Why do we need a TV Licence?

Question

Why do we need a TV Licence?

Answer 1

Its to pay for the BBC cos they dont get revenue from advertising.

Answer 2

A tv licence is what u pay only to the BBC itv don't charge for their channels as they have adverts and they make money from that the BBC don't have adverts so to make up the money they charge us for their broadcasting fees, it doesn't go to the government.



the only thing that makes me mad is students have to buy one per room and so do soldiers but in jail they don't have to have one even tho they have a telly in their rooms!!!

Answer 3

It's stupid. The rest of the world laugh at us for having to pay for a TV licence. It's even on a website called dumblaws.com



Why should people who are struggling to pay their bills have to pay money so that newsreaders and presenters can have six figure salaries?

It's only used to fund the BBC anyway, and all they show these days is crap like celebrity dancing.

Answer 4

To pay for the BBC. Why they cant scrap it and send the BBC commercial is beyond me. It serves no other purpose than to squeeze the poor bloody British of yet more money.

EDIT lol at biofuels. High quality? I cant remember listenning to or watching anything on the BBC that rose above mediocre

Answer 5

The money raised by tht T.V Licence goes direct to the B.B.C it is there main source of income unlike the other T.V channels which have advertising

Answer 6

The dog-licence is stupid - a TV licence less so.



The revenue earned on a dog-licence is not enough to cover the costs of collecting it - let alone the costs of policing it!



A TV-licence (originally Radio and Television Licence) is intended to supplement the revenues of the BBC. The BBC earns large amounts of money selling programmes and broadcasting rights to other (usually foreign) broadcasters. However, this income is not sufficient to finance all the programmes made by the BBC.



If terrestrial BBC went commercial, then the integrity of the BBC could be compromised. The BBC is probably the world's most respected broadcaster and this would no longer be the case with advertising.



Of course, we COULD do without the TV-licence and still finance the BBC - only trouble is, it would come out of your income tax so everybody would have to pay. Then we come into the realms of ethics - there are enough people who though their beliefs do not have a television; and they would still be paying.





By the way - does anyone remember the public information film about TV licences; the one with a van with a spinning roofrack and "There's a television on at number 5 - and they're watching Columbo...."?

Answer 7

As far as i can see it's a great big rip off!!



If the BBC want money then they should bloody well earn it, allow the advertisers in and stop overcharging the public fo shows they don't want or need!!



The BBC is a joke.

Answer 8

to pay for the BBC. it is independent from government. the money goes to the BBC.

the purpose of this is to keep the standards of programming high. if it was left up to sky and the others we'd be watching cop chase shows, the world's most dangerous cheeseburgers, cheap send in your videos shows, down market soaps, endless repeats and reality TV. also you could end up with a news service like fox. when i used to work on the oil rigs in the north sea, all we could get was sky and it drove me round the bend, it was 24/7 pap.



a lot of people don't seem to realise that they pay for the TV adverts when they buy the goods. up to 25% of the cost on some products are just for advertising and marketing.

Answer 9

you need a TV license because you fund a state run company that produces sub par programming that would not exist because there is no demand for it thus they need to use the government to tax you in the form of a "TV license" Nothing good comes from anything socialistic. If the product is quality and is in demand people will pay to watch it. This is why they will never give up the tax they impose because if it were an optional channel that you had to pay to watch it would wither and die on the capitalistic vine. Those of you who think the BBC is great, you have the right to that opinion. Just because you like something why should everyone else who does not like the programing pay for it thru a socialist tax. For those of you who bash american TV I suspect you haven't been to the U.S to actaully watch it. If you want to watch the retarded programing you are welcome to it, if not at least the rest of us dont have to pay so you can watch it. I pay for cable in the U.S and I only watch a few channels that i watch. I purchase cable as a package and I have other channels to watch but choose not to. If I do not want to watch cable anymore because I dont like the programing I have the the freedom to cancel service and use an antenna and receive my local station for free which are paid for with advertising. They are on the air because there is a demand for them, there is not tax or license mandating them to be on the air by the government. We have something like the BBC here, its called PBS, this service has quality programing much like the BBC except it is not funded by the government but by advertising and people donating money to it because they believe it is worth while. Once again people are CHOOSING to donate money, it isn't taken from them simply because they own a TV. Whats even funnier we get the all the BBC programing here in the U.S but I dont have to pay for that ridiculous license so you are not only paying for it for the citizens (more like subjects with all your taxes) of the U.K but for the rest of the world as well, so for somthing you pay for if you want to or not you get for free. Also the BBC advertises here as well. I like the programing the BBC has dont get me wrong, i think is god some good stuff on it, but to be forced to pay for their existance if you want to or not is just wrong. Over 200 years later the British government is STILL taxing the crap out of its people to fill the pockets of politicians and private companies.

Answer 10

i would buy all the arguments for paying the TV licence to the BBC if



* they subsidised ALL the other channels too (or at the very least shared resources with them)



* they didn't harass householders with NO TV despite NOT proving that they WERE watching the TV without a license in the place of residence (no TV = no fee payable no?)



*names weren't collected if you ever go and BUY a TV at a regular high-street trader



* reception for the BBC channels was available without having to use sky or cable (and pay twice for the privilege) in certain parts of the country



* UK only pay up but the BBC broadcasts throughout the world FoC!!!



*their TV detectors who come around trying to detect who has and hasn't got a TV not going after students WITHOUT a TV - they read through walls apparently (and cant read the top floor of student residences)?

Answer 11

completly agree with ya girl fecking goverment tight fisted buggers!

Answer 12

It is annoying, but also a legal requirement for stores to give details of TVs purchased to the licensing people. It's a bit like buying a new car - it has to be registered etc and if you don't do it they make you pay lots of money or take it away. The main thing they're interested in is whether your address has a TV licence that covers that type of TV. If the names are different, you could be a different tenant in the same building, in which case technically you would need your own licence hence the letter. If in doubt, give the licencing people a call and ask what they're on about. Otherwise, I suggest you and your partner write a joint letter to them stating that you live together at that address and requesting that this information be held on file. If both of you sign it, it should be useable as evidence, so make sure you have a copy. NB I have no legal background, it's just a suggestion.

Answer 13

This Site Might Help You.



RE:

Why do we need a TV Licence?

I can understand why we need a dog licence but for a tv?

It's stupid. Just a way for the government to get more money off us. What do you think?

Answer 14

Sorry, I don't actually agree with you.



If you've had to watch American TV, you'll generally approve of the BBC which doesn't just produce TV output, there is a wealth of Radio stations too that cover a wide spectrum of tastes.



I don't (incidentally) like everything the BBC produces, nor do I approve of the salaries that go towards the likes of Jonathan Ross ~ nor do I watch a single solitary 'soap' and have not done so for years.



By the way, Dog Licences were stopped being issued somewhere back in the 1980's.



Sash.

Answer 15

Have you noticed that TV adverts in general have increased over recent years, to the point that you can watch 5 minutes of a show, and right at the end of the intro credits there's a break for adverts, and then once more halfway through, and at the end. Thats three advert breaks in a 30 minute show. The breaks are certainly longer than they used to be (let alone a bunch of naff adverts!)



This is commercial TV. The BBC (all their TV and radio channels) are non-commercial, but still cost money to run. This is paid for in our TV licence rather than by adverts.



If they abolish the TV licence, the BBC will have to seek revenue from elsewhere, and we'll end up with NO channels left without ridiculously long advert breaks. The BBC also has a policy as an impartial programmer, as in they are not influenced by external factors. If they allowed paid advertising on their channels there's every chance they could be, or could be seen to be, influenced by these products.



The BBC currently has very strong policies about advertising (hence in Eastenders there's a bunch of generic products), to the point that even their website contains no external advertising when you view it from the UK.



Incidentally you don't HAVE to pay for a TV licence, unless you actual have a TV and receiver. For a few months I had no aerial, so used my TV only for my Xbox and DVD player. You have to advise them you have no TV receiving equipment, which is similar to declaring a vehicle as SORN if you take it off the road, and you don't pay a penny.

Answer 16

Many countries in the world have a TV licence, particularly European countries. Here in the UK it directly funds "public service broadcasting", most notably the BBC, but not exclusively - Channel 4 is also a designated public service broadcaster and this year will get licence fee money for the first time ever to fund its switch to digital.



What do you want on BBC? If you want the dross we see on ITV then going commercial is a good move. The licence funds programming for all which may not be commercially viable, such as news and current affairs programmes.

Answer 17

The license is, indeed, a stupid way to fund the BBC.



The BBC is a national asset, sure enough, and, to keep competitive with the commercially funded channels and services, it needs public funding but the license fee is an iniquitous way to gather the necessary cash. The BBC is a public service instituted to benefit the public as a whole and some will reap greater benefits from it than others. The best measure of benefit that people get from public services is not how much they use the utility, directly, but, their income. Without buses to get workers to and from their places of employment, the employers and investors in the businesses (who will never have used a bus in their lives) would go broke. Instead, they benefit the most from a service they never actually use, directly, or pay for, directly.



It's the same with television only, instead of workers, the conveyed resource is information. The service still benefits people, in general, but the ones who benefit the most pay the same as those who benefit the least. It is horribly unfair, although, not quite so stupidly unfair as bus fares.



Both services should be funded by a direct percentage taxation of incomes whether the individuals use the services, directly, or not. Then, if you benefit more, you pay more. That's only fair.

Answer 18

It's got nothing to do with the Government, that said, the TV licence has been classed as a tax by the National Statistics Office.

Have a look at: http://www.tvlicensing.biz/ , they provide a link to a BBC survey, which indicates that 58% of the population would not subscribe to the BBC if they didn't have to.

The programmes I enjoyed watching are not on the BBC, yet I had to pay them for products and services that I don't want or use. Hence, I no longer watch tv, I'd rather go without than pay for something I never asked for.

Answer 19

The money you pay for your TV Licence goes to the BBC because there don't show advertising on their channels.



Where as ITV, Channel 4 and Five, show advertising on their channels so thats how they pay for all the TV productions, where as the BBC get their money from TV Licences.

Answer 20

What's worse is in ireland where i lived for a while is you have to pay a TV licence to fund RTE and they still have ads!!



BBC should go subscription rather than have a blanket licence. that way you could pay for what you watch. if you only watch SKY etc and not BBC then you don't have to pay for it. simple as that. If you don't want to watch SKY then you don't subscribe, why can't BBC be the same?

Answer 21

Its about time the BBC got off their backsides and done away with the tv license instead of sponging off the British people.

They can use adverts, they have done it in secret before why can't they do it more openly.

The tv license is old hat and well outdated. And anyone supporting itneeds to bring themselves into the 21 century.

Anyway, when the BBc begin broadcasting intelligent programs that can rise well above boring that will be a great and new beginning ofr them....but without a tv license.

Answer 22

Dogs don't need a licence any more - how else can BBC remain independent of advertising revenue and so end up with the cr4p such as that on Five!!

Answer 23

How do you think the BBC make all the quality programming and radio?



If the BBC had to fund itself then we would end up with even more cr@p like that what is shown on ITV and Channel 4 and 5.



So in a way your ensuring the standards of programming are not driven my market forces like commercial TV is which is why the programming is so bad.

Answer 24

TV licence doesn't just pay for BBC TV - it funds all the national and local BBC radio stations... all for around 37 pence a day



As a hugh fan of BBC Radio Cumbria I think that's bloody cheap! What else can you get for 37p?



The BBC TV productions are admired throughout the telly watching world... thank God - 'cos their buying of them is what keeps the licence fee so low.



...er, weren't dog licences in UK abolished in 1987?

Answer 25

You need a TV Licence to use any television receiving equipment such as a TV set, set-top boxes, video or DVD recorders, computers or mobile phones to watch or record TV programmes as they are being shown on TV.



If you use a set-top box with a hi-fi system or another device that can only be used to produce sounds and can't display TV programmes, and you don't install or use any other TV receiving equipment, you don't need a TV Licence.



That is what you pay your money for,not what you think is it?

Answer 26

Government has to generate money, so naturally every means is good enough. Last thing will be church entrance fee and the most last taxing the dead. U can't bury till U pay. Well, all these r for your well being and U shouldn't mind it. Look for the free services U r getting. Money has to come from somewhere.

Answer 27

Why is it that people complain about spending £135 per year for a license for several of the TV and radio channels they regularly listen to, but then happily pay a satellite company £192 - £540 per year to watch (as someone said above) the world's most dangerous hamburgers?



Out of interest, did anyone else notice that an episode of 24 lasts for only 45 minutes on the Beeb? The whole point of 24 is that it is 24 x 1 hour episodes. That means that in the US, 25% of the show is filled up with adverts. Who in their right mind would care to save £135 per year to fill up their TVs with that many adverts? (Not that the adverts themselves are free anyway.) It's equivalent to the cost of about 4 pints of beer, or 2 packs of cigarettes per month. The only people who notice that kind of expense in their annual budget qualify for concessions anyway.



I wouldn't be so arrogant as to claim that the BBC is perfect by any means, but the way it is funded does uphold some kind of overall quality that the private sector couldn't promise to maintain on it's own.



Better to keep your energy to fight for something worth changing instead.

Answer 28

what gets me is how can anyone understand why we have a dog licence ?



I fully understand why we have a tv licence, its to bring a minimum stability in public broadcasting.

It really gets my goat when people go on about the BBC spending our money. thats rubbish most tv stations get a slice of it & its to contribute towards educational programmes, & public broadcasts.



Have you seen those ads on Itv, C4, C5 S4c telling you about going digital ? well they got paid out of the Tv licence to do that just the same as the BBC.

or have you ever watched a party political broadcast on them, well its the same, ever watched a short film on film 4 from a community project, that comes out of the TV licence fund too, green cross code broadcast ?, the man on a bike telling you to be safe be seen ?, clunk click every trip ?...... all from the tv licence & on comercial stations.



People, Stop banging on about the BBC spending it & understand were it goes to start with.



All tv broadcasters have an obligation of public broadcasting set out by ofcom & all get paid out of the Tv licence fund for it.



from the C4 website:

The Channel's primary purpose is the fulfilment of its public service remit, which was most recently defined in the 2003 Communications Act. This states that "the public service remit for Channel 4 is the provision of a broad range of high quality and diverse programming which, in particular

http://www.channel4.com/about4/overview.html



From the ITV website:

ITV1, the UK’s biggest commercial public service broadcaster, is subject to a series of public service obligations and regulation concerning our relationships with producers and between the various companies within the ITV Network. As well as Network programming, each of the ITV licences provides regional programming to cater for the interests of people living in each area of the UK.

http://www.itv.com/aboutitv/



from the Five website:

These are exciting times for Five, as we enter our first full year with a family of channels in place and the greater ability that gives us to compete commercially and creatively with the other public service broadcasters

http://www.five.tv/aboutfive/corporate/policystatement/



It All comes out of the Tv licence.

Answer 29

Because unlike sky and cable,who you have the option to join,the bbc say,if you own a tv you must pay for bbc tv and radio.No choice.Well i aint got 1,and im not getting 1.I hate the bbc ****....

Answer 30

It depends if you want your TV to be filled with programmes that appeal to advertisers or to the viewers. If you want free but awful TV (Have you tried watching TV in the states, its pretty poor on the whole and broken up with advertising so much you can't have a complicated story) then drop the license. If you want high quality stuff then keep the license. In the UK your TV license funds all the BBC online, National and Local Radio, and a good chunk of BBC World Service, which is excellent value. All the money is spent on running the BBC making programmes and broadcasting. Part of the money that is spent on commercial TV goes to the shareholders of the TV comapny

Answer 31

Historically it's because the money went towards running the BBC TV and radio services. Things may well have moved on now, but because the BBC still needs 'State' support as it is not self financing that's why licences are needed.



The only other way is for the BBC to become privately run (won't happen) or for advertisements (won't happen.)



None of he money goes towards the independent channels, just to the BBC which is a worldwide brand name for the UK.

Answer 32

Because the English need a licence to operate a TV, Car, Motorbike(but not a Bicyce), Dog or a Weapon. James Bond even needed a licence to Kill!

Answer 33

The best & most sensible comment on here, thank you

Answer 34

here in south Africa we need to pay TV Licence too

Answer 35

Those who subscribe to SKY, Virgin, BT.. Are paying twice. They pay for their subscription (which the BBC channels are included) and then pay the TV Licence as well. I'm glad I got rid of my TV License. I'm not gonna pay them anymore. If the BBC wants to survive and thinks it's it has such a good product then why are they fearful of being subscription only? I'll tell you why cos not enough people would subscribe to make them a viable company. Well tough **** BBC. You brought this hatred upon yourselves with your constant hounding of people and also making shops pass our personal details on to you. I hope the BBC dies.

Answer 36

somewhere on a hill not far from your home there is this big metal thing its called a transmitter this gives your tv a picture and all the programmes you watch this is where some of your money goes the rest is for the bbc, that gives you more tv radio internet and magazines and lots of other stuff. and they sell this stuff they make to other countries and they use this money to make more stuff and save a little on the tv license. understand?

Answer 37

You don't.



Next time you buy a TV, order it to your parents address, they always have TV licences, then take it round yours. Therefore, no TV is registered to your address.



Mind you seeing as you already have the TV, you need one to keep yourself from a £1000 fine. It's cheaper in the long run to have one.

Answer 38

The reason we need to have a TV license is because our present (Labour government) cant find a way of another stealth tax to confuse us with

Answer 39

the licence is basically the 'BBC TAX'

because they are not funded by advertising like uk channels ITV ,CH4 ,CH5 ect. we have to pay for their channels even if we dont watch them, satellite tv included

the BBC aren't stupid they dont need to advertise, they know that they can force us to either pay for their channels even if we dont watch them at all and fine us if we dont pay up anyway u are a no-win situation

Answer 40

so that over paid television bosses can continue to make lousy television programs, in this day of digital tv we are still forced to pay the bbc whether we watch it or not.



LEGALISED EXTORTION... IF EVERYONE STOPPED BUYING THE TV LICENCE then the bbc would have to rethink and there is no way they could afford to prosecute 60 million plus households. people power works but they prey on your fear.



AS LONG AS YOU BUY THE LICENCE THEY WONT CARE



DONT BUY YOUR LICENCE. AND LET THEM KNOW WHO IS BOSS

Answer 41

The TV liscence is actually for BBC (apparently). Have you noticed they don't show adverts? The money they don't make with advertising, they make from the TV liscence we pay.



Personally, I don't see why we should pay it. I would rather sit through adverts, and what if you don't watch BBC anyway?

Answer 42

The greedy BBC ! No other channels have money from it. If I could have no BBC and no licence, that would be ideal. I would miss Casualty and Holby though..

Answer 43

Most of the time I am on the computer listening to the radio through the telly

Answer 44

It seems very unfair that we are forced to help fund the BBC if we have television receiving equipment.



It would be more fair to make the BBC a subscription channel (like many channels on Sky) so we can decide ourselves whether we want to watch and pay for it.

Answer 45

In Great Britain, dog licences were abolished in 1987...

Answer 46

because other channels like ITV,Channel 4,5,sky channels have adverts which takes care of the costs..whereas BEEB dont have adverts..soo they bully us into paying tv licence,its ridiculous..

yet the beeb can pay high salaries to people like Johnathan Ross,Eastenders soapstars..

farce!

Answer 47

no licence then will need adverts do you want that? For me not sure as I hate adverts but there is only crap on TV!!!

Answer 48

Cause the governement r maggots who want LOADS o cash rippin us off!!!



jiml fix it dude jimmy savvile , fought the cause in court n won, he couldnt get a signel cause he lives in the middle o the scottish highlands.

THEY still tryd to get his cash!!!



But he sent them homeward to think again LOL

Answer 49

Adverts pay for ITV but someone has to pay the BBC for the transmission.

Answer 50

Cause GOVT , Needs More And More Money: from Us

Answer 51

YES I THINK GOVERNMENT IS RIGHT THE LAW WAS PASSED BY PARLIAMENT MEMBERS THAT TO GET TV LICENSE NOW THERE IS NO WAY TO SAY THAT GOVERNMENT IS WRONG OR GETTING MORE MONEY.

Answer 52

I think that without the payment, the BBC would not be able to broadcast. Did that really not occur to you?

Answer 53

Its only the BBC we need a license for as they dont have adverts

Answer 54

I know what you mean...I'm 13 I don't wanna be watching dacing **** on tv...i say let it be GONE

Answer 55

too give money too fat cats ar,,,,holes from london.....do what i do , dont pay it ,,,if a man comes 2 my door i f..kin chase him......if i catch him i will rob him ..he is trying 2 rob me

Answer 56

Why do people say that the BBC don't advertise, they do it all of the time.

They advertise their programmes and programme related products like books and DVD's and it cannot be called anything else but advertising.

Answer 57

i no! paying tv licence is a joke!

Answer 58

I agree with 'old now all' , who do you think pays for the BBC, and other programmes that aren't funded by stupid adverts?

Answer 59

blame the bbc thats how they make their money

Answer 60

Its just anouther tax!!!!

Answer 61

am thinking also in that way.



They do that way maybe for their xtra fund don't know for what?

Answer 62

yes more money for them!!!!!!

Answer 63

Thats A Bloody Good Question..

Its Like You Know When They Did That Smoking Ban??

Well If They Cared So Much About Our Health, Why Dont They Stop Selling Cigerettes... They Just Want Our Money!! Just Pothetic Really Lol :]

Answer 64

Where the heck do you live, Australia did away with them back in the sixties i think, someone is ripping you off.

Answer 65

coz they have to pay wages for people at the studios. also pay for bills for running of the studios where programs are sent to our tvs

Answer 66

because it pays the ppl on tvs wages.

Answer 67

What we need a TV license.

That's crazy!!!!

Answer 68

It pays for the BBC. If you watch it, pay for it.



Do you imagine that anything comes for free? Hospitals are closing, people are dying, kids are leaving school uneducated - all because we've got government on the cheap. We don't pay anywhere near enough tax to pay for the services we take for granted -so stop whinging about governments taking your money.