I am a fan of the BBC....But let,s talk License Fee

[GabbyLoggon]

The TV license fee is getting close to £3 a week. That is a lot of money for poor people. And rich and poor alike have to pay it; or be hauled up in court.

There must be a better, fairwer way to fund the BBC. Got any ideas?

Live overseas for a year.

After a year in Australia, I will never grudge my licence fee again...

I listen to Radio 2,4 and 5-Live plus local radio

We thought that hard swearing comedy about a geriactric ward was funny at 10pm onBBC 2 TV Thursday 12th

I have heard an argument made in favour of the BBC license fee that I would be very interested to know people's reactions to.

Everybody pays for commercial channels whether they want to or not because the cost of the advertising is factored into the price of the products we buy. So any time anyone buys a product advertised on ITV, they are indirectly paying for ITV. Even if they never watch it. Every time they buy a product advertised on SKY, they are paying for SKY - whether they are SKY subscribers or not. SKY subscribers effectively pay for it twice.

So when you look at it that way, the license fee is not so bad? At least with the BBC, we pay for it AND get a channel without constant advertisements.

I'm not sure that this argument can surmount the psychological barrier of being FORCED to pay for something under threat of fines and ultimately prosecution.

good set of posts....the license fee is safe for a good few more years

In Ireland we have to pay a license fee which costs just as much, and none of our channels are ad-free. Worst of both worlds!

The worst-case scenario is that the BBC starts using ads and the fee doesnt get significantly reduced.

i think the bbc is too big, with too many channels. a lot of what it produces coudl be done commercially. it's also a gravey train, as chris moyles says, people come on work experience and they never leave. although that might be changing now.
the licence fee is too much in the current climate. i seriously considered giving my tv to my mother in law for a couple of months to save a few £££s. perhaps we should all do this to make a point (well not everyone obviously, someone has to take all the televisions)

but lolaclare the people at the bottom don't often buy heavily advertised brands so they wont' be paying as much (own brand person here)

I think its good value plus all the radio stations (local and national) plus I player

It's worth paying the licence fee not to have to endure bloody DFS/CLS adverts.

Having said that I think the drama output could be improved and the decision to pare down the services the BBC provides was a sound one.

I think it is very good value. My radio is on all the time. I would be happy to pay more for my licence fee so low income families could get it for free

I am a BBC fan but the almost £3 a week license fee is paid by rich and poor or go to jail....the BBC Trust tell me they are aware that some people struggle to pay the fee...I too dislike adverts....But I suspoect a lot of poorer people do not even watch theBBC ....nothing will be done for many years I suspect...You know Minister Hunt fuss. some people think the first mistake was deliberate.the minister is messing the Beeb about...(keep it to yourself)

You should see the shite we have to pay for in Ireland here. As beachholiday says, it has adverts too

I agree, live abroad for a while and you will be happy to pay your £3. BBC should offer iplayer content outside the UK for a fee, if they want to generate some additional revenue.

I watch one thing a week on BBC1 the rest of my time is spent either away from the TV or watching ITV3 or freeview channels.

Considering I only watch Holby Im miffed ive to pay 150 a year for it.