UK-Guy's

Is it true that you have to pay (B.B.C.) $250.00-U.S. to use t.v.
and radio. I hear you have no ads. on the t.v. and radio.Know of any
other country's with pay type policie's. Or etc. around the globe.
Small World -----LOOSEWIRE

Hello,

I am Bertus from Holland.
Over here we used to pay some kind of tax for looking at the TV and listen to the Radio.
This tax is now canceled.
We have over here the non-comercial stations Nederland 1 2 and 3.
On these stations some commercials block of about 5 minutes are send when a program has ended and a new program will start.
We also have a lot of commerial stations, on these stations you have many breaks in the programs for commercials.

Greetings,
Bertus

loosewire said:

Is it true that you have to pay (B.B.C.) $250.00-U.S. to use t.v.
and radio.

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Yes we pay the license fee every year - this year it costs £139.00. The license fee funds the BBC and as a result the BBC operates a strict no advertising policy (not even within programmes), and it is (supposedly) politically and culturally impartial.

For that we get 8 advert free TV channels: BBC1, BBC2, BBC3, BBC4, CBBC, CBeebies, BBC News 24, and BBC Parliament. We also get 10 advert free national radio stations: Radio 1, Radio 2, Radio 3, Radio 4, Radio 5 Live, Radio 5 Live Sports Extra, BBC 6 Music, BBC7, BBC World Service, BBC Asian Network. We also get a host of advert free local radio stations. Finally the license fee funds the fantastic BBC website and the BBC iPlayer.

Opinions of the BBC differ, but I think it is fantastic value for what we pay. It is IMO one of our national treasures along with the NHS which celebrated its 60th Birthday this week.

Dave

That works out to less than £12 per month, a little under $23. Not a bad deal, I suppose. Is this a use fee, or a general tax? In other words, do folk without TV sets also have to pay?

thingmaker3 said:

That works out to less than £12 per month, a little under $23. Not a bad deal, I suppose. Is this a use fee, or a general tax? In other words, do folk without TV sets also have to pay?

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You only pay the license fee if you use television receiving equipment to watch programmes in real-time (i.e. a TV or a computer with TV tuner - this is becoming increasingly complex with technologies such as IPTV). The license is on a per-residence basis, so you have one license per-residence which allows you to use as many TVs at that residence as you like.

There is also a radio license which is incorporated into the TV license, however if you don't have a TV but do have a radio you will need to pay that. There are a few other parts to the TV license: the £139.00 license is a full colour license, however there is also a cheaper black and white license (around £50 per year); furthermore there are exceptions for the blind or partially sighted and the elderly (over 75s IIRC).

Using TV receiving equipment without a TV license is a offence in the UK punishable by up to a £1000 fine.

This differs slightly from the NHS which is funded through general taxation.

Dave

Not a bad deal at all. We pay more for cable service, and we only get a tiny bit of British programming along with thousands of old American re-runs. Anything worth watching incurs an extra cost.

thingmaker3 said:

Not a bad deal at all. We pay more for cable service, and we only get a tiny bit of British programming along with thousands of old American re-runs. Anything worth watching incurs an extra cost.

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You actually touch on one of the criticisms of the license fee: that is you must play the fee even if you do not use the BBC services, but use TV receiving equipment and subscribe to cable or satellite. Some people believe that the BBC should be put on a footing with the commercial broadcasters so that you pay for what you use.

You guys state-side get the BBC Worldwide services don't you? These commercial services are not covered or funded in anyway by the license fee, but run under a commercial arm of the BBC.

Dave

Considering whatever money goes into ads is recovered from the consumers by the companies, its not a bad deal.

License for TV viewing . Now even TV viewing has become complex!

recca02 said:

Considering whatever money goes into ads is recovered from the consumers by the companies, its not a bad deal.

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That is the model employed by the non-subscription commercial broadcasters in the UK such as ITV, Channel 4 and Five. I assume this is common funding model for commercial broadcasters around the world.

Obviously the BBC is not allowed to advertise in any capacity (that doesn'y mean we cannot mention commercial entities on the BBC).

recca02 said:

License for TV viewing . Now even TV viewing has become complex!

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Hehe We've has the license fee in the UK since 1922, so it is truly engrained within our culture!

Dave

Here in the U.S. B.B.C. reports on subjects world wide.When I hear a
B.B.C. report it something that the U.S. press don't report.I think the
B.B.C. has better source's ,we get more picture's of the world new's.
New people read tele-prompter's,the camera give you the real new's.
The wire service's has small voice's all over the world,it may take few
day's to get the new's out where ever.