It would make sense to me if the tax was changed to being an internet connection tax; since that will be the delivery method for the majority of the BBC's content in years to come.
Whatever happens when the TV License is reviewed (and it cannot possibly continue for much longer in its current form), it'll be unpopular - it's in the same ilk of political hot potatoes which nobody is willing to catch as pension cuts.
It would make sense to me if the tax was changed to being an internet connection tax; since that will be the delivery method for the majority of the BBC's content in years to come.
If they were to go down that sort of route, the licence would need to be based on the device rather than the distribution method. A system based on screen size might be one route they could try. The definition of a TV could easily be changed to match the general understanding of the time, or any other definition that would create a good balance.
It would make sense to me if the tax was changed to being an internet connection tax; since that will be the delivery method for the majority of the BBC's content in years to come.
In Ireland we are changing the TV licence to a "broadcasting charge", though the only practical effect is to remove the requirement to actually own a television. Effectively the opposite direction to the way the UK appears to be heading.
For God's sake - every few months on this forum one of the Anti-License Fee, Anti-BBC members on this forum starts one of these forums about 'has the BBC has its day?' 'Should we abolish the license fee' and other threads with Daily Mail Front Page Headlines - and like their Front page questions the answer is no.
This thread hasn't gone anywhere - as always the minority anti-BBC cabal have put across a few feeble badly researched arguments and the rest have pointed out the good things the BBC has done, the value of the BBC, the technological advances made by the BBC, the good value for money of the BBC and every other rational pro-BBC argument.
For God's sake - every few months on this forum one of the Anti-License Fee, Anti-BBC members on this forum starts one of these forums about 'has the BBC has its day?' 'Should we abolish the license fee' and other threads with Daily Mail Front Page Headlines - and like their Front page questions the answer is no.
This thread hasn't gone anywhere - as always the minority anti-BBC cabal have put across a few feeble badly researched arguments and the rest have pointed out the good things the BBC has done, the value of the BBC, the technological advances made by the BBC, the good value for money of the BBC and every other rational pro-BBC argument.
This thread is pointless and should just end now.
That's your opinion and I respect that. However, I am not saying that the BBC needs to be 'closed down' as some have. Do you not agree that the BBC needs to revise its current system? As Michael Portillo has said, with 700 channels on the full Sky package and over 50 even on Freeview, the licence fee is unjustifiable. Do you not agree with that?
Also, I have been on this forum for more than double the number of years you have, and cannot recall anyone bringing the topic up of the licence fee and the BBC.
For God's sake - every few months on this forum one of the Anti-License Fee, Anti-BBC members on this forum starts one of these forums about 'has the BBC has its day?' 'Should we abolish the license fee' and other threads with Daily Mail Front Page Headlines - and like their Front page questions the answer is no.
This thread hasn't gone anywhere - as always the minority anti-BBC cabal have put across a few feeble badly researched arguments and the rest have pointed out the good things the BBC has done, the value of the BBC, the technological advances made by the BBC, the good value for money of the BBC and every other rational pro-BBC argument.
This thread is pointless and should just end now.
That's your opinion and I respect that.
However, while I am not saying that the BBC needs to be 'closed down' as some have, do you not agree that the BBC needs to revise its current system?
As Michael Portillo has said, we're in a multi-channel environment and that the system needs to change. Do you not agree with that?
Why does it need to revise its current system? Yes, we are in a multi-channel enviroment and the BBC has adapted to that. And just because Michael Portillo has said it needs to change, it doesn't need to be taken as the holy grail. Taking away the BBC's license fee is effectively closing it down, how will it compete with the other main channels?
For God's sake - every few months on this forum one of the Anti-License Fee, Anti-BBC members on this forum starts one of these forums about 'has the BBC has its day?' 'Should we abolish the license fee' and other threads with Daily Mail Front Page Headlines - and like their Front page questions the answer is no.
This thread hasn't gone anywhere - as always the minority anti-BBC cabal have put across a few feeble badly researched arguments and the rest have pointed out the good things the BBC has done, the value of the BBC, the technological advances made by the BBC, the good value for money of the BBC and every other rational pro-BBC argument.
This thread is pointless and should just end now.
That's your opinion and I respect that.
However, while I am not saying that the BBC needs to be 'closed down' as some have, do you not agree that the BBC needs to revise its current system?
As Michael Portillo has said, we're in a multi-channel environment and that the system needs to change. Do you not agree with that?
Why does it need to revise its current system? Yes, we are in a multi-channel enviroment and the BBC has adapted to that. And just because Michael Portillo has said it needs to change, it doesn't need to be taken as the holy grail. Taking away the BBC's license fee is effectively closing it down, how will it compete with the other main channels?
But it's not the 'BBC's' licence fee, it's a 'television licence'. The licence fee was brought in when the BBC was the only national broadcaster and yet is the only broadcaster that receives it to this day.
Also, I'm sure Michael Portillo is more qualified than you to give an opinion on the subject... I'm not saying your opinion is invalid but he has worked for them on a number of occasions.
Also I'm not saying that the BBC needs its licence fee taken away, what I am saying and suggesting, is that the licence fee perhaps needs to be reviewed.
Last edited by Maaixuew on 9 May 2014 8:46pm
:-(
A former member
Not true, the licence fee is now being used to help fund those awful local channels ch8.