming. Of course the majority of people don't want the TV license. They see it as an anachronism.
The TV license fee is supposed to pay for the BBC, but why shouldn't we be able to simply opt out of watching BBC and not have to pay ? With all this wonderful technology that ought to be easy. But then the BBC wouldn't be able to survive because so many people would opt out. After all, the BBC has become a government propaganda machine and who wants to watch that ?
It wasn't always this way. The BBC used to be respected around the world for its fair and impartial reporting, but no more.
To be fair, the BBC does still produce some good programmes on occasion, but to nothing like the extent that it used to. It's an awful shame.
Then there's the attitude of the TV licensing authority. The penalties for not paying the license fee are out of all proportion to those for far more serious crimes.
Will anything change any time soon ? Fat chance - the BBC has got to pay for the changeover to digital broadcasting. That's why they have been pushing for a big increase in the license fee recently.

Answer 3

The BBC would not mind a vote on the issue of the TV licence - it gets this anyway in the form of a renewal of contract every few years in parliament and its not always a foregone conclusion that it will continue either. In a national vote on the issue of the TV license, the BBC would win hands down easily. It is seen by my generation and the one behind me as the very soul of British culture - take it away and you'll just have Corrie.

Answer 4

The BBC IS the Establishment. The Establishment is hard to pin down but roughly speaking it is the hereditary rich and powerful who stand to lose the most in the event of a threatened 'State security' and who therefore maintain by stealth an iron grip on the civil service who wheel and deal in foreign affairs. Woven into this tapestry of control are certain key communicators who are all beholden to the Government to toe the line under the very questionable auspices of 'State Security'. The BBC is perhaps the most ambiguous of all communicators when the chips are down, when its journalists have 'crossed the line' between journalistic freedom and 'State Security'. According to their rationale Freedom of Speech comes at the price of 'social responsibility' but no-one can verify what is meant by 'State Security'. It is shrouded in much secrecy for reasons that seem candid enough but the public are conscious of bare faced lies like the Iraq Dossier - in which I believe the BBC became a calpable accessory. Hence the connection between the BBC and the Establishment as two sides to one coin.
I am personally deeply suspicious of broadcast licensing being under the tight supervision of Establishment bodies, as I feel it lends itself to political abuse. i.e. to restrain political change and control dissidence.
The idea that the BBC is an independent publisher, unrestrained by political interference, was smashed in the Gilligan affair, and as such it makes the license payer all the more wary of their obligation to pay into a service that is somewhat politically tarnished.
So, Tessa Jowell, over to you. Should we pay for a biased service or not?

Answer 5

I agree whole heatedly. Lets have a vote, then it would be explained to the public what we would loose. I think radios 3 and 4 would become just two more sponsored pop music stations, the world service would have to go and BBC1 and 2 TV would have endless adverts. Sure lets have a vote, we might loose what is the envy of the world, but we would a few save a few quid.

Answer 6

Don't fall for that old con. Its as old as prostitution. If you ask a question, you just keep asking people till an idiot gives the answer you want then the cameras start rolling and that's your proof.

That's why in Baghdad on the news amid the rubble and the dead there are people coming up to the cameras and thanking the Americans for invading their country. Idiots are actually ten for one penny at the going rate.

No one in correct mind will want to pay for anything that should be free of could be free.

Answer 7

I will gladly pay any increases in license fees.

On condition that, we are no longer subjected to sh1t like:

1. Big Brother.
2. Strictly Come Dancing.
3. Trinny & Sussanah.
4. Endless cookery programs.
5. 100 hours football per week versus 1 hour of mororsport.
6. The Jeremy Kyle Show.
7. Any type of Antiques show.
8. Any show about badly behaved children.
9. Anything about buying property overseas.
10. X-Factor/Choir/Opera/Rap programs

Answer 8

The B.B.C is a independent organisation, with no political bias to any one (well that's what they say) It's about time the b.b.c. moved into the 21st century and a openly accepted advertising to help pay for their keep, they get away with advertising snooker tournament, show jumping competition and football games with adverting in the name of the tournament. I'm sure the companies would happily pay the b.b.c for screen coverage, But would the Government remove the licence fee !!!!

Answer 9

I heard the used to have what was called a broadcasting licence years ago, I only know about this as I remember my grandma telling me you needed one for th wireless (Radio) as they were known back then. I heard the got rid of that and replaced it with what is now known as the T.V licence, my question is why don't they get rid of that since we have digital after all you have to pay the cable company's.T.v licences Who wants them I don't!.

Answer 10

the license fee is a joke especially when you see what shite is on over xmas. they should also stop paying tossers like ross 6 million a year just to talk crap with other people just plugging new movies books or dvd's its a bloody disgrace

Answer 11

How do they work that out? I don't want a tv license just to pay for that channel. I don't even watch it anymore. Yes they shopuld have a vote and if they are proved right then I would ...um..eat my own foot.