To say that the TV Licence should be abolished?

[Appalonia]

When I look at what I watch on TV these days on the BBC, it's really only Strictly, repeats of TOTP and Glastonbury . There's nothing else that interests me. I listen to Trevor Nelson on R2, but that's it. I watch Netflix, Amazon much more and some shows on ITV, C4 or Sky Arts. And a lot of interviews on YouTube and podcasts. I also object to how the BBC posits itself as the voice of truth and neutrality, but it really isn't these days, on so many issues.

Why are we forced to pay for a service that has had its day and is no longer fit for service?

I don't have one because I don't watch live TV and I certainly don't watch the BBC at all.

Of course it should as life has moved on but it won't be....

I'm in no way suggesting it's "fair". As I said, the entire thing is an archaic nonsense that has long-since needed scrapped.

Successive governments are reluctant to give the BBC a dose of reality though, because this illusion that the BBC is bound by "impartiality" lets them pretend the BBC is something other than a useful idiot churning out State propaganda.

Look at the endless fluffing of the Royals. C4 exposes Charles and William for the scum landlords they are, the BBC dutifully responds with a week of incessant "how lovely Kate is" stories that have absolutely no news value beyond distracting from the negative stuff. Johnson threatens to remove access to Downing street briefings and sources unless the BBC stops reporting fact instead of spin, so they fall into line and soft-soap him and his government from that point of for fear of being excommunicated. Regional news is openly, laughably biased against Devolved governments. The BBC simply is not fit for purpose and I refuse to pay for it.

I don't think you know what idiosyncrasies means

I suspect all the other channels have nasty stuff going on, Brand and Schofield for starters. It's naive to think otherwise.
I don't want adverts but I'd pay a subscription if I had to. I only really watch BBC news and listen to radio 1 and 4. I don't have time for actual telly on any channel.

That’s pretty cool! Who was it?! 👏

Dizzi Rascal!😁

me too! you can't miss my 55inch tv from out in the street so I'd never get away with it. I very rarely watch BBC as there's nothing at all that interests me on there. Definitely wouldn't pay for one if my house was configured differently and my tv wasn't visible! it's shite!

This is absolutely without a doubt the funniest thing I have ever read on here. You are completely delusional if you think the good old bbc is anything other than a left wing echo chamber.

Being middle of the road and giving all sides a voice is not the meaning of left wing nor echo chamber

I pay it because although I watch very little live TV, I like using iplayer and watch Race Across the World & Sewing Bee and currently Cheaters. DH watched the Traitors and is currently watching Wolf HalI. I remember binge watching Fleabag in a week and I really enjoy dipping into the various wildlife, travel, baking and house design programs too. I think that the quality of TV still merits paying the licence fee and all those who have stopped paying for it because they claim to "hardly" use it, will propel its demise to subscription only all the more sooner.

You'd think that will all the money they get, they could make better quality shows. Why can't they make the v watchable and entertaining series that are on streaming services? They used to, once upon a time.

Whatever you think about the BBC - to make it a subscription service entirely defeats the purpose. The corporation would then become beholden to its shareholders.

I find a higher proportion of good quality content than on Amazon & Netflix - but especially for children.

My son is non verbal autistic & having programming that is representative of him is priceless, it's not something that would be replicated by one of the big streamers - there's no money in that type of programming.

If you watch on iplayer they will be able to see that your log in email has been recorded as no licence required and that you are using their services so you get warning letters.

I never watch normal tv, just wish they would add adverts and scrap the fee.

I agree that it's really outdated. I can't remember when I last watched anything on the BBC. Probably I visited the BBC weather website. Licence fee needs to go IMO.

Or just read this thread.

You need a TV licence if you watch any live broadcast TV (on any channel, including commercial channels) or use BBC iPlayer.

If you want to just watch streaming services, you don't need a licence.

News on the telly is telly. How is it not?

Same...

I saw the Chief Customer Officer of the BBC (it's a new post they've never had before) speaking at an event recently. She was well aware that now, much more than even a decade ago, it's much easier to not have a TV licence. She said that their research said people are much more likely to have a licence if they access a BBC service (could be watch a show, listen to a podcast, browse a website, listen to the radio) five times a week, and across at least two channels/media

So their strategy is to provide a range of services, channels and programmes that will encourage people to do that. That's why they're launching Radio 1 spin-off channels, for example. To get less BBC-friendly demographics to listen.

I don’t think k £175 a year for wall to wall drag queen coverage and men on women’s hour talking about how tough it is to be a lady is a good deal TBH.

But you need a TV license to watch or record any channels...

If you don't have a license, you can use streaming services (excluding iPlayer) to watch on-demand services only (e.g. you can't watch live broadcasts via them).

If you think that "there are plenty of other channels to watch" then you have probably misunderstood and require a license.

Yep. The TV licence should definitely go. Although I think in another couple of decades at the most, tv channels won't exist in the way they do. Everything will be streaming services. BBC will eventually just become BBC Iplayer. ITV will just be ITVX. Sky, if it wants to survive, will become.a streaming service like Netflix, Prime, Disney etc. I don't know how things like Freeview will survive. They will either become redundant or become streaming services, and have to put a subscription charge in place.

The tv licence is for all live TV, not just the BBC, so if you want to watch any channel live in the uk, you need to buy one 🤷‍♀️ even if you don’t watch the BBC at all.

Agreed.

The constant pushing of gender ideology and obsession with drag queens means I no longer respect or watch the BBC.

Get rid.