Would the BBC do this?
This is a very parochial rant regarding the TV license here in the UK.
But I would like to hear an opinion from other nationalities.
This is not an article moaning about the present cost of a TV license.
At present I pay £159 ($203) most of which, I believe funds, the BBC.
Some people may think this is expensive. I do not.
So far this year, I have watched the FA Cup final in the peace and comfort of my home.
If I attended the match, the cheapest seat would have cost me £45 ($58).
If I wanted a seat comparable to comfort, I enjoyed watching from home, I would be looking at around £245/£500 ($313/$640).
I have also watched two tennis matches on two different days on Wimbledon’s Centre court. This would have set me back at least £75 ($96) per day.
These prices do not include travelling expenses.
Driving into London for these events would be impossible. Public transport would cost me around £140 (£180).
This adds up to £375 ($480). And that is only for me.
If my wife wanted to join me, you would have to double the cost.
So, instead of laying out £375. I have only paid the license fee of £159.
I am, as we say over here, quid’s in.
So, what am I going to complain about?
It has been suggested by an ex-member of the BBC, that there should be a change in who pays the license fee. One method suggested that only the wealthy should pay. It was not explained who would be considered wealthy.
Second method suggested, was the fee should be based on the value of the license payer’s property.
My house was at the last check, valued at £450,000 ($575,000).
(I didn’t pay that much for it. Inflation and property prices have pushed it to that figure.)
Should that method be chosen, it would mean the people living in the social housing opposite my home would be watching TV for nothing, while I would be paying more than the £159 I am paying now.
“Well,” I hear those from outside the UK say, “just stop watching the BBC.”
If only it was that simple.
The TV license is not to allow us to watch the BBC programs, but a license to receive a signal.
This means you need a license to watch any live or repeated programs on any channel.
I could stop watching the BBC, but I would still have to pay for it.
In fact, everybody could stop watching the BBC, but everybody would still have to pay for it.
If this method was adopted, the BBC will fight tooth and nail to keep the license fee. It believes it has a God given right to our money.
I would welcome comments from the UK and overseas readers.
Some more articles written by me.
