TV License. Who pays it?

[Tulipsroses]

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.

No, I agree: if you don't ever use something, you wouldn't care if it stays or disappears.

It's just that, if you do appreciate and regularly use a facility or amenity, but without paying for it, you would miss it if it goes.

A TV licence (and free YouTube) is cheaper than netflix plus Amazon plus Spotify plus random podcasts

But you could say that the YouTube/Spotify/podcast package without the BBC (and other live broadcasts) is completely free, so even better value!

I cancelled mine last year. I only watch Netflix, Amazon etc now. Lots of people I know have started to cancel their TV licence.

true but its only because of the bbc that a license is needed, at a guess a large percentage of people would prefer a tv package without the bbc component.

But they have annoying adverts and less good value as no quality check

I agree. And I am also happy for part of that fee to fund the BBC overseas service too. For some people it is the only way they can find out what is happening beyond their borders.

I wonder how many of the non players are currently watching Strictly? Or will watch Traitors?

I pay.

I think it's an absolute bargain for BBC Sounds which I listen to daily, Masterchef, Sewing Bee, Strictly, Traitors, Ghosts & Pointless.

Sky, Netflix, and all the bits I pay for nearly cost per month what the license fee costs per year.

And yet most channels still have far too many ads which make them unwatchable live. I gave up watching Bake Off live due to the ad breaks.

I want to support our preeminent public broadcaster and think that the licence fee provides excellent value for money.I watch the news and current affairs, various shows such as the repair shop and the lifeboats, like some of the dramas and listen to radio 4 and BBC Sounds every day. No other service provides anything like the breadth and depth not to mention the cultural capital.Surelt grown adults don mt not pay because they think they won't be caught? How depressing.

I do pay, but am thinking of cancelling.

I rarely watch live TV - instead we watch Netflix, Prime & sometimes Disney plus.

Kids watch you-tube.

I don't grudge paying for subscriptions , but I don't think the BBC is value for money for me.

I'd happily pay for a BBC subscription around Wimbledon time, but that's about it.

I don't watch TV anymore so I cancelled it a couple of years ago.

I also did this on principle when BBC news lost its impartiality and just became a propaganda outlet for the conservative government.

I'd rather cheese grate my nose off than pay money to the organisation that protected Jimmy Savile and god knows how many other child abusers.

I think the BBC licence is great value. The quality of dramas, wildlife programmes, documentaries and news. Also radio and website. We also have Amazon and Netflix but watch the BBC more.

I don’t understand why people pay. Everytime I go on holiday and they have the BBC , it’s just filled with utter crap that I don’t want to watch. We now bring a cable so we can plug a tablet to the TVs in cottages and watch Netflix or Disney+ instead. I don’t listen to the radio either. I pay for Spotify and listen to podcasts.

I don't understand why people don't get that other people have different tastes in TV viewing. Saying that absolutely everything the BBC makes is rubbish is simply not true. It is simply not to your taste.

I enjoy watching crime dramas like Shetland, period dramas like Poldark, historical documentaries like A House Through Time, wildlife documentaries - David Attenborough, comedy - QI, Mock The Week, music - Glastonbury, focus on various artists on BBC4, cookery shows.

I also watch other channels and Netflix, but what I won't do is refuse to watch or record something because it is on a particular TV channel. I watch TV programmes I enjoy regardless of what channel they are on.

I also listen to the radio a lot. I can't bear commercial radio because of the advert breaks.

I would if there was an option like Netflix where you could choose to pay for a few months. As there isn't we don't bother. I will watch BBC shows when they turn up on other streaming services that I pay for and I never watch live TV.

On holiday in the UK?

Cos the BBC World or whatever it is you get abroad is quite different

I pay because I consume their content, in particular the Olympics, the World Cup & the Euros, some brilliant kids content, and I listen to 5Live every day, and use the news/sport/weather on the website (if that is covered)
Just because you can watch it without paying doesn't mean you should.

There is a lot more on TV than that! There are some excellent dramas, plays, documentaries, nature programmes or films on all 5 terrestrial channels which I enjoy. However, everyone has different tastes and that’s fine, I’m happy to pay the licence fee in order to watch what I enjoy and don’t find the need to pay for additional channels.

Me. I don't subscribe to netflix disney etc as I found it's mostly American shite/murder dramas/hero franchises/cartoons and I'm not interested.

I watch terrestrial TV as it offers a range of programmes from alternative drama and comedy to quizzes and current affairs.

I listen to loads of BBC radio too, it pisses on commercial stations.

I watch terrestrial TV as it offers a range of programmes from alternative drama and comedy to quizzes and current affairs.

I agree. Anyone who thinks that terrestrial TV only has reality shows, drag shows, soaps and other similar types of output clearly has no idea of the breadth of programming available.

I listen to loads of BBC radio too, it pisses on commercial stations.

It absolutely does.

But they have annoying adverts and less good value as no quality check

I know what you mean about the adverts - although I don't get very many on YT at all. I don't know if it's my ad-blocker or just that I tend to watch unpopular videos that advertisers aren't bothered with?!

As to the quality, though, I think that's where it pays dividends if you do a little research yourself when choosing what to watch on YT. Yes, there's loads of complete rubbish on there, but there's also an immense amount of amazing stuff - including a lot that was originally on the BBC.

You'd have to live about ten thousand lifetimes to watch everything on YT, so it's not like you need more than 0.00001% of it to be good and of interest to you personally. Although prolific in its own way, the BBC's output could never hope to compare with that in terms of volume, choice and variety.

I pay it but we barely watch bbc. If you only had to pay to watch that then I’d happily save my cash. I think it’s unreasonable we all pay the bbc to watch itv, c4 etc. I think they missed an opportunity when we went digital not to include the tech to code the bbc and enforce it that way.

I do and am very happy to. It is well worth it.