Will the Tories do Murdoch's bidding and kill off the BBC?
 

Will the Tories do Murdoch's bidding and kill off the BBC?
 

It all depends on Ofcom. They need to get things sorted before the Tories get in power, otherwise we'll probably never see any Sky HD channels on Virgin Media.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

Did you just say Ofcom??? :shocked: :shocked: :shocked: :shocked:

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

IF the Tories get in power

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

They will.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

I hope the bloody Tories don't in, l can see them trying to find money from somewhere, and the first thing they will hit, will be satellite customers, trying to introduce a licence for it.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

I hope they don't as well, but no other party will beat them.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

If they do you can kiss goodbye to the BBC, sadly I think I agree with you and they will get in and then Murdoch will have free riegn to ruin the BBC and do whatever else he likes- including bullying Virgin.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

In the words of Gordon Brown "Change brings consequence"

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

Are the Tories planning to get rid of the BBC? If so that's one positive reason to vote for them I suppose

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

I assume that's just flame bait.

The BBC is the one last quality programme maker left in the UK. Who else could make Planet Earth, Life, Lost China, Nature's Great Events, Last Chance to See, or of course, Top Gear.

Or maybe you just like the kind of tabloid, brain dead rubbish that C4, Sky and Living come up with. If the BBC ever went away, I would never watch broadcast TV again.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

Nope it was a genuine question as I despise the BBC & their output. :dozey:

Re: Will the Tories do Murdoch's bidding and kill off the BBC?
 

I think you're going to be disappointed Hiroki - remember, Rupert was a pretty big fan of NuLiebour back in the late 1990s, yet Tony Bliar failed to destroy the BBC after he won the election. And the biggest Beeb-hater in the Commons is on the Liebour benches - one Gerald Kaufmann MP.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

Why?What is so bad about BBC programmes that you hate so much.

Their News?

Their nature programmes?

Their historical dramas and docudramsa.

Are you honestly saying that they have never produced anything that you like.

do you hate Monty Python?

Re: Will the Tories do Murdoch's bidding and kill off the BBC?
 

Unfortunately yes.

Re: Will the Tories do Murdoch's bidding and kill off the BBC?
 

My point is that the output of the BBC is so much wider than other TV organisations and aimed at a particularly large and diverse audience..How can anyone state that they categorically hate ALL of the output? :confused:

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

for what reason ?

Re: Will the Tories do Murdoch's bidding and kill off the BBC?
 

I hope so too. I begrudge being taxed £142.50 a year whether I want to watch the BBC or (any other TV channel really) or not.

Re: Will the Tories do Murdoch's bidding and kill off the BBC?
 

so do i but doesn't mean i want it to disapear

Re: Will the Tories do Murdoch's bidding and kill off the BBC?
 

Happy to pay the licence fee provided we still have the BBC. Superb value for money when compared to any other paid service (which mostly have ads as well as being charged for).

Would loathe and detest wall to wall adverts, constant soaps or reality TV shows.

Re: Will the Tories do Murdoch's bidding and kill off the BBC?
 

Who says it has to?

Why not let the people who want to watch it commercial free stump up £142/year and the ones who don't want to watch it or don't mind commercials to watch it free.

With digital broadcasting and mediums like VM and Sky it really isn't impossible to do.

Simples.

---------- Post added at 22:07 ---------- Previous post was at 22:05 ----------

There are a lot of things I think are value for money that I am sure you wouldn't. Fortunately you aren't forced to pay for them anyway.

Re: Will the Tories do Murdoch's bidding and kill off the BBC?
 

You can always not own a TV.

Re: Will the Tories do Murdoch's bidding and kill off the BBC?
 

Yeah, thanks for that.

Re: Will the Tories do Murdoch's bidding and kill off the BBC?
 

I personally think the BBC should be protected, commercial broadcasters continually fail to cater for the tastes that the BBC cater for and public service broadcasters like ITV fail to meet their public service commitments and get away with it. The BBC acts as a quality bar that forces other broadcasters to compete, remember a few years ago before Doctor Who was brought back? All the commercial broadcaster said that the family audience was dead and that it'd fail- 10 million extra people watched TV the night it launched. By that I don't mean 10 million people switched over, I actually mean that 10 million people switched on TV that didn't watch TV the previous Saturday and that kick started the revival of family programming on a Saturday evening. The commercial broadcasters would never have taken that risk and were quite happy to pump out the same old tired menu.

Now while I don't use all the services that the BBC provides I appreciate that some people do and that it's only possible by virtue of the way it's funded and I'm happy to pay for this to continue as it's part of the social contract of living in this country. Frankly I find the attitude that some people resent contributing shortsighted and selfish. Commercial TV costs you more anyway, even free to air channels because the cost of advertising is shifted onto the final cost of the product that is sold toyou. The BBC is fantastic value for money and the envy of the world and any politician worth his salt should be defending it from media families with no interest in the social way of life in this country other than how much money they can wring out it.

I'm of the opinion that if you don't want to pay for the BBC then don't own a TV and don't own a radio.

Re: Will the Tories do Murdoch's bidding and kill off the BBC?
 

The really sad thing is, ITV, having been shown by the BBC that there is an audience for family fantasy drama on a Saturday evening, dipped its toe in the water with Primeval, which performed well for them for, IIRC, three years ... only for them to eventually can it, not because it was a flop, but because, no matter how good it was, Simon Cowell's plastic pop factory was always going to be more popular still. ITV, being a plc, always has to keep its sights firmly on the bottom line. Its decision was sad, but understandable.

That is why the BBC is now more important than ever. In a digital multi-channel age, where dozens of channels are compelled to scrap with each other to get the biggest possible audience for the lowest possible outlay, all we get is endless repeats of a few increasingly tarnished old favourites. Original programming consists of cheap soaps, safe, predictable police procedurals and the aforementioned Simon Cowell plus imitators.

The BBC, amongst a great many other things, is a guarantor of quality and variety.

Re: Will the Tories do Murdoch's bidding and kill off the BBC?
 

I totally agree and enjoy the BBC while you can because Cameron has sold himself out and the country out in return for support from Murdoch's popular rag.

Re: Will the Tories do Murdoch's bidding and kill off the BBC?
 

Now, there we disagree - as I noted eariler, Tony Blair similarly got cosy with Murdoch ahead of the 1997 election, and yet he didn't go on to kill off the Beeb, even though he had a pretty good go at neutralising them as an effective news organisation following the whole dodgy dossier debacle.

Re: Will the Tories do Murdoch's bidding and kill off the BBC?
 

the way i see it is if the beeb doesn't get license fee money they will have to advertise like the other channels efectively meaning the end of the bbc ,and there's only so much advertising revenue to go round so i would say that the beebs revenue will fall through the floor and leave them no choice but to show repeats and trashy reality shows if they survive a tall

Re: Will the Tories do Murdoch's bidding and kill off the BBC?
 

Primeval is coming back

http://www.itv.com/drama/cult/primev...1/default.html

Re: Will the Tories do Murdoch's bidding and kill off the BBC?
 

My reply was to the thread title.

Re: Will the Tories do Murdoch's bidding and kill off the BBC?
 

OK but if you didn't want to confuse others perhaps a more comprehensive reply would have avoided that possibility. ;)

Re: Will the Tories do Murdoch's bidding and kill off the BBC?
 

Let's wait to see what Rothschild promised Mandelson in return for cracking down on music and film piracy..... ;)

Re: Will the Tories do Murdoch's bidding and kill off the BBC?
 

So, do the ones who have paid the licence fee just close their eyes when the ads come on?

---------- Post added at 00:26 ---------- Previous post was at 00:24 ----------

But music and film piracy is theft. Why should some geek hacker get to watch movies for free and others have to pay for it?

Re: Will the Tories do Murdoch's bidding and kill off the BBC?
 

Technically it is not theft feel free to go and visit your local police station and ask them :). I resent paying the licence fee when the bbc is barely watched all year in our house and i don't quite support the quality argument either as you can see just as much tosh on the bbc as you can the others.

Do i think cameron will kill it off no i don't what i do think is that he will do away with automatic rises for the licence and maybe even introduce a cut in the fee but not kill it off. Why the bbc deserve the special protection they have is beyond me and being honest i have no problem with them having to compete in the commercial arena same as all the others.

If the audience is big enough for any subject it will be catered for as there will be sufficient revenue from it but keeping the bbc because they can cater to everyone and everything without a worry about the money side of it is not fair.

Re: Will the Tories do Murdoch's bidding and kill off the BBC?
 

Well one day you will probably get your wish and if you think TV is tosh now you will find out this was the golden era of TV...;)

I shan't care as I'm planning to be dead by then..especially if I have end up relying on what passes for commercial TV because of your resentment at paying for a publicly funded tv station.

But then why pay your taxes for schools,roads,hospitals,street lighting and especially those parts of the town/infrastructure that you don't use..:shrug:

Re: Will the Tories do Murdoch's bidding and kill off the BBC?
 

Please don't try and use that argument Maggy because it is not the same and your well aware of that. Taxes are paid because in oneway or another we all benefit by a far greater margin then we all benefit by all paying the licence fee. Times change and things move on but the bbc isn't at anywhere near the same pace and the reason is because they have a nice cocoon called the licence to always gaurantee their revenue.

How about we charge all non sky\vm customers something so they can subsidise that for those of us that have it and yes it is the same thing. I am all for paying for what i use and what i make use of but that argument simply cannot be used in relation to the bbc. I don't want to see the end of the bbc but i do think they can manage on less money then they currently take from every household in the UK.

Re: Will the Tories do Murdoch's bidding and kill off the BBC?
 

Same here, do people really think that the licence fee will be dropped if any Government decides to get rid of the BBC? It's another easy cash cow for the Conservatives like Railtrack.

Re: Will the Tories do Murdoch's bidding and kill off the BBC?
 

Why should we have to go without a TV because we don't want to watch the BBC. At the moment i have no choice other than pay a tax on the BBC or not pay the tax to the BBC and then be barred from owning or operating a TV for channels that are free of the tax. Bit unfair if you ask me.

Bit like saying everyone must pay for a box of widgets even if you have no intention of using them.

---------- Post added at 06:42 ---------- Previous post was at 06:41 ----------

Or any other party

Re: Will the Tories do Murdoch's bidding and kill off the BBC?
 

More likely ITV, CH4 & 5 will suffer as the BBC would take a huge amount of advertising revenue because of its content.

Re: Will the Tories do Murdoch's bidding and kill off the BBC?
 

Personally I think the licence fee represents great value for money. I'd happily pay more if it meant less political interference.

The quality and diversity of BBC's output couldn't be sustained if it relied on advertising revenue. You only have to look at what has happened to ITV.

Re: Will the Tories do Murdoch's bidding and kill off the BBC?
 

The BBC will not be dismantled under a Tory government, and certainly not one led by David Cameron. Catch a bloody grip of yourselves people.... :rolleyes:

Re: Will the Tories do Murdoch's bidding and kill off the BBC?
 

Are you deliberately obtuse?

For some decades now we have had the ability to restrict channels on the basis of payment. It isn't rocket science. Have BBC Free with commercials or BBC commercial free on VM, Sky, Top-up TV for the extra £12 a month extra.

If people had to pay £142 to a state-owned airline before they were allowed to fly anywhere (regardless if they fly or with whom), noone would stand for it. Its a poll tax. If I don't want to watch the BBC I still have to pay for it. It goes against everything that's fair and equitable in a reasonable society.

Re: Will the Tories do Murdoch's bidding and kill off the BBC?
 

We should abolish the NHS for the same reasons, I never use it so why should my taxes go to support it, if I ever need treatment I'll pay there and then. You'd think we lived in a society or something.

Re: Will the Tories do Murdoch's bidding and kill off the BBC?
 

Yeah but you still watch it though and you must appreciate that the BBC provides services for other people (you know those people who also live in the country but aren't in your immediate circle) that they find useful.

It's very simple, the BBC exists to provide a public service and that's paid for out of the licence fee and this protects them (mostly) from political interference. If you want to watch broadcast TV in this country you have to pay the licence fee to ensure public service TV is properly served. It's part of the social contract in this country- if you don't like it well no one is forcing you to own a TV...

Because they are a public service provider who offer services to cater all tastes regardless of if their is money to be made from that or not? That's why they are the only broadcaster to provide home grown children's entertainment and programmes for the blind and deaf. Are you saying you resent paying towards an organisation that in todays market ensures that children and disabled people have programming and are catered for?

You're really THAT selfish?


Maybe you could stop being so short sighted and stop thinking about yourself and perhaps try to see that the BBC is something that should be cherished and protected.

Re: Will the Tories do Murdoch's bidding and kill off the BBC?
 

If you want to make Virgin and Sky have public service commitments and allow everyone to watch those programmes produced under those commitments then go ahead- that's a great idea.

---------- Post added at 09:57 ---------- Previous post was at 09:52 ----------

You do have a choice, you either accept that owning a TV in this country has a social contract attached to it and that is contributing to the national cultural well being by paying a licence fee to the BBC so that everyone who owns a TV has their interests catered for regardless of if there's profit to be made from it or not or you don't own a TV.

Do those widgets add to and enrich the cultural life of this country regardless of if profit can be made from it? No? then that's a nonsense argument.

---------- Post added at 10:03 ---------- Previous post was at 09:57 ----------

I bet you DO watch the BBC though. It's not unfair and inequitable to have a strong BBC that's paid for out of the licence fee, it's what allows this country to punch above it's weight in terms of its TV output, it's what ensures that all tastes and all sectors of society are catered for with their programming.

The BBC is something to be proud off and it's one of the only things left to feel proud to be British. I genuinely feel that the BBC is so much part of our way of life that if you're against the BBC, you're against something that is so fundamental to what it means to be British.

Re: Will the Tories do Murdoch's bidding and kill off the BBC?
 

The unique position the BBC is in is why it is a cultural force in the world. From Planet Earth to the BBC World Service the Beeb has been, and continues to be, one of the most successful exports we ever had.

We are a small island with a relatively small population but outside of the United States we probably one of the most successful content producers in the world. This is a fantastic achievement and I don't understand why we as a country as so quick and eager to dismiss that.

Look at the other channels in the UK, the BBC is by far and away the best channel for British writers, directors and actors to succeed. A lot of our most successful artists started there because, free from commercial considerations, the BBC is in a position to take more risks and produce content for everyone however niche their tastes. Far better than ITV and it's obsession with reality shows and badly scripted, clichéd police dramas. You might agree that commercial success is a indicator of quality or at least of 'what people want' but I don't agree. Planet Earth is far better in terms of culture and impact than X-Factor. Yet there is not a channel in the world that would invest in something like it. Planet Earth is an example of why the BBC matters. It can decide that creating something wonderful, important, and educating is more important than commercial success.

Alternatively we could reduce our TV culture to reality shows and American Imports.

Re: Will the Tories do Murdoch's bidding and kill off the BBC?
 

So you do watch the Natural History output?

I personally don't and I really hate that stuff, but I appreciate that there are people that do like it and do watch it and I don't mind some of MY money going towards it because the BBC does provide stuff I do like to watch.

ITV costs you more per year than the BBC because the cost of making those programmes is paid for by advertising, the cost of which is passed onto the consumer in the form of higher prices to cover the cost of marketing.

Re: Will the Tories do Murdoch's bidding and kill off the BBC?
 

There simply isn't enough people to make a HBO style thing work.

Re: Will the Tories do Murdoch's bidding and kill off the BBC?
 

So you like that stuff you watch that is on commercial channels that is produced by the BBC?

Those commercial channels wouldn't buy that stuff unless they were able to sell advertising space and that means they'd only buy stuff that if it's proven to be in high demand within their key demographic. They play safe within their own defined part of the market but it takes the BBC to produce it first, show it to great acclaim for them to be interested in buying it.

The BBC leads and the rest follow and you must at least give them a little acknowledgement for that. Your licence fee funding is going toward
the production of programmes you like that others don't, it's now our fault you wait until a commercial broadcaster buys up the rights to the repeats.



Yes I do have a problem with the BBC being subscription only, as it is at the moment it HAS to cater for everybody because everybody contributes to it. Under a subscription model it'd be going for highest common denominator and it'd remove it's current tendency to take risks with programming that isn't considered to be "marketable".

The licence fee is the best way to ensure the BBC continues to take risks and continues to ensure everyone has something to watch.

Re: Will the Tories do Murdoch's bidding and kill off the BBC?
 

I have never said I don't.

A poll tax is never something to be proud of.

Re: Will the Tories do Murdoch's bidding and kill off the BBC?
 

The BBC would almost certainly survive the transition to commercials. ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 probably would not.

Why? Simple. When demand outstrips supply, prices go up. Demand for advertising space is pretty much fixed. However, the supply of advertising space has increased exponentially, thus driving prices (and therefore income for the commercial TV companies) down.

Think about it. A lot of people seem to consider the 80s and early 90s as the hey day for quality ITV drama. ITV, at the time, had an awful lot of money to spend on that quality drama. Mainly because there were only a few channels that had advertising, so the cost for each 30 second slot was astronomical. Now, we have over 300 channels, so the cost has gone through the floor. Adding the significant amount of advertising space that forcing the BBC to take advertising would would drive those prices even lower.

Re: Will the Tories do Murdoch's bidding and kill off the BBC?
 

Outstanding post Heero, will rep you when I can.

Reminds me of the succinct slogan "No taxation without representation".

Re: Will the Tories do Murdoch's bidding and kill off the BBC?
 

It's not a poll tax, it's a licence to own a TV and it's goes towards funding the stuff you want to watch but I don't. I don't mind thouh because I appreciate that's what the BBC is there for and I bought a TV fully aware of that.

---------- Post added at 10:54 ---------- Previous post was at 10:47 ----------

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/news...love-seat.html

If Douglas Carswell was so concerned about the nation being ripped off maybe he should pay back that money he stole directly off the taxpayer without even contributing to our nations cultural wellbeing?

---------- Post added at 11:06 ---------- Previous post was at 10:54 ----------

Even though ITV are cutting investment in programming commercial broadcasters still cost you more than the BBC. Advertising has to be paid for and has to cover the cost of making those shows and has to make a profit for the companies involved. Advertising costs form part of a marketing budget, marketing budgets are costed into the final cost of the products in the shops.

Oh yes, every right wing shrill propaganda extremists wet dream the Daily Mail bleats on about the BBC because the Daily Mail wants to charge you to view news on the internet and is so running a smear campaign against it's biggest rival.

The Daily Mail and General trust avoided paying its fair share if tax last year by exploiting legal loopholes in the taxation legislation in a similar fashion to TESCO and their owner Lord Rothermere is a non-dom registered in France and avoids paying a bucket load of tax.

Obviously if they were that concerned about the nations finances they fix that and if Cameron was that serious about making Britain fairer he'd announce a crack down on these schemes.

But then it's easier to attack the BBC and keep the support of ones friends isn't it?


I've already addressed this. He should really do something about his expenses no? Surely he isn't trying to deflect attention away from his pilfering?


Eat that!

Re: Will the Tories do Murdoch's bidding and kill off the BBC?
 

The BBC is independent of government with good reason. It's a rather cheap shot because if MPs did have a say in how the BBC was governed the tact that would have been taken on here would be to question it's independence and compare it to governments which own TV stations and use it for self-promotion/censorship.

Re: Will the Tories do Murdoch's bidding and kill off the BBC?
 

It ISN'T a poll tax, you can still vote if you don't pay it.



Just as it's easy to avoid the fact that you use BBC services and refuse to pay for them, that MP's have their own agenda's and that you're being manipulated by people with a commercial interest in seeing the BBC dismantled. Obviously it's also easier to be told what to think.

Re: Will the Tories do Murdoch's bidding and kill off the BBC?
 

Such as being told to think I'm selfish if I don't agree with your viewpoint you mean?

Re: Will the Tories do Murdoch's bidding and kill off the BBC?
 

Would you pay a licence fee to the Sun newspaper in order to be able to read all the other newspapers?

Would you pay a licence fee for owning a toaster, with all fees going to Mr Warburton?

In the eyes of the BBC, people who don't have a TV are classed as liars and criminals. They will harass and bully the innocent.

Like some have already mentioned, the BBC should give the public a fair choice and go subscription only. But they won't do that, because they know they would go bust!

Re: Will the Tories do Murdoch's bidding and kill off the BBC?
 

I'm engaging in a debate but when all I see are rehashed arguments originally peddled by the BBC's commercial rivals what am I to assume is happening?

Re: Will the Tories do Murdoch's bidding and kill off the BBC?
 

Where's the fair choice in commercial TV? Every time I go to the shops I pay for the marketing spend that finances the dross put out by the commercial channels. Even if I don't own a tv...

Re: Will the Tories do Murdoch's bidding and kill off the BBC?
 

You assume what you want I don't really care. Assuming that everyone who doesn't agree with you is selfish just shows your ignorance. If you tried debating or discussing and actually finding out peoples opinions instead of assuming you already know them you may get further.

Still that's just my 2p and all.

I'm one of those people who doesn't mind paying the licence - but then I don't pay as much as most people so maybe that's why.

Re: Will the Tories do Murdoch's bidding and kill off the BBC?
 

If the Sun was delivered free of charge and was legally bound to as impartial as it could be and was made to provide news on all areas of interests to everyone who read it, you'd have a point.

The market is pretty good at providing the nation with it's mass and niche bread requirements so I'm not sure what your point is here.

No in the eyes of the Licensing Authority people who don't own a TV don't have to pay.

I don't think a subscription model would work and would allow the BBC to maintain it's diverse output.

Re: Will the Tories do Murdoch's bidding and kill off the BBC?
 

Which shows? Bear in mind the BBC's position means they can produce more documentaries and education shows than a commercial channel could.

Re: Will the Tories do Murdoch's bidding and kill off the BBC?
 

Well to be fair you've responded to a post that was a response to a post that was addressing someone else who'd used the Daily Mail as a central plank in support of his/her argument.

But yeah I guess its a fair cop to point out that suggesting that its selfish not to want to contribute to the BBC unless it only produces what they want is telling people what to think.

Re: Will the Tories do Murdoch's bidding and kill off the BBC?
 

Broadcast television is an antiquated medium. The only things I watch are on the bbc iplayer. If they abolish the license fee just turn iplayer into a subscription service and I will be happy.

To people who watch ITV, 4 and 5. What the hell are you watching? [cultural snobbery]

Re: Will the Tories do Murdoch's bidding and kill off the BBC?
 

If you are going to try and misquote me you could at least get it right.

you said 'Obviously it's also easier to be told what to think.'

THAT is the only part of what you've posted i've quoted. Nothing more and nothing less.

I've also suggested you may want to find out what people think before you you accuse them of being selfish.

I did not point out 'suggesting that its selfish not to want to contribute to the BBC unless it only produces what they want is telling people what to think.'


Anyway I'll leave you to it.

Re: Will the Tories do Murdoch's bidding and kill off the BBC?
 

The simple point is, I want to be able to buy a TV without having to fork out extra money every year just to be able to use it, a TV does have other uses ya'know.

If you and others are so confident that the BBC are this all singing all dancing entertainment package and that the British public will be worse off without it, then you would have no problem with it going subscription only.

You want it, you pay for it.

I don't want it, but I still have to pay for it. Is that fair?

Re: Will the Tories do Murdoch's bidding and kill off the BBC?
 

So it's basically that you only want the BBC to produce stuff you want to watch and everyone else can get lost?

The BBC has produced those programmes and they've become popular, they are then sold onto commercial broadcasters. The demand was created by the BBC in the first place as they produced these programmes, showed them and they were popular. Left to the commercial broadcasters you wouldn't get those shows produced, you'd get ITV.

You're also paying and asking people who don't own a TV to pay for programmes you don't watch through the extra cost that's added to the cost of items you buy in the shops, is that fair?



You can still vote if you don't pay your licence fee and if what you say came to pass the commercial broadcasters would have nothing to compete with in terms of raising the quality bar and you'd get wall to wall lowest common dominator TV that panders to the greatest number of people.

Re: Will the Tories do Murdoch's bidding and kill off the BBC?
 

You do NOT have to have a licence to OWN a TV.

edit - http://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/faqs/FAQ15/

Re: Will the Tories do Murdoch's bidding and kill off the BBC?
 

That's interesting. I've always thought it was an offence if you had equipment capable of receiving a transmission.

Re: Will the Tories do Murdoch's bidding and kill off the BBC?
 

But what if I just want to watch the channels I subscribe to and the standard commercial channels? I don't have a choice do I, I must pay or else.

All I want is that choice, why can't I have it?

Re: Will the Tories do Murdoch's bidding and kill off the BBC?
 

That is different to what you said before. I Was just pointing out a solution to your orginal statement.


You said 'The simple point is, I want to be able to buy a TV without having to fork out extra money every year just to be able to use it, a TV does have other uses ya'know.'

And you don't have to fork out extra money to use it and as you pointed out it does indeed have other uses.

Re: Will the Tories do Murdoch's bidding and kill off the BBC?
 

I know, sorry Thomas. It was just another question I needed to ask. :)

Re: Will the Tories do Murdoch's bidding and kill off the BBC?
 

Fair enough :)

Re: Will the Tories do Murdoch's bidding and kill off the BBC?
 

It was pointed out earlier by a poster that the BBC news was biased.

I find it amusing that left-wingers think the BBC news is too right-wing, and right-wingers think the BBC news is too left-wing - bit of dissonance there, don't you think?

Re: Will the Tories do Murdoch's bidding and kill off the BBC?
 

Watch a lot of BBC stuff and whilst there may be self promoting adverts between shows (great tea making time) they are not interrupted every 5 minutes for an ad break :dozey:

Re: Will the Tories do Murdoch's bidding and kill off the BBC?
 

I amy be selfish but as someone that watches no bbc content and my wife watches eastenders only yes i resent paying a chrage of £142 a year. So do millions of others and we never get a say on it no choice in this at al. We get told each year how much extra we have to pay and only recently have the bbc even condescended enough to tell us how some of it is spent.

Also for those constantly telling me about how the bbc makes things no one else does or would can you tell me one type of show on the bbc i cannot watch on another channel that isn't bbc. fact is there is nothing unique about the content on the bbc and what there is on there you can find on other channels.

How about they cut back the number of radio stations and tv channels they have and manage with less because thats what the rest of us are going to have to do for some years to come but not the bbc oh no they have a protected no choice income.

My cousin recently had to choose between taxing his van for work or paying his licence fee as he is a builder and has not had a lot of work for a while and he is now getting the sort of threatening letters you would normally associate with loansharks.

It isn't democratic (something that is of upmost importance to some on here in other threads when it suits them) it isn't fair and while some of you may feel it provides value for money a hell of a lot of other people do not share that view and surely should have an alternative.

Re: Will the Tories do Murdoch's bidding and kill off the BBC?
 

Because it is part of being a society.

I have Private Health, why am I paying taxes towards the NHS (I don't object, btw).

Why do those people who send their kids to Private Schools still have to pay a portion of their taxes to pay for state schools.

Why do all of those of us who didn't go to University have to pay a portion of our taxes to support Universities (the fees don't cover much of the costs).

Why does a portion of my taxes go towards unemployment benefit, when in the last 35 years I have probably claimed about £1000 pounds in dole money.

I thought it was because, as a society, we try and contribute to do what's best for most, rather than what's best for some.

Re: Will the Tories do Murdoch's bidding and kill off the BBC?
 

The problem is the seemingly inextricable link between the licence fee and the BBC. If the BBC were funded solely through tax and it's own earnings would there still be the same argument. Then they would have the problem of having to keep sweet whoever is in government. Chances are you would still need to have a licence to receive broadcast TV, BBC or no BBC.

I have to pay car tax to drive on the public highway. Judging by the amount of potholes and the state of the roads in general the money is not well spent. At least the TV licensing allow breathing space for late/non payment. You would not get the same leniency from DVLA.

Re: Will the Tories do Murdoch's bidding and kill off the BBC?
 

According to TVL, it is.

(Has anyone noticed they've dropped the 'Authority' bit? So they bloody well should, too - they are NOT an authority and never have been, and had no right to call themselves such)

They're at it again with me. They have opened an official investigation (yes, the statement was in red!). I'm soooo scared - especially as it isn't me they're after...they're addressing The Legal Occupier. Can't they be bothered to find out who's living there, or do they -quite rightly - have no legal authority to find out?). :rolleyes:

I still don't have a TV. I don't have a VCR or DVD recorder. All I have is a portable DVD player. They've opened their official investigation because I haven't contacted them - forgetting that I am under no legal obligation to do so. I'd be quite happy if they got a warrant or whatever and sent the police around - I will then sue for wrongful arrest, and the cops can bloody well send them the bill. I fully intend to allow them to waste their time and money, because I do not intend to cooperate with them in any way whatsoever.

I hate bullies. I sorted one out once by cracking him a good 'un. He never came near me again. I wish I could do the same with these morons, or that Her Majesty's Government would kick 'em into touch.

Actually, I do have plans to get a TV, and subscribe to Sky - but there's something slightly more important I need to do first, viz. get a job. TV is very low on my list of priorities.

Re: Will the Tories do Murdoch's bidding and kill off the BBC?
 

Their wording is deliberately ambiguous, however you only need a licence to use receiving equipment for the purpose of receiving. You don't need a licence to use a TV as a monitor for your DVD player, even if the TV is capable of receiving broadcasts. You don't need a licence to use a VCR to watch your old video collection, even if the VCR is capable of receiving broadcasts. And you don't need a licence to use a computer, just because a website exists where you could, if you wanted to, go and watch broadcast TV.

The moment you use any of the above equipment, whilst attached to mains electricity, to watch broadcast TV, then you need to hold a valid TV licence in order for your activity to be legal. But not a moment before.

Quote:

(Has anyone noticed they've dropped the 'Authority' bit? So they bloody well should, too - they are NOT an authority and never have been, and had no right to call themselves such)

Well, yes and no. The BBC is a public authority with respect to its licencing functions. It delegates some of those functions to various other organisations. It may not be strictly correct for TVL itself to claim it is an authority, but it is acting on the direct instructions of, and on behalf of, a legal Authority, so the point is purely technical.

Re: Will the Tories do Murdoch's bidding and kill off the BBC?
 

Yes, if you look hard enough, you can find a clear statement of the law with regards to when you do not need a licence - but notice how they link it with the following sentence, which suggests you should fill in a declaration form and submit to a visit by an enforcement officer.

You are not under any obligation to declare anything. You are not under any obligation to submit to any inspection, unless the officer has a warrant. However, presenting the information in the way they do allows people to form the impression that these obligations do exist.

Re: Will the Tories do Murdoch's bidding and kill off the BBC?
 

The paper licence itself always used to specify internal batteries - I may dig mine out later and double check that.

Re: Will the Tories do Murdoch's bidding and kill off the BBC?
 

I seem to recall that - it mentions being able to use your tv in a caravan if you're not also using at home at the samet time. But I can't see anything about internal batteries.

Mind you I can't read the bugger properly ;)

edit - no I found it....

'Use of TV equipment powered by internal batteries anywhere'
'by you and anyone who normally lives with you at the licensed place'

well that's what it says on my license :)

Re: Will the Tories do Murdoch's bidding and kill off the BBC?
 

[img]Download Failed (1)[/img]

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

Ah your right, damn.

I HATE MONTY PYTHON :mad:

People can have their own opinions and I respect that and I know some people really enjoy the BBC but for me I want it abolished and quickly.

Last thing that I enjoyed on the BBC was Bottom and that was years ago and now I just think they are a drain on my recourses and I cringe every time someone flicks onto their channels it makes my skin crawl.

It's an outdated and it need to be abolished starting with the news as I despise that the most.

Re: Will the Tories do Murdoch's bidding and kill off the BBC?
 

You really can't compare a TV channel with socialised medicine, education and benefits.

I'm rather surprised you actually tried :erm:

Re: Will the Tories do Murdoch's bidding and kill off the BBC?
 

These all seem to be necessities that society would find it hard to cope with if they disappeared. I don't think anybody would find it hard to cope if the TV licence were to be abolished or at least be PPV.

Re: Will the Tories do Murdoch's bidding and kill off the BBC?
 

Can I ask why you despise the news, Hiroki?

---------- Post added at 16:09 ---------- Previous post was at 16:07 ----------

They weren't comparisons, they were examples of where we, as a society, contribute to benefit others, even if we don't directly benefit ourselves.

I personally think the BBC educates and informs, mostly without bias, and so is worth keeping - ymmv.:)

Re: Will the Tories do Murdoch's bidding and kill off the BBC?
 

Why can't you?

The BBC isn't 'a TV channel' by the way - a fact I'm sure you're well aware of. But if you genuinely don't understand the full reach and significance of the BBC's operations in the UK and worldwide, just say the word, I'm sure I or one or two others on here could lay it out for you. ;)

Re: Will the Tories do Murdoch's bidding and kill off the BBC?
 

There is no need to be rude.

And what happens to transmissions when the adverts are on? Do they show a blank screen for five minutes, every quarter of an hour?

It wouldn't be sustainable anyway. If say twenty per cent didn't want to pay the licence fee wanted the BBC to show commercials, no company in their right mind would want to pay loads of money to access only twenty per cent of the audience.

I would love to have a state owned airline that costs me only one hundred and forty two pounds a year, if it meant I could fly anywhere I wanted, without having to pay anything more. I am pretty sure everyone in the country would be cock-a-hoop with a plan like that.

---------- Post added at 16:35 ---------- Previous post was at 16:16 ----------


Carswell is hardly a good source for advice on the funding of the BBC. His collaboration with Hannan on the NHS plan is testament to his bias.

Re: Will the Tories do Murdoch's bidding and kill off the BBC?
 

I don't depise the news, just BBC news and I can give many reasons but it's mainly because they can't seem to have an impartial view when it comes to the problems in the middle east and they tend to swing one way more than the other. So I stick to other news outlets.

Re: Will the Tories do Murdoch's bidding and kill off the BBC?
 

I think you are splitting hairs there if you believe there's a difference so be it.

And whilst you think the BBC educates (as do other channels) there is a wide gulf between a couple of documentaries and a full country-wide school system.

Things like police, fire and schools need to be funded any way possible. TV radio and websites? No. Certainly not justifing a poll tax.


See above. I said TV channel for brevity's sake and as its the most visible and costly arm of the BBC. I don't think any part of the BBC justifies a pool tax.

Trust me, I wasn't being rude. Certainly no more than you was being sarcastic.

It is a simple matter of running two schedules. They will run out of alignment but who really would care? I they do want to re-align the schedules periodically they can just ommit the less commercially-viable filler stuff. And yes, even the BBC has that. Come on, its the 21st century, these things aren't that difficult.

Sure with analogue this was more difficult but with the digital age, there is no excuse.

20% of the TV market is very sizeable. And besides, if the BBC was value-for-money then everyone would pay £142/year


Very clever that you've taken my analogy out of context. OK, what if you don't want to fly?

That's the trouble here. The only attitude I seem to see from BBC supporters is that "I like the BBC so everyone else has to pay for it."

Re: Will the Tories do Murdoch's bidding and kill off the BBC?
 

Because I pay about fifty pounds a month for subscription television, that's about six hundred pounds a year. Paying just one hundred and forty-two pounds a year for television that is not commercial, or subscription, is pretty good value for money.

Re: Will the Tories do Murdoch's bidding and kill off the BBC?
 

Simple Why should i have to pay for something that if i had the choice i would not. I chose to watch the commercial channels and the subscription channels.

I would prefer not to have to pay for something that if i had the choice would then not watch. The BBC is no matter how people dress it up a tax on people who own a tv.But if you don't watch it WHY should you have to pay for it, Where is this right to choice that everyone says we should be proud of.

Re: Will the Tories do Murdoch's bidding and kill off the BBC?
 

You also fund museums and other cultural bodies with your taxes...

Re: Will the Tories do Murdoch's bidding and kill off the BBC?
 

A pity, because that's not what is being offered in support of the BBC here. Not by me, at any rate, and not by several of the other contributors.

I, for one, am not claiming everyone should pay for the BBC because I like it. There's plenty I don't like on the BBC, and there's output I can't even access - HD, for example - but I'm happy to see my licence fee funding it because I like the principle that underpins the way the BBC is funded and operated.

Re: Will the Tories do Murdoch's bidding and kill off the BBC?
 

My question was why should i have to pay for something by law that if i don't use it i still have to pay for , however if i don't pay for that service it prevents me from using other rivals of that service who provide a similar service. ?

---------- Post added at 17:24 ---------- Previous post was at 17:21 ----------

Then should those that choice not to watch or fund it be prevented from watching the BBC's competitors ??

Re: Will the Tories do Murdoch's bidding and kill off the BBC?
 

Further to Damien's post, here's a list of museums your taxes pay to make free for everyone to visit:

http://209.85.129.132/search?q=cache...uk&hl=en&gl=uk

You may or may not even be interested in museums, but even if you are, I expect that in your lifetime you won't visit most of these.

---------- Post added at 17:27 ---------- Previous post was at 17:25 ----------

Yes. Because the chosen funding model is a licence on the operation of TV receivers. And that's a good thing, because simply not watching BBC output does not mean that you're not benefiting from the work of the BBC.

Re: Will the Tories do Murdoch's bidding and kill off the BBC?
 

Trust me, you were being rude, calling someone "obtuse" is rude. My remarks were to show the folly of your theory. Sarcasm, is not the same as being rude.

It is not "a simple matter of running two schedules," What would be the point? Given the choice, who would want to watch a second tier television channel?

Twenty per cent is not a very sizable portion of the market. The fact that it is only twenty-per cent, suggests that it is not sizable at all. No commercial business would bother investing serious money into a campaign where they have access to only one fifth of their target.


It is not out of context at all. In fact it was a very accurate perspective view of how such an enterprise would be compared to the BBC.

Re: Will the Tories do Murdoch's bidding and kill off the BBC?
 

But I have a choice to subscribe to the channels I want to watch, SKY Sports etc... I don't want to to watch any BBC channels on my TV, I still have ample news and entertainment without them.

So where is my freedom of choice? I don't have one do I?