Paying TV License

[Oola]

If you are a UK resident, in this day and age, with access to so many channels, do you believe that we should still have to pay the BBC TV License if we want to watch TV? Do you think there should be a clause whereby you area allowed to watch other channels that had advertising, and waive the cost of the BBC channels?

[eleanor2]

thats a hard one oola. i sometimes feel like that.i hate adverts when your watching a good film.but they pay the bills. so yes we pay for our license and put up with adverts.i am not impressed with t.v much at the moment.if you want a good film on a friday you have to get a d.v.d. and i have a t.v package.i love turner classics to.just think what good films they could put on.

[jazzactivist]

I quite like the ads. I also wouldn't mind paying the BBC TV licence if the programmes were of better quality. There are a few that are fine, but the original premis of the licence was to fund high quality,educational content and we definately don't get that. My partner and I don't watch TV all that much, so it seems a lot of money. Maybe it is time for all TV to have Pay per View, with a pre-pay card that you could swipe on the TV set if you plan to watch a programme. This might also help people to regulate their TV watching and be more discerning too.

[Oola]

I don't know about pay per view - I think that needs an element of pre-planning and I know sometimes I stumble upon interesting programmes by chance. Admittedly sometimes I think I ought to be doing something more constructive with my time, but sometimes just lounging around on the sofa and having a flick through what's on TV is all I feel like doing. I think it would be a very good idea more for children's television though...although that leads to a whole other discussion about parenting!

We've just recently stopped receiving cable tv, and going back to 5 channels has made me realise that the vast majority of programmes on the BBC are completely and utterly unappealing to me. Yes, I think the news is pretty objective and they have one or two interesting programmes, especially the wildlife documentaries of late, but other than that, I really don't feel I am getting my money's worth. I do listen to Radio 1, 2 or 4 but only when in the car. The only other BBC programmes I watch are Heroes and Neighbours (soon to move to chan5 anyway).

On the flipside though, I really dislike the advertisements too though, that's the beauty of watching a drama or film on the BBC, the uninterrupted viewing makes it so much better. Sky One and Virgin 1 were terrible as they'd have advert breaks every 15 mins, which lasted for 5 minutes each. In the future we're considering getting Sky+, that way I truly feel like I can have the choice I want, watch what I want, when I want. Yet I will still have to pay the TV License on top of that, and sometimes I feel I am paying the £11+ a month for a couple of programmes, no advertisements and the possibility that there might be something half-interesting on. Pretty expensive if you ask me.

Each year it creeps up a bit more yet the quality of programmes that are made seems to be very few and far between. If I see another z-list celebrity 'talent' show I think I might just scream.