Argos TV - Licence - Big Brother

[Steve Firth]

[snip]

Snork.

[Scott M]

Please go and put another layer of tinfoil in your hat. I wonder if you're one of the nutters on the Have Your Say thing that manage to turn everything into a rant about the licence fee?

Yes, modern TV is particularly crap, but that's entirely due to giving people what they want, like the US model. More channels, less advertising revenue per channel, more "how can we make a mass market programme for 25p?" Result, utter bilge. Yes, there might be more entertainment to be had on the net but that doesn't matter a fig to people who just collapse on a sofa and want to be entertained. In fact, that's almost a positive argument in favour of putting on tossicocks - you've lost the segment of the audience that can think for itself so why produce anything intelligent?

I don't watch TV to speak of but from what I see, the BBC is still miles ahead of the others. Forcibly sitting through half an hour of American imported drivel with adverts every 15 seconds last night made my teeth itch in very short order.

Scott

[Mark]

They want you to watch "Britain's got talent" and "Eastenders" until your brain turns to cheese. That makes the proles easier to control.

[Mark]

I used to get letters from them (although not that often) and my area isn't even cabled.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

No one is forced to pay for a licence. Only if they wish to operate a TV receiver. If they are happy with DVDs etc, no licence required.

Then don't bother watching it, and don't pay for a licence. You're not forced to.

It is the government, not the BBC, that require the licence to be paid. You don't seem very clewed up.

That is complete bollocks. A licence is for the receiving equipment - not the frequencies. And always has been.

That might be the way forward in the future. The licence fee dates from when there was only the one UK broadcaster.

How would you form your views about it without watching it? But I suppose like so many you want something for nothing?

Have you thought about treatment?

[Ian Jackson]

In message , Archibald writes

I don't understand where you draw your conclusions from. Care to explain?

[Andrew May]

I notice that recently they have been sending these letters in plain envelopes rather than ones blazoned with their logos. Why they think I would respond to one of these when I have not already done so heaven only knows.

They all go straight in the bin.

[Ian Jackson]

In message , "Dave Plowman (News)" writes

Quite.

It might be more correct to say that the TV licence is a licence for receiving real-time or near-real-time TV broadcasts. The equipment, frequencies - and, these days, the method of delivery to your home - is irrelevant.

[Peter Crosland]

Every retailer selling TV and recorders is required, by law, to obtain the buyer's mane and address. She will find this is the same regardless of where she goes.

[ARW]

What is a few years back?

It was not the case back in the late 1980s when I was living in halls of residence.

[F Murtz]

Buy one in Australia and ship it to yourself.

[harry]

Would it work here?

[whisky-dave]

In nfact you can watch TV programs without a license provided it's not a 'l ive transmition' i.e you can watch a recorded show, I think that's how the iPlayer works and all those other services which are delayed in their tranm ission.

nce-is-not-needed-top12/ 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.

They still produce some good stuff if you like that sort of thing, the new sherlock would be an example for me. Some good documetries on BBC4.

You don;t even need a licence for radio now.

Well you don't have to pay the BBC, look on their site there are ways NOT t o pay providied you don't want their programs. An eqasier way to pay for th e service would be an advantage I've a friend in australia that would love to pay the TV licence so they get some decent TV.

[F Murtz]

We have PAL digital.

[Huge]

No such thing.

[Grimly Curmudgeon]

Simba?

[Bob Martin]

I bought a freeview box at Argos on Tuesday and had to enter name and address on the machine I used to pay.

[Archibald]

Look at the definition of television broadcasting service.

Explain how CNN comes under the act and if CNN isn't a broadcasting service under the terms of the licencing conditions then.........?

I am not telling fairy stories BTW. I did have written documentation from the licencing authourity that recieving a foreign "broadcast" does not require a licence.

Obviously the authourity in spite of their many shortcomings do seem to be able to read and understand the legal requirements of the wireless telegraphy acts.

AB