(no subject)

[robinbloke]

BBC Computer license fee?

So, PC detector vans next?

Comments

[aardnebby.livejournal.com]

*rolls eyes and sighs*

IIRC the reason for the TV license was to pay for the BBC, does this mean the BBC will now produce masses of content for UK internet users only?

Or do computer users without the internet get away with it? (Like owning a TV without a tuner, so you can watch videos or DVDs only)?

What precisely are they taxing here, and how can they justify it? UK computer prices are already pretty awful compared to Europe...

[zotz]

They're talking about at least ten years down the line, aren't they? The Times are just picking up on some vague blue-sky speculation and reporting it as if it's a concrete proposal. The BBC themselves seem to think that the licence fee is here not just for the next ten years, but for decades after that, too. Someone on the Today program was pointing out that every time the charter is renewed people say that the licence fee will be abandoned in about another ten years, and they've been wrong every time so far.

[crocodilewings.livejournal.com]

Twelve years ago I had an Atari STE 520. I played Paperboy on it, and wrote strategy games in BASIC. Later on I upgraded it to a whole 1 meg of RAM so it could run Street Fighter 2.

Given the rate of technology advancement I suspect computers will revolutionise television broadcasting long before television broadcasting has a chance to revolutionise computers.

[robinbloke.livejournal.com]

I don't believe it will happen either, TV's are fairly fundamental devices now to western life, but a nice bit of morning scaremongering will wake people up.

[robinbloke.livejournal.com]

The BBC already stream some sports events via the internet.

[robinbloke.livejournal.com]

As zotz has said, this is a long time in the future and it's pretty unlikely to happen anyway...

[crocodilewings.livejournal.com]

I can see it being similar to the mp3 file sharing situation. People don't want to lose money by having users obtain media for free over the internet. At least the countermeasures proposed here actually take into account the net as a valid medium as opposed to just ignoring it or penalising people for using it.

I am worried about the BBC, though. At present people pay for it because they want to watch television, not because they want a non-commercial, public-funded broadcasting organisation. It's important that we keep that, but given the choice between paying for it and having it or not paying for it and not having it, I suspect too many people will opt for the latter to keep it viable.

[angusabranson.livejournal.com]

They already have a computer tax in some countries/cities.

Hilde may be able to correct me but I think Brussels already has one in place.

[crocodilewings.livejournal.com]

Am I the only person who thinks taxing for ownership of something is a bit off? As far as I'm aware, in the UK we're only taxed on sources of income or for things that make use of public resources, which, all in all, makes sense.

[scy11a.livejournal.com]

Well, the TV Licence Fee applies only to ownership of a telelvision. They don't take kindly to the claim that you only watch DVDs / videos / commercial channels : )

[scy11a.livejournal.com]

And just why are you online so early in the day instead of wandering hungover around our house???

[robinbloke.livejournal.com]

I was too tired to stay over I'm afraid, went home and crashed out around 10:30, Tuesday and Wednesday morning really wasted me.

But many thanks for the tasty pideon fodder! I think I left my red dwarf DVDs at yours so you can inflict those on James :)

[scy11a.livejournal.com]

FIIIISSSHHHHH

[fellcat.livejournal.com]

I think that the idea is that you are paying for the opportunity/ability to watch BBC channels. If then you don't use that opportunity, that's not their business.

[robinbloke.livejournal.com]

Todays fish is trout a la creme, enjoy your meal.

:)

That quote made me smile like this

[nina321.livejournal.com]

:D

[nina321.livejournal.com]

I got two words for that.
Here's a clue...
It starts with a fuck, and ends with off.

[scy11a.livejournal.com]

Unless, of course, you only watch the BBC channels using battery power - then there's no fee *confused*

[robinbloke.livejournal.com]

Does a UPS count as a battery for this? :)

[scy11a.livejournal.com]

FIIISSSHHHH

[scy11a.livejournal.com]

United Postal System???

[robinbloke.livejournal.com]

Todays fish is trout a la creme, enjoy your meal.

[robinbloke.livejournal.com]

Uninterruptable Power Supply.

A battery backed power system.

[feanelwa.livejournal.com]

a.k.a. We just found out that a growing proportion of people think television is moronic and are making their own entertainment by talking to each other on the internet, so we're going to have to tax you lot otherwise we'll look bad.

[robinbloke.livejournal.com]

The government? Surely not!!

[atreic.livejournal.com]

You can take the relavent recieving bits out of your telly and watch DVDs and Videos and not pay the license, but just watching commercial tv is out.

[fellcat.livejournal.com]

The battery-operated bit is to allow people to take a TV on holiday without having to obtain a separate license for their holiday address, although the wording of the law means that students whose permanent address is their parent(')s(') house are still covered by their parent(')s(') TV license as long as the TV they have at uni is battery-powered.

The batteries have to be enclosed within the casing of the TV set, so no you can't use an UPS, and there still has to be a TV licence registered to the household you technically live as part of.

[robinbloke.livejournal.com]

Well I don't watch TV but I do use their website a lot, so I'm not that bothered.

[robinbloke.livejournal.com]

Really?

Re: That quote made me smile like this

[robinbloke.livejournal.com]

Horah! :)

[robinbloke.livejournal.com]

The BBC, funded from adverts? The scandal!

[atreic.livejournal.com]

http://www.jifvik.org/tv/

[crocodilewings.livejournal.com]

If you physically disable its capacity to receive TV signals, it's kosher. It's no different to having a car but not keeping it on the road.

Well, it is different, with the lack of wheels, and being towed away to be crushed, but conceptually it's not a million miles away.

[deliberateblank.livejournal.com]

Council Tax.
VED (even if you end up never driving it).

VAT is also technically not tax on a source of income (given that the buyer and not the seller pays it.)

You get taxed on whatever they think they can get away with taxing.

Re: Welllllllll

[deliberateblank.livejournal.com]

Indeed. And of course you only need one license per household, but if the license fee was turned into a sales tax you'd end up paying for each computer in the house (even if you already had a properly licensed normal TV set).

garbage

[jasonooc.livejournal.com]

ok completly nothing to do with ya post, i just be found out the date of the garbage gig me being me didnt realise its the same thursday im going to the download festivle which is completly the oppersit direction im REALLY sorry but i am gonna have to miss the garbageie goodness (well for 2days as there playing the sunday there)

Re: garbage

[robinbloke.livejournal.com]

Pants!

Ok then.

[scy11a.livejournal.com]

FIIIISSSHHH

[robinbloke.livejournal.com]

Todays fish is trout a la creme, enjoy your meal.

[scy11a.livejournal.com]

I think you'd have trouble proving that when the detector van came around. Although drpyrojames had a visit and got away with it as his TV (sson to be chucked) was buried unused under a pile of junk under a desk in a closet covered in dust. A pretty good case not to be using it. Either that or they scarpered when he threatened to ignite them with liquid oxygen ; )

[scy11a.livejournal.com]

FIIIIISSSHHH

[robinbloke.livejournal.com]

Todays fish is trout a la creme, enjoy your meal.

[robinbloke.livejournal.com]

hehe, ah the joys of being a pyromancer

[scy11a.livejournal.com]

Thankyou, I will!

[robinbloke.livejournal.com]

:)

Now, no fishing yourself to death!