To think TV licensing are complete bullies?

[dabbydeedoo]

I went online and said I didn't need a TV licence because I don't watch live TV (I don't). I then received a letter telling me someone would be round to check, and they could apply for a search warrant from the court if I didn't let them in.

Is it just me or is this absolutely ludicrous? We're in a pandemic and I have absolutely no intention of letting someone into my flat. And even if I did, what exactly are they going to do? I have a TV connected to my laptop that I use for watching streaming services and YouTube. Completely legal, but how on earth can they prove I don't watch TV on it?

It feels so bullying and scammy!

@onlychildhamster

Finding it hard to believe none of you watch live sport... No football, tennis or Olympics? Or news?

No Royal weddings/funerals? No six nations rugby? No parliamentary coverage? No Springwatch/Autumnwatch?"

We don't watch any sports at all. What is six Nations rugby. DH and I read guardian and FT and economist for news, we pay for a subscription to the latter 2. Parliamentary coverage is honestly painful to watch with bojo, I can barely bear the snippets on YouTube. What is springwatch or autumn watch? Is it about the weather?and why would I watch the royals????their lives have no relevance to mine.

Nope - don't like sport. I don't mind us having a Royal Family but I'm not interested in watching their every solemn moment on TV.

I watch a wide variety of news-y content on Youtube. Why would I want to watch the moribund BBC news when I can watch Russell Brand's topical podcasts and be amused and informed at the same time?

I don't give a shit about sport and I read news on the internet.
I remember watching the news years back and the top story was the EastEnders Christmas episode plot. I fucking wish I was joking.

Royals - don't give a flying fuck.
Rugby - see above
Parliamentary coverage - read all about it
Nature programs available on Netflix, prime and all over YouTube.
🤷‍♀️

I'm surprised by how many people who think the BBC make worthwhile programmes. There's literally nothing I have any interest in whatsoever. Strictly - puke, news - biased nonsense, documentaries are rubbish. Silly talk shows like Graham Norton with childish jokes and boring C list 'celebs'. There's not a single thing I'd want to watch and if they offered a subscription service like Netflix do, I wouldn't buy it.

Are people supposed to like only the things that you do OP?

Some people like Strictly and what's wrong with that?

I'd also be hard pushed to describe the Attenborough documentaries are rubbish too.

I'm going to chuck Cbeebies and CBBC into the mix (Stick stick stick stick) which are on the whole pretty damned good and don't have the utterly relentless and aggressive advertising of say Channel 5's Milkshake.

Are they perfect? Absolutely not, but I doubt if any broadcaster of the thousands out there can please all of the people all of the time.

@Pazuzu

Are people supposed to like only the things that you do OP?

Some people like Strictly and what's wrong with that?

I'd also be hard pushed to describe the Attenborough documentaries are rubbish too.

I'm going to chuck Cbeebies and CBBC into the mix (Stick stick stick stick) which are on the whole pretty damned good and don't have the utterly relentless and aggressive advertising of say Channel 5's Milkshake.

Are they perfect? Absolutely not, but I doubt if any broadcaster of the thousands out there can please all of the people all of the time.

I think the whole point is people can like what they want ,you may well think the BBC is marvellous and are happy to pay the licence fee Other people think it's a load of old tosh and therefore not happy to pay the licence fee . I think the BBC realise that they are not as popular ( by far) as they once were which is why they won't move to a subscription only service .

@Pazuzu

Are people supposed to like only the things that you do OP?

Some people like Strictly and what's wrong with that?

I'd also be hard pushed to describe the Attenborough documentaries are rubbish too.

I'm going to chuck Cbeebies and CBBC into the mix (Stick stick stick stick) which are on the whole pretty damned good and don't have the utterly relentless and aggressive advertising of say Channel 5's Milkshake.

Are they perfect? Absolutely not, but I doubt if any broadcaster of the thousands out there can please all of the people all of the time.

I think the whole point is people can like what they want ,you may well think the BBC is marvellous and are happy to pay the licence fee Other people think it's a load of old tosh and therefore not happy to pay the licence fee . I think the BBC realise that they are not as popular ( by far) as they once were which is why they won't move to a subscription only service .

Not sure why it posted twice

6 nations is shared between BBC and ITV I tend to watch in the pub.

We used to but not since Covid.

CBeebies/CBBC should be subscription channels, as they're only of use to people with children in the house. A waste of licence fee for everyone else.

Other BBC progs I like are Would I Lie To You, Mock The Week and HIGNFY. Yes you can see them on Dave but they are usually several years old by then.

If the BBC could fund itself without deceiving the Public in millions of wasteful letters, then it might well come down to whether people like their programs.

But sadly, they don't seem to be capable of funding themselves AND communicating transparently and respectfully with the Public. That needs to be resolved for the BBC to have a future. It's not 1950 anymore.

Dont pay it. Dont talk to them and dont let them in. We haven't had a licence in 8 years, get a letter once a month (good to get the fire going) and occasional inspector visit. 'No thank you' and closing the door does the trick.

@Treecreature Absolutely.

"Don't talk to them and don't let them in", has been my policy since I stopped paying, and it's served me well, for around10 years now.

@Pazuzu

Are people supposed to like only the things that you do OP?

Some people like Strictly and what's wrong with that?

I'd also be hard pushed to describe the Attenborough documentaries are rubbish too.

I'm going to chuck Cbeebies and CBBC into the mix (Stick stick stick stick) which are on the whole pretty damned good and don't have the utterly relentless and aggressive advertising of say Channel 5's Milkshake.

Are they perfect? Absolutely not, but I doubt if any broadcaster of the thousands out there can please all of the people all of the time.

No - people can like whatever they want. I don't understand why they seem to insist that everyone else must like them too. And pay for them.

I think the BBC realise that they are not as popular ( by far) as they once were which is why they won't move to a subscription only service.

Exactly. They point blank refuse to consider moving to subscription as they would lose millions.

I guess a lot depends on what we think the BBC is for in the modern world.

I think they do a good job providing news - up to a point.

Not sure why we're paying for stuff like Strictly and Eastenders - although maybe they can make money from those?

@Pazuzu

Are people supposed to like only the things that you do OP?

Some people like Strictly and what's wrong with that?

I'd also be hard pushed to describe the Attenborough documentaries are rubbish too.

I'm going to chuck Cbeebies and CBBC into the mix (Stick stick stick stick) which are on the whole pretty damned good and don't have the utterly relentless and aggressive advertising of say Channel 5's Milkshake.

Are they perfect? Absolutely not, but I doubt if any broadcaster of the thousands out there can please all of the people all of the time.

And those people would happily pay to subscribe.

Made me laugh when I received a letter saying we will be in your area to check on April 17th but it might not be April the 17th it could be around that time or another time. Maybe not those exact words but not far off. So cunning of them haahaha that and receiving letters only ever to “the occupier” I found it hard to take their threats seriously and they never turned up for the 2 years I was there and ignored them.

@daimbarsatemydogsbone "They point blank refuse to consider moving to subscription as they would lose millions."

More like billions.

@MarigoldMoonStone
They always address to ‘legal occupier’ which is why it is vital to never Iengage with them on any level. I believe this is why lodging a WOIRA should be avoided
When / if you declare licence free to them via email use a non identifying temporary email address and a pseudonym as basically it is none of their business

*engage

@ROBERTA
@daimbarsatemydogsbone

Yes - It is definitely BILLIONS 3.5 is the published revenue for last year

3,5 billion!!! It’s ridiculous

A very tiny amount of that goes on content surely

If you stream live tv including live news to a laptop you require a licence. If you only watch Netflix/Amazon/YouTube on catch up then you do not need a licence - iPlayer does require a licence and streaming live tv on all4, My5 and itv player does require a licence.

That's another thing that pisses me off. You have to pay the BBC if you watch it, channel 4 etc.
How much of the fee we pay the BBC do they forward to the other channels that we have to pay the BBC to be allowed to watch?