Scrap the TV Licence Protests

[craig7501]

LATEST NEWS:

A PROTEST AT THE BBC OFFICES IN PORTSMOUTH IS NOW PLANNED AS WELL

PLEASE LIST THE BBC OFFICE CLOSEST TO YOU WHERE YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE DEMONSTRATIONS ON THE 4TH MAY


Gathering starts in Trafalgar Square for 11 am on the 4th of May and sets out at 12.30 on the march to the BBC offices in west London, which is a march of about 3 1/2 miles.


BBC offices to be protested on 4th May

Bristol address has been asked for so those in the area wanting to protest can all meet at:

Broadcasting House, Whiteladies Road, Bristol BS8 2LR

Monday 4th May protests
Please message this to all your friends and get them to join this group and put the day of protests in their diary. All protests will be a chance to have fun, meet other facebook users but most of all show our unity in wanting the license fee scrapped
London
BBC London office is situated in central London, in between Oxford Street and Regents Park, and adjacent to Nash's All Souls Church. The march from Trafalgar square in London to the BBC office will set of about 12h30 with people starting to assemble at Trafalgar square from 11 am in the morning


Protesters are gathering at the following offices so far for 11h30 in support of the London peaceful protest. If you want to protest at a BBC office in a city near you please let us know and we will advertise the venue. The following have been noted as they have strong support. We also have interest in protests being made at BBC offices overseas in Support and if our American friends could organise this it would be exceptional and get us world press coverage

Birmingham
BBC Birmingham offices are at 102-108 Wharfside Street, Birmingham, B1 1AY

Bristol
BBC Bristol offices are at Broadcasting House, Whiteladies Road, Bristol BS8 2LR

Manchester
BBC Manchester, New Broadcasting House, Oxford Road, Manchester, M60 1SJ

LATEST: There has been an interest by some too demonstrate in Portsmouth at the BBC offices as well

[Booksandstuff]

Now, would you really want to scrap the tv license though, if you know the alternatives? Somehow revenue has to be raised and the UK TV licence is an absolute bargain compared to the way revenue is raised in the rest of Europe.

[craig7501]

The TV licence is only for the BBC channels, however the BBC get their revenue from competitions they run and through their premium rate telephone numbers where they charge the callers anywhere from 50p per minute to £1.50 per minute.

[damian_steele]

Let's not forget the money they raise from syndicating the BBC content to other countries or the huge amount of merchandising.

[heatemyfather]

How ever we may believe the BBC is funded, I simply cannot believe that scrapping the license fee would not have an effect on programming. I enjoy the fact that the BBC do not have adverts in the UK, and the fact of the matter is that the BBC is still a world leader and by far the best programme maker and a high quality broadcaster. Take away that crucial extra funding and I think we could kiss all that goodbye, it would just become another division of ITV.

[kengillam]

I think the BBC offer excellent value for the price of the licence fee. Where else could you get entertainment for so many hours at that price.

[astral276]

The only justification for the license fee was that it enabled the BBC to be independent and not subject to pressure from government or commercial enterprises.

The BBC have long been a mouthpiece for the government and are as big a commercial enterprise themselves as any other out there. So the only justification is long gone.

So I would be happy to see the licence go. Then if I choose not to watch the BBC then I could do so without still having to be a source of their money.

Of course you would still have to pay. The licence is just another form of tax and the government will not give that up. It is, of course, not a BBC licence fee; it is a licence to receive television transmissions. The government will still want the income that brings in.

[Huddylion]

The B.B.C. give us Eastenders id pay not to have that rubbish on my t.v screen,and no I don't have the choice the boss controls the remote in our house:(

[Santa45]

Most TV is rubbish, rarely watch the BBC channels apart from football and heroes. Which is certainly not worth the licence fee. (in my opinion)

Let them go pay per view. I know people will say what about those who can't afford it. But most of the people I know are on benefits and have better TV.s and TV package's then I can afford and I work full time?

[astral276]

...and no I don't have the choice the boss controls the remote in our house:(

You should be big enough to take the remote off Lucy. Oh! Hang on...you did say she beat you up t'other day - so maybe not.

[Huddylion]

You should be big enough to take the remote off Lucy. Oh! Hang on...you did say she beat you up t'other day - so maybe not.

I wish it were Lucy :o,I can sometimes control her but not he wife, that s wh y I have my headphones on a lot so I don't have to listen to the carp she watches,much prefer my music.

[craig7501]

Oh peter, what will your devoted wife have to say about that?

[Huddylion]

Oh peter, what will your devoted wife have to say about that?


Nowt mate she knows shes the boss lol:D

[Spyder1942]

Get rid of the over paid so called stars.Plenty of talent out there that would do it for a lot less.Cut the budget for productions as well.I mean do they have to shoot in the bahamas when they could do it in Brighton.etc.

[JudesNiceThings]

I don't begrudge my License fee.

It means I can watch interesting TV without advertisements interrupting!

[XCESSBAGGAGE]

I think it should be more! Much More!

That way it will make people leave the telly behind and head for their computers and the net.

Fair more interesting, educational and fun in my opinion.

[MagnetsAndHangers]

Should be down to choice.

If you want to watch BBC, then pay the fee.
If you dont want to watch any BBC programmes, then they should be able to install a gizzmo in your television which prevent you receiving it.
(or the other way round - give you a receiver so you CAN receive it if you pay - similar to Sky).

I resent having to pay it just because I have the facility to receive the signals.

[papagran40]

The TV licence is only for the BBC channels,....sorry this is wrong.....if you have a tv that can receive a picture.....you need a licence....only the BBC get the money....other companies get their money from advertising ....
I agree the Beeb has some great progs with no adverts.. ( brilliant )..but now they do have some advertising so the licence fee should be stopped.....another thing I did not like about the beeb was the fact that until fairly recently , blind peole had to pay this fee......a damned disgrace ..... so my opinion is get the licence fee stopped now.....they do not need it....have a nice holiday....... Papa.

[islandbuckman]

So, pardon my ignorance, but how much is your TV license fee? We don't have any in Canada, but our taxes are horrendous! According to the last study made, approximately 66% of our income to taxes. And part of that goes to our equivalent to the BBC, the CBC. The CBC is just like any other station except there is a mandated % of Canadian content that the CBC must broadcast. I don't watch CBC, it sucks.

[astral276]

So, pardon my ignorance, but how much is your TV license fee?

A no concession 12 month licence for a colour receiver is 142.50 GBP (250.67 CAD).

We don't have any in Canada, but our taxes are horrendous!

Aren't everybody's? Accounting would be simpler if the government just took all your money and gave you an allowance each month.

They are forever coming up with new ways to squeeze a little more out of you.

The best one here (I don't know if it is still true) was Car Tax. Car Tax was added to the price of a new car and then Value Added Tax was applied to the sum amount. So you were paying tax on the tax.

[moonwitch]

So, pardon my ignorance, but how much is your TV license fee? We don't have any in Canada, but our taxes are horrendous! According to the last study made, approximately 66% of our income to taxes. And part of that goes to our equivalent to the BBC, the CBC. The CBC is just like any other station except there is a mandated % of Canadian content that the CBC must broadcast. I don't watch CBC, it sucks.

I just got sent my bill...I pay £12.01 each month for my licence

[craig7501]

Over 75 = £0.00 for licence
Blind or partiatly sighted = £71.25
Unemployed £142.50

[astral276]

The TV licence is only for the BBC channels,....sorry this is wrong.....if you have a tv that can receive a picture.....you need a licence....

Sorry. That is wrong also.

You need a licence to receive television transmissions on any equipment - not just a TV. So if you have a tuner card or freeview dongle on your computer you need a licence. If you have a VCR + Monitor then you need a licence. If you have a DVR you need a licence. If you view TV on a mobile phone you need a licence.

The name of what you buy (TV Licence) is misleading as it has nothing to do with the actual TV but with the receiving and display of television transmissions in any form.

[papagran40]

that is fine Mel , well I still say get rid of it.......the sooner the better.....better say this is my honest opinion.....papa.

[XCESSBAGGAGE]

Wasn't there a coirt case, where the person claimed they only watched DVD's on their telly.

And they won.

[damian_steele]

I think what annoys a lot of people is the licensing agencies bullying and nasty attitude in their assumption that absolutely everyone has a TV and watches it. There are quite a few people who don't, yet they still get treated like criminals and threatened with all sorts until they prove it. Ask yourself this: how can you prove that you don't do something? Surely there can only be evidence of actually doing it (the TV, aerial etc.) but when you don't . . .?

[astral276]

Wasn't there a coirt case, where the person claimed they only watched DVD's on their telly.

And they won.

Possibly. In this land where you are (laughably) deemed to be innocent until proven guilty the burden of proof would still be on the accused.

If you owned equipment capable of receiving transmissions then you would have to prove that you never did. Very hard to do.

http://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/information/excuses.jsp

http://www.prnewswire.co.uk/cgi/news/release?id=45184

[MagnetsAndHangers]

Possibly. In this land where you are (laughably) deemed to be innocent until proven guilty the burden of proof would still be on the accused.

If you owned equipment capable of receiving transmissions then you would have to prove that you never did. Very hard to do.

http://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/information/excuses.jsp

http://www.prnewswire.co.uk/cgi/news/release?id=45184

Proving one never did something is basically impossible.

I own knives, but could I prove I have never stabbed anyone?

Same if the cops stop you in the street if they basically suspect you of a crime.
They will slap the cuffs on you, until they have sufficient proof that you didnt commit the crime in question.
Innocent until proven guilty doesnt stand in this country anymore unforunately,

[MagnetsAndHangers]

It is all very well having these protests..............

but it is everyone that has to pay for them.

The cost of policing comes down to the taxpayer.
Traffic is disrupted - After paying the congestion charge to drive into London!
Tidying up afterwards.

Wouldnt mind guessing that many of the protestors will pay upto 50% of the cost of the license fee to get to London (or whereever) to protest.

Am off to arrange a protest.......gonna protest that there are too many protests going on.

[islandbuckman]

A no concession 12 month licence for a colour receiver is 142.50 GBP (250.67 CAD).



Aren't everybody's? Accounting would be simpler if the government just took all your money and gave you an allowance each month.

They are forever coming up with new ways to squeeze a little more out of you.

The best one here (I don't know if it is still true) was Car Tax. Car Tax was added to the price of a new car and then Value Added Tax was applied to the sum amount. So you were paying tax on the tax.

We have that here now. We purchase a $100.00 item then 5% Gst tax(Same as your VAT) Federal tax is added = $105.00 then 10% PST provincial sales tax is added to the $105.00 = $115.50. We are paying $0.50 tax on tax.

[XCESSBAGGAGE]

Am now strking Canada off my list of places to live in~:(