[Abernathy]

I've come across a Facebook group called "Active Resistance to the TV Licence", which I'm sorry to say is liked by my sister and my nephew.

https://www.facebook.com/pg/activeresis ... e_internal

As the name suggests, it seems to be dedicated to arguing that the TV licence, which funds our national broadcaster, is unfair, unjust, and actually illegal, by the way (there seems to be a great deal of pseudo-legalistic claptrap on there along the lines of the "common law" nonsense that you see arguing that birth certificates are not legal and you don't have to obey any laws you don't like).

There's also a bit of Beeb-bashing that re-cycles allegations of bias in the BBC's news reporting ( as espoused by the Daily Mail, of course).

But apart from that, it's quite hard to see any reasoned, logical argument against the TV licence.
The main argument seems to be that if you only watch Netflix (aye, right) then you should not be required to pay the annual TV licence fee.

Nobody seems to value the unique qualities of the BBC, or the fantastic services it delivers. They really do seem to want a world in which the BBC and all that is great about it is dead, and instead seek to be happy in a world where they pay through the nose to Murdoch and other private commercial organisations for the guff that is for the most part put out by Netflix, Google, Amazon, Sky, and so on.

Perhaps the TV licence fee does need a bit of a re-think in a world where multiple providers of broadcasting increasingly compete for viewers and listeners, but if we were to follow the logic of these clots I'd want an absolutely fucking cast-iron way of ensuring that the twats that swear blind that they only watch Netflix really do only watch Netflix, and keeping access to the BBC completely away from them.

My anger is showing, perhaps. What does the team think?

[Malcolm Armsteen]

In France the equivalent to the TV licence is simply added to your local taxes. You can claim not to have a TV or be over 80, but beyond that everyone pays by default. Seems fair.

[cycloon]

The TV license is, to me, example par excellence of compromises made by individuals on behalf of the collective. The BBC produces stuff nobody else bothers to, or would ever bother to, from local radio to the World Service, BBC Four etc, along with immensely popular shows that yes, would be produced by another company in another world.

I can understand the principle of being unwilling to pay a fee for owning a common household item, in essence, but I also think there is a principled argument to be made for the cultural benefits the BBC brings, especially as compared to the utter detritus and shite that would replace it.

If you do only watch streaming services, excluding iPlayer, then fine, don't pay. But to dismantle the BBC, as some seem hellbent on doing, would only diminish our culture, even as Jeremy Vine and Brillo and the One Show need ignoring for ever.

[Boiler]

The licence fee is, realistically, the least worst way of funding the BBC. Little of what it does is available elsewhere on commercial broadcast platforms, and often what it covers is unavailable elsewhere, except on streaming services or podcasts - few of which, if any, are subject to any strict editorial control on content or more importantly, veracity. The whole business came about because TPTB saw the chaos that was occurring in the US at the time where broadcasting was an absolute free-for-all, and the revenue raised for the 'Big Six' from the licence fee went into building the network we know today. There are one or two very good books covering the birth of the BBC and why it took the path it did.

And it's cheaper than the Daily Mail per day.

[Andy McDandy]

These people don't seem to consider how the BBC is regarded around the world.

Total neocon thinking. Put a price on everything, ignore quality, all that matters is the one indisputable - ratings. Because everything else is subjective and open to debate.

[youngian]

The licence fee is, realistically, the least worst way of funding the BBC.

Yep rubbish idea but better than all the others but I'm open to other suggestions like a tax on broadband that people wouldn't notice so much. Quality wise I don't think it would be the end of the world if it became a subscription channel but it would lose it universality and diversity. HBO has loads of cash and makes great TV but its a bare bones channel compared to the BBC.

[Boiler]

I'd hate to see the BBC become subscription myself - I think it would kill it.

[Andy McDandy]

It's a service as opposed to a business, and uniquely not controlled by the government.

Those who say they only watch Netflix are, I'm pretty sure, lying. They'll check BBC news website. They'll go to the BBC to find out if their kids school is closed. If they have kids, they'll be watching the BBC.

[mr angry manchester]

Right wing twats have hated the BBC ever since Reith refused to broadcast propaganda during the General Strike. They don’t get public service at all, the BBC is a great national institution which must not go down the pan with the rest of the crap

[Bones McCoy]

Alternatively ask them if they'd prefer to pay £60/mth for Sky plus a but for all the add-ons, pay per views etc etc.

[Boiler]

But we can all see that the funding model is broken.

As MP Jacob Rees-Mogg says, it’s “out of date” in a world where the likes of Netflix and Amazon Prime are offering imaginative original content on a subscription basis.

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/5176188/b ... ts-paying/

[Bones McCoy]

But we can all see that the funding model is broken.

As MP Jacob Rees-Mogg says, it’s “out of date” in a world where the likes of Netflix and Amazon Prime are offering imaginative original content on a subscription basis.

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/5176188/b ... ts-paying/

Rees-Mogg - tabloid adviser on contemporary trends.

[AOB]

Netflix offer "imaginative, original content"?! Such as.......??

As for Amazon Prime, their flagship show is a show the BBC made famous, only under a different name. When it was on the BBC it had millions of viewers, but now the only time they get talked (or people even remember they exist) is when Richard Hammond has his latest near-death crash while filming it.

[Boiler]

Netflix offer "imaginative, original content"?! Such as.......??

As for Amazon Prime, their flagship show is a show the BBC made famous, only under a different name. When it was on the BBC it had millions of viewers, but now the only time they get talked (or people even remember they exist) is when Richard Hammond has his latest near-death crash while filming it.

I suppose, answering in turn:

1. The Crown, House of Cards, Orange Is The New Black. The rest here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_o ... by_Netflix

2. The Grand Tour gets discussed on petrolhead forums.

[AOB]

Netflix offer "imaginative, original content"?! Such as.......??

As for Amazon Prime, their flagship show is a show the BBC made famous, only under a different name. When it was on the BBC it had millions of viewers, but now the only time they get talked (or people even remember they exist) is when Richard Hammond has his latest near-death crash while filming it.

I suppose, answering in turn:

1. The Crown, House of Cards, Orange Is The New Black. The rest here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_o ... by_Netflix

2. The Grand Tour gets discussed on petrolhead forums.

The House of Cards was BBC originally, but point taken. Nothing there that would make me personally subscribe though.