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I remember telling some American people years ago that we had to pay to watch TV over here and they could not believe it.  Then I thought we were getting such a good service that it was, maybe, worth the licence fee.  No longer though I fear and I think it's time they stopped this particular tax.  The BBC puts on enough 'adverts' anyway with all their silly in between programme bits and trailers, sometimes it's worse than the commercial channels.

squiggle
(See I knew the thread would develop in that way) The debate is also taking place in our local evening paper. It is a difficult one this state v market telly argument. I can well understand that people think the cÂĢ150 a tax. On the other hand, what a bargain it is, all of those TV channels, excellent radio both national, local and specialist. I'm sure if anyone can come up with a cheaper alternative then the days of BBC will be numbered. Until then it's just a bunch of entrepreneurs who see the Beeb as an opportunity to make more cash. They can't understand the principal of non market finance. Then it will be your NHS following in the same direction.
Garage Joe
Originally Posted by Enthusiastic Contrafibularities:
Originally Posted by Garage Joe:
 I can well understand that people think the cÂĢ150 a tax.

 

I personally don't see it as a tax, I see it as a cost of the service, a service that I have the option of having or not having. At 41p per day I think it is pretty good value.

Maybe once the BBC (the only service we have to pay for) was good value for money but it is probably the channel I watch the least now.  I think if they had to compete for revenue with the other channels they might trim their budget in accordance with market forces.  I feel they are grossly bloated, the number of staff they send overseas to cover events is plain daft. 

squiggle

Production boosts ITV finances

Strong production growth in the first quarter of 2012 helped ITV secure near half of its ÂĢ652m total turnover from sources other than advertising.

 

ITV Studios posted revenues of ÂĢ212m in the first three months of the year, up 61% on the ÂĢ132m recorded over the same period in 2011 – helping the broadcaster beat analyst expectations.

The production arm of the UK’s biggest free-to-air commercial broadcaster benefited from the “front loaded” delivery of shows, including Hell’s Kitchen and The Jeremy Kyle Show in the US, as well as the inclusion of Daybreak in its production output.

 

“ITV Studios again performed strongly both in the UK and internationally, particularly in the US, with an encouraging number of new commissions,” said chief executive Adam Crozier in ITV’s interim management statement.

“This puts ITV Studios on track to grow revenues this year at a similar rate to 2011.”

 

The strong period of growth helped ITV to a total turnover of ÂĢ652m in the first three months of the year, up 15% from ÂĢ568m in 2011.

 

Some ÂĢ362m of this was from total advertising income, which was down marginally on last year, when ad revenues stood at ÂĢ365m.

It means ITV secured more than 44% of its turnover from sources other than advertising, which nearly falls in line with the company’s five-year transformation plan to ensure ad revenue is matched by other income consistently.

ITV’s external revenues (with ITVS’s internal supply stripped out) stood at ÂĢ565m in the first three months of the year, up 13% from ÂĢ500m in 2011.

Net advertising revenue was down 1% in the first quarter of the year, but was “better than anticipated”.

 

Ad turnover is set to rise 3% in the first six months of 2012, benefiting from strong growth around Euro 2012, with revenues in June set to be up 17%. ITV expects to outperform the market over the course of the year.

ITV1’s share of viewing fell 4% to 16.3% in the four months to the end of April, contributing to a 2% decline in viewing across the broadcaster’s family of channels. This was despite ITV’s digital stations posting a 4% growth in audience.

 

Online and on-demand long form video views on ITV Player increased 24% to 110m.

squiggle
Originally Posted by squiggle:
Originally Posted by Enthusiastic Contrafibularities:
Originally Posted by Garage Joe:
 I can well understand that people think the cÂĢ150 a tax.

 

I personally don't see it as a tax, I see it as a cost of the service, a service that I have the option of having or not having. At 41p per day I think it is pretty good value.

Maybe once the BBC (the only service we have to pay for) was good value for money but it is probably the channel I watch the least now.  I think if they had to compete for revenue with the other channels they might trim their budget in accordance with market forces.  I feel they are grossly bloated, the number of staff they send overseas to cover events is plain daft. 

 

Sorry, but I have to disagree on the value point. They have some very good content across a number of channels. BBC 1, BBC 2, BBC HD, BBC Three and BBC Four. They also have plenty of excellent radio programmes.

 

Paying the license fee allows them not to have to compete for revenue via advertising. If the license fee was dropped, then they would have to compete and I'm sure the quality and quantity of programming would be affected.

 

You only have to look at the ITV channels, it's full of mindless rubbish. They rarely have anything of worth on.

 

I use the BBC most of all, then Channel 4 and it's additional channels.

 

What I do agree with you on is the number of reporters they seem to have at the same location, it's crazy. Depending on the size of story you can probably get away with one.

 

I guess you could stop paying the license and watch everything on catch TV on-line. 

 

 

Enthusiastic Contrafibularities
Originally Posted by Enthusiastic Contrafibularities:
Originally Posted by squiggle:
Originally Posted by Enthusiastic Contrafibularities:
Originally Posted by Garage Joe:
 I can well understand that people think the cÂĢ150 a tax.

 

I personally don't see it as a tax, I see it as a cost of the service, a service that I have the option of having or not having. At 41p per day I think it is pretty good value.

Maybe once the BBC (the only service we have to pay for) was good value for money but it is probably the channel I watch the least now.  I think if they had to compete for revenue with the other channels they might trim their budget in accordance with market forces.  I feel they are grossly bloated, the number of staff they send overseas to cover events is plain daft. 

 

Sorry, but I have to disagree on the value point. They have some very good content across a number of channels. BBC 1, BBC 2, BBC HD, BBC Three and BBC Four. They also have plenty of excellent radio programmes.

 

Paying the license fee allows them not to have to compete for revenue via advertising. If the license fee was dropped, then they would have to compete and I'm sure the quality and quantity of programming would be affected.

 

You only have to look at the ITV channels, it's full of mindless rubbish. They rarely have anything of worth on.

 

I use the BBC most of all, then Channel 4 and it's additional channels.

 

What I do agree with you on is the number of reporters they seem to have at the same location, it's crazy. Depending on the size of story you can probably get away with one.

 

I guess you could stop paying the license and watch everything on catch TV on-line. 

 

 

Your post underlines my point of view.  You like the BBC channels and are a keen listener to their radio stations.  I am not.  But do I get a choice of whether I want to pay for all the stuff that the BBC churns out at sometimes horrendous cost and which doesn't appeal to me?  No I do not, hardly a fair proposition is it, that is why I regard the licence fee as an iniquitous tax, like the dog licence well past its sell by date.

squiggle
Originally Posted by KaffyBaffy:
Originally Posted by moonie:

Dont they have to have evidence against you to prosecute?
How can they get that evidence if you dont admit you are watching tv at all?

 

I don't think they have to catch you watching - just have to catch you with a telly in the house.

Enquiry officers have no more right to enter your home that yout postman ,so do not let them in .They will have to go to magistrates court for a warrant.

FM

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