Heartland

By 2012 we will be paying £131.50 per Year, Johnathon Ross gets £18 Million a Year from the BBC.........................sucks......doesn't it

It's a fucking disgrace.

Well, you can either:
A)Not have a television. You wont miss much in the grand scheme of things, and for the cost of the telly license for a few years you could get yourself a P.C with a dvd player. Don't get a P.C with an in-built tuner card though, as the BBC considers that makes a P.C a television.

B) Vote for the UKIP, who want to abolish it, claiming the BBC is politically biased.

C)Buy a television, don't watch the BBC and ignore the letters they send. When they finally send someone round from Capita to check, you are under no obligation to allow them into your house and can outright deny a televisions existence, as they are a private company and have no Government authority. Television detector vans are an urban legend, and would in any case contravene more privacy laws than you could shake a stick at. Convictions for license evasion are based on written "confessions" extorted from homeowners on their own doorsteps.If you've got the stamina to deal with a threatening and semi-official manner, there is nothing they can do. Be careful as, like bailiffs, they can get into your house through unsecured doors and windows.

Here in Finnie by the way, the license is exactly the same price, 200 Euro's , roughly 131 pounds, and the standard is even worse. Me and my gf's one argument is wether we should get rid of the useless bloody thing.

DeWinter wrote:C)Buy a television, don't watch the BBC and ignore the letters they send. When they finally send someone round from Capita to check, you are under no obligation to allow them into your house and can outright deny a televisions existence, as they are a private company and have no Government authority. Television detector vans are an urban legend, and would in any case contravene more privacy laws than you could shake a stick at. Convictions for license evasion are based on written "confessions" extorted from homeowners on their own doorsteps.If you've got the stamina to deal with a threatening and semi-official manner, there is nothing they can do. Be careful as, like bailiffs, they can get into your house through unsecured doors and windows.

Hahaha! How do you know all that, living in Finland?

I really support the idea of public service broadcasting - there is of course a huge danger it can become politically biased or under too much government influence, but I do think it's important that not all programmes are made simply as products to be consumed by the largest possible audience (which inevitably means lowest common denominator broadcasting, wall to wall "reality tv" and Patrick f**king Keilty ).

However, I don't think the Beeb are providing. They are trying too hard to compete with the commercial channels, at least 50% of the schedule now is panel shows, buying houses in the countryside and folk trading in their old tat at a car boot sale. They're not even trying anymore.

They have to justify what they're asking us to pay, rather than running these ridiculous "Big Brother is watching you" type adverts. Nazis!

DeWinter wrote:Well, you can either:
A)Not have a television. You wont miss much in the grand scheme of things, and for the cost of the telly license for a few years you could get yourself a P.C with a dvd player. Don't get a P.C with an in-built tuner card though, as the BBC considers that makes a P.C a television.

B) Vote for the UKIP, who want to abolish it, claiming the BBC is politically biased.

C)Buy a television, don't watch the BBC and ignore the letters they send. When they finally send someone round from Capita to check, you are under no obligation to allow them into your house and can outright deny a televisions existence, as they are a private company and have no Government authority. Television detector vans are an urban legend, and would in any case contravene more privacy laws than you could shake a stick at. Convictions for license evasion are based on written "confessions" extorted from homeowners on their own doorsteps.If you've got the stamina to deal with a threatening and semi-official manner, there is nothing they can do. Be careful as, like bailiffs, they can get into your house through unsecured doors and windows.

Here in Finnie by the way, the license is exactly the same price, 200 Euro's , roughly 131 pounds, and the standard is even worse. Me and my gf's one argument is wether we should get rid of the useless bloody thing.

UKIP

Quiff Boy wrote:UKIP

On second thoughts, the Beeb can take my money... take it all!

boudicca wrote: Hahaha! How do you know all that, living in Finland?

I only moved to Finland a year or so ago, I'm born and bred Surrey:lol:
The BBC/Government just check the list of occupied dwellings and cross-reference it with purchased licenses. Dixon's, Curry's, etc have to hand over the addresses of those they sell sets to, as well. I don't believe a single prosecution for non-payment has ever involved evidence from a detector van being bought up in court. If they had the technology to pinpoint received transmissions, they'd have caught Bin Laden within a week!
Quiff Boy:
They don't enthuse me either, somehow. But there isn't a huge alternative, save not voting at all.

The BBC in this day and age are still held up by the majority as a stone age company.

In what other civilised country would a a person be forced by law to own a piece of paper that allows them to watch a televsion station, regardless if they want to or not.

My conclusions. and this is the easy bit kids.

Th BBC has two options.

!) Become a subscription channel like Sky. If you want to watch it, then pay for it as a premium rate channel the same way you would if you wanted Nickelodeon on cable!!. Or indeed have a BBC package the way you have Sky Sports or Sky Movies package - get the whole lot for a monthly rate.

2) Start taking adverts like every other media outlet does.


I very rarely watch the BBC, the last programme I watched on the BBC with any serious interest was Planet Earth - and that was a tried and tested format which was made in collaboration with other companies.

Just stop and think , what do you actually watch on the BBC on a regular basis? With the exception of maybe Eastenders ( which has passed it's peak viewing wise) what do you watch on that channel ? When was the last time you saw an a trailer on the BBC and thought 'Now then, gotta watch that!!" - Even their flag ship shows like Dr. Who and Torchwood are based on programming from over thirty years ago!! And they want us to shell out over a 130 quid for this drivel.

As a nation we should say No, We're are refusing to pay for this anymore and as one voice shut down this out dated and stale station once and for all.

Here here!!

[quote="boudicca"]
However, I don't think the Beeb are providing. They are trying too hard to compete with the commercial channels, at least 50% of the schedule now is panel shows, buying houses in the countryside and folk trading in their old tat at a car boot sale. They're not even trying anymore.

Ms B. You have hit the nail on the head, once more. I've thought about and seen the fruits of their labour for many years now. And it's tantamount to plagiarism.

you all seem to be ignoring their wonderful radio service, I'd pay the licence fee for that alone

James Blast wrote:you all seem to be ignoring their wonderful radio service, I'd pay the licence fee for that alone

Agreed, but does Nimone, Steve Lamacq or Gideon Coe get £18 Million?, I think the TV service is no more than average, if I want Sport, I watch Sky, if I want News, I watch Sky, I have a choice to or not to watch Sky, if I do want to watch it, I pay, I do not have that choice with the BBC, it's a ridiculous

In now way was I condoning Ross' obscene salary, just pointing out that while I very rarely watch any televised output, I have their radio service on almost constantly. It may be viewed as the poor relation to the telly but I find it more to my taste.

Ramone wrote:In what other civilised country would a a person be forced by law to own a piece of paper that allows them to watch a televsion station, regardless if they want to or not.

Ireland, for starters, but then we seem to shamelessly ape everything "across de waaaather", and the more obviously brain-dead it may be, the better.

But they did give us Teletubbies

Public Service Broadcasting my arse!

James Blast wrote:In now way was I condoning Ross' obscene salary, just pointing out that while I very rarely watch any televised output, I have their radio service on almost constantly. It may be viewed as the poor relation to the telly but I find it more to my taste.

The radio output is (indeed) much superior to the tv output. And as long as you don't have a tv can smugly contribute nothing to the Beeb. Im quite happy for everyone else to contribute towards my entertainment!

James Blast wrote:you all seem to be ignoring their wonderful radio service, I'd pay the licence fee for that alone

Radio 4, fair enough. But then there's Chris chuffin' Moyles...

Francis wrote:Public Service Broadcasting my arse!

Oi, Francis! Off the bloody fence, mate!

I'll gladly pay my licence fee, if I can shove £131 worth of quick-setting concrete down Gary 'I have never been booked for talking sh1te' Linekers throat. I'd gladly pay twice!

My General Studies exam today involved writing a small essay on a Guardian article from 2005 about the licence fee, and how the author actually thought it was worth it.

*shrug*

With the forthcoming introduction of digital t.v and the expansion of DAB. The BBC's strangle hold on terrestrial programming will be soon put to the test and eventually the sword.

In the USA, as we speak, two satellite radio stations are competing to win the ears of the nation. Xm and Sirius. XM has Oprah and Sirius has NFL, NASCA,Playboy,CNN,Fox and Howard Stern. Sirius is beginning to win the battle. Sooner or later this format is going to hit our shores. Unregulated quality radio the way it should be heard. But it comes at a cost. A few dollars a month for over a hundred channels on each station.

Remember when Sky and Cable arrived. And the whole country was watching the Simpsons and CNN ? How fresh it was. Since then the BBC has struggled to keep up, yet year after year they've lowered the quality of their output and increased the license.

Yes, the radio may of improved by adding more channels to suit wider audiences, but their main flag ship channel is in a downward spiral. The breakfast show for instance ; From Steve Wright, through to Chris Evans, Zoe Ball, Sara Cox and now .. Chris Moyles ( a man once described by his pal Comedy Dave as Britain's Howard Stern!!!) is childish, predictable and very safe. When shows should be more liberating and cutting edge - the BBC Radio One format has thrown the towel in, much like it's t.v counterpart. And we are expected to sit back and pay for it - even if non of us actually tune into them.

But to listen to the 'other' BBC radio stations you have to pay for either a DAB radio or listen through your cable/satellite box - so why are we paying a licence fee? Shouldn't this service be part of the licence already?

You buy a license that allows you to listen to all the formats that particualr service provides. You should not have to subscribe to another service and pay an extra tariff to 'tune' into something you already paying for!!

If the BBC was to fold tomorrow, I'd not shed a tear. Their glory days are behind them..oh well, enough of my ranting..I'm off to put needles in my Russell Brand voodoo doll!! grrrrrr

BBC4...worth the total licence fee...currently watching Folk Hibernia (history of Irish music) and it's fookin' ace. There's been some real gems since it's introduction.

What do we get from the channels that are supported by advertising? Big Brother? Celebrities Say Hi Mum from a jungle/island/circus....nothing more to sayreally.

In Denmark they just thought up a new way to make us all pay: If you own a mobile phone able to receive television signals you pay the full license fee. If you have a 256 Kbit/s Internet connection or faster you pay the full license fee. Whether you watch TV or not is irrelevant. You pay for the possibility to watch. And the price? GBP 190 per year.

Debaser wrote:What do we get from the channels that are supported by advertising? Big Brother? Celebrities Say Hi Mum from a jungle/island/circus....nothing more to sayreally.

Word!

Ramone wrote:The BBC in this day and age are still held up by the majority as a stone age company.

In what other civilised country would a a person be forced by law to own a piece of paper that allows them to watch a televsion station, regardless if they want to or not.

My conclusions. and this is the easy bit kids.

Th BBC has two options.

!) Become a subscription channel like Sky. If you want to watch it, then pay for it as a premium rate channel the same way you would if you wanted Nickelodeon on cable!!. Or indeed have a BBC package the way you have Sky Sports or Sky Movies package - get the whole lot for a monthly rate.

2) Start taking adverts like every other media outlet does.


I very rarely watch the BBC, the last programme I watched on the BBC with any serious interest was Planet Earth - and that was a tried and tested format which was made in collaboration with other companies.

Just stop and think , what do you actually watch on the BBC on a regular basis? With the exception of maybe Eastenders ( which has passed it's peak viewing wise) what do you watch on that channel ? When was the last time you saw an a trailer on the BBC and thought 'Now then, gotta watch that!!" - Even their flag ship shows like Dr. Who and Torchwood are based on programming from over thirty years ago!! And they want us to shell out over a 130 quid for this drivel.

As a nation we should say No, We're are refusing to pay for this anymore and as one voice shut down this out dated and stale station once and for all.

Here here!!

Surprisingly, most countries have a license fee, only about ten worldwide don't. I'm pretty sure every EU country has one.
I suppose the logic behind having a state broadcaster is that it can broadcast emergency information straight from the Government, official news,etc, plus some form of quality control, like a certain amount of time for entertainment/religion, political, so on so forth.
Last BBC program I think I took notice of was Doctor Who, and it didn't impress me hugely. Practically screamed tokenism (single mum, chav daughter, young black male, sexually ambivalent American, "Northern" Doctor). I never saw Torchwood, although I'm told by a friend every episode is along the lines of "Alien of indeterminate gender molests Welsh nightclubber and Captain Jack gets camper than the last episode".
You also forgot to mention the usual "quality" period drama, usually Dickens, Hardy, or Austen.

As one of the few people left in the UK that hasn't got cable, satellite or digital TV, can I stick up for the BBC? OK it's not perfect (and it's been getting worse) but:

ITV is going down the tubes because it can't get as much advertising money as it used to. All I can think of that I ever watch on ITV is Harry Hill's TV Burp.

Channel 4: Big Brother. Nuff said.

Any channel that gets money from advertising or sponsorship is subject to being held to ransom by its advertisers or sponsors. Virtually all of US TV (I am led to believe) works this way.

Pretty much 90% of the TV I watch (that's not downloaded or DVDs) is BBC2.