UK - The TV License Conspiracy

Originally posted by budski
reply to post by LiveForever8

 

lol, they now put on the license letter that even if you only have a PC with a modem, you are capable of watching TV and must therefore pay a license fee because you can get iplayer online.

My reaction?
sod right off

My disclaimer in the OP still stands - I have a license, I am not asking anyone to break the law, and I would say that you have to have a license.
I am just railing against the enforcement agents and their underhand tactics.

Ah yes of course, reading that made something click in my head, I always wondered why BBC went to the trouble of making streaming shows available online, now it's perfectly clear, by doing that they've made every laptop and pc owner a target and subject to this draconian fee

Originally posted by rogertom
reply to post by stumason

 

5 years back, i told the guy at the door, my tv is not hooked up, and the video player i had then, was only used to play my collection of films. he came in and saw that was so. but then said " im sorry but we only have your word that you will not hook your tv up to the ariel or use your video in any other way.

That's a scam - he's trying to earn his bonus by entrapping you.

tell him that's it, and sod off.

Sign nothing.

Originally posted by lifttheveil

Originally posted by budski
reply to post by LiveForever8

 

lol, they now put on the license letter that even if you only have a PC with a modem, you are capable of watching TV and must therefore pay a license fee because you can get iplayer online.

My reaction?
sod right off

My disclaimer in the OP still stands - I have a license, I am not asking anyone to break the law, and I would say that you have to have a license.
I am just railing against the enforcement agents and their underhand tactics.

Ah yes of course, reading that made something click in my head, I always wondered why BBC went to the trouble of making streaming shows available online, now it's perfectly clear, by doing that they've made every laptop and pc owner a target and subject to this draconian fee

You got it - tell them to sod off.

Don't let them in your house, don't answer any questions, and DO NOT sign anything.

reply to post by Now_Then


UKTV is part owned by BBC Worldwide, which doesn't get license fee money and is a commercially operated firm. Just thought I'd clarify that. Which leads me nicely onto....

reply to post by budski


Again, BBC Worldwide do all that.I ackowledge though that all Worldwide's profits get pumped back into the BBC proper. They make a tidy profit too and there is talk that Worldwide and C4 will merge.

Originally posted by rogertom
5 years back, i told the guy at the door, my tv is not hooked up, and the video player i had then, was only used to play my collection of films. he came in and saw that was so. but then said " im sorry but we only have your word that you will not hook your tv up to the ariel or use your video in any other way.

They have to prove it in court, at the end of the day, so you could have told him to take a running jump. This is exactly the behaviour the OP is on about and actually the behaviour the authorities take in a wide range of things, such as cautions and fines. I could go on for hours about that topic and your legal rights.

reply to post by budski


Thanks, love your choice of words.

It is unlawful for the BBC to extract a TV
license fee , when it is a well known fact that the BBC is
in breach of its own charter, and therefore has no legal premise on
which to demand this fee?

The BBC has been taking funds from the EU and has become a
propaganda machine for the EU

reply to post by raybies


Unlawful? No, not quite. Under the Communications Act 2003 they are required by UK law to do exactly that.

I'd also like to see your source for them receiving money from the EU and also being an EU mouthpeice.

Fascinating thread. I read about those TV seeker vans years ago, had no idea they were bogus. And also fascinating in that this is the first totally non-USA thread I have ever read. I am so happy this is not my problem! But philosophically I'm with you guys, and I love the UK anyway. Every time I go there it feels like home. It's been 400 years since my ancestors left, but I swear it's in my genes. It just feels right. Luck to you.

The only equivalent here is PBS, which, although ubiquitous with lots of local stations, does not have the breadth of BBC. Nevertheless, it is voluntary and has managed to wean itself away from most (but not all) government funding. Of course, it's as liberal as they come.

reply to post by lizziejayne


I'm sorry to all the BBC fans on this thread (there seem to be a few), but I'm in complete agreement with lizziejayne. If there's one thing guaranteed to make my blood boil and put my blood pressure up it is when the BBC and the 'blessed' bleeding licence comes up.

I think it's outrageous that in the year 2011, with numerous broadcasters who all have to pay their own way, and rely on providing a service people want to buy (I have Sky and GLADLY pay for it), that the BBC should get to financially mug everyone every year to the tune of almost £150.

If you like the BBC so much you're willing to pay for it fine, subscribe to it... I'm sure if as all those BBC fans point out, it's such a quality, much-loved institution, it should not have any problems surviving on subscriptions.

Don't make me pay for something I don't want, then threaten to take me to court when I say 'NO'

I had enough reasons to hate the last Labour government, especially around the Iraqi WMD era, but when they went ahead and renewed the BBC charter it went from 'hate' to total 'despite'

The BBC should be abolished in it's present form... Let them have all the infrastructure and equipment it's amassed over the years, cut the financial strings, and tell them to bloody well pay their own way.

Gonads to the BBC licence

There are a few on here, much more in the know than me, so i have a question. If for example, i only ever wanted to watch itv, a licence free channel. How can i do that, where is my choice, all tvs are capable of picking up the bbc, so they have me by the nuts. And yes i could take it through the courts, but why should i have to.

reply to post by Dagar


I understand where you're coming from - it's like being forced to pay a subscription for a service you don't want.

Still, over the years, the BBC has produced some classics.

Especially the nature programmes, with david attenborough

This isn't about the corporation though, it's about the abusive and lying company that preys on people.

reply to post by rogertom


If you watch TV whether you watch BBC or not, you have to have a license, unless you can prove that you use your TV for other purposes, which is hard.

Best thing to do is ignore the TV license enforcers, and let them do whatever they have to do - but every time they get a signature or catch someone, they get a bonus, and that's why they resort to underhand tactics.

reply to post by Dagar

Bravo friend , well said.

I remember reading a rather amusing letter from an organisation who tried to get one of the BBC directors or someone, tried for treason.

forums.moneysavingexpert.com...

Many people who have followed this procedure (See Below) have not paid for their licence for many years, and have NOT been prosecuted for non payment – not even contacted by the BBC regarding future payment. In the very near future we will be publishing a list of people who have refused to pay, and continue to do so.

EACH PERSON TO KEEP A COPY OF THIS LETTER FOR THEIR OWN RECORDS (ATTACHED TO THE CERTIFICATE OF POSTING BY RECORDED DELIVERY)

Put Personal Name & Address here
Put Date Here.


Sir Michael Lyons
The Chairman, By 1st Class Post
BBC, Recorded Delivery.
Broadcast centre,
201 Wood lane,
London
W12 7TP

Dear Sir Michael Lyons

Re: The Royal Charter of the BBC, & the Treason & Felony Act, 1848
Notice Before Action.

It has been brought to my attention that the Corporation has received and is now receiving substantial amounts of funding from the European Union, in breach of Charter Provisions, and that in consequence of this very suspect arrangement the BBC is now reduced to the function of providing both broadcasting & propaganda facilities to a form of alien authority that fails to acknowledge the Supreme Authority of the British Crown.

I must advise you that all such conduct serves to breach the provisions of the Treason Act, 1351 with the further provisions of the Treason & Felony Act, 1848.

In addition, I must advise that the Treason & Felony Act of 1848 provides that it is a Criminal Offence for Subjects of the Crown to give aid or comfort to Traitors, and that this offence is punishable by imprisonment for life.

I am concerned for my own position and I must ask you to cease and desist from all treacherous conduct & financial arrangements, without delay.

Unless I receive your written assurance that the Corporation will issue an immediate public apology for all Treason committed thus far, with your further guarantee that the Corporation will cease and desist from all and any conduct that fails to maintain the Supremacy of the British Crown, then I must give fair warning of my intention to discontinue the payment of all such moneys as are now being applied to the financial support of the BBC.

I look forward to receipt of your immediate response to this present letter and I give notice that payments in support of the BBC will be suspended, unless I receive a satisfactory response within 14 days of this present date.

Yours faithfully,

(Sign Here)



The second letter you need to send: after none response
EACH PERSON TO KEEP A COPY OF THIS LETTER FOR THEIR OWN RECORDS (ATTACHED TO THE CERTIFICATE OF POSTING BY RECORDED DELIVERY)

Not sure how this will stand

But, I actually don't mind the BBC at all, and don't mind paying my license - considering the BBC mostly avoids advertising and mostly tries to include a wide variety of services.

But, as mentioned the dodgy methods of enforcers should be kept in check.

Ultimately I think the BBC use these enforcers, letters and door to door calls simply because they don't have detector vans. Or at least they're not efficient, hence sending guys round to millions of doors. It must be frustrating if no bugger is paying.

And without the BBC we'll just have more 'reality tv' or talk shows, or X factor rubbish.

reply to post by Dagar



The license fee doesn't just pay for BBC programming, but also transmission of all terrestrial TV channels. So even if you watch ITV only (God knows why...) they are transmitted via BBC run facilities.The BBC is also largely leading the way in the digitisation of UK TV broadcasts and that needs paying for. It is a fallacy that paying the license fee is merely so the BBC can make more Eastenders or Top Gear.

All that "infrastructure and equipment it's amassed over the years" is what enables Freeview Digital and analogue broadcasts possible at all. ITV or any of the other independant channels simply cannot afford to do this themselves. Even Sky (BSkyB) could not afford to do it. The total profit for BSkyB in 2009/2010 is less than what the BBC spent on transmission of all non-sattelite/cable channels.

reply to post by rogertom


The license fee isn't for watching the BBC, so you don't have a leg to stand on. Watch TV? Pay the license.

EDIT: Not a BBC fan as such, just someone who actually understands what the BBC does and what the license fee is for.

reply to post by stumason


Very good points.

But really, this is about the licensing companies rather than the BBC, who do a great job.

God bless 'em.

reply to post by budski


Indeed, but there appears to be one or two who don't seem to be able to distinguish and also have a serious lack of understanding about what it is it pays for and what the BBC does.

If people knew the whole story, then maybe animosity would subside and the angst could be directed at the underhand tactics of the private corporations such as Capita who work on behalf of TV Licensing....

just a light hearted story.
My uncle got taken to court for no license and told the judge that as he only ever used his tv to watch videos he didnt need a license. They said cos it was capable of receiving them he had to pay. his reply was *well I didnt ask for the signal so I am not paying*
They said it is beamed into your house so you have to and he told them in that case he would charge the BBC for beaming things through his home without paying an entrance fee to him.
Needless to say he got fied but the court was in an uproar with laughter.

reply to post by squizzy


Your uncle needs a better lawyer because he is under no obligation to pay the fee if he never used the TV to watch a live broadcast or a recording of a live broadcast.

reply to post by stumason


This was some years ago, pity he didnt know it then. Good OP btw