andygardener Posted November 13, 2012 Share Posted November 13, 2012 Magilla, I think we're going round in circles and I don't know what question you think I refuse to answer. For clarity can you let me know if you disagree with any of the following statements 1) As it stand Capita are paid £116 million a year chasing those who do not buy a licence, which has resulted in zero reduction in non-payment, still at 5%. Thi9s is wasted money. 2) The vast majority of licence fee payers would for a variety of different reasons still voluntarily pay the equivalent sum if not doing so meant they could not access any BBC content. 3) A percentage of those not currently paying the licence fee but illegally watching TV would pay it if they lost all BBC content. 4) Those whose financial situation makes it impossible to afford the licence fee should be allowed to legally access advertising paid free to air television for free without access to BBC content. Those are to me the relevant points of issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Prime Posted November 13, 2012 Share Posted November 13, 2012 Magilla, I think we're going round in circles and I don't know what question you think I refuse to answer. For clarity can you let me know if you disagree with any of the following statements 1) As it stand Capita are paid £116 million a year chasing those who do not buy a licence, which has resulted in zero reduction in non-payment, still at 5%. Thi9s is wasted money. 2) The vast majority of licence fee payers would for a variety of different reasons still voluntarily pay the equivalent sum if not doing so meant they could not access any BBC content. 3) A percentage of those not currently paying the licence fee but illegally watching TV would pay it if they lost all BBC content. 4) Those whose financial situation makes it impossible to afford the licence fee should be allowed to legally access advertising paid free to air television for free without access to BBC content. Those are to me the relevant points of issue. The first three are not certain or are matters of opinion that we'd never know until they became real. On point 4 my question is why? As someone pointed out earlier, this is all academic as licensing and the BBC are covered by different legislation eg there isn't money pouring into the licence fee pot that is then dished out to the BBC, at least not in the eyes of the law. It's the same weak argument used by smokers eg their tobacco tax pays for their operations on the NHS. It doesn't, it all goes into a general pot and is then distributed accordingly. You will never get big demonstrations demanding the abolition of the licence fee but you would get big demonstrations against the abolition of the BBC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mecky Posted November 13, 2012 Share Posted November 13, 2012 Absolutely not. The recent mistakes have been terrible, but are no worse that the tabloid papers churn out every single day. Where else can you hear anything like Radio 4? Or Radio 3? Or BBC4? Lets hope this current mess is sorted quickly, and the idiotic Murdoch and Daily Mail fans can get back to their mindless privacy invasion, racism and mysogyny. It's a political argument and has nothing to do with media stories. Other media companies published the same stories and additional far more damaging ones too, but the government isn't clamping down on them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andygardener Posted November 13, 2012 Share Posted November 13, 2012 The first three are not certain or are matters of opinion that we'd never know until they became real. On point 4 my question is why? As someone pointed out earlier, this is all academic as licensing and the BBC are covered by different legislation eg there isn't money pouring into the licence fee pot that is then dished out to the BBC, at least not in the eyes of the law. It's the same weak argument used by smokers eg their tobacco tax pays for their operations on the NHS. It doesn't, it all goes into a general pot and is then distributed accordingly. You will never get big demonstrations demanding the abolition of the licence fee but you would get big demonstrations against the abolition of the BBC. The first is contained in the BBC accounts. 2 and 3 are admitted conjecture, which people can support or not as they wish. 4 is a matter of principle which you either agree with or not. As for the the issue of different legislation. It's poppycock. Who gets the licence fee? (subject to a few balancing payments worth a few million) - The BBC Who is authorised by law to collect the licence fee? - The BBC Who owns the trademark TV Licensing? - The BBC Who licences Capita Business Services Ltd to collect the licence fee under the brand name TV Licensing on it's behalf - the BBC. The posters who alluded to different legislation are going back a decade. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mediumfast Posted November 13, 2012 Share Posted November 13, 2012 I would pay the licence fee for Test Match Special alone! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andygardener Posted November 13, 2012 Share Posted November 13, 2012 I would pay the licence fee for Test Match Special alone! Indeed. As would all the people who think the BBC is wonderful and that the licence fee is by implication just far too low. So lets make it subscription and you can all pay your share of it's costs. If those go up a bit because some people don't share your views then no worrys, it's worth it's entire cost now to you all for test match special/newsnight/bbc4/something in welsh about drystone walling/whatever alone so a modest increase for it's fans is value for money as it's apparently so underpriced now that a single programme would have you all shelling out 150 nicker for that single program alone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Prime Posted November 13, 2012 Share Posted November 13, 2012 The first is contained in the BBC accounts. 2 and 3 are admitted conjecture, which people can support or not as they wish. 4 is a matter of principle which you either agree with or not. As for the the issue of different legislation. It's poppycock. Who gets the licence fee? (subject to a few balancing payments worth a few million) - The BBC Who is authorised by law to collect the licence fee? - The BBC Who owns the trademark TV Licensing? - The BBC Who licences Capita Business Services Ltd to collect the licence fee under the brand name TV Licensing on it's behalf - the BBC. The posters who alluded to different legislation are going back a decade. 1 is in the accounts but its a matter of opinion whether its wasted money. I can see why it is but that's a point of principle. I'll accept the legislation has changed, not that it affects my opinion. The current system is fine and you'll never get more than a small minority demanding the end of the licence fee. I believe people should pay for the BBC even if they never see or hear a minute of it as its a pillar of our society, part of the social glue that sets cultural standards. Call me a snob but I don't think X Factor watchers should have the power to withdraw millions from the BBC as the wider effects would be far worse than some warped idea of TV 'freedom'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dosxuk Posted November 14, 2012 Share Posted November 14, 2012 I'll accept the legislation has changed, not that it affects my opinion. Don't, it hasn't changed. You're required under the Communications Act 2003 to hold a licence for "receiving a television programme at the same time (or virtually the same time) as it is received by members of the public". The funding of the BBC is laid out in each years Appropriation Act, which allocates funding from the Government's Consolidated Fund. While the BBC is authorised to collect the Licence Fee under the same Communications Act which defines the requirement for the licence, the moneys pass into the Consolidated Fund and are then subsequently sent to the BBC under the Appropriation Act. The BBC does not collect the money and put it straight into it's own bank account. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spilldig Posted November 14, 2012 Share Posted November 14, 2012 Bbc radio stations should be scrapped for a start.The airwaves are crowded with stations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Prime Posted November 14, 2012 Share Posted November 14, 2012 Bbc radio stations should be scrapped for a start.The airwaves are crowded with stations. Why the BBC ones? Why not Peak FM and the rest who have adverts for Coldseal every five minutes? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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