Why the F should I tell BBC every year that I don’t watch TV ?

[LadyGillingham]

Why can’t they upgrade their subscriptions/licencing model like Netflix etc ?

If you look at BBC corporation’s ownership, majority stakeholders are private Ltd companies and individuals. Why the f are they entitled to demand subscription fees from me for services I don’t use!

The language in the emails is quite strong, I’m sure a lot of senior citizens just pay to not get into trouble. That’s extortion!

I remember the weird kids at school that didn’t have a tv right enough.

But the point is a vast majority aren't breaking the rules and watching it without paying yet they act like everyone is doing exactly that as a default.

Because their channels aren’t automatically put on your tv. You must recognise the difference surely? Anyone with half a brain (developed over years of watching interesting tv no doubt!) can work this out.

I don’t believe anyone that says they never watch the BBC. I just don’t. There will be something, be it sport or drama or traitors that they watch.

What do you like watching?

Who’s terrified? I just find it intrusive and an overreach. They don’t have an entitlement to demand anything of me. I’ll tell them if I decide to watch a television anytime in the future.

Why? Genuine question. Are you saying you'd be happy for there to be no national broadcaster with a charter? I know the BBC has faults, but if it didn't exist we'd have ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 (all funded by advertising so more vulnerable to commercial pressure than the BBC is) and then we'd be at the mercy of the US owners of Netflix and so on, and the Murdoch family running Sky. Do you really think the schools programming and the niche musical programming you find on BBC radio would continue? I don't.

Pretty famously she no longer presents the radio 2 breakfast show. What’s your point?

How much do Netflix pay folk? Like The Sussexes for example?

So you're saying everyone who says they don't watch the bbc is a liar? If so there's not much point engaging in a reasonable discussion with you.

They can't do anything until its renewed in end of 2027, ultimately its the government that has the say in the matter of how its funded so they can't suddenly decide to do a subscription service, it's the government that sets the fee, Left wing governments are generally more in favour of the licence fee, hence Reform having it in their manifesto to get rid of it

All those having to actively “tell” the BBC that you don’t want the license…. How do you “tell” them?

Well I just think imagine the person declaring they never watch the bbc then sees that a thing they are really interested in is the subject of a programme on the bbc - are they realistically not watching it or are they tuning in despite their proclamations?

I have to say I find it hard to believe this too, but it's probably generational. My children (in their 30s) rarely watch live TV or listen to the radio, whereas my husband and I do both and we don't pay for any streaming services (at the moment - that's our choice for now and may change). It's a massive change from previous generations. I used to love it back in the 70s when there were hardly any channels (BBC1, BBC2 and ITV) and when you went into school you'd find that almost everybody had watched the same programme the night before and we'd all be talking about it. Those days are long gone now.

I haven’t had a license in years

I have received many a letter telling me the consequences of not having a license but watching the bbc but no requirement to “tell” the bbc I don’t

I have just recycled the letter
and That’s been the end of it

Haven’t needed a tv licence for years, to begin with I’d fill in the no tv needed declaration form but now I just let them waste the paper on the ridiculous letters.
also these threads always have people accusing others of you must secretly watch the bbc/live tv illegally!? It’s possible to exist without the both, I haven’t watched either for about 15 years

You should broaden your horizons!

Are you the person who drafts the “we know you’re a liar, pay up or else” letters which those of us who don’t have a licence keep getting?

Yes it’s pretty easy to do. The content isn’t that great. I prefer other series, watching Slow Horses atm and Guinness one since you asked in pp.

I have set the WiFi ssid in my van to TV-DETECTOR-VAN. Wonder how many people have panicked and turned off eastenders when I'm stopped outside 😂

So that's a yes that you automatically think everyone is lying? I think that says a lot about you and it's pretty close minded to think people simply cannot survive without the content produced by the BBC. It's actually pretty easy to still spend hours each week watching tv even without the BBC. Maybe you should check out other options to see what you're missing out on.

You could write to your MP, or write to Lisa Nandy who is the culture secretary, though the government just do as they want anyway, there is probably a petition about it but since they ignored the one about the digital ID, I doubt it would make a difference. Vote for Reform is probably the best option but many here won't do that so they will just put up with it.

If you don’t watch tv then you’re not going to seek out or even be aware of what programmes are on.

In the same way that, as someone who doesn’t bet on horse racing I don’t look to see what horses are running. I have no interest!

@SALaw
i literally have hundreds of quality choices of all genres and categories to watch without having to use BBC
If you dip in and out of several streaming services, it’s still much cheaper than the BBC and many of them are free to view anyway like the main channel catch ups it’s simply ridiculous to suggest that people can’t possibly live without watching it. You sound like a BBC or Crapita employee

How old are you @SALaw ?

Why are you so obsessed with the bbc? I don't watch it as it doesn't interest me, I prefer to read.