TV Licence in the UK

I am always moaning about paying my TV licence I think it's about £175 now I own a Campervan and thought I'd be breaking the law by watching Tv in my Campervan in the UK only to search the internet to find to my surprise that I can indeed legally watch television in my Campervan, providing I have a home licence which isn't being simultaneously used, providing my Campervan isn't static/permanent.

I've always thought the BBC should show adverts and save everybody the problem of paying for a Tv licence, if other Television channels can make a profit why can't the BBC,.

I suppose there are many of you out there who will jump out of your chairs and say well the BBC provides iPlayer and Ceefax as well as on-line news, I accept some of that but isn't it too expensive £175.

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FreddieUK · 70-79, M

If the BBC were to compete with ITV, C4 and 5 as well as the myriad other channels they would almost certainly make a massive dent in the commercial market, and probably force at least one of the other 'free-to-air' channels into bankruptcy. The quality of BBC programmes at their best is second-to-none and there is plenty of variety, including, of course a gold standard news service envied around the world. I can't stand EastEnders, Match of the Day or Strictly Come Dancing, but millions do and no doubt they have no time for my railways and thoughtful travelogues (e.g. fronted by Simon Reeve and Michael Portillo) or in depth history and nature programmes. If you want to know what the difference is, check out how C5's 43 minute offerings padded out to 1 hour in the schedule with commercials and trailers compares with a 58 minute offering from the BBC, which doesn't keep giving you recaps of what you've just seen or tell you what's coming up (unless it's been made for commercial distribution).

I detest adverts. I pay for ITVX and YouTube to avoid wasting my time sitting through them. I cancelled Netflix after 2 years when I realised I'd seen everything I wanted to and all the 'new' series were re-hashes of the same old plot lines and characters with different actors. They pushed their prices so high and the same with Amazon Prime when they wanted me to watch their ads.

Radios 3&4 make my fee worthwhile even before I turn in the TV.

Everyone pays for TV. It's just a matter of how you choose to do it and in a world that seems to increasingly want to emphasise cultural cohesion, for me, one way is to have an independent national broadcaster not beholden to politicians or commercial interests.

As I re-read this, I realise that I'm a bit more passionate about it than I thought. I intend only a balancing opinion.

senghenydd · M

@FreddieUK Yes your intitled to your opinion we welcome free speech on SW.

I know of many people here in South Wales who are feeling the pinch with cost with the living most are quite willing to contribute to the BBC a reduced amount not the full £175, however I admit they do provide a very good service and hope they continue to do so for many more years.

FreddieUK · 70-79, M

@senghenydd Thanks for that measured response. I know a lot of people feel quite strongly about it, and I'm sure something needs to be done about those who can't genuinely afford it. I also think there is a question mark over exactly how much the BBC does. They've just lost the rights to the Commonwealth Games and more and more sports are selling their rights to commercial businesses. That area has no longer become a question if they should compete, but rather they're just out of the market now. For me that's not a problem, I don't watch any sport anywhere. But for many of those who are paying the license fee they will want to see their favourite sport accessible. There may be other areas where commercial interests can take over and release the BBC to produce those things which there is no obvious market for.

senghenydd · M

@FreddieUK I played sport in school in fact enjoyed competing in rugby swimming and many other sports, however I've not been a good fan so watching sports is something I could easily forget.
I have friends who subscribe to pay view channels who should be placing the budget elsewhere like better food for their family it's sad.
BBC have lost rights to show some sporting events because pay view channels have out-bid them supporting Footballers who are multi-millionaires, the BBC and Sky are only wasting money, that's my opinion for what it's worth.

FreddieUK · 70-79, M

@senghenydd It's worth as much as mine 😀. That's why I like SW: to bounce ideas around.

senghenydd · M

@FreddieUK OK footballers who are multi-millionaries who leave their Rolex watches around their mansions for the less off to pinch all paid for by the masses like you and me.

FreddieUK · 70-79, M

@senghenydd I think that would take us into a whole new discussion about how ordinary working people (whatever they are) are supporting the lifestyle of the Premier League divas and their agents managers and whoever else gets a cut without a murmur of discontent… Well, hardly ever.

senghenydd · M

@FreddieUK One of the poorest places I know has the most Take A Ways per population and they all ride around in Taxi's nothing nowadays surprises me, oh and all subscribe to Sky.

OriginalNedKelly · M

@senghenydd Not in Liverpool