THINGS YOU DON'T SEE ANYMORE (Part 1)

anthonydna · Post by **anthonydna** » Fri 18 May, 2012 5:33 pm

BBC vs "Commercial TV" ? Get a grip !

ClaphamCommoner · Post by **ClaphamCommoner** » Fri 18 May, 2012 5:58 pm

Funnily enough, the TV detector van has been round our house this very afternoon. The guy verified that I have a TV licence by putting my details into one of those hand-held gizmos. But he knew the people in the flat downstairs don't have a licence. She came out and claimed not to have a TV and explained that, "Being American, there are no channels here we can watch". Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaat, love? You haven't heard how much better the BBC is than any of your zillion US channels? The TV detective insisted on seeing inside her flat to check there was no TV there. What he obviously didn't ask her was whether they ever watch online. I have certainly heard the sound of television programmes emanating from their flat - so they must watch catch-up rather than live transmissions, but you need a TV licence only to watch live TV. A bit of a loophole, that - or possibly the TV detector van also needs to be a lie detector van to check on people who say they don't watch live TV on their computers when they do!

Caron · Post by **Caron** » Fri 18 May, 2012 6:13 pm

I think you can watch some BBC channels live on your comp and I was told you need a licence for this. Do you still need a licence for a radio ?I just think the licence could be and should be a lot cheaper than it is. Whilst the BBC do do good quality progs, they also show a lot of rubbish and repeats.

Phill_dvsn · Post by **Phill_dvsn** » Fri 18 May, 2012 6:20 pm

Caron wrote: I just think the licence could be and should be a lot cheaper than it is. Whilst the BBC do do good quality progs, they also show a lot of rubbish and repeats. To me it's the fact if you own a t.v you have to have a licence, you might never have it on but still need one. As soon as you buy a t.v it's logged on the data base, irrelevant if you want to watch the B.B.C or not. Pay for what you watch of the B.B.C=fine!Paying for what you don't watch=rubbish! The people who watch a lot of the B.B.C can subsidise those who don't. Now that sounds fair to me

ClaphamCommoner · Post by **ClaphamCommoner** » Fri 18 May, 2012 6:28 pm

That's right, Caron. This is what the TV licensing page says:The law states that you need to be covered by a TV Licence if you watch or record television programmes, on any device, as they're being shown on TV. This includes TVs, computers, mobile phones, games consoles, digital boxes and Blu-ray/DVD/VHS recorders.You don't need a licence if you don't use any of these devices to watch or record television programmes as they're being shown on TV - for example, if you use your TV only to watch DVDs or play video games, or you only watch ‘catch up’ services like BBC iPlayer or 4oD.

Caron · Post by **Caron** » Fri 18 May, 2012 7:13 pm

Phill_dvsn wrote: Caron wrote: I just think the licence could be and should be a lot cheaper than it is. Whilst the BBC do do good quality progs, they also show a lot of rubbish and repeats. To me it's the fact if you own a t.v you have to have a licence, you might never have it on but still need one. As soon as you buy a t.v it's logged on the data base, irrelevant if you want to watch the B.B.C or not. Pay for what you watch of the B.B.C=fine!Paying for what you don't watch=rubbish! The people who watch a lot of the B.B.C can subsidise those who don't. Now that sounds fair to me Yes, I agree with you. I've always said that it's a shame you can't buy a TV without the BBC channels. Why don't they use ads as other channels do ? My girls and I went years without a TV as I was left on my own and couldn't afford a licence. Not fair but there you go.

Caron · Post by **Caron** » Fri 18 May, 2012 7:23 pm

ClaphamCommoner wrote: That's right, Caron. This is what the TV licensing page says:The law states that you need to be covered by a TV Licence if you watch or record television programmes, on any device, as they're being shown on TV. This includes TVs, computers, mobile phones, games consoles, digital boxes and Blu-ray/DVD/VHS recorders.You don't need a licence if you don't use any of these devices to watch or record television programmes as they're being shown on TV - for example, if you use your TV only to watch DVDs or play video games, or you only watch ‘catch up’ services like BBC iPlayer or 4oD. Thanks CCommoner. Do you still need a licence for a radio ? My old boss used to say the shop shouldn't have a radio on without a licence.

grumpybloke · Post by **grumpybloke** » Fri 18 May, 2012 7:36 pm

Radio licences were scrapped in the seventies I think. The Performing Rights Society will be on the case of shops who have a radio or music on if they haven't paid their subscription fee.

Cardiarms · Post by **Cardiarms** » Fri 18 May, 2012 8:28 pm

Compared to cable and satellite the licence fee is relatively good value, you get two to three months at most on those for the same as the licence fee. Personally I hate adverts, If you think rubbish tv is a waste of time, pointless minutes of people trying to sell stuff i've no interest in is even more of a waste. I'm not sure a commercial channel would have commissioned a programme about Cuthbert Brodrick.

Caron · Post by **Caron** » Fri 18 May, 2012 10:54 pm

Cardiarms wrote: Compared to cable and satellite the licence fee is relatively good value, you get two to three months at most on those for the same as the licence fee. Personally I hate adverts, If you think rubbish tv is a waste of time, pointless minutes of people trying to sell stuff i've no interest in is even more of a waste. I'm not sure a commercial channel would have commissioned a programme about Cuthbert Brodrick. Well pointed out Cardiarms. Some spend a monthly fortune on cable and satellite channels but don't seem to mind.