What will the BBC spend our Licence Fee on next

[Omega]

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/tm_objectid=1...-name_page.html (http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/tm_objectid=17825331%26method=full%26siteid=94762% 26headline=the%2dbeeb%2ds%2d%2d1%2d2m%2dswimming%2 dhippos-name_page.html)

Saw this today and am wondering what will they spend our licence fee on next; this project has cost the BBC £1.2million :bigeyes: What do you think?

[Crazy Dog]

I think we should have a mass protest along the same lines as the poll tax one.

What will they do if most people simply choose not to pay?

As for me, I no longer have a TV. I can watch everything I want by either online, or buying/hiring/borrowing DVDs.

[Hulablush]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(sledge @ 27th September 2006 - 5:10 PM) 200695</div>
Crazy Dog, does that mean you don't need a licence?
[/b]

The TV licence people said that it you watch live tv online then you need a licence as a lot of people were watching the World Cup in their offices where there wasn't a TV licence. They would be fined if caught. :bigeyes:

[Crazy Dog]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(sledge @ 27th September 2006 - 5:10 PM) 200695</div>
Why do we need them anyway? They are just irritating in the extreme.

Crazy Dog, does that mean you don't need a licence?
[/b]

Correct. You do not need a licence if any TV tuners you have are not installed (i.e. there is no aerial plugged in and they are not tuned in to any TV channels). You can have a VCR for watching rental/pre-recorded tapes as long as it is not tuned in. TV Licencing takes a dim view of anyone watching tapes of broadcast programs loaned to them by friends/relatives.

You need to write to the TV Licencing Authority informing them that you do not need a licence as you are not receiving broadcast signals. They WILL send round an inspector at some point.

Details, as you'd expect, are well hidden on the TV Licensing web site.

[Hulablush]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/5074406.stm

Just found the news item from the BBC about it.

"A TV licence is required for any device that is "installed or used" for receiving television broadcasts.

"It doesn't matter how you're watching, if you are watching a live match you will need a licence," said a TV Licensing spokesperson."

[Crazy Dog]

Correct - you need a licence to receive a broadcast - but not to own the equipment and use it for purposes other than receiving broadcasts.

http://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/gethelp/faqs.jsp


What if I only use a TV to watch videos/DVDs/as a monitor for my games console? Do I still need a licence?

You need to notify us in writing that this is the case and one our Enforcement Officers may need to visit you to confirm that you do not need a licence.

Please write to us including your name, address and the reason you believe that you don't need a licence at:

TV Licensing
Bristol
BS98 1TL
[/b]

[SuperBrit]

You need to write to the TV Licencing Authority informing them that you do not need a licence as you are not receiving broadcast signals.

You are under no obligation to communicate with the TV Licencing Authority at all.


They WILL send round an inspector at some point.

Good. Let him stand outside in the rain. You are under no obligation to let him in.


Read more about this at this site:

Abolish the TV Licence (http://www.tvlicensing.biz/)

Abolish the TV licence message board (http://www.tvlicensing.biz/phpBB2/index.php)

[StoneHenge]

Sucks doesn't it. May be beautiful and have kept some graphics whizz kid in a job, but really, why do we need dancing hippos. The whole idea of the BBC is that we are not swamped with adverts.

I'd much rather they just showed pictures of wonderful things like pictures in space for us to marvel at and reload before the next programmed starts.

[sassieb]

:rant: You`d be lucky if aquarter of a quarter of the license fee was spent on those ad`s,,most of it went into the wage packets of the fat cats,,theiving G*TS that they are,,we dont get many new programmes,, they turf out the old repeats time and time again,, i for one wouldnt mind going without BBC anything,, i dont watch it cos its cr*p yet i have to pay for it

[Crazy Dog]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Yi Win @ 28th September 2006 - 11:54 AM) 200871</div>
... have you all forgotten that you MUST also have a radio licence even if you do not have a TV???
[/b]

No. Radio licences were s********ped in 1971. Click me. (http://www.radiolicence.org.uk/index.html) Production and broadcast of BBC radio programs (except the World Service) is paid for via the TV Licence.

If you want to listen to the radio at work, though, you may need a Performing Right Society licence. The exact type of PRS licence will depend on the type of business you are involved in.

[Planet 24]

All the above info is spot on.. as a member of BECTU..we had all that info years ago just that 'Joe Public' has to dig deep to find it, and that's not on!
BTWthis project has cost the BBC £1.2million [/b]it didnt cost them, it cost US.

[alice wood]

I have never understood why we should have to pay a TV licence fee.

If it was abolished that would mean the extra money in everyones pocket each year would be better than any increase in tax allowances and the state pension.

This is just an example of how the BBC can fritter money away on the unnecessary. After all they do not have to earn their keep like other TV companies do.

I am sure everyone must have noticed that the BBC constantly advertise their own programs etc. Sometimes there is no difference between watching the BBC and the stations that do advertise.

Its about time they earned their own Keep! One plus would be that the courts would be free to prosecute real criminals instead of the poor people that end up there because they cannot afford to pay the licence.

Its the law we have to pay it but I think its legalized robbery!

As you can tell this my pet hate.

Alice

[Crazy Dog]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Yi Win @ 28th September 2006 - 12:30 PM) 200881</div>
Hiya Crazy dog,

'fraid not - I was told when my TV went bye bye's and I asked for a refund that they would only refund up to the amount of a radio licence unless I could proove that I did not have a radio of any sort in my house or even my car & this was 3 years ago!!

I told them that i was paying for a service i could not get - no signals in the valley and they did actually come round the house and check that i really could not recive any radio signals on my stereo from the house.

I was astounded as i live in the middle of nowhere - not easy to get to and yet there would have been many licence dodgers in town to go and grab instead - but they did their duty and went off muttering about improving the reception.
[/b]
Can you give me any source for this?

- I would have expected that since the cost of BBC radio production and broadcast is linked with the TV licence my previous quote from the TV Licencing web page would mention that a radio licence may be required.

- I would have expected, when I 'phoned and discussed my non-renewal of my TV licence with TV Licencing, that they would have informed me about this 'radio licence'. They did not.

- I would have expected that if this were true the Abolish The TV Licence forum (http://www.tvlicensing.biz/phpBB2/index.php) would have something to say about it. It does not.

- I would have expected the information about partial refunds, on the licence and on the web site, to make reference to this matter. It does not.

My conclusion is that you have been hoodwinked. Judging by many topics on the Abolish The TV Licence forum, if they are to be believed, this does not surprise me.

[Crazy Dog]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Yi Win @ 28th September 2006 - 1:12 PM) 200890</div>
It does not suprise me either - i phoned the telephone number on the back of the licence to get a refund and that is what I was told - as my TV had gone bang and I was off to Australia I saw no point in getting another TV at the time.

PS have just looked at your link - intersting!!

Also the enquiry number on the TV licence is an 0870 premium rate number as are the others. It also says tha tyo urequire a TV licence for 'a pc with a broadcast card'

It's all a big con is you ask me!!!
[/b]

Hoodwinked - Is it enough money to warrant pointing out their 'mistake' and demanding the rest of your refund?

0870 numbers - There is a web site that gives direct numbers (possibly even 0800 numbers if they exist) for companies that only give out 0870 numbers to the public. I don't know what the URL is. Any idea, anyone?

PC with broadcast card - Yep. I shouldn't imagine it'll be long before you need a TV licence for a mobile 'phone.

It's all a big con - I think it all started out, years ago with only a few channels, with good intent. It was manageable and raised revenue in a reasonably fair way. Current and future technology makes the 'licencing' model no longer fit for purpose. Perhaps a 'subscription' model, or even a 'PFI' BBC committed to good programming, that can raise revenue via world syndication, might be the way to go. Who knows? The big con, really, is that collection of the licence fee is now done by a private organisation that appears to operate in a manner that puts them below 'bailiff' in terms of honesty and respect for the client's rights.

[Crazy Dog]

Yi Win: I found this: Posted: Sun Jul 27, 2003 (http://www.tvlicensing.biz/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=357&highlight=radio+licence)

It possibly indicates that TV Licencing, in your case, pre-empted the decision and never corrected their mistake. I believe you are entitled to a refund.

[SuperBrit]

0870 numbers - There is a web site that gives direct numbers (possibly even 0800 numbers if they exist) for companies that only give out 0870 numbers to the public. I don't know what the URL is. Any idea, anyone?

Is this what you are looking for?

www.saynoto0870.com (http://www.saynoto0870.com)

[Crazy Dog]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(SuperBrit @ 28th September 2006 - 10:42 PM) 201036</div>
0870 numbers - There is a web site that gives direct numbers (possibly even 0800 numbers if they exist) for companies that only give out 0870 numbers to the public. I don't know what the URL is. Any idea, anyone?

Is this what you are looking for?

www.saynoto0870.com (http://www.saynoto0870.com)
[/b]

That's the one! Bookmarked.