Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

BBC licence fee to be abolished in 2027 and funding frozen

theguardian.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

11–20 of 225 posts

Re: BBC licence fee to be abolished in 2027 and funding frozen

#11

Post by iso1210 »

bennysomething wrote: post #7

Good. Currently I'm forced to pay for content I dont consume.

I don't need to pay for a license fee because I don't watch TV. I watch Netflix, amazon, apple, disney etc.

I still pay it because I'm listening to radio 2 at the moment, and have the news website in the background. While legally I don't need a license fee for that, it feels wrong to not be contributing.

Unless you're some weird boomer still paying £600 a year for a sky subscription to watch shit TV broken by adverts, I'm not sure why you'd pay a license fee (unless of course you actually watch BBC output)

Re: BBC licence fee to be abolished in 2027 and funding frozen

#12

Post by jaymzcampbell »

bennysomething wrote: post #7

Good. Currently I'm forced to pay for content I dont consume.

I know there's lots of conflicting horror stories online but years ago when I moved house and had no TV at all, I submitted a declaration[1] saying I didn't need one and haven't had any hassle since. After a few months I realised I wasn't missing live TV at all and never went back.

[1] https://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/check-if-you-need-one/topics/t...

Re: BBC licence fee to be abolished in 2027 and funding frozen

#13

Post by ksec »

pseudolus wrote: post #4

The following pretty much lays out the mentality behind the cuts: "The source added that 'the days of state-run TV are over' and praised the growth of US-run companies such as Netflix and YouTube." Yes, let's run to our algorithmically run and siloed future.

>"The source added that 'the days of state-run TV are over' and praised the growth of US-run companies such as Netflix and YouTube."

I have no problem with the first part of the sentence, may be yes, may be no. I am not a supporter of "state-run" TV ( Edit: To US readers - It is publicly funded, not "State Run" ) . But the second parts somehow reeks. I much rather stick with the current BBC model if I am being forced to choose between the two.

Another part of the stat-run question. Has anyone ever floated the idea of BBC becoming a public company?

Re: BBC licence fee to be abolished in 2027 and funding frozen

#14

Post by ssddanbrown »

ssddanbrown wrote: post #9

I like much of what the BBC do and produce, especially BBC news, but the licence fee has always felt like a relic from the past with a bad strategy of enforcement (With their threatening letters and misguiding terminology as to when a license is required). Their actual broadcast service is lacking in some areas too. On BBC One HD I still get a blank place-holder screen for local news, advising to switch to the non-HD…

For those interested, this website provides a great listing of TV licensing letters:

http://www.bbctvlicence.com/

Re: BBC licence fee to be abolished in 2027 and funding frozen

#15

Post by iso1210 »

ssddanbrown wrote: post #9

I like much of what the BBC do and produce, especially BBC news, but the licence fee has always felt like a relic from the past with a bad strategy of enforcement (With their threatening letters and misguiding terminology as to when a license is required). Their actual broadcast service is lacking in some areas too. On BBC One HD I still get a blank place-holder screen for local news, advising to switch to the non-HD…

I think a lot of the problem is the aged technology where the regional news is routed via each region. Even just upscaling the local output requires massive changes, and any money for Engineering is rarely invested in old fashioned technology like over the air broadcasting,

There's then the spectrum costs, especially on satellite, to broadcast an extra 13 HD channels.

Re: BBC licence fee to be abolished in 2027 and funding frozen

#16

Post by iso1210 »

ksec wrote: post #13
pseudolus wrote: post #4

The following pretty much lays out the mentality behind the cuts: "The source added that 'the days of state-run TV are over' and praised the growth of US-run companies such as Netflix and YouTube." Yes, let's run to our algorithmically run and siloed future.

>"The source added that 'the days of state-run TV are over' and praised the growth of US-run companies such as Netflix and YouTube." I have no problem with the first part of the sentence, may be yes, may be no. I am not a supporter of "state-run" TV ( Edit: To US readers - It is publicly funded, not "State Run" ) . But the second parts somehow reeks. I much rather stick with the current BBC model if I am being forced…

The BBC traditionally isn't "State Run" any more than PBS is "State Run"

Re: BBC licence fee to be abolished in 2027 and funding frozen

#18

Post by lampe3 »

themihai wrote: post #2

>> Time now to discuss and debate new ways of funding, supporting and selling great British content. Perhaps it's time for the BBC to "beg for money" from the government every 4 years and do something in exchange for that(i.e. less critical to gov actions, more propaganda etc).

So they become state tv?

Then why have them at all?

Why not call it TV?

Re: BBC licence fee to be abolished in 2027 and funding frozen

#19

Post by [deleted] »

ssddanbrown wrote: post #9

I like much of what the BBC do and produce, especially BBC news, but the licence fee has always felt like a relic from the past with a bad strategy of enforcement (With their threatening letters and misguiding terminology as to when a license is required). Their actual broadcast service is lacking in some areas too. On BBC One HD I still get a blank place-holder screen for local news, advising to switch to the non-HD…

[deleted]
Post reply on HN