Panicking over TV Licence now

[neilyoungismyhero]

Think I might have shot myself in the foot although of course I can reverse the decision. I've just cancelled our tv licence. We watch a lot of Netflix and Itv X and other ITV/Sky channels so decided we could save ourselves some money by getting rid off the BBC channels.
I'm now not sure what exactly we can watch after reading a bit late about the exemptions.
Does anyone know definitively what we can watch without a licence please.

You can watch the news, just not broadcast live.

For example the 6:30pm evening news is added to itx at 7:30pm, so you can watch it then.

You can get now TV and watch sky programming but not as it airs.

Itvx even lets you watch iPlayer stuff sometimes, especially if it from the 90's.

Example 2point4 children on iPlayer requires a license, watch on ITVx doesn't require one.

We have found there are loads of ways to legally watch the BBC content without a license.

The TV License is a ridiculous anachronism in this day and age. Either fund it by taxation or make it a subscription service like Netflix. Or a combination of the two.

I watch sky news via YouTube or their app. I don't think it counts as live tv if it's on an app for free.

I used to think BBC was excellent value so happily paid the licence fee even though I barely watch any TV (though I was addicted to R4). In recent years its become utter bollox, and the reporting is now awful so I cancelled the licence a couple of years ago. I get threatening letters but i just bin them.

It does count if you're watching the live streams on Yt or the app, if you're just watching catchup videos after they have been broadcast on either it doesn't.

If you cancel licence online it says on the online form that they will not send any letters but they may send an officer to check.
I cancelled mine over a year ago have had no letters at all and so far no visits .
I think you get bombarded with letters if you just stop paying .

Also, I don't think you need panic too much, of you decide you can't cope without watching sky and news live, they will happily take your money again for a new license. Though they do that annoying thing where they make you pay extra to start with to sort of build up credit.

I wish they would work like a normal subscription service. If I could pick and choose months to sign up to watch iPlayer I would on occasion when there were a couple of things I might fancy watching. As it is I just don't bother.

@Llamagrass yes, I agree it counts officially but I don't think it should.

I follow everything else to the letter, I don't imagine they will be too concerned by me watching it on the app every now and then.

Happy to come back and say if they catch me but I'm about 5 years in to watching the app or YouTube and 15 of no tv licence.

Just recently cancelled mine, mostly have watched tv on demand for some time but didn’t mind paying (not that I had to for radio) as felt I had good value for money from radio 2. That’s been completely destroyed now so no more money for the BBC from me.

Have also saved a bit more by getting rid of the tv package with Virgin media. Used some of the savings for GHR premium subscription and upped my mobile data allowance. Roll on 3rd April for Ken!