Money grubbing erses

[Who's Wee Dug]

As Dereck & Clive would say !!!!kin BBC.
Government announces watching BBC iPlayer on catch-up will require a TV Licence 'soon' http://mse.me/zgg1D

 

[Tonyblack]

lol Don't get me started on TV licences. Not having a licence seems to be the only crime where the accused has to prove their innocence rather the the accuser proving guilt. Every single month I get a letter from the TV licence people threatening to take me to court where I'll be fined up to "£1000 in addition to legal costs". I used to occasionally watch stuff on the iPlayer, but I don't even do that any longer.

 

[janet]

Just wondering how they're going to monitor this? Impossible I'd say! Make EVERYONE buy a TV licence even though they do not have a functioning TV set or an aerial capable of receiving digital TV signals. Is everyone with a device capable of accessing iPlayer going to have to buy a TV licence? Bloody ridiculous :doh: !

 

[Tonyblack]

Janet, the only way they could actually prove that would be to get a search warrant and seize your hard drive. Even then I think they'd have a problem. Even as things are now and before watching TV on computers was common, it was always the licence people's job to prove that you were watching a TV without a licence. They rely on bamboozling people into letting them into their homes and then, if a TV set is there, persuading that person to switch on the set. Once you have done that, they can witness that they saw you operate a TV set. The whole department relies on smoke and mirrors by threatening people with court and scaring them into getting a licence. I used to work in the Post Office and the PO had the contract for TV licence enquiries. I know for a fact that the detector vans were practically useless and that any evidence obtained by them was useless in court. It was more about the vans driving around housing estates and shopping centres so that people would see them. Having worked on the post office counter, I know that we never used to sell more licences than when the detector vans were about.

I told you not to get me going on TV licences.

 

[janet]

Well, since you mention it Tony................I've heard that the detector vans are much more efficient these days. Someone was successfully prosecuted in a nearby village last year. Mind it may have just been a lucky strike by the van operators
Just a few random points came to mind:
If the BBC allowed advertising, the licence fee could be abolished, everyone would be happy and the money they saved on persecuting hapless individuals could be put into making better programmes.
They have also said they are planning to remove the free licences for over 75s which is cruel!
Our guess as to how they will regulate catch-up viewing involves only being able to access programmes by logging in with secure details which you only have if you pay up ......... but surely that system is only going to last five minutes before someone finds a way round it?

 

[Tonyblack]

Not trying to flog a dead horse, but the licence fee money actually goes to the Home Office. It's them that decide how much to give to the Beeb.

 

[janet]

Not trying to flog a dead horse, but the licence fee money actually goes to the Home Office. It's them that decide how much to give to the Beeb.

 

[RathDarkblade]

Speaking as a 'forriner', I'm curious. How much is the license fee? Is it compulsory? And, doesn't the BBC do advertising anyway? I know that the ABC, down here in Fourecks, does allow advertising and it's free-to-air, AFAIK.

In fact, it's been a constant (though mild) critic of several recent governments, which culminated in our previous PM threatening to censor the ABC and instructing his front bench to boycott its programs.

 

[Who's Wee Dug]

#1 £145.50 for colour per year

#2 Yes

#3 No

 

[janet]

Just to update - if anyone has just returned from a fortnight on the moon - Gv't has slid this one into touch and it will be mandatory from Sept 1st to have a TV licence to watch BBC on demand :angry-cussingblack: