Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Other subjects
Original poster

TV License. Who pays it?

274 replies

Tulipsroses · 09/12/2023 10:07

Judging by the variety and quality of the streaming services I always ask my self where are the people that actually pay for TV license? I have never paid non of my friends pay. It is obvious that BBC have lost this game and is sticking to the licence fees as a lifebuoy.

OP posts:
SlightlygrumpyBettyswaitress · 09/12/2023 11:05

BBC got £3.8 bn in revenue from the licence fee in 2021/22.
I pay it. I value the BBC.

RampantIvy · 09/12/2023 11:05

I do, so does DD.
I currently have Saturday Kitchen on.
I enjoy several BBC programmes and for me and my family it represents good value.

DH watches a lot of rugby. We love a good crime drama, comedy, music, interesting documentaries etc.

We also watch various dramas on Netflix.

StillWantingADog · 09/12/2023 11:05

I do
i watch almost no “tv” in the traditional sense but stream from iplayer all the time
is ridiculous IMO that for iplayer you have to tick a box to say you have a licence but there is no way of paying. So people aren’t paying which presumably makes it more expensive for the rest of us

also asking on behalf of my friends living abroad why iplayer can’t be a paid for streaming service abroad. They can’t watch anything without using an illegal vpn. Surely that would be a nice little money spinner? It should work just like Netflix IMO.

TheShellBeach · 09/12/2023 11:08

MrsDanversGlidesAgain · 09/12/2023 10:54

Is it a generational choice, people that are used to black and white tv and two channels on them are still the ones that pay for the license

Ah MN ageism jibes, how I've missed you lately.

It was three channels, actually. And I haven't watched black and white since the mid 1970s.

It was two channels to start with.
I remember when it was just BBC and ITV. In black and white.

Then BBC2 came about, and when Channel 4 eventually started, my mother thought the Communists were behind it and refused to watch.
Grin

megletthesecond · 09/12/2023 11:09

I've always paid. Don't you listen to the radio at all? BBC is cheap as chips for what you get for radio 1 and 4 alone.

I have amazon prime for deliveries and watch about two films a year. Who has time to faff around hunting for stuff on on-demand? I don't.

Deliasdelilahs · 09/12/2023 11:11

I pay it. Not worth the hassle to not pay it, I can't risk getting fined or any legal implications.

StrugglingwithmyMH · 09/12/2023 11:12

if you’re watching it and not paying you’re stealing

Portakalkedi · 09/12/2023 11:13

Not had a licence for about 10 years now and glad we don't, seeing the biased and woke stuff they are increasingly doing, the output seems to be 95% downmarket tat, and given that so much is spent on massive undeserved salaries. Amazed it is still allowed to carry on given the way viewing has changed. On the rare occasion they produce a drama I might like, well it's not long before they flog it to Netflix etc. Wonder how the license fee keeps rising given that they must earn more than ever before by licensing stuff to streaming services?

sleepyscientist · 09/12/2023 11:16

I reluctantly pay it as it's the law and I would lose my job if we get convicted for not paying. Drives me mad as we pay for Disney, prime and sky. We never watch the BBC and have no interest in it as a public broadcaster would rather watch Al Jazeera.

100% should be scrapped and replace with a subscription and/or adverts.

Portakalkedi · 09/12/2023 11:19

Forgot to add the smug and insufferable vastly overpaid presenters such as Amol Rajan, so can't even listen to R4 news in the morning any more, nor Woman's Hour with the equally smug bandwagon-jumper Emma Barnet.

PuffPastryFluff · 09/12/2023 11:20

I honestly don't get people using the service who don't pay because they think they can get away with it.

Do these same people shoplift because they think they can get away with it?

Do they avoid paying tax because they think they can get away with it?

Do they front their insurance because they think they can get away with it?

All these are criminal offences and none of them are victimless. Everyone else will end up paying in some way in the future.

penjil · 09/12/2023 11:22

It's spelt licence in this country.

StoatofDisarray · 09/12/2023 11:22

I do but I never watch live TV or even the BBC much any more.

I guess I see it as a charity donation for an organisation that did a lot of good work in the past and still does a bit these days.

Amiable · 09/12/2023 11:24

I pay it because I believe in funding the BBC. They produce some of the best entertainment in the world, but they need the funding to be able to do that.

Fleabag
The Office
Sherlock
Dr Who
CBeebies
All their nature programmes
BBC radio
BBC film
Blue Peter
Blackadder
...
I could go on and on!

ladygindiva · 09/12/2023 11:27

tomatoontoast · 09/12/2023 10:32

The vans were a scare tactic by Civica. They didn't and can't actually detect TV signals.

Yup. I have a friend who had a job for a while driving one of these "detection" vans. He basically drove around and parked up at various estates then sat and read the paper for a few minutes before moving on. There was no equipment or detection going on. It was just to put the frighteners on people b

tomatoontoast · 09/12/2023 11:31

theduchessofspork · 09/12/2023 10:42

It’s got nothing do to with how brave you are, you muppet.

It’s whether you value it as a public service broadcaster and as a news gathering service. I do think public service broadcasting is important - the govt wanted to privatise C4 - not because C4 costs anyone anything, but because it has a public service remit. The license fee will eventually go in favour of advertising of course.

Show quote history

It's spelt 'licence' in this country, you muppet.

FatherJackHackettsUnderpantsHamper · 09/12/2023 11:31

KnickerlessParsons · 09/12/2023 10:09

It's less than 5p a day at the increased rate next year (£169/365), or £3.25 a week. I think that's good value.

I presume that was a typo? It's more like getting on for 50p a day, which is still great value for those who get their money's worth from it.

I think this thread has diverged a bit between the people who don't pay because they don't use the services that require it and those who DO use the services but refuse to pay it and count on not getting caught.

I wonder when the tipping point will come: when TV Licensing will stop their scare tactics predicated on the belief/expectation that almost everybody does need a licence and is highly likely to be lying if they don't have one, as more and more people genuinely move away from consuming terrestrial TV in that way?

It's a love/hate thing for me, as I have huge misgivings about the BBC, their bias and their agenda; but I DO greatly value much of their TV, radio and online content. Maybe that makes me a hypocrite - but then I don't think that using/subscribing to a company necessarily counts as wholeheartedly endorsing it.

Hbh17 · 09/12/2023 11:33

Always pay it. I never watch live TV, but I do use the iplayer quite a lot. Plus, without the license fee we wouldn't have BBC Radio, and that is an absolute jewel. It's not expensive, and it's good value for the radio alone.

prayforthecottransfer · 09/12/2023 11:34

Not me. I haven't had tv licence in about 3 years. I don't watch live tv and don't have bbc iplayer either. I only ever watch YouTube / Netflix / Disney + or itv x on catch up.

Doubleespresso33 · 09/12/2023 11:36

tomatoontoast · 09/12/2023 10:25

It can be funded by everyone else. I won't be paying the fee and I'll continue watching.

Show quote history

Amen to that

TheCatfordCat · 09/12/2023 11:39

We mainly watch streamed TV. I never use iPlayer, I can never find anything interesting to watch. I also download catch-up TV on my SkyBox. Never live terrestrial TV. Bit of a grey area that though. I've never been into Strictly or IACGMOOH, so I don't feel I'm missing out. So I don't get the licence. I have Disney+ Netflix and am considering Paramount plus atm. Besides a lot of old BBC content ends up on Netflix anyway.

Doubleespresso33 · 09/12/2023 11:41

I actually find it entertaining how upset people get about people who don’t pay for a tv licence 😅 it’s such a non issue

youngones1 · 09/12/2023 11:41

If it was a subscription service it would change and become more populist to get the subs in, it would no longer be a service.

Doggymummar · 09/12/2023 11:42

Me and we don't even have a TV aerial so noone would know.

SoupDragon · 09/12/2023 11:43

Doubleespresso33 · 09/12/2023 11:41

I actually find it entertaining how upset people get about people who don’t pay for a tv licence 😅 it’s such a non issue

What other things do you think it's fine to use without paying for them?

if you don't want to pay for a license then don't watch, it's quite simple.

Swipe left for the next trending thread