[mrlipring]

Originally Posted by SMHarman

Would you be happy for your licence fee to go up to cover the costs of the BBC buying the bandwidth at the other end?

I don't even know what you're asking here.

What bandwidth? Why would the BBC be paying for it? The other end of what?

My license fee pays for the creation of many bbc-made tv shows, radio shows, documentaries etc.

I've got to pay the license fee, even though i've not listened to the radio for months. I don't watch cbbc or cbeebies, yet i'm paying for them. I don't mind. I like the BBC content. BBC3, in particular, shows some excellent comedy. I'm not always about to watch it though. Sure, i'll set it to record, but i can only record one channel at a time, and if there's something on another bbc channel, at the same time, that i want to see, i can't. So if i can, i download it.

My flatmate was out when Doctor Who Ep2 was on. I downloaded it. All is well.

Downloading things from a commercial tv station (Friends, the bill, fifth gear etc) is on dodgy ground, because these stations rely on you watching the shows, and the ads, and that's where they get their money, advertising revenue. If you're downloading a show, the ads have been cut out, so you're not watching them, but the same could be said for having recorded the show, and fast forwarding through the adverts.

I will not watch adverts where possible. I'll pause TV for 5 minutes, then resume it, so i can fast forward through adverts when they appear. I don't want to see michael ****ing winner, bank tellers singing, or to be told about the wonders of canestan, thankyou.

I download TV shows, because i want to be able to watch them when i want, not have it dictated to me by marketing men and analysts, just because the show appeals to a certain type of person who watches at such and such a time, or just because it's been scheduled to compete with a rival station's flagship show.

I download TV shows because i'm impatient, and don't want to wat 6 months for them to be shown here. If i care about something enough to watch and download every episode, i'll buy the DVDs when they're released. Like Lost.

I download TV shows because they might not even BE shown over here.

TBH, i don't CARE about the legality of it, but in the BBC's case, i think it's morally acceptable, and that's what matters to me.

Originally Posted by scastle

I think you'll find your licence fees pay for the right to watch the show on a BBC controlled source (such as a TV channel, website etc). I read somewhere that even videoing a show is slightly dodgy, although tolerated.

I'm not talking about what rights the BBC afford us. They take our money whether we watch their services or not. They make shows with our money. They don't get money from advertising, etc. We pay for it. I'll do what i want with it. Their lawyers can contact me if they want me to stop.