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AIBU?

to think the tv licence should be made subscription only, especially in light off all the scandals at the BBC?

106 replies

ophelia275 · 06/10/2012 09:55

I know there are a lot of people who think the tv tax licence is good value for money but I think people should have a choice and I really think it is time it should be a subscription service and those that want to watch BBC/other channels funded by the licence, can choose to subscribe to it, rather than everyone being forced to pay £145 a year. I don't watch much BBC etc and would be happy to forgo it altogether.

There is definitely the technology for BBC/other channels to be scrambled so that those that are not paying the tax subscription cannot receive endless repeats of Only Fools and Horses its programs. I feel this particularly strongly now with all the corruption ("celebrities" being paid in such a way to avoid tax) and complicity in sexual abuse (Jimmy Saville). I don't want to be forced to pay towards these kind of things. If the BBC is so great then it will naturally attract lots of subscribers and stand up on its own two feet. If not, oh well, such is life.

OP posts:
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Tweasels · 06/10/2012 09:57

How would you deal with all the online content and radio stations?

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HecateHarshPants · 06/10/2012 10:00

I would certainly like a choice. I don't understand the attitude about the BBC that somehow it must be funded and protected. It should fight its way through like the rest of them. There isn't anything wrong with having adverts, having people pay for the channels if they want to. There is something wrong with telling people that they HAVE to pay, regardless whether they want the service or not.

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thebestisyettocome · 06/10/2012 10:02

BBC programmes are the only ones worth watching or listening to. The other channel and stations are mainly concerned with appealing to the lowest common denominator. The revelations about Jimmy Saville are awful but I'm guessing that the culture that existed at BBC in the seventies and eighties bears no resemblance to the current culture.

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SirBoobAlot · 06/10/2012 10:03

What scandal at the BBC? I've been out of the loop for a few weeks...

I think the TV licence fee is ridiculously high, though, and do prefer BBC because of the lack of adverts. BBC 4 is amazing.

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ChaoticismyLife · 06/10/2012 10:15

YANBU I've thought that wrt the subscription service for a while now.

Wrt online content they could have a code on your tv licence that you have to input before being allowed to watch. I don't have a radio but I'm sure something could be worked out, certainly the radio stations could be blocked through tv/computer the same way as the tv programmes could.

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lovebunny · 06/10/2012 10:17

hmm. i'd like just to pay for what i watch.

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Tweasels · 06/10/2012 10:18

I think the BBC do certain things way better than any of the commercial channels. I can't abide commercial radio. I'm a bit of a radio nerd and no one does radio as well as the BBC.

I don't know whether this is because of the way it's funded or not but I'm sure being commercial would bring in more money but clearly doesn't make programmes better (just look at channel 5)

But I also appreciate that if you don't watch/listen you shouldn't really have to contribute so my views are from a totally selfish standpoint.

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WilsonFrickett · 06/10/2012 10:19

YANBU to think some element of choice would be a good thing wrt the licence fee. YABU if it's because of Jimmy Saville. Yes, that whole situation is an absolute disgrace but you can't condemn the entire Corporation because of it.

I also remember how many people were moaning because of adverts during the Paralympics...

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CreamOfTomatoSoup · 06/10/2012 10:21

You don't have to pay for a licence if you only listen to radio or watch non live tv on iplayer.

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pumpkinsweetie · 06/10/2012 10:21

Yanbu- I also think the bbc's Tv liscence is a waste of money too!
Nearly £12 a month, half of what i pay for Sky which has zillions of channels.
What for, well i only watch Eastenders & Casualty but id be quite happy to forgo them to save £11 summin a month!

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Bluegrass · 06/10/2012 10:27

My taxes go towards all sorts of things that I'm not allowed to opt out of on the basis that they are "a good thing". Personally I think having the world's best public service broadcaster is "a good thing" and if it means I get to watch some great content without sitting through ads or contributing to the Murdoch empire I'm delighted!

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ihearsounds · 06/10/2012 10:29

I agree that it should be on a subscription basis. I do not watch beeb, and I do think it is unfair that everyone has to pay if they want to watch tv. The beeb use ads on their websites outside the UK, so I don't understand why they cannot do it here as well.

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crazygracieuk · 06/10/2012 10:30

I would happily pay for a iplayer subscription if the tv license was scrapped.

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FreudiansGoldSlipper · 06/10/2012 10:36

he would have got away with what he did where ever he was working the bbc are working along with the police in the investigation, i was dissappointed with the early statement but what more can they do now

i feel the issue not wanting to pay your licence becasue you do not want to as you do not use the bbc services and this is completely seperate and very wrong to use this as another reason to not want to pay it

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AndiMac · 06/10/2012 10:36

YABU. What Bluegrass said.

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MrsjREwing · 06/10/2012 10:40

Do we get to choose to not pay tax for the alledged police, approved school staff, social workers etc that helped cover up?

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TooMuchRain · 06/10/2012 10:44

I'd pay a licence just for the quality of Radio 4 which is unique, the scandals don't affect that at all.

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BertieBotts · 06/10/2012 10:46

I don't bother any more. Can get all I want either by buying DVDs or watching through iplayer/4od type things.

Sometimes a programme isn't on 4od or iplayer after broadcast and that's a bit disappointing, but it's not the end of the world. I'm not that interested in TV. Rather spend the money on a broadband connection!

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Collaborate · 06/10/2012 10:54

Isn't Channel4 funded through the license fee?
Maybe we should privatise the NHS too. I hardly ever go to the doctors.
And what about the military? I've never had use of a nuclear submarine in my life.
The point is, it's a tax for a public service that nearly everyone uses. No adverts. No rich Murdochs creaming off the profits and using them to prop up the Scum newspaper.
I can never understand those who thin £12 a month too much, yet she'll out twice that to view crap Sky channels with adverts.

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SoleSource · 06/10/2012 10:58

If onedoes not pay their Virgin/Sky bill the service is cit off. Maybe restricting the BBC channels/BBC I.ternet could be restricted too, somehow. But radio I very much doubt. As a whole I imagine an opt out system would be very hatd to police.

I do love radio 4 too :)

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ChaoticismyLife · 06/10/2012 11:06

My opinion on the tv licence has nothing to do with JS, I've thought the tv licence should be scrapped for years. I've no idea about Channel 4, I'll gladly lose that too.

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mrsminerva · 06/10/2012 11:08

YANBU, I rarely watch the BBC these days. Why should I pay for it because I have a TV?

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SarahBumBarer · 06/10/2012 11:19

The licence fee is basically a stealth tax which annoys me of itself. That aside I think the Licence fee is good VFM. I'd happily pay it but entirely support the right of people to opt out of it if they choose - at worst there should be a reduced fee for people who don't want the TV services (but can still access online content etc). So YANBU.

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ModernToss · 06/10/2012 11:23

I agree with every word of Bluegrass's post. Radio 4 alone is worth the license fee.

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gordyslovesheep · 06/10/2012 11:29

the Licence fee funds commercial stations as well - plus local out put - so you would be left with Sky - which you pay for :)

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