[Erik Oostveen]

BBC finance director Zarin Patel recently revealed that TV licence fee evasion is rising (from 5.1% last year to 5.3% this year - of all UK households).

It looks like more and more people are starting to resist the outdated idea of TV Licensing

[Charnham]

yes im sure that the people not paying it, are those not paying it in protest.

[pcuffy]

I believe this tax should be scrapped now and the BBC should become a subscription only service surely this would be the fairest option for everyone.
What will probably happen in the future though is the price will rise and rise and the government will have a TV Licence fee benifit for single mothers and the unemployed and us tax payers will be asked to foot the bill for these wasters. Thanks Mr Brown.

[pcuffy]

Originally Posted by Erik Oostveen

BBC finance director Zarin Patel recently revealed that TV licence fee evasion is rising (from 5.1% last year to 5.3% this year - of all UK households).

It looks like more and more people are starting to resist the outdated idea of TV Licensing

Hopefully more and more will resist the licence fee. Plenty on digital spy that will disagree as they believe its value for money.

[tellytart1]

So, if there was no licence fee you'd be happy losing:

BBC Local Radio
BBC Proms
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 3

And then lose programmes like Planet Earth and Bleak House, as well as everything the BBC Natural History Unit does, because they'll have to only make programming that will appeal to advertisers and the lowest common denominator of audiences - effectively becoming the same as ITV - dumbed down to the lowest intelligence audiences.

You'd be happy with that?

[TheEngineer]

Hardly a surprise.

Crime usually does rise during a recession.

[pcuffy]

Originally Posted by tellytart1

So, if there was no licence fee you'd be happy losing:

BBC Local Radio
BBC Proms
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 3

And then lose programmes like Planet Earth and Bleak House, as well as everything the BBC Natural History Unit does, because they'll have to only make programming that will appeal to advertisers and the lowest common denominator of audiences - effectively becoming the same as ITV - dumbed down to the lowest intelligence audiences.

You'd be happy with that?

Yes would be very happy the people who want to listen to this could do so via subscription and the rest of us who dont could spend our money on the tv we like not the bloated out of date BBC.

[tellytart1]

Except they wouldn't get the chance, because those services would no longer exist, as even with a subscription model, they wouldn't be financially viable.

I forgot to mention, you'd also lose the 24 hour news channel, as news doesn't make money, so would be dropped. (Remember, ITV had a 24 hour news channel, was costing them too much, so they shut it down).

You'd also probably lose the BBC News website. And suddenly you're relying on Rupert Murdoch to provide his brand of selected news.

[PeterB]

Originally Posted by pcuffy

Yes would be very happy the people who want to listen to this could do so via subscription and the rest of us who dont could spend our money on the tv we like not the bloated out of date BBC.

That would be dumbed down to the lowest intelligence audiences...

[Charnham]

this whole idea of the BBC being a subscription is laughable, it goes against every fibre of what the BBC is, and its history.

[mossy2103]

Originally Posted by Erik Oostveen

(from 5.1% last year to 5.3% this year - of all UK households).

Wowee - big, big rise.

And nice bit of selective reporting ther Mr O, the fuller text is:

Licence fee evasion rose 4% last year and is expected to get worse as the recession deepens.

BBC finance director Zarin Patel revealed this morning (14 July) that evasion stepped up from 5.1% of all UK households in 2007/08 to 5.3% last year – although the impact on income was offset by a drop in the cost of licence fee collection.

She said the result was “not bad in a recession” but cautioned that the BBC is experiencing more evaders in the current financial period: “We expect next year to be tough as the recession continues to bite and fewer new homes are built.”

Oh, and I'll provide a link to the one-month old report, seeing as you did not:

http://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/news/b...003546.article

[pcuffy]

Originally Posted by tellytart1

Except they wouldn't get the chance, because those services would no longer exist, as even with a subscription model, they wouldn't be financially viable.

I forgot to mention, you'd also lose the 24 hour news channel, as news doesn't make money, so would be dropped. (Remember, ITV had a 24 hour news channel, was costing them too much, so they shut it down).

You'd also probably lose the BBC News website. And suddenly you're relying on Rupert Murdoch to provide his brand of selected news.

To be honest with this labour government I have no chance of getting my wish to decide what I want to spend my money on and so I will continue to fund the BBC with the licence fee tax and I have no option but to do so.

Why should I pay for a service that I don't want I don't care if this means other people cant access it tough! We are supposed to live in a free society but we don't we live in a socialist labour welfare state society were people are fed a diet of benefits to keep them voting labour.

[Charnham]

Originally Posted by pcuffy

To be honest with this labour government I have no chance of getting my wish to decide what I want to spend my money on and so I will continue to fund the BBC with the licence fee tax and I have no option but to do so.

Why should I pay for a service that I don't want I don't care if this means other people cant access it tough! We are supposed to live in a free society but we don't we live in a socialist labour welfare state society were people are fed a diet of benefits to keep them voting labour.

its the "TV Licence " not the "BBC Licence" your choice is to watch TV and pay the licence or not watch TV and not pay the licence.

you are lucky we live somewhere, where you get something for your TV Licence, this forum has provided examples of country's that have a licence fee but no state broadcaster.

[exlordlucan]

Originally Posted by pcuffy

To be honest with this labour government I have no chance of getting my wish to decide what I want to spend my money on and so I will continue to fund the BBC with the licence fee tax and I have no option but to do so.

Was your wish granted under the Tories? no so stop talking rubbish.

Originally Posted by pcuffy

Why should I pay for a service that I don't want I don't care if this means other people cant access it tough! We are supposed to live in a free society but we don't we live in a socialist labour welfare state society were people are fed a diet of benefits to keep them voting labour.

Tough luck, if you don't like a welfare state then shove off and live elsewhere, go to America.

[pcuffy]

Originally Posted by Charnham

its the "TV Licence " not the "BBC Licence" your choice is to watch TV and pay the licence or not watch TV and not pay the licence.

you are lucky we live somewhere, where you get something for your TV Licence, this forum has provided examples of country's that have a licence fee but no state broadcaster.

Not really that lucky in the USA there would be uproar at the thought of a licence fee tax and yet us Brits pay without question - well most of us seems the tide is turning though.

My £142 Licence fee tax would pay nicely for a ESPN subscription. Roll on the day the BBC shuts down I say.

[PeterB]

Originally Posted by pcuffy

Not really that lucky in the USA there would be uproar at the thought of a licence fee tax and yet us Brits pay without question - well most of us seems the tide is turning though.

My £142 Licence fee tax would pay nicely for a ESPN subscription. Roll on the day the BBC shuts down I say.

What about the rest of your household?

[pcuffy]

Originally Posted by exlordlucan

Was your wish granted under the Tories? no so stop talking rubbish.



Tough luck, if you don't like a welfare state then shove off and live elsewhere, go to America.

So you don't mind paying for single mother's to bleed the tax payer dry whilst they never lift a finger to help society.
Your idea is that paying more out in benefits than the government receive back in income tax makes sense suggest's you live in a sugar coated CBBC fairy tale.

[Charnham]

Originally Posted by pcuffy

Not really that lucky in the USA there would be uproar at the thought of a licence fee tax and yet us Brits pay without question - well most of us seems the tide is turning though.

i have posted a link to a video where someone in the US said they would happily buy a licence fee to get the BBC (or something similar)

[topupkrazy]

Originally Posted by pcuffy

Not really that lucky in the USA there would be uproar at the thought of a licence fee tax and yet us Brits pay without question - well most of us seems the tide is turning though.

My £142 Licence fee tax would pay nicely for a ESPN subscription. Roll on the day the BBC shuts down I say.

Most American's don't support universal healthcare, so what is your point? The american attitude is to take care of oneself, and oneself alone. I find this ironic, mainly due to the fact that america is much more religious than the UK, yet we take care of the poorest and most vulnerable in our society, because from my expansive knowledge of christianity, I thought that helping your fellow man is paramount, yet the right wing republicans are mostly christian?! Anyway I am going of on a tangent, if you look at Europe on the whole , most nations have a a license fee, and good for them I say. x

[pcuffy]

Originally Posted by PeterB

What about the rest of your household?

Paramount comedy or sky 1 are the only channels ever used apart from the ones I watch.

Why should I pay for a service I don't use and will never need?

[topupkrazy]

Originally Posted by pcuffy

Paramount comedy or sky 1 are the only channels ever used apart from the ones I watch.

Why should I pay for a service I don't use and will never need?

Why should you have to pay any taxes at all when you do not use any public services? You are part of a society, get used to it x

[topupkrazy]

Originally Posted by pcuffy

Paramount comedy or sky 1 are the only channels ever used apart from the ones I watch.

Why should I pay for a service I don't use and will never need?

Why should you have to pay any taxes at all when you do not use any public services? You are member of society, get used to it x

[topupkrazy]

Originally Posted by pcuffy

Paramount comedy or sky 1 are the only channels ever used apart from the ones I watch.

Why should I pay for a service I don't use and will never need?

BTW did you know that paramount has changed to comedy central, or have you not been watching much recently?

[pcuffy]

Originally Posted by topupkrazy

Most American's don't support universal healthcare, so what is your point? The american attitude is to take care of oneself, and oneself alone. I find this ironic, mainly due to the fact that america is much more religious than the UK, yet we take care of the poorest and most vulnerable in our society, because from my expansive knowledge of christianity, I thought that helping your fellow man is paramount, yet the right wing republicans are mostly christian?! Anyway I am going of on a tangent, if you look at Europe on the whole , most nations have a a license fee, and good for them I say. x

If the british government only took care of people who were poor and vulnerable that would be great but they dont.

I just disagree on the license fee and suggest it is a tax we should not be forced to pay just to watch tv if we dont want the BBC.

[pcuffy]

Originally Posted by topupkrazy

BTW did you know that paramount has changed to comedy central, or have you not been watching much recently?

Just said they were channels used by the other people in the household so I dont watch them wise guy Nice one.