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Views wanted on licence fee



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Published Date: 08 September 2008
THE BBC wants viewers to comment on whether "heavy-handed" tactics are being used to collect the licence fee.
Its public consultation, launched today, follows complaints about the measures used to chase suspected evaders.

The BBC's governing body, the BBC Trust, will examine the "tone of the marketing and advertising about the TV licence" and the "enforcement methods used … including letters, visits and detection".





The full article contains 69 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
Page 1 of 1

  • Last Updated: 07 September 2008 9:44 PM
  • Source: The Scotsman
  • Location: Edinburgh
  • Related Topics: The BBC
 
1

Guga II,

Rockall 08/09/2008 01:43:17
I will repeat my views for the benefit of the EBC and the EBC Trust.

The iniquitous television tax should be scrapped. Not only does it hit the less well off the hardest, but, in this day and age where television is used as the main source of news and information for people, it is a tax on information.

Moreover, the EBC should be forced to compete on the open market. They already have advertising on their television stations; admittedly it is primarily self-advertising, but it is advertising nontheless.

If anyone wants to keep the EBC in its current format, then it should be changed to an encrypted, subscription service.

It is also against the principles of fair trade, when one service is subsidised by the public, to the detriment of other television stations. This is also true of the fact of making people who never watch, or want to watch the EBC and its biased programming, pay for them, regardless.

As for their threatening tone regarding non-payment, that is a disgrace; as is the maximum fine for not paying the television tax. The size of the fine is such that it is obviously treated as a more serious offence than mugging an old lady.

The television tax is an archaic anachronism and, like the EBC, should be scrapped.
2

,

08/09/2008 08:03:29
Comment Removed By Administrator
Reason:
3

The Former Mr. Angry,

Perth 08/09/2008 09:23:40
Heavy handed? "We've got you on our database. We know ehere you live.", etc. More reminiscent of a ned approach to licence payment. This Corporation has got well above its "station" (sorry). The licence fee is a joke and ought to be scrapped and BBC put on the same commercial footing as any other channel. Its public broadcast mission has been diluted to the point where it's trying to compete on a commercial basis but has an assured income - i.e. from you and me so doesn't have to try too hard. It also has a clear political bias which is especially noticeable in Scotland with slanted news reporting and current affairs. It really should be retitled Labour Broadcasting Corporation.
4

Boy Wonder,

08/09/2008 09:49:52
I agree with Guga!!! So there !!! :P
5

Guga II,

Rockall 08/09/2008 10:40:35
#2 Spectator.

You are obviously English and can, therefore, see no fault in the almost total English approach of the EBC.

In any event, it is quite abnormal for any country, anywhere in the world, not to have their own television stations. We, however, have to rely on a foreign broadcaster who has the audacity to tax us for the privilege of subsidising them, whether we watch their broadcasts or otherwise.
6

Alternative (High-Octane) Fuel Head,

Edinburgh 08/09/2008 11:12:28
I don't call paying my licence by quarterly direct debit "heavy handed".

To be honest, I'd gladly pay double the licence fee if it meant that ALL TV advertising was banned. Keep it the way it is. At least then we have four TV channels and several radio channels where we don't have to suffer inane drivel every 15 minutes.

I'm looking forward to next year when I will finally be able to watch a Grand Prix race without it being interrupted by brain-dead adverts---usually during the time something significant happens on the track. For those who don't know, the BBC are taking F1 coverage back.

 

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