TV licence moan

TV licence. How ridiculous is that! We have £10.00 a month coming out of our account. What a joke. Its not even something that will ever be paid off because you have to get a new one each year.

For xmas last year I bought my hubby a mini TV at Big W and I had to fill out a form stating I have a TV licence already.

Between the cost of the TV licence and our SKY digital cost each month its costing us a fortune just for the kids to watch Cartoon Network and for my Paramount (gotta watch Seinfeld).

Well, the common argument is that the BBC does provide pretty decent programming in exchange for the license cost.  And I do think that's true (can't believe I've admitted it)...when compared to the trash I used to watch on my $35 a month cable back in the States, I think $7.50 a month for what I watch on the Beeb here is well worth it.  (Though yeah, we have Sky, too...and it's a bit of a racket to pay that bill as well...especially since I never watch 880 of the 900 channels!)   

I have to be unpatriotic and say I do not think the BBC provides value for money any more. The argument is that the licence fee allows them to be a more independent broadcaster than if they were beholden to the advertisers but instead they are beholden to the powers that be, I can't see the difference. Channel 4 produces some stunning documentaries and dramas funded through advertising. I wouldn't care if we had ads on the BBC if it meant free TV was actually free.

We hardly watch any thing on the BBC anymore.  Occasionally we can wrestle the channel changer away from the teenagers to watch Newsnight, but that's about it.  Eastenders is rubbish, the kids would rather watch cable for KidsTV-except for occasionally Newsround or Blue Peter and I can't think of anything I make it a point to not miss.  It's certainly not value for money in this household.   

Well I for one, having suffered through 30+ years of commercial television, am very grateful for the BBC.

And that's all I'm saying on the subject.

We don't own a TV, in part, because of the license fee and we don't see this changing in the foreseeable future.  'nuff said.

I remember the joys of watching Dallas and Dynasty on BBC1, prime-time. Was it a good use of licence-payers money? Surely not. But I did like hour-long American shows lasting 45-50 minutes on the BBC, and every time the screen blacked out for a second, thinking, 'ah, there's another commercial break I don't have to sit through.' As long as you're not watching Eastenders, TV is faster on the BBC

I remember the joys of watching Dallas and Dynasty on BBC1, prime-time. Was it a good use of licence-payers money? Surely not. But I did like hour-long American shows lasting 45-50 minutes on the BBC, and every time the screen blacked out for a second, thinking, 'ah, there's another commercial break I don't have to sit through.' As long as you're not watching Eastenders, TV is faster on the BBC

Okay, I'll say more!

Exactly.  Law & Order - 45-50 minutes.  Waking the Dead - 60 minutes, with no commercials.

And that's all I'm saying now...

Was a bit odd watching 24 on BBC2 though. An hour thanks to commercials was shoved down one's throat in 45 minutes. But it did mean the tension never eased up at all!

I have to say that I do like the BBC lineup, but no better than Ch 4 or 5.  So yes, why pay for something that is just another channel??  I would certainly rather have the adverts plugged in, or start seeing "product placements" to do away with the fees.

As for the BBC being total non-baised and not swayed by the powers that be...I don't believe it, so again, why pay the fees?  Often I have concidered tossing the telle...afterall, I wouldn't miss it for more than a month, and by then I'd have re-found the joy of books...

 :\\\'(  I miss US tv shows...like our trashy reality shows like Joe Millionaire, the Bachelor/Bachlorette, or Who wants to marry my dad.  I loved those!  Big Brother here to a bit boring and never ends.

The tv license is rip off...just another way to get money. 

Oh, I miss Taco Bell too!!!!

:\\\'(  I miss US tv shows...like our trashy reality shows like Joe Millionaire, the Bachelor/Bachlorette, or Who wants to marry my dad. 

Oh, don't worry!  Those shows are here, too (on satellite)...not that I watch them though!   

Oh, I miss Taco Bell too!!!!

Don't even get me started on that one.  I'm weaning myself successfully!   

Here is one thing that I MUST have if and when we move back to England....CABLE!  I lived for six months with NO cable with our only 5 channels, and for the most part, I did keep it on BBC 1 or two, but I NEED Cable the second time around!  How much is it for Sky Digital with the 10,000 channels?

So you pay over 100 pounds a month for cable with all the channels!?!?!   

Oh dear, if it's that expensive, then I'm in trouble!

I think we pay more along the lines of £30 for Sky - and there are an absolute ton of channels including all of the sports ones for Jamie!