To wish the BBC had adverts

[JazzAnnNonMouse]

so that we wouldn't have to pay a TV licence?

I normally channel flick through adverts anyway and they don't bother me that much (wee break, cuppa etc). The BBC advertises its own programmes now for quite a long time in-between programmes anyway.

I just think £145.50 for the few channels that the BBC provides is an awful lot!
AIBU?

But how exactly do you think the houses will get 'free' tv - someone has to pay for the infrastructure ....

By taking money for advertising you are also opening yourself to bias and making sure that you are pleasing your sponsors not your users.

People in the UK who complain about the BBC don't realise how lucky they are. It is a fabulous service, respected worldwide.

Hear hear! We should be more proud of what we have. TV abroad is utter drivel.

but I don't have to buy the things that are advertised...

YABU - I love the beeb and I hate commercial tv with ads.

Nope. YABU. I adore the BBC and especially BBC radio.

I realise that akes me sound the kind of middle-aged suburban twat I so despised 20 years ago!

One thing I would get rid of on the BBC though is BBC News24. No need for round the clock news whatsoever. It just leads to constant speculation and drivel. I wonder if for all the money they spend on BBC News24 they could have a sports channel instead?

Perhaps I should have worded this differently...
I'm not debating whether the BBC is good television or not.
I'm asking whether it's right that we can be forced (fine/prison otherwise) to pay for this service to receive other channels.

The ideal for me would be for the BBC to have adverts - then I would still be able to view the programmes I like on the BBC but wouldn't have to pay £145.50 per year on it!

I realise that makes me sound the kind of middle-aged suburban twat I so despised 20 years ago!

It makes you sound like a discerning, intelligent individual AFAIC. ITV was a lot better 20 years ago. Especially Granada.

but I don't have to buy the things that are advertised...

But the programme makers have to make programmes to please the advertisers, otherwise they won't want to advertise around them? See?

I like yellow stilettos.

Imagine if every time you bought a pair of shoes, you had to buy a pair of yellow stilettos as well. Even though you don't want to wear them.

Timely thread for me as I've got to pay my licence at the end of this month (along with a million other bills - such bad planning on my part).

TV Licencing really grips my shit.

I don't watch any BBC channels, nor do I listen to Radio 1 etc. I've read the programme lists people have posted above, and haven't seen them!

I really only watch TV after 8pm and for me its all CSI / murder and mayhem type shows etc that I get on Sky (or was until I cancelled, now its Freeview)

DD watches Cartoonito or Boomerang mostly, DH used to have Sky Sports.

Drives me batty that I have got to pay for a service I dont use - I think you should be able to opt out, and with the digital switchover this should be easy to arrange. Grrrrr

yabu. The high quality of programmes and the lack of any reliance on advertising makes it worth keeping as something for the nation.

I see it as similar to paying for libraries.

But everyone would also look better in a pair of yellow stilettos.

I believe the LF is not sustainable and the BBC know it. I don't think it's even a debate to be honest. It's a complete nonsense to be forced to pay for something that you can elect never to require.

well, that's what happens with state funded things, no? The bbc education stuff is great too.

£150 is not much to pay for quality original programming and innovations such as iplayer. Commercial tv wouldn't ever invest as much in programming without subscription as well as advertising and even then it probably wouldn't - how much of sky's output is original and good quality?

We've just cancelled sky and will be using pay as you watch services such as iTunes to access tv shows/movies we want to watch. I think this will be the future of tv anyway and it isn't really compatible with the licence fee or subscription tv but equally it would be commercial free too!

But if you are unhappy with what your taxes are being spent on- libraries for example- you can use your vote to elect a different government/council. No such democratic process exists WRT the License fee.

No government or council would get rid of libraries just because a number of voters wanted it. Even if the majority wanted to get rid of libraries, it wouldn't be the right thing to do. Some things are for the good of the nation and I think the bbc is one of them.

yabu

but sky and virgin do not produce the quality of programmes (apart from a few and sky's biased news and reality shows such as divinas dance show, pineapple studio that sort of thing cheapest of productions to make) bbc does produce lots of quality programmes, programmes that cover a wide spectrum from entertainment to educational that are shown worldwide

watch tv abroad you will soon realise how good it is here. also the bbc do a lot of educational programmes for school children. the childrens tv is far better far more educational that what itv or channel 5 show (slowing weaning ds off milkshake i can not take anymore lelli kelly adverts)

YABU - it's 40p per day for the BBC and all it's output. If you don't like paying it in one go then pay monthly. AFAIC it's a complete bargain and we ARE lucky to have it.

YABU. Plus you don't have to pay it if you don't watch live tv.

And no one needs a telly at uni!

The BBC does a massive amount, not just programming. it was a driving force behind the development of the freeview type boxes as an example, without whihc people would not have access to 40-odd free channels and digital radio. Its R&D department is renowned, and the benefits are felt not just by us but by other broadcasters.

oh would you just look at that

For example.