Ask your MP

[Scottish_Republican]

From website -
"The majority of the administration of TV Licensing is contracted to Capita Business Services Ltd"

Great - TAX FARMING!

Tell me, why the hell should I be funding the dividends of a few shareholders for a service which doesn't represent my country properly?

If I want to finance Murdoch, I'll get Sky. If I don't, I'll go for something else. I don't even watch television on my television!

NB -
"Ah, good old socialist rhetoric. If you want a decent director-general, CEO, MD or such, then you have to pay for them. The fact that so many private companies pay their high-up staff so much is testament to the profits that they can generate and the competition for good 'uns."

Nope, not socialist rhetoric this time. I've heard Tories with the same gripe. The Beeb and ITV rake it in, so why do we need these silly chara-thons which make people feel good, but actually raise comparatively little money.

"What more do you want? As far as nations go, Britain is reasonably homogenous in these respects - so most programming is perfectly suited to being shown across regions."

I want our own TV channel. Ireland has THREE. Even the Faroes - pop. 70K - have one. German cities have theirs. Small American states and cities have theirs. Why can't we?

The only answer is that we don't have the collective gumption (if there is such a thing) to get one.

"They/you shouldn't have let them into their/your house then."

I didn't. They came when I was literally going out of the door, and was running late.

As for my parents (this is going back to the eighties) - they repeatedly turned up on my parents' doorstep, and barged their way in. My parents were no spring chickens at that point, but still law abiding citizens.

"TVL is probably more amusing than most the BBC's comedy content."

In a way, but I know certain older folk who take their rude letters to heart, and get very upset about it.

[NovaBritannia]

Originally Posted by Scottish_Republican

From website -
"The majority of the administration of TV Licensing is contracted to Capita Business Services Ltd"

Great - TAX FARMING!

Tell me, why the hell should I be funding the dividends of a few shareholders for a service which doesn't represent my country properly?

Does it represent your race properly? Your gender? Your religion (or lack thereof)? People of your eye colour? People of your political persuasions?

Probably not. Which is why the state shouldn't have a hand in culture. I'd prefer if you took a more moral approach rather than simply appealing it to certain failings it makes to you specifically.

I won't bother explaining the concept of contracting out and its merits - I'm sure you understand them and I have no urge to patronise you.

If I want to finance Murdoch, I'll get Sky. If I don't, I'll go for something else. I don't even watch television on my television!

Well then you don't require a television licence anyway.

God only knows what you use it for though... handy doorstop?

NB -
"Ah, good old socialist rhetoric. If you want a decent director-general, CEO, MD or such, then you have to pay for them. The fact that so many private companies pay their high-up staff so much is testament to the profits that they can generate and the competition for good 'uns."

Nope, not socialist rhetoric this time. I've heard Tories with the same gripe. The Beeb and ITV rake it in, so why do we need these silly chara-thons which make people feel good, but actually raise comparatively little money.

When you say they rake it in, that's not really true since the BBC doesn't make a profit. Therefore if it was to donate any money to a cause it would be firstly an illegitimate use of the funds and functions it has been given by the state and secondly taken away from content etc.

Maybe making people feel good is the ultimate intention, or creating a caring image or what have you.

"What more do you want? As far as nations go, Britain is reasonably homogenous in these respects - so most programming is perfectly suited to being shown across regions."

I want our own TV channel. Ireland has THREE. Even the Faroes - pop. 70K - have one. German cities have theirs. Small American states and cities have theirs. Why can't we?

The only answer is that we don't have the collective gumption (if there is such a thing) to get one.

Well why don't you go and set one up or something like that rather than moaning about it? You have the ability in the present climate.

"TVL is probably more amusing than most the BBC's comedy content."

In a way, but I know certain older folk who take their rude letters to heart, and get very upset about it.

That's a fair point I suppose. They do seem to target the vunerable.

[Scottish_Republican]

"Does it represent your race properly? Your gender? Your religion (or lack thereof)? People of your eye colour? People of your political persuasions?"

All of the above - apart from the last one perhaps. They even have a show for agnostics, it's called "Thought for the Day".

I resent the idea of out-contracting. Why don't I just pay my licence fee straight into the shareholders' bank accounts?!

"Well then you don't require a television licence anyway. God only knows what you use it for though... handy doorstop?"

Videos and DVDs, but not television... I can't even get a decent signal.

"When you say they rake it in, that's not really true since the BBC doesn't make a profit."

No wonder when they spend several million on computerised hippos.

"Well why don't you go and set one up or something like that rather than moaning about it? You have the ability in the present climate."

In a way - but to set up a proper TV station for the country, requires vast sums of money.

"That's a fair point I suppose. They do seem to target the vunerable."

Like everything else, unfortunately. Old folk get fined for dropping a fag end, big Ned gets left alone by the environmental wardens. Or monstrous parking restrictions put on small businesses vs planning free for all for supermarkets.

[NovaBritannia]

Originally Posted by Scottish_Republican

"Does it represent your race properly? Your gender? Your religion (or lack thereof)? People of your eye colour? People of your political persuasions?"

All of the above - apart from the last one perhaps. They even have a show for agnostics, it's called "Thought for the Day".

Considering the number of agnostics vs the number of Scots in this country, I know who gets disproportionately represented...

"Well why don't you go and set one up or something like that rather than moaning about it? You have the ability in the present climate."

In a way - but to set up a proper TV station for the country, requires vast sums of money.

The Nationalist movement seems to have some friends with deep pockets these days...

[NaRvIcK DeViL]

TV's changing channels

Is it the end of telly as we know it?......
But what does the current explosion of user-generated content and Web 2.0 (The phrase being applied to 'the second coming' of the internet.) excitement mean for your humble television set and the tv Licence?

The surge in content found online through user-generated content sites such as YouTube and other web 2.0 favourites is certainly pulling people away from their traditional TV dinner.

But despite this proliferation of new internet-based entertainment, research has indicated just over half of uk media consumers have never even used on-demand services.

In addition, Research has found the majority of people who do use online on-demand services still spend a significant amount of their time 'media time' using traditional TV.

It seems people prefer the 'sit back' approach to watching TV rather than the 'lean forward' technique required to watch content on a computer.
And TV is trying to fight back - the rise of on-demand online services being offered by major television broadcasters is going to play an increasingly significant part as well.

Recently, the BBC announced it will go ahead for its on-demand TV service since it received the extra funding needed from the ongoing increases of the tv licence fee - while ITV.com has been relaunched with a vastly improved raft of content.

The success of Channel 4’s 4OD has undoubtedly spurred the two UK telly giants to offer a similar level of service.
TV in the UK is at a crossroads, with content accessible and viewed through computers but with a stagnate number of people still sticking with traditional television.

But this is likely to change, especially when IPTV ( Internet Protocol Television ) – TV via broadband connection – becomes a viable commercial proposition.

When this happens, the recent on-demand online services will become available through your television, so there will no longer be any need to view content on your PC.

Vhs video recorders are also disappearing from people’s homes and are being replaced with HardDrives which are really computers. They can record up to 80 GB for now, of programming and after a while will learn what you like and automatically record the programs of interest to you while you’re out.

They even avoid recording the adverts. Effectively, you will have your “own” TV channel made up of programmes chosen by you, for you to watch when you want. Hopefully, by then you will all ‘finally’ be thinking, “Why should I pay for the BBC when none of what “I’ve chosen on my channel” was broadcast by the BBC.