BBC, Licence Fee etc.

[JBP|]

well lets not forget that your tv licence funds BBC radio stations aswell (including local stations not just the national ones)

 

[Jas]

Not posted in a while... but I will now.

On-demand TV is going to shake up the industry radically in the next few years. We are already seeing this with advert-skipping Tivos. The result will be that advertising is going have to change to continue delivering for the people paying. ITV have already started discussing adverts inside programmes (perhaps a logo on the screen). The BBC on the other hand is perfectly suited to ride this change - and is leading the field with its Interactive Media Player (iMP) TV over broadband with technology pioneered with its Radio Player.

But the BBC is not just about TV. The website is superb, and underated - particually the news site. Regional radio is amazing - do you think any commercial broadcaster would be interested in doing programmes for my Grandma in rural Cornwall?

(Disclaimer: I work for the BBC. My views are bias, and opinions are my own)

 

[Trem]

OMGZ TEH JAS!!!

Ay up geezer.

 

[PR.]

I heard that when Freeview was rolled out the BBC made sure that as many digi boxes as possible didn't come out with card slots. This Greg Dyke says will force the license fee to be around a for a good few years yet.

The license fee is what makes the BBC what it is. Sure some of its programs are bilge but that's because the BBC can experiment with its programming it doesn't have to worry about making high rating programmes, and if the programmes they do make only get marginal ratings they don't have to move it to some graveyard time for it to quietly die.

I've enjoyed a lot of the dramas the BBC have made recently (55 degrees north, Spooks etc.) they also make interesting documentaries that normally wouldn't make it to commercial TV (The Power of Nightmares, Walking with Dinosaurs, Blue Planet, British Isles Natural History, Himalayas, Horizon, Panarama) I see next week Space Odyssey starts from the makers of Waking with dinosaurs which looks to be another great programme.

We have had the experimental comedies such as Monkey Dust and Little Britain on BBC3 along with some good dramas as well. BBC4 is almost completely unique programming that would not make it to commercial TV.

Then we have the superior BBCi interactive service for digital TV users. The hundreds of national and regional radio stations including the world service one of the few non-bias news stations people around the world can listen to, then there is their website one of the most visited sites in both the UK and the world.

For £120 a year it's a bargain and something I am proud to help fund.

 

[Jas]

Good stuff.

The world service isn't actually funded by the licence fee. The Foreign & Commonwealth office gives a grand-in-aid of about £240m to run that.

 

[rynnor]

Award for the most obviously biased and one-sided post ever goes to..........

.....rynnor!

Cheers although I think that many of the posters on the Daoc forums have me beat - particularly after a relic raid - makes a republican rally look objective

Givf Award ceremony!

Plus if they got rid of the license fee they might stop Cbeebies and then I wouldnt get menaced by the nipper to constantly watch it... uke:

 

[NaveT]

I went and built a pc recorder (www.mythtv.org) so that I could skip the adverts on various channels.

Looking at the list of programs that have recorded over the last week, about 85% of all programes are either on BBC1,2,3 or Cbeebies. (dont ask!)

The rest are on Channel 4 or Sky 1 (Battlestar Galactica and The Long Way Around - Ewan MacGregor) Saying that...there was nothing on Sky 1 that I watched before those 2 came on.

The recorder automatically skips adverts, which means the Sky 1 programs are about 36minutes in length when I watch them.

Keep the license fee I would say.

 

[Wazzerphuk]

I pay the license fee without quibble. I don't mind.

There are a couple of things they could do to justify the cost though: currently TV stops at 1am - to boradcast one of their other channels through BBC1. Anyone else find this an utter pisstake? They're not even trying to fill up time with random programs of crap/cheese. If I wanted to watch BBCNews24, I would turn to that channel on my freeview box or whatever.

Value for money needs to apply, and if you want £120 for 12 months of two TV channels - you need to be airing a variety of TV programs all during the day and night. Whacking nearly 10 hours of news programs on in a day does not count as value for money, IMHO.

 

[maxi]

Spooks is the most reactionary bullshit 'drama' I've seen since, well, ever. Partly because I've never assesed a program as such before. But CULTURE OF FEAR OR WHAT?? Next Episode: The Gypsy Spies THAT YOU PAY FOR








(produced and funded by The Daily Mail)

 

[nath]

When I was on analogue I quite liked having access to news24 after 1am. Now I'm on freeview it seems a bit pointless but I think there's still plenty of people who don't have digital - they're paying their license fee, they should be catered to aswell.

 

[MaddSeazyn]

Im not up for the TV license. Firstly, any programmes I like are on sky. Secondly, I dont listen to BBC Radio. Thirdly, even if you consider that the BBC make UK Gold and such, the regular viewer cannot get those unless they pay for a FreeView box or get Cable/Sky. Adverts are a pain in the ass, and news half way through a movie? Not good. But I'd rather have adverts than be forced to pay a license.

Just my opinion.

 

[Tom]

The adverts cost you more money than the license fee. So you'd rather spend more money than buy a license? Makes sense to me.

 

[Wazzerphuk]

I don't have freeview/cable/sky and news24 at 1am still pisses me off.

 

[MaddSeazyn]

The adverts cost you more money than the license fee. So you'd rather spend more money than buy a license? Makes sense to me.

I get more Channels for my adverts though. Makes sense to me.

 

[Tom]

Quantity not quality. I see.

 

[MaddSeazyn]

Quantity not quality. I see.

You must have missed my point where I said "I dont watch BBC" They make nothing of quality to me, you see.

 

[GDW]

There is always one

 

[throdgrain]

/me spots a Buffy Vampire Slayer viewer

 

[Calaen]

Dont ever watch BBC or ITV tbh all I need is on sky which I pay £38 per month to watch. hate how I have pay for channels I do not watch. Sick of paying the wages of crap actors who think they are the biz (Eastenders ofc)

who needs MoTD when u got football first on Sky sports

 

[maxi]

There are about 4 channels worth watching on Sky, and they're ropey at best. I think theBBC does pretty well in balancing out informative and intelligent journalism with mindless made for the masses bullshit. Sky doesn't balance this it all its 97% horseshit.