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AIBU?

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Original poster

to not want cuts to the BBC?

272 replies

Mintyy · 16/07/2015 19:56

Can anyone explain to me how cutting the BBC massively will actually improve my life?

I hardly watch tv. I do listen to a lot of radio. But I fervently hope the BBC isn't going to change too much.

It is something that the rest of the world envies us for and I fear it may be one of those things we don't miss until it has gone.

OP posts:
Justanotherlurker · 16/07/2015 22:29

What sports do they cover Cadenza, and what is better that is not offered on commercial channels?

Radio, definetly don't want to see that disappear but could be trimmed I would happily pay for that with general taxation, as for internet resources the reason they have monopolised the market is because of the state funding which enabled the monolith it is (I worked for them) and the website is sinking into clickbait tactics and the trending /buzz feed copycat is embarrassing.

Being asked to justify the regressive tax isn't a bad thing surely, especially considering the approval/confidence rating has been dropping steadily over the past decade?

msgrinch · 16/07/2015 22:30

No I never watch it, no crapper BBC radio, no cbeebies etc, could go on. My friends and colleagues are the same so why should we pay this? pop a block on it like other channels on freeview/sky and if you want to watch it then you pay for it. I don't yet I'm forced to or I get taken to court.

Original poster
Mintyy · 16/07/2015 22:30

Msgrinch - but as it stands, you don't have to pay for the BBC do you? There is no compulsion to pay a Licence fee unless you watch BBC television. Or have I got that wrong?

OP posts:
Hassled · 16/07/2015 22:32

I think the license fee is absolutely worth it - it's good value for the quantity and quality of entertainment/information we get.

And those people who don't pay the license fee because they don't have a telly but then "catch up on I-player" - I struggle to see how that's different to theft. There should be some sort of firewall to online viewing, which license-fee payers can get through and others should pay for.

MitzyLeFrouf · 16/07/2015 22:32

None of your friends or colleagues watch the BBC?

Sure.

msgrinch · 16/07/2015 22:33

If I want to watch my tv I have to pay tv licence. no matter what channel I watch, we haven't had any BBC channels on in this house in 6 years yet because I have a working tv I have to pay it.

Charlesroi · 16/07/2015 22:34

Cadenza1818 You need a licence to watch television as it is broadcast (any channel, broadcast from any location in the world - it's got nowt to do with the BBC because it's actually a tax on watching telly). You don't currently need a licence for catch up services and this includes iPlayer catch up. It seems to me that this would be the first thing to block and the BBC should do that immediately. I wonder why they have a) allowed access in the first place and b) given how many 'evaders' are now watching it why they don't just turn it off.

msgrinch · 16/07/2015 22:34

No mitzy they don't, my 2 colleagues think the same as me and my friends also.

MitzyLeFrouf · 16/07/2015 22:36

All your friends? I do beg your pardon but I'm having a hard time believing that.

msgrinch · 16/07/2015 22:40

Well you're wrong my friends the whole 10 of my close friends watch channel 4/itv/itvbe/five/sky channels etc. We're also all working alot and have little interest in BBC programmes, our children are older and have no interest in cbeebies. We have heat and kiss radio to listen to and Netflix as well. Sorry if you don't believe it but for my peers the BBC is defunct now.

westlondoner82 · 16/07/2015 22:42

Anyone referencing the BBCs political impartiality clearly wasn't watching this years election coverage.

MitzyLeFrouf · 16/07/2015 22:46

Whatever you say grinch.

SwedishEdith · 16/07/2015 22:48

For those who say they never watch live tv, what do you do if there is a major news story like a 7/7 type event? I'm already assuming you must have absolutely no interest in any sports at all.

GraysAnalogy · 16/07/2015 22:50

No interest in Sport.

If it's a major news story I read the news online.

I'm not going to have a TV license and something that allows me to view live TV just in case there's a disaster ha.

I'm happy with Netflix and air playing things from online to my Apple TV thing.

DadfromUncle · 16/07/2015 22:51

Msgrinch - but as it stands, you don't have to pay for the BBC do you? There is no compulsion to pay a Licence fee unless you watch BBC television. Or have I got that wrong?

Anyone who watches live broadcast TV - any SKY, ITV, C4, C5 etc as they are broadcast currently needs a TV licence even if they never ever watch a single BBC programme.

People like me who never watch live telly don't currently need a licence.

msgrinch · 16/07/2015 22:53

clearly you can't realise that quite a few people don't actually use anything the BBC offers, yet are still made to pay for it. My mum watches lots of BBC programmes and has radio 4 on night and day, my friends and I don't. Look at it this evening, flicking through you have a repeat of motorway cops, news night and Russel Howard. Like most nights. It's hardly ground breaking stuff.

Original poster
Mintyy · 16/07/2015 22:54

Yes, but how do all your 10 friends feel about washing hands after changing a poo-filled nappy msgrinch? Perhaps they are the same as you and think its unnecessary.

For everyone who doesn't want to pay the licence fee - FINE. I wish there was a way to make it impossible for you to access BBC programmes on tv, radio and online.

OP posts:
GraysAnalogy · 16/07/2015 22:54

Yeah I'm gunna have to back MrsGrinch up here, none of my friends watch BBC either. We had this very discussion not long back actually.

IssyStark · 16/07/2015 22:54

I think the BBC is worth every penny for Radio 4, Radio 3 and BBC Four alone.

It is important to the country and it does maintain standards across all broadcasters in the UK, not to mention supporting classical music and running several orchestras.

I am amazed at people here who seem to think that the BBC should pay well below industry standards just because it is funded from the licence fee. That's the same sort of logic which says that those in the public sector should not get pay rises in line with inflation or the private sector unless they are, of course MPs.

It could be worse - we could have to pay licence fees and still put up with adverts as they do in some countries.

msgrinch · 16/07/2015 22:55

swedish sky news is free on freeview so I'd watch that or check updates on twitter for breaking news etc. For sport, we have top up tv for BT sport etc as my son loves rugby.

GraysAnalogy · 16/07/2015 22:56

I also don't know anyone who listens to the radio either, only if it's on in a public area.

msgrinch · 16/07/2015 22:58

slightly weird mintyy, seeing as my comment on that thread was how I used a baby wipe and anti bac gel and yes they all do the same. Not sure how that correlates with views on the BBC but hey ho.

bloodyteenagers · 16/07/2015 22:58

Haven't watch bbc in years. Never anything of interest.
It should be a subscription service. It's the nations favorite right, so should easily have every household subscribing.
Or will it?

TV viewing as progressed from the
Original model. there was just the beeb who needed money to operate.
Now there's a lot of choice and the viewing model has changed.
It's about time the beeb came into this century and funded in a similar way to competitors.

goingwildforcrayons · 16/07/2015 22:58

I think they should just cut The Voice, Strictly (its run its course now). Other than that BBC is still the main provider of things we watch listen to in our house/car. Agree with justanother, it almost seems to be spread too thinly, when the BBC does some fabulous stuff - Only Connect, BBC4 documentaries, Silks, Life on Mars etc no-one can beat it.

but hey, the cynic within me says this is more about Conservatives being anti-BBC because of its "left-leaning" tendencies, so they are gunning for it now, just like the Unions etc etc.

DadfromUncle · 16/07/2015 23:00

SwedishEdith I have almost no interest in sport - certainly not Wimbledon, Golf, Football, Olympics etc - when I get to hell it will sport on telly - probably snooker for maximum torture.

I occasionally watch motorsport which I am very happy to watch on catchup - last week I watched the Goodwood festival of speed on ITV4 catchup, and some motorbike racing also on ITV catchup - but that's the first sport I've watched this year.

As for breaking stories like 7/7 I listen to the radio for these. I have listened to the radio for years - several years when I didn't have a TV of any kind.

I know from the tone of BBC coverage and the attitude of people I talk to that it's hard for them to accept and I understand that many people just assume I am a lying licence-dodger, but I'm not.

BTW an interesting side-effect is that as NRP with a &YO DD, I know that when she recounts verbatim the various essential features of a toy from the advert, that she didn't see the advert at my house, since nothing she watches at my place has adverts - and even she's given up BBC Childrens output.